Method for collection and communication of measured data within a fuel cell stack
US8257875B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 8, 2010 |
| Grant date | Sep 4, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 18, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system for communicating measurement data from each fuel cell or a group of fuel cells in a fuel cell stack, including a plurality of fuel cells and a plurality of stack plates, where one stack plate is between each fuel cell and on each end of the stack. The system includes a plurality of embedded smart plates where each embedded smart plate is mechanically and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of stack plates, and where each embedded smart plate includes optical transceivers on a top side and a bottom side of the smart plate. The system further includes at least one aggregator device having at least one optical transceiver to initiate a series of communications between the embedded smart plates to determine the location and data collected by each of the smart plates.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.