Patent · US Active

Startup and shutdown procedures for operating a fuel cell assembly

US8492038B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
7References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 29, 2004
Grant dateJul 23, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 3, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E60/50
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A fuel cell assembly (20) has an extended operational life, in part, because of unique startup and shutdown procedures used for operating the fuel cell assembly. In disclosed examples, a purge gas mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen includes less than 2% hydrogen for selectively purging portions of the assembly during a startup or shutdown procedure. In a disclosed example, the hydrogen-nitrogen mixture contains less than 0.1% hydrogen.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.