Automated cold storage protection for a fuel cell system
US8900766B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 28, 2012 |
| Grant date | Dec 2, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 15, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T90/40
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for selectively determining whether a freeze purge should be performed at shut-down of a fuel cell stack. The method includes identifying that the vehicle has been keyed off and then determining whether a stack membrane humidification value is less than a predetermined humidification value that identifies the humidification of membranes in fuel cells in the fuel cell stack. If the stack membrane humidification value is not less than the predetermined humidification value, then the method determines if the ambient temperature is below a predetermined ambient temperature, and if so, performs the freeze purge. If the ambient temperature is not below the predetermined ambient temperature, then the method performs a short non-freeze purge of the flow channels in the fuel cell stack. The method determines a wake-up time for a controller for a next time to determine whether a freeze purge should be performed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.