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US 10,096,852 B2Granted
Gas purge control for coolant in a fuel cell
AssigneeAudi AG
InventorRobert M. Darling
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell includes a water transport plate providing a water flow field. The water flow field permits a flow of water having an entrained gas. A vent is in fluid communication with the water flow field. At least some of the gas is released from fuel cell by opening a vent. In a disclosed example, a valve is opened in response to conditions indicative of an undesired amount of gas. For example, the valve is actuated in response to a signal from a water level sensor. In another example, the valve is opened based upon a schedule.
Claims14
A fuel cell, comprising:
- a fluid transport plate having a closed coolant flow field in fluid communication with a vent opening;
- a coolant manifold coupled to the vent opening of the fluid transport plate and including a passageway, the vent opening being positioned in the passageway;
- a sensor positioned in the passageway of the coolant manifold, the sensor configured to detect a level of a coolant in the fluid transport plate;
- and
- a valve positioned in the passageway of the coolant manifold and coupled to the sensor, the valve being configured to seal and unseal the vent opening in response to a signal from the sensor, the valve being configured to open to release excess gas from the fluid transport plate.
2 more elements
A system, comprising:
- an anode;
- a cathode adjacent to the anode;
- a fluid transport plate in fluid communication with the anode and the cathode, the fluid transport plate having a closed coolant flow field in fluid communication with a vent opening;
- a coolant manifold coupled to the vent opening of the fluid transport plate and including a passageway, the vent opening being positioned in the passageway;
- a sensor positioned in the passageway of the coolant manifold;
- a valve positioned in the passageway of the coolant manifold;
- and
- a controller coupled to the valve, the controller configured to control the valve to seal and unseal the vent opening to release excess gas from the fluid transport plate.
5 more elements
A system, comprising:
- an anode;
- a cathode;
- a fluid transport plate in fluid communication with the anode and the cathode, the fluid transport plate having a closed coolant flow field in fluid communication with a vent opening;
- a coolant manifold coupled to the vent opening of the fluid transport plate and including a passageway, the vent opening being positioned in the passageway;
- a valve positioned in the passageway of the coolant manifold;
- a sensor positioned in the passageway of the coolant manifold and coupled to the valve;
- and
- a cathode exhaust loop coupled to the cathode.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.