# US 11,309,562 B2 · Method for operating a fuel cell device

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- Number: US 11,309,562 B2
- Document ID: US11309562B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/644,609
- Filed: 2018-08-09
- Published: 2021-03-04
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-09-05
- Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH
- Applicants: Robert Bosch GmbH
- Inventors: Martin Hering; Stefanie Wahl
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309562B2

## CPC

- H01M 8/04447: {of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell}
- H01M 8/0618: {Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming}
- H01M 8/04089: of gaseous reactants
- H01M 8/04097: {with recycling of the reactants (H01M8/04119, H01M8/04104 take precedence)}
- H01M 8/04761: {of fuel cell exhausts}
- H01M 8/04776: {at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformer, compressor, burner}
- H01M 8/04828: Humidity; Water content
- H01M 8/04753: {of fuel cell reactants}
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a fuel cell device (10), wherein the fuel cell device (10) is operated in accordance with a quality characteristic of a fuel that is used. According to the invention, the quality characteristic is determined from a partial analysis of the constituents of the fuel that is used. The invention further relates to a fuel cell device (10) that is operated by means of such a method.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for operating a fuel cell device (10), the method comprising:
operating the fuel cell device (10) via a controller (46) and in accordance with a quality characteristic of a fuel which is used,
determining via the controller (46), and a detecting device (44), the quality characteristic from a partial analysis of constituents of the fuel which is used,
determining via the controller (46) an electron configuration of the fuel which is used from the quality characteristic, and
controlling via the controller (46) a compressor (40, 50) of the fuel cell device (10) using the electron configuration of the fuel which is used.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuel cell device (10) has at least one reformer unit (30) and/or at least one fuel cell unit (12), wherein operating the fuel cell device (10) further comprises operating the at least one reformer unit (30) and/or the at least one fuel cell unit (12) depending on the quality characteristic of the fuel which is used.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the quality characteristic corresponds to a number of potentially releasable electrons per molecule of the fuel which is used.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fuel cell device (10) has an exhaust gas return (38), wherein operating the fuel cell device further comprises: controlling an exhaust gas return rate (rA) in accordance with the quality characteristic.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fuel cell device (10) has a water supply (48), wherein operating the fuel cell device further comprises: controlling a water supply rate (rw) in accordance with the quality characteristic.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein operating the fuel cell device (10) further comprises: specifying one or more set points, wherein a first set point corresponds to a ratio (Φ) between oxygen and carbon, a second set point corresponds to a fuel efficiency rating (Uf,S) and/or a third set point corresponds to an electrical current value (I).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the quality characteristic corresponds to the electron configuration (Ke-).

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein operating the fuel cell device (10) further comprises: specifying one or more set points, wherein a first set point corresponds to a ratio (Φ) between oxygen and carbon, a second set point corresponds to a fuel efficiency rating (Uf,S) and/or a third set point corresponds to an electrical current value (I).

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fuel cell device (10) has an exhaust gas return (38), wherein operating the fuel cell device further comprises: controlling an exhaust gas return rate (rA) in accordance with the electron configuration (Ke-) and in accordance with the first, second and/or third set point (Φ, Uf,S, I).

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fuel cell device (10) has a water supply (48), wherein operating the fuel cell device further comprises: controlling a water supply rate (rw) in accordance with the electron configuration (Ke-), and in accordance with the first, second and/or third set point (Φ, Uf,S, I).