Fuel cell valve configuration
AssigneeHyaxiom, Inc.
InventorJames Kenney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illustrative example fuel cell reactant flow control valve assembly includes a pneumatic valve configured to allow reactant flow when the pneumatic valve is in an open condition and to prevent reactant flow when the pneumatic valve is in a closed condition. A control valve selectively allows a pressure of the reactant to provide pneumatic pressure to maintain the pneumatic valve in the open condition. The control valve selectively vents the pneumatic pressure reservoir to control a rate at which the pneumatic pressure decreases and a rate at which the pneumatic valve changes from the open condition to the closed condition.
Claims12
A fuel cell reactant flow control valve assembly, comprising:
- a pneumatic valve configured to allow pressurized fluid flow including at least one of a reactant and a purge gas when the pneumatic valve is in an open condition and to prevent pressurized fluid flow when the pneumatic valve is in a closed condition;
- and
- a control valve that selectively allows a pressure of the pressurized fluid to provide pneumatic pressure to maintain the pneumatic valve in the open condition, the control valve selectively reducing the pneumatic pressure to control a rate at which the pneumatic pressure decreases and a rate at which the pneumatic valve changes from the open condition to the closed condition, wherein the rate at which the pneumatic valve changes from the open condition to the closed condition allows at least some of the pressurized fluid including the purge gas to flow through the pneumatic valve during a shutdown procedure.
A fuel cell power plant, comprising:
- a cell stack assembly including a plurality of fuel cells;
- a manifold configured to distribute fluid to the cell stack assembly;
- a pressurized source of pressurized fluid including at least one of a reactant and a purge gas;
- a supply conduit coupling the pressurized source of pressurized fluid to the manifold;
- a pneumatic valve between the pressurized source of pressurized fluid and the manifold, the pneumatic valve having an open condition that allows the pressurized fluid to flow to the manifold and a closed condition that prevents the pressurized fluid from flowing to the manifold;
- a pressure reservoir that receives the pressurized fluid from the pressurized source of pressurized fluid, the pressure reservoir providing pneumatic pressure to maintain the pneumatic valve in the open condition;
- and
- a control valve between the pressurized source of pressurized fluid and the pressure reservoir, the control valve selectively isolating the pressure reservoir from the pressurized source of pressurized fluid and controlling a rate of release of the pneumatic pressure from the pressure reservoir during a shutdown procedure to thereby control a rate at which the pneumatic valve moves from the open condition into the closed condition, wherein the rate at which the pneumatic valve moves from the open condition to the closed condition allows at least some of the pressurized fluid including the purge gas to flow through the pneumatic valve during the shutdown procedure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.