Electrochemical cell system
AssigneeNuvera Fuel Cells, LLC
InventorScott Blanchet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrochemical cell system and a method of controlling water imbalance is provided. The electrochemical cell system and the method both include determining a present water imbalance in the electrochemical cell by summing a waterin and a watercreated less a waterout; tracking a cumulative water imbalance during operation of the electrochemical cell by repeatedly determining the present water imbalance and continuing to sum the results during operation; and adjusting a flow rate of the oxidant feed gas entering the electrochemical cell based on the cumulative water imbalance.
Claims18
An electrochemical cell system, comprising:
- an electrochemical cell;
- a plurality of oxidant gas inlet sensors, an oxidant gas exhaust sensor, a coolant inlet sensor, a coolant exhaust sensor, and current transducer;
- a controller configured to:
- determine a present water imbalance in the electrochemical cell by summing a waterin and a watercreated less a waterout, wherein:
- waterin is an amount of water introduced into the electrochemical cell by an oxidant feed gas;
- watercreated is an amount of water created by the electrochemical cell from the electrochemical reaction;
- and
- waterout is an amount of water discharged from the electrochemical cell by an oxidant exhaust gas;
- track a cumulative water imbalance during operation of the electrochemical cell by repeatedly determining the present water imbalance and continuing to sum the results during operation;
- adjust a flow rate of the oxidant feed gas entering the electrochemical cell based on the cumulative water imbalance;
- and
- wherein the controller is configured to recalibrate the cumulative water imbalance to zero by:
- increasing the flow rate of the oxidant feed gas to the electrochemical cell temporarily in order to dry out the electrochemical cell;
- measuring a resistance of the electrochemical cell;
- stopping flow of the oxidant feed gas once the resistance measured is about equal to a target resistance that corresponds to the cumulative water imbalance being equal to zero;
- and
- resetting the cumulative water imbalance to zero when the resistance measured is about equal to the target resistance.
An electrochemical cell system, comprising:
- an electrochemical cell;
- a plurality of oxidant gas inlet sensors, an oxidant gas exhaust sensor, a coolant inlet sensor, a coolant exhaust sensor, and current transducer;
- a controller configured to:
- determine a present water imbalance in the electrochemical cell by summing a waterin and a watercreated less a waterout, wherein:
- waterin is an amount of water introduced into the electrochemical cell by an oxidant feed gas;
- watercreated is an amount of water created by the electrochemical cell from the electrochemical reaction;
- and
- waterout is an amount of water discharged from the electrochemical cell by an oxidant exhaust gas;
- track a cumulative water imbalance during operation of the electrochemical cell by repeatedly determining the present water imbalance and continuing to sum the results during operation;
- adjust a flow rate of the oxidant feed gas entering the electrochemical cell based on the cumulative water imbalance;
- and
- wherein the controller is configured to recalibrate the cumulative water imbalance to zero by:
- increasing the flow rate of the oxidant feed gas to the electrochemical cell temporarily in order to dry out the electrochemical cell;
- measuring a humidity of the oxidant exhaust gas;
- stopping flow of the oxidant feed gas once the humidity of the oxidant exhaust gas is below a target humidity that corresponds to a cumulative water imbalance of zero;
- and
- resetting the cumulative water imbalance to zero.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.