Fuel cell based power generator with pressure controlled anode loop
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsJeffrey Michael Klein, Jong Park, Steven J. Eickhoff, Paul Bryant Koeneman, Gustav Errol Rustan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A controller for a fuel cell based power generator includes a memory and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive a pressure in an anode loop of the fuel cell based power generator, wherein the anode loop includes a hydrogen generator and an anode loop blower, and control the anode loop blower such that the hydrogen generator provides hydrogen to an anode of a fuel cell via the blower and the anode loop at a controlled pressure. In further embodiments, the temperatures of the fuel cell and hydrogen generator are independently controlled.
Claims9
A method of operating a fuel cell based power generator, comprising:
- providing, by a hydrogen generator, hydrogen to an anode of a fuel cell via an anode loop connected to provide hydrogen from the hydrogen generator to the anode of the fuel cell, the anode loop including a water exchanger coupled between the anode and hydrogen generator to provide water to hydrogen in the anode loop, and the hydrogen generator such that hydrogen is recirculated from the anode to the hydrogen generator, and an anode loop blower coupled between the hydrogen generator and the anode such that the fuel cell generates an amount of electricity;
- receiving a pressure value in the anode loop;
- and
- controlling the anode loop blower such that the hydrogen generator provides hydrogen to the anode of a fuel cell via the anode loop blower and the anode loop at a controlled pressure.
A method of operating a fuel cell based power generator, comprising:
- providing, by a hydrogen generator, hydrogen to an anode of a fuel cell via an anode loop that includes a hydrogen generator to provide hydrogen in the anode loop in response to water, an anode loop blower, the anode, and a humidifier to recirculate wet hydrogen back to the hydrogen generator such that the fuel cell generates an amount of electricity;
- receiving a pressure value in the anode loop;
- and
- controlling the anode loop blower such that the hydrogen generator provides hydrogen to the anode of a fuel cell via the anode loop blower and the anode loop at a controlled pressure by:
- determining whether the pressure value in the anode loop exceeds an upper threshold pressure value or a lower threshold pressure value;
- modifying, by the controller, a speed of the anode blower by:
- increasing the speed of an anode loop blower in response to the pressure value in the anode loop exceeding the lower threshold pressure value;
- and
- decreasing the speed of the anode loop blower in response to the pressure value in the anode loop exceeding the upper threshold pressure value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.