Fuel cell system and method for removal of water from fuel cells
AssigneeNissan Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorShinichi Takahashi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell system is provided which generates electricity by supplying fuel gas and oxidant gas to a fuel cell stack comprising a fuel cell stack, a DC power supply, and a controller. The DC power supply comprises at least one of a generator and battery. The controller is programmed to determine whether or not the fuel cell stack is generating electricity, and to supply current to the fuel cell stack by at least one of the generator and the battery when generation of electricity by the fuel cell stack is terminated. The current supplied to the fuel cell stack removes residual water in the fuel cell stack by electrolytically reducing the water into hydrogen and oxygen gasses which are subsequently purged from the fuel cell stack.
Claims31
A fuel cell system which generates electricity by supplying fuel gas and oxidant gas to a fuel cell stack comprising:
- a fuel cell stack;
- a DC power supply comprising at least one of a generator and battery;
- and
- a controller programmed to:
- determine whether or not the fuel cell stack is generating electricity, and supply current to the fuel cell stack by at least one of the generator and the battery when generation of electricity by the fuel cell stack is terminated.
A fuel cell system which generates electricity by supplying fuel gas and oxidant gas to a fuel cell stack comprising:
- a fuel cell stack;
- a DC power supply comprising at least one of a generator and battery;
- and
- a means of controlling a flow of current to the fuel cell stack, wherein said means is equipped with a means of measuring the current flowing to the fuel cell stack while it is flowing, and said means controls a voltage impressed on the fuel cell stack so that the current flowing to the fuel cell stack reaches a predetermined amperage.
A method of removing water from a fuel cell system, said fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell stack having at least one unit cell,
- a DC power supply comprising at least one of a generator and battery, and
- a programmable controller, comprising the steps of:
- generating electricity from the fuel cell stack by supplying fuel gas and oxidant gas to the fuel cell stack;
- terminating the generation of electricity from the fuel cell stack;
- determining that the generation of electricity by the fuel cell stack has terminated using said programmable controller;
- and
- using said programmable controller to supply current to the fuel cell stack from the DC power supply.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.