Fuel cell system and shutdown method for a fuel cell system
OwnerUwe Limbeck, Holger Richterinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell system having at least one fuel cell, which possesses one anode area as well as one cathode area that is separated from the anode area by an electrolyte. The anode area and the cathode area each contain one catalyst for the catalytic conversion of reactants being supplied to the fuel cell. During downtime periods of the fuel cell, the anode area is filled with air or oxygen. Provided in the area of an inlet and/or in the area of an outlet of the anode area is an additional catalyst for the catalytic conversion of hydrogen with oxygen, which is set up to catalytically convert hydrogen diffusing towards the anode area during downtime periods of the fuel cell when the anode area is filled with air or oxygen.
Claims14
A fuel cell system having at least one fuel cell that comprises an anode area and a cathode area that is separated from the anode area by an electrolyte, whereby the anode area and the cathode area each contain a catalyst for catalytic conversion of reactants being supplied to the fuel cell, and wherein the anode area contains air or oxygen during the downtime of the fuel cell, the fuel cell system comprising an additional catalyst provided in the region of an inlet and/or in the region of an outlet of the anode area, wherein the additional catalyst catalytically converts hydrogen diffusing towards the anode area during the downtime of the fuel cell when the anode area contains air or oxygen.
A method to shut down a fuel cell system having at least one fuel cell that has an anode area and a cathode area that is separated from the anode area by an electrolyte, and wherein the anode area and the cathode area each contain a catalyst for the catalytic conversion of reactants being supplied to the fuel cell, the method comprising the following steps:
- interrupting an electrical connection between the fuel cell and a load;
- interrupting the supply of hydrogen into the anode area of the fuel cell;
- filling the anode area of the fuel cell with air or oxygen;
- and
- catalytically converting hydrogen, which, during the downtime of the fuel cell, diffuses towards the air-filled or oxygen-filled anode area with an additional catalyst that is arranged in a region of an inlet and/or in the region of an outlet of the anode area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.