Integrated coolant header venting for a fuel cell stack
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorBenno Andreas-Schott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell stack configuration and method of removing gas from the coolant flow path within a fuel cell stack is provided. The fuel cell stack has an internal vent passageway that communicates with the coolant supply header to enable gas entrapped therein to be vented from the fuel cell stack. The vent passageway can be formed by a plurality of apertures in the components that comprise the fuel cell stack and run parallel and adjacent to the coolant supply header. Alternatively, a vent line can be connected to the coolant supply header with a valve therein to selectively vent gas from the coolant supply header.
Claims30
A fuel cell stack comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cells arranged in a stacked configuration;
- an internal coolant flow path through said fuel cells through which a coolant flow travels;
- and
- a coolant vent passageway communicating with said internal coolant flow path, said coolant vent passageway allowing gas within said internal coolant flow path to be removed therefrom.
A fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell stack having a coolant flow path therethrough;
- and
- a coolant system communicating with said coolant flow path and operable to supply a coolant flow to said coolant flow path and receive said coolant flow from said coolant flow path after passing through said fuel cell stack, said coolant system including a vent line communicating with said coolant flow path and operable to remove gas from said coolant flow path.
A fuel cell stack comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cells arranged relative to one another in a stacked configuration, said fuel cells including a plurality of plates;
- at least one alignment feature in each of said plates, said alignment features being apertures shaped to engage with an alignment member during assembly of the fuel cells to align the plates relative to one another;
- a coolant flow path operable to direct a coolant flow through said fuel cells;
- and
- a coolant vent passageway communicating with said coolant flow path and operable to remove gas from said coolant flow path,
- wherein a portion of said coolant vent passageway is formed by said alignment features.
A method of operating a fuel cell system having a coolant system and a fuel cell stack, the coolant system including a reservoir and a pump and the fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells, a coolant vent passageway, and a coolant flow path including a coolant supply header and a coolant return header, the method comprising:
- (a) supplying a coolant flow to the coolant supply header with the coolant system;
- (b) routing said coolant flow from the coolant supply header through the fuel cell stack and into the coolant return header;
- (c) returning said coolant flow from the coolant return header to the coolant system;
- (d) routing gas in the coolant supply header to the coolant vent passageway;
- and
- (e) venting said gas from the coolant vent passageway to the reservoir through a coolant vent line communicating with the coolant vent passageway and the reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.