Fuel cell stack performance monitoring
AssigneeAmerican Power Conversion Corporation
InventorsDaniel Rene Hagen Pedersen, Kristian Silberbauer
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Abstract
A fuel cell system comprising a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell is provided. In certain examples, the fuel cell system may be configured to provide an operating variable to monitor fuel cell system performance is disclosed. A fuel cell assembly comprising the fuel cell system and methods of monitoring the fuel cell system are also disclosed.
Claims29
A fuel cell system configured to provide an operating variable to monitor fuel cell stack performance, the fuel cell system comprising a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell, the first fuel cell configured to receive a lower amount of fuel than the second fuel cell in a first condition to provide an operating variable indicative of fuel cell stack performance.
A fuel cell system comprising a controller and a fuel cell stack that comprises a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell, the fuel cell stack configured to provide feedback to the controller regarding fuel cell stack performance after a first condition is induced in the first fuel cell.
A fuel cell assembly comprising:
- a fuel cell stack comprising a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell;
- means for reducing the amount of fuel supplied to a first fuel cell;
- means for measuring an operating variable of the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell;
- means for comparing the operating variable of the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell;
- and
- means for the operating variable of at least one of the first and second fuel cells to maintain the performance of the fuel cell stack.
A method of monitoring performance of a fuel cell stack comprising at least a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell, the method comprising:
- subjecting the first fuel cell of the fuel cell stack to a first condition resulting in a lower amount of fuel supplied to the first fuel cell;
- detecting a first voltage output of the first fuel cell of the fuel cell stack at the first condition;
- and
- monitoring performance of at least one other fuel cell in the fuel cell stack using the detected, first voltage output.
A method of determining performance of a fuel cell stack, the method comprising limiting fuel supplied to a first fuel cell of the fuel cell stack to induce a performance condition in the first fuel cell to prevent occurrence of the induced performance condition in at least one other fuel cell in the fuel cell stack.
A power system configured to provide a voltage output, the power system comprising a first voltage generating device and a second voltage generating device coupled to the first voltage generating device, wherein the power system is configured to provide an operating variable indicative of poor performance that is used to monitor performance of the power system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.