Response to Ingestion of Gas Into Fuel Cell Coolant
OwnerRyan J. Ballietinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell power plant (9, 60) includes a plurality of fuel cells in a stack (10, 61) each having coolant channels (13, 64) with coolant outlets (27, 80) directed to a water gas separator (40, 77), a gas outlet (45, 82) being connected to an orifice (47, 84) through a pressure detector (46, 83). Detection of excessive pressure, indicative of excessive ingestion of gas into the coolant, causes a controller (39, 102) to control operating parameters of the fuel cell stack, such pressure or shutdown of coolant or reactant gas, to avoid fuel cell damage due to the gas ingestion.
Claims8
A method in a fuel cell power plant (9, 60), characterized by:
- avoiding damage to fuel cells in a fuel cell stack (10, 61) within said fuel cell power plant by sensing (46, 47;
- 83, 84) excessive ingestion of gas into coolant channels (13, 64) of the fuel cells in said stack, and operating a controller (39, 102) in a manner to alter operational parameters within said fuel cell power plant so as to avoid damage to the fuel cells within said stack;
- and
- said sensing comprises sensing excessive flow of gas from the coolant channels (13, 64) of the fuel cells by sensing excessive pressure across an orifice (47, 84) leading from outlets (27, 80) of said coolant channels (13, 64) to ambient.
2-3. (canceled)
A fuel cell power plant (9, 60), comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cells arranged in a stack (10, 61), said fuel cells having coolant channels (13, 64), fluid within said coolant channels exhausting from said coolant channels through a coolant outlet (28, 80);
- and
- a controller for commanding the operational parameters of said fuel cell power plant;
- characterized by:
- means (48, 47;
- 83, 84) in fluid communication with said coolant channel outlet (22, 80) for determining presence of excessive ingestion of gas into coolant flowing within said coolant channels and providing a signal indication thereof, said controller responsive to said signal indication to alter the operating parameters of said fuel cell power plant In a manner to avoid damage to the fuel cells in said stack;
- and wherein
- said means is configured to sense excessive flow of gas from the coolant channels (13, 64) of the fuel cells by sensing excessive pressure across an orifice (47, 84) leading from outlets (27, 80) of said coolant channels (13, 64) to ambient.
7-8. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.