# US 2010/0167140 A1 · Response to Ingestion of Gas Into Fuel Cell Coolant

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- Number: US 2010/0167140 A1
- Document ID: US20100167140A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/086,947
- Filed: 2005-12-30
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2005-12-30
- Inventors: Ryan J. Balliet
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100167140A1

## CPC

- H01M 8/04044: Purification of heat exchange media
- H01M 8/0267: having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels
- H01M 8/04029: Heat exchange using liquids
- H01M 8/04059: {Evaporative processes for the cooling of a fuel cell}
- H01M 8/04104: {Regulation of differential pressures}
- H01M 8/04303: applied during shut-down
- H01M 8/241: with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
- H01M 8/2483: characterised by internal manifolds
- H01M 8/04228: during shut-down
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim at position 2

2-3. (canceled)

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 further characterized by:
said operating step comprises shutting down the power plant.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 further characterized by:
said operating step comprises increasing pressure differential between said coolant and reactant gases in said stack.

### Claim 6

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.

### Claim at position 6

7-8. (canceled)

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

A fuel cell power plant (9, 60) according to claim 6 further characterized by:
said controller responsive to said signal indication to shut down said power plant.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

A fuel cell power plant (9, 60) according to claim 6 further characterized by:
said controller responsive to Said signal indication to increase differential in pressure between said coolant and reactant gases in said stack.