Consumption-based fuel cell monitoring and control
AssigneeIdaTech, LLC
InventorMesa Scharf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Fuel cell systems and methods for controlling the operation of components of the fuel cell system, such as which may include a fuel source and a fuel cell stack. In some examples, a fuel source is adapted to provide supply fuel to a fuel cell stack at a supply pressure. In some systems, fuel not used by the fuel cell stack is discharged through at least one exit orifice at an exit pressure. In some examples, a control system is adapted to control operation of one or both of the fuel source and the fuel cell stack based on the flow of unused fuel. In some examples, a target pressure is determined based on the level of electrical current produced by a fuel cell stack, such that when fuel is supplied at the target pressure, the fuel cell stack consumes a given proportion of the supply fuel.
Claims20
A method of operating a fuel cell system, the method comprising:
- providing supply fuel at a supply pressure;
- applying oxidant and the supply fuel to a fuel cell stack, which includes at least one fuel cell, and which is adapted to produce electrical current therefrom;
- detecting the level of electrical current produced by the fuel cell stack;
- determining a target proportion of the supply fuel applied to the fuel cell stack that is consumed by the fuel cell stack for a given level of electrical current produced by the fuel cell stack;
- and
- varying the supply pressure to maintain a proportion of supply fuel applied to the fuel cell stack that is consumed by the fuel cell stack at about the target proportion of the supply fuel.
A method of operating a fuel cell system, the method comprising:
- providing supply fuel at a supply pressure;
- applying oxidant and the supply fuel to a fuel cell stack, which includes at least one fuel cell, and which is adapted to produce electrical current therefrom;
- detecting the level of electrical current produced by the fuel cell stack;
- determining a target proportion of the supply fuel applied to the fuel cell stack that is consumed by the fuel cell stack;
- determining a target pressure of the supply fuel at which the fuel cell stack consumes the target proportion of the supply fuel for a given level of electrical current produced by the fuel cell stack;
- and
- maintaining the supply pressure at about the target pressure.
A method of operating a fuel cell system, the method comprising:
- providing supply fuel at a supply pressure;
- applying oxidant and the supply fuel to a fuel cell stack, which includes at least one fuel cell, and which is adapted to produce electrical current therefrom;
- detecting the level of electrical current produced by the fuel cell stack;
- determining a target proportion of the supply fuel applied to the fuel cell stack that is consumed by the fuel cell stack for a given level of electrical current produced by the fuel cell stack;
- determining a target pressure of the supply fuel at which the fuel cell stack consumes the target proportion of the supply fuel;
- and
- maintaining the supply pressure at about the target pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.