# US 2018/0026280 A1 · Fuel cell system

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2018/0026280 A1
- Document ID: US20180026280A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/608,960
- Filed: 2017-05-30
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-21
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Shigeki HASEGAWA; Masashi TOIDA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180026280A1

## CPC

- H01M 8/04179: {by purging or increasing flow or pressure of reactants}
- H01M 8/04097: {with recycling of the reactants (H01M8/04119, H01M8/04104 take precedence)}
- H01M 8/04111: using a compressor turbine assembly
- H01M 8/04164: {by condensers, gas-liquid separators or filters}
- H01M 8/04197: {Preventing means for fuel crossover}
- H01M 8/04223: during start-up or shut-down; Depolarisation or activation, e.g. purging; Means for short-circuiting defective fuel cells
- H01M 8/04228: during shut-down
- H01M 8/04231: {Purging of the reactants}
- H01M 8/04358: {of the coolant}
- H01M 8/04365: {of other components of a fuel cell or fuel cell stacks}
- H01M 8/04373: {of auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners}
- H01M 8/04544: {Voltage}
- H01M 8/04552: {of the individual fuel cell}
- H01M 8/04634: {Other electric variables, e.g. resistance or impedance}
- H01M 8/04649: {of fuel cell stacks}
- H01M 8/04828: Humidity; Water content
- H01M 8/1018: Polymeric electrolyte materials
- H01M 8/241: with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
- H01M 2008/1095: {Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes}
- H01M 2250/20: Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- H01M 2250/30: Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using 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
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A fuel cell system, comprising: a fuel cell stack including a stacked body provided by stacking a plurality of cells in a stacking direction; a compressor configured to feed a purge gas to a cathode of the fuel cell stack; a controller configured to control the compressor, such as to perform stop-time purging that purges the cathode of the fuel cell stack when operation of the fuel cell system is stopped; a first temperature gauge configured to measure a first temperature value that reflects temperature of a cell placed near a center in the stacking direction among the plurality of cells constituting the stacked body and to input the measured first temperature value into the controller; and a second temperature gauge configured to measure a second temperature value that reflects temperature of a cell placed near an end in the stacking direction among the plurality of cells constituting the stacked body and to input the measured second temperature value into the controller, wherein the controller is configured to suspend the stop-time purging when the first temperature value is equal to or higher than a first reference temperature and the second temperature value is lower than a second reference temperature.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fuel cell system, comprising:
a fuel cell stack including a stacked body provided by stacking a plurality of cells in a stacking direction;
a compressor configured to feed a purge gas to a cathode of the fuel cell stack;
a controller configured to control the compressor, such as to perform stop-time purging that purges the cathode of the fuel cell stack when operation of the fuel cell system is stopped;
a first temperature gauge configured to measure a first temperature value that reflects temperature of a cell placed near a center in the stacking direction among the plurality of cells constituting the stacked body and to input the measured first temperature value into the controller; and
a second temperature gauge configured to measure a second temperature value that reflects temperature of a cell placed near an end in the stacking direction among the plurality of cells constituting the stacked body and to input the measured second temperature value into the controller, wherein
the controller is configured to suspend the stop-time purging when the first temperature value is equal to or higher than a first reference temperature and the second temperature value is lower than a second reference temperature.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell system according to claim 1,
wherein the first temperature gauge is configured to measure temperature of cooling water that is discharged from the fuel cell stack.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell system according to claim 1,
wherein the fuel cell stack is configured to include an end plate that is placed at an end in the stacking direction and that has a supply port and a discharge port of an anode gas,
the fuel cell system further comprising:
a hydrogen pump mounted to the end plate and configured to supply a gas that is discharged from the discharge port, to the supply port, wherein
the second temperature gauge is configured to measure temperature of the hydrogen pump.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell system according to claim 1, further comprising:
an impedance meter configured to measure an impedance of the stacked body and to input the measured impedance into the controller, wherein
the controller is configured to suspend the stop-time purging when at least one of conditions that the first temperature value is lower than the first reference temperature and that the second temperature value is equal to or higher than the second reference temperature is satisfied and the measured impedance is greater than a predetermined value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a cell voltage meter configured to measure cell voltages of measurement subject cells that are at least part of the plurality of cells and to input the measured cell voltages into the controller, wherein
the controller is configured to suspend the stop-time purging when a negative voltage is generated in at least one of the measurement subject cells for a time duration from start to completion of the stop-time purging.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a cell voltage meter configured to measure cell voltages of measurement subject cells that are at least part of the plurality of cells and to input the measured cell voltages into the controller; and
an input voltage meter configured to measure an input voltage generated by power generation of the fuel cell stack, wherein
the controller is configured to suspend the stop-time purging on non-occurrence of a low voltage state where a condition that a difference obtained by subtracting a minimum value among the cell voltages of the measurement subject cells from an average voltage determined according to the input voltage measured by the input voltage meter is greater than a predetermined voltage difference, continues for a predetermined time period or longer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The fuel cell system according to claim 6,
wherein when the stop-time purging is suspended on occurrence of the low voltage state, the controller is configured to perform the stop-time purging at a time of stopping a next operation of the fuel cell system even if the low voltage state does not occur during the next operation of the fuel cell stack.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The fuel cell system according to claim 6,
wherein the minimum value used for calculation of the difference is a voltage of the cell placed near the end.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell system according to claim 1,
wherein the second reference temperature is a value that is equal to or higher than the first reference temperature.