Fuel cell stack and method for operating a fuel cell stack
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsArnulf Sponheimer, Stephan Strahl, Julio Orozco Santos Coy, Rolf Lorenz Loeffler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell stack includes multiple stacked individual cells each having an anode and a cathode, a common fuel inlet duct, a common fuel outlet duct, a common oxidizing agent inlet duct, a common oxidizing agent outlet duct, and at least one microwave source configured to selectively generate microwave radiation into the common fuel outlet duct and/or into the common oxidizing agent outlet duct to manage water contained therein to melt ice and/or expedite evaporation.
Claims20
A fuel cell stack, comprising:
- a plurality of stacked individual cells;
- a fuel inlet duct configured to deliver fuel to anodes of the plurality of stacked individual cells;
- a fuel outlet duct configured to collect fuel discharged from the plurality of stacked individual cells;
- an oxidizing agent inlet duct configured to deliver an oxidizing agent to the plurality of stacked individual cells;
- an oxidizing agent outlet duct configured to collect oxidizing agent discharged from the plurality of stacked individual cells;
- and
- a microwave source configured to selectively generate microwave radiation directed into at least one of the fuel outlet duct and the oxidizing agent outlet duct.
A method for operating a fuel cell stack including a plurality of stacked fuel cells, a common fuel inlet duct, a common fuel outlet duct, a common oxidizing agent inlet duct, a common oxidizing agent outlet duct, and a microwave source configured to generate microwave radiation, the method comprising:
- operating the microwave source to deliver microwave radiation to at least one of the common fuel outlet duct and the common oxidizing agent outlet duct in response to temperature being less than five degrees Celsius.
A fuel cell stack, comprising:
- a plurality of stacked individual cells;
- a fuel inlet duct configured to deliver fuel to all of the stacked individual cells;
- a fuel outlet duct configured to collect fuel discharged from all of the stacked individual cells through associated fuel outlet bore holes;
- an oxidizing agent inlet duct configured to deliver an oxidizing agent to all of the stacked individual cells;
- an oxidizing agent outlet duct configured to collect oxidizing agent discharged from all of the stacked individual cells;
- an end plate disposed on one end of the stacked individual cells;
- a microwave source attached to the end plate and configured to selectively generate microwave radiation directed into at least one of the fuel outlet duct and the oxidizing agent outlet duct;
- a water collection vessel fluidly coupled to the fuel outlet duct through the end plate;
- a waveguide configured to direct microwave radiation from the microwave source to the fuel outlet bore holes and an inlet of the water collection vessel;
- and
- a feedback controller configured to control the microwave source to selectively generate the microwave radiation in response to a measured temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.