Fuel cell contamination detection
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsNathan KEMPEMA, Daniel WILKOSZ
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automotive fuel cell system with an integrated optical contamination detection mechanism is presented. The automotive fuel cell system includes a fuel cell connected to a hydrogen gas input tube, with an optical coupler. A laser is configured to generate a light beam that is focused by a lens through the optical coupler and into the hydrogen gas input tube. Contaminants flowing through the hydrogen gas input tube emit light back through the optical coupler and lens, enabling the detection and monitoring of these contaminants.
Claims18
An automotive fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell;
- a gas input tube, including an optical coupler, in fluid communication with the fuel cell;
- a laser configured to generate a light beam;
- and
- a lens configured to focus the light beam through the optical coupler and into the hydrogen gas input tube such that contaminants flowing through the hydrogen gas input tube emit light back through the optical coupler and lens.
An automotive fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell;
- a hydrogen gas input tube in fluid communication with the fuel cell;
- a laser configured to generate a light beam;
- a spectrometer;
- and
- an optical coupler configured to direct light emitted, as a result of interaction of the light beam with contaminants flowing through the hydrogen gas input tube, to the spectrometer.
An automotive fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell;
- an interface tube in fluid communication with the fuel cell;
- a laser configured to generate a light beam;
- a first optical port coupled to the interface tube and configured to direct the light beam into the interface tube;
- a second optical port coupled to the interface tube and positioned non-coaxially with respect to the light beam;
- and
- a detector coupled to the second optical port and configured to detect light scattered by contaminants in a gas flowing through the interface tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.