# US 2026/0063569 A1 · Fuel cell contamination detection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0063569 A1 - Document ID: US20260063569A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/823,391 - Filed: 2024-09-03 - Published: 2026-03-05 - Earliest claimed: 2024-09-03 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Nathan KEMPEMA; Daniel WILKOSZ - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260063569A1 ## CPC - G01N 21/94: Investigating contamination, e.g. dust (G01N21/85 takes precedence) - B60L 58/30: for monitoring or controlling fuel cells - G01N 21/3504: for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis - G01N 21/71: thermally excited - G01N 21/85: Investigating moving fluids or granular solids - H01M 8/04447: {of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell} - G01N 2021/8578: {Gaseous flow} - G01N 2201/0612: Laser diodes - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - 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 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising a spectrometer configured to detect the light back through the optical coupler and the lens. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 2, further comprising an optical filter configured to direct the light back through the optical coupler and the lens onto the spectrometer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 2 wherein the spectrometer is coupled with a photodiode detector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 2 wherein the contaminants are in a nano-to micron-scale range. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 1 wherein the laser is further configured to generate the light beam such that the light beam heats the contaminants to incandescence. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 1 wherein the optical coupler includes a fitting and an optically transparent insert. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 7 wherein the optically transparent insert is sapphire or quartz. ### Claim 9 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. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 9, further comprising a lens configured to focus the light beam into the hydrogen gas input tube. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 10, further comprising an optical filter configured to direct light emitted through the optical coupler and the lens onto the spectrometer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 9 wherein the laser is a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 9 wherein the laser is further configured to generate the light beam such that the light beam excites the contaminants to emit photons. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 9 wherein the laser is further configured to generate the light beam such that the light beam heats the contaminants to incandescence. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 9 wherein the optical coupler includes a fitting and an optically transparent insert. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 15 wherein the optically transparent insert is sapphire or quartz. ### Claim 17 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. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The automotive fuel cell system of claim 17 wherein the laser is a free-electron laser.