Cell discharging circuit for a fuel cell
AssigneeFuji Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorYasuhiro Takabayashi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A discharging circuit can be made compact by forming a discharging path for the fuel cell via a fixed resistor. Even if the operation of a fuel cell is interrupted and/or a control power source for supplying electric power to a controlling circuit is interrupted, the discharging circuit is operated in response to a voltage produced through an electrolysis of the gas which is left in the fuel cell. As a result, the fuel cell can discharge, while the degradation of the fuel cell is prevented.
Claims13
A discharging apparatus for a fuel cell having a self generating voltage, said discharging apparatus including a control circuit for controlling the fuel cell, comprising:
- a discharging circuit connected to the fuel cell, said discharging circuit including switching means for opening and closing said discharging circuit in accordance with said self-generating voltage;
- detecting means connected to said control circuit for detecting an interruption of power to the control circuit, said detecting means including a detecting circuit connected in parallel with said discharging circuit for detecting the self generating voltage of the fuel cell when interruption of power to the control circuit is detected by said detection means;
- and
- control means connected between said detecting means and said switching means, said control means controlling said switching means in accordance with the self generating voltage of the fuel cell to close said discharging circuit when power to said control circuit is interrupted.
In combination with a fuel cell, a fuel cell discharging apparatus including a control circuit for controlling the fuel cell, comprising
- a discharging circuit connected across said fuel cell, said discharging circuit including a discharging resistor and a first switching means;
- detecting means coupled to said control circuit for detecting an interruption of power to the control circuit, said detecting means including a detection circuit comprising a second switching means and impedance means, said second switching means connecting said impedance means across said fuel cell when interruption of power to the control circuit is detected by said detection means;
- and
- control means coupled between said first switching means and said impedance means, said control means controlling said first switching means to connect said discharging resistor across said fuel cell after said detecting circuit has been connected across said fuel cell and the voltage across said fuel cell exceeds a predetermined magnitude.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.