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US 7,563,526 B2Granted
Fuel cell system and method for removal of water from fuel cells
AssigneeNissan Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorShinichi Takahashi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell system is provided which generates electricity by supplying fuel gas and oxidant gas to a fuel cell stack comprising a fuel cell stack, a DC power supply, and a controller. The DC power supply comprises at least one of a generator and battery. The controller is programmed to determine whether or not the fuel cell stack is generating electricity, and to supply current to the fuel cell stack by at least one of the generator and the battery when generation of electricity by the fuel cell stack is terminated. The current supplied to the fuel cell stack removes residual water in the fuel cell stack by electrolytically reducing the water into hydrogen and oxygen gasses which are subsequently purged from the fuel cell stack.
Claims17
A fuel cell system which generates electricity by supplying fuel gas and oxidant gas to a fuel cell stack comprising:
- a fuel cell stack comprising
- water as a by-product of a reaction between fuel gas and oxidant gas,
- a plurality of unit cells, each unit cell including a membrane electrode assembly to generate electricity from the reaction between the fuel gas and oxidant gas, which forms the water as a by-product, the membrane electrode assembly comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane and two electrodes on both sides of and adjacent to the polymer electrolyte membrane,
- a fuel cell stack anode electrically connected to one of the two electrodes, and
- a fuel cell stack cathode electrically connected to the other of the two electrodes,
- wherein each unit cell is immediately adjacent another unit cell;
- a rechargeable battery electrically connected to the fuel cell stack in a parallel connection in which an anode of the battery is electrically connected to the anode of the fuel cell stack, and a cathode of the battery is electrically connected to the cathode of the fuel cell stack, the battery supplies current to the unit cells of the fuel cell stack through the parallel connection to allow the unit cells to electrolyze water therein;
- and
- a controller programmed to:
- determine whether or not the fuel cell stack is generating electricity, and
- supply current to the unit cells of the fuel cell stack from the battery through the parallel connection to allow the unit cells to electrolyze the water therein, when generation of electricity by the fuel cell stack is terminated, and supply current from the unit cells through the parallel connection to charge the battery when the fuel cell stack generates electricity.
8 more elements
A motor vehicle comprising a fuel cell system which generates electricity by supplying fuel gas and oxidant gas to a fuel cell stack comprising:
- the fuel cell stack comprising
- water as a by-product of a reaction between fuel gas and oxidant gas,
- a plurality of unit cells, each unit cell including a membrane electrode assembly to generate electricity from the reaction between the fuel gas and oxidant gas, which forms the water as a by-product, the membrane electrode assembly comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane and two electrodes on both sides of and adjacent to the polymer electrolyte membrane,
- a fuel cell stack anode electrically connected to one of the two electrodes, and
- a fuel cell stack cathode electrically connected to the other of the two electrodes,
- wherein each unit cell is immediately adjacent another unit cell;
- a rechargeable battery electrically connected to the fuel cell stack in a parallel connection in which an anode of the battery is electrically connected to the anode of the fuel cell stack, and a cathode of the battery is electrically connected to the cathode of the fuel cell stack, the battery supplies current to the unit cells of the fuel cell stack through the parallel connection to allow the unit cells to electrolyze water therein;
- and
- a controller programmed to:
- determine whether or not the fuel cell stack is generating electricity, and
- supply current to the unit cells of the fuel cell stack from the battery through the parallel connection to allow the unit cells to electrolyze the water therein, when generation of electricity by the fuel cell stack is terminated, and supply current from the unit cells through the parallel connection to charge the battery when the fuel cell stack generates electricity.
8 more elements
An automobile comprising a fuel cell system which generates electricity by supplying fuel gas and oxidant gas to a fuel cell stack comprising:
- the fuel cell stack comprising
- water as a by-product of a reaction between fuel gas and oxidant gas,
- a plurality of unit cells, each unit cell including a membrane electrode assembly to generate electricity from the reaction between the fuel gas and oxidant gas, which forms the water as a by-product, the membrane electrode assembly comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane and two electrodes on both sides of and adjacent to the polymer electrolyte membrane,
- a fuel cell stack anode electrically connected to one of the two electrodes, and
- a fuel cell stack cathode electrically connected to the other of the two electrodes,
- wherein each unit cell is immediately adjacent another unit cell;
- a rechargeable battery electrically connected to the fuel cell stack in a parallel connection in which an anode of the battery is electrically connected to the anode of the fuel cell stack, and a cathode of the battery is electrically connected to the cathode of the fuel cell stack, the battery supplies current to the unit cells of the fuel cell stack through the parallel connection to allow the unit cells to electrolyze water therein;
- and
- a controller programmed to:
- determine whether or not the fuel cell stack is generating electricity, and
- supply current to the unit cells of the fuel cell stack from the battery through the parallel connection to allow the unit cells to electrolyze the water therein, when generation of electricity by the fuel cell stack is terminated, and supply current from the unit cells through the parallel connection to charge the battery when the fuel cell stack generates electricity.
8 more elements
A method of removing water from a fuel cell system, said fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell stack comprising
- water as a by-product of a reaction between fuel gas and oxidant gas,
- a plurality of unit cells, each unit cell including a membrane electrode assembly to generate electricity from the reaction between the fuel gas and oxidant gas, which forms the water as a by-product, the membrane electrode assembly comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane and two electrodes on both sides of and adjacent to the polymer electrolyte membrane,
- a fuel cell stack anode electrically connected to one of the two electrodes, and
- a fuel cell stack cathode electrically connected to the other of the two electrodes, wherein each unit cell is immediately adjacent another unit cell;
- a rechargeable battery electrically connected to the fuel cell stack in a parallel connection in which an anode of the battery is electrically connected to the anode of the fuel cell stack, and a cathode of the battery is electrically connected to the cathode of the fuel cell stack, the battery supplies current to the unit cells of the fuel cell stack through the parallel connection to allow the unit cells to electrolyze the water therein;
- and
- a programmable controller, comprising the steps of:
- generating electricity from the fuel cell stack by supplying fuel gas and oxidant gas to the fuel cell stack;
- terminating the generation of electricity from the fuel cell stack;
- determining that the generation of electricity by the fuel cell stack has terminated using said programmable controller;
- and
- using said programmable controller to supply current to the fuel cell stack from the rechargeable battery.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.