Consumption-based fuel cell monitoring and control
AssigneeIdaTech, LLC
InventorMesa Scharf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Fuel cell systems and methods for controlling the operation of components of the fuel cell system, such as which may include a fuel source and a fuel cell stack. In some examples, a fuel source is adapted to provide supply fuel to a fuel cell stack at a supply pressure. In some systems, fuel not used by the fuel cell stack is discharged through at least one exit orifice at an exit pressure. In some examples, a control system is adapted to control operation of one or both of the fuel source and the fuel cell stack based on the flow of unused fuel. In some examples, a target pressure is determined based on the level of electrical current produced by a fuel cell stack, such that when fuel is supplied at the target pressure, the fuel cell stack consumes a given proportion of the supply fuel.
Claims9
A method of operating a fuel cell system, comprising:
- producing a supply fuel at a supply pressure;
- applying oxidant and the supply fuel to a fuel cell stack, which includes at least one fuel cell, and which is adapted to produce electrical current therefrom;
- discharging fuel unused by the fuel cell stack through an exit orifice at an exit pressure;
- detecting the exit pressure;
- determining the flow of unused fuel based on the exit pressure;
- and
- controlling production of the supply fuel based on the determined flow of unused fuel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.