Controlling the fuel concentration for a fuel cell
AssigneeAmerican Power Conversion Corporation
InventorsPeter Nielsen, Ulrik Karlsson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Control systems, sensors and methods for controlling the fuel concentration in a fuel cell or a fuel cell stack are provided. In certain examples, the control system may be configured to detect a performance degradation, and the fuel concentration provided to the fuel cell may be adjusted in response to detection of the performance degradation.
Claims20
A control system configured to control fuel concentration at an anode of a fuel cell and to adjust the fuel concentration provided to the anode of the fuel cell in response to detection of a performance degradation, wherein the control system is configured to alter the fuel concentration provided to the anode in response to a result of a detection operation for a frequency of a fuel cell voltage that corresponds to a modulation frequency used to modulate fuel flow to the anode.
A fuel cell comprising:
- a cathode;
- an anode electrically coupled to the cathode;
- an electrolyte between the cathode and the anode;
- and
- a control system configured to control fuel concentration provided to the anode and to adjust the fuel concentration provided to the anode in response to detection of a performance degradation, and wherein the control system is configured to adjust the fuel concentration provided to the anode in response to a result of a detection operation for a frequency in a fuel cell voltage, wherein the frequency corresponds to a modulation frequency used to modulate flow of fuel to the anode.
A method of regulating fuel concentration in a fuel cell, the method comprising:
- modulating a fuel flow at a modulation frequency;
- detecting a performance degradation of the fuel cell;
- altering fuel concentration provided to an anode of the fuel cell in response to detection of the performance degradation;
- and
- altering the fuel flow provided to the anode when an absence of the modulation frequency is detected in a fuel cell voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.