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US 8,617,752 B2Granted
Cold start compressor control and mechanization in a fuel cell system
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsJoseph D. Rainville, Bruce J. Clingerman, Matthew C. Kirklin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell system is disclosed, wherein the fuel cell system is heated by a fluid during a starting operation to mitigate against vapor condensation and ice formation in a fuel cell assembly and to decrease a warm up time of the fuel cell system.
Claims20
A fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell assembly;
- a compressor upstream of said fuel cell assembly, wherein said compressor includes an inlet in fluid communication with a source of fluid, said compressor adapted to compress and heat a first fluid;
- a heat exchanger disposed between and in fluid communication with an outlet of said compressor and an inlet of said fuel cell assembly, wherein the first fluid flows from the source of fluid into said compressor prior to flowing into said heat exchanger and said fuel cell assembly, and wherein the first fluid flow from an outlet of said heat exchanger is divided into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the first fluid flow is caused to flow to the inlet of said fuel cell assembly;
- and
- a first means for regulating flow in fluid communication with an outlet of said heat exchanger, wherein said first means for regulating flow selectively facilitates a flow of the second portion of the first fluid flow from the outlet of said heat exchanger to an inlet of said compressor.
2 more elements
A fuel cell system comprising:
- an exhaust system;
- a fuel cell assembly having a cathode side inlet and a cathode side outlet in fluid communication with said exhaust system;
- a compressor upstream of said fuel cell assembly having an inlet in fluid communication with a source of fluid, said compressor adapted to compress and heat a first fluid;
- a heat exchanger disposed between and in direct fluid communication with an outlet of said compressor and the cathode side inlet of said fuel cell assembly, wherein the first fluid flows from the source of fluid into said compressor prior to flowing into said fuel cell assembly and said heat exchanger, and wherein the first fluid flow from an outlet of said heat exchanger is divided into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the first fluid flow is caused to flow to the cathode side inlet of said fuel cell assembly;
- and
- a first means for regulating flow in fluid communication with the outlet of said heat exchanger, wherein said first means for regulating flow selectively facilitates a flow of the second portion of the first fluid flow from the outlet of said heat exchanger to the inlet of said compressor.
3 more elements
A fuel cell system comprising:
- an exhaust system;
- a fuel cell assembly having a cathode side outlet in fluid communication with said exhaust system;
- a compressor upstream of said fuel cell assembly, wherein said compressor includes an inlet in fluid communication with a source of fluid, said compressor adapted to compress and heat a first fluid flowing from the source of fluid prior to a flow of the first fluid into said fuel cell assembly;
- a heat exchanger disposed between and in direct fluid communication with an outlet of said compressor and an inlet of said fuel cell assembly, wherein the first fluid flow from an outlet of said heat exchanger is divided into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the first fluid flow is caused to flow to the inlet of said fuel cell assembly;
- and
- a first means for regulating flow of the first fluid from the source of fluid prior to flowing into said fuel cell assembly, said fuel cell assembly in fluid communication with the outlet of said heat exchanger, wherein said first means for regulating flow selectively facilitates a flow of
- the second portion of the first fluid flow from the outlet of said heat exchanger to the inlet of said compressor and
- a flow of a third portion of the first fluid flow from the outlet of said heat exchanger to said exhaust system bypassing said fuel cell assembly.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.