公开(公告)号：US08932775B2

公开(公告)日：2015-01-13

申请号：US12801239

申请日：2010-05-28

申请人： Shigetaka Hamada ,  Robert M. Darling ,  Shampa Kandoi

发明人： Shigetaka Hamada ,  Robert M. Darling ,  Shampa Kandoi

IPC分类号： H01M8/04 ,  H01M8/10

CPC分类号： H01M8/04649 ,  H01M8/04388 ,  H01M8/04559 ,  H01M8/04589 ,  H01M8/04753 ,  H01M8/0485 ,  H01M2008/1095 ,  Y02E60/50

摘要： A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a controller, a resistance sensor, and a regulator. The fuel cell has a cathode plate, an anode plate, and an ion-exchange membrane interposed between the cathode plate and the anode plate. The controller is for controlling a gas flow rate to the anode plate. The resistance sensor is coupled to the fuel cell for measuring a resistance of the fuel cell. The regulator is coupled to the controller and coupled to the anode plate for regulating the gas flow to the anode plate. The controller receives a signal from the resistance sensor and is configured to control the regulator to adjust the gas flow to the anode plate based on the signal from the resistance sensor.

摘要翻译： 燃料电池系统包括燃料电池，控制器，电阻传感器和调节器。 燃料电池具有阴极板，阳极板和置于阴极板和阳极板之间的离子交换膜。 控制器用于控制到阳极板的气体流量。 电阻传感器耦合到燃料电池，用于测量燃料电池的电阻。 调节器耦合到控制器并且耦合到阳极板，用于调节到阳极板的气流。 控制器接收来自电阻传感器的信号，并且被配置为基于来自电阻传感器的信号来控制调节器来调节到阳极板的气体流量。

公开(公告)号：US20110294026A1

公开(公告)日：2011-12-01

申请号：US12801239

申请日：2010-05-28

申请人： Shigetaka Hamada ,  Robert M. Darling ,  Shampa Kandoi

发明人： Shigetaka Hamada ,  Robert M. Darling ,  Shampa Kandoi

IPC分类号： H01M8/04

CPC分类号： H01M8/04649 ,  H01M8/04388 ,  H01M8/04559 ,  H01M8/04589 ,  H01M8/04753 ,  H01M8/0485 ,  H01M2008/1095 ,  Y02E60/50

摘要： A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a controller, a resistance sensor, and a regulator. The fuel cell has a cathode plate, an anode plate, and an ion-exchange membrane interposed between the cathode plate and the anode plate. The controller is for controlling a gas flow rate to the anode plate. The resistance sensor is coupled to the fuel cell for measuring a resistance of the fuel cell. The regulator is coupled to the controller and coupled to the anode plate for regulating the gas flow to the anode plate. The controller receives a signal from the resistance sensor and is configured to control the regulator to adjust the gas flow to the anode plate based on the signal from the resistance sensor.

摘要翻译： 燃料电池系统包括燃料电池，控制器，电阻传感器和调节器。 燃料电池具有阴极板，阳极板和置于阴极板和阳极板之间的离子交换膜。 控制器用于控制到阳极板的气体流量。 电阻传感器耦合到燃料电池，用于测量燃料电池的电阻。 调节器耦合到控制器并且耦合到阳极板，用于调节到阳极板的气流。 控制器接收来自电阻传感器的信号，并且被配置为基于来自电阻传感器的信号来控制调节器来调节到阳极板的气体流量。

公开(公告)号：US08470480B2

公开(公告)日：2013-06-25

申请号：US12087088

申请日：2005-12-29

申请人： Michael L. Perry ,  Robert M. Darling

发明人： Michael L. Perry ,  Robert M. Darling

IPC分类号： H01M8/06

CPC分类号： H01M8/04014 ,  H01M8/04029 ,  H01M8/04044 ,  H01M8/04074 ,  H01M8/04097 ,  H01M8/04164 ,  H01M8/04179 ,  H01M8/04253 ,  H01M8/04291 ,  H01M2008/1095 ,  H01M2250/20 ,  Y02T90/32

摘要： Coolant velocity greater than zero everywhere within the coolant channels (78, 85) of fuel cells (38) in a fuel cell stack (37) is assured by providing a flow of gas in the coolant channels, the flow being created by gas pressure from a source (92) of pressurized gas, an oxidant reactant air pump (52), a source (75) of hydrogen-containing fuel, or the fuel outlet (47), or the outflow of a condenser (59). Positive pressure may be applied to the coolant inlet (66) or negative pressure from an eductor (97) may be applied to a gas outlet (90) of the coolant channels, or both. Using gas to induce flow within the coolant channels eliminates the need for a bubble-clearing liquid pump and reduces liquid inventory and other plumbing; this makes the fuel cell power plant more freeze tolerant. Biphase flow from the condenser, which may be a vehicle radiator (120), renders the coolant return flow more freeze tolerant. Separate cooler plates (122) may be used with a coolant management system (125).

摘要翻译： 在燃料电池堆（37）中的燃料电池（38）的冷却剂通道（78,85）内的任何地方的冷却剂速度大于零，通过在冷却剂通道中提供气体流来确保流动，气流由气体压力 加压气体源（92），氧化剂反应物气泵（52），含氢燃料源（75）或燃料出口（47）或冷凝器（59）的流出。 可以对冷却剂入口（66）施加正压力，或者可以将来自喷射器（97）的负压施加到冷却剂通道的气体出口（90）或两者。 使用气体在冷却剂通道内引起流动，消除了清除液体泵的需要，并减少液体库存和其他管道; 这使得燃料电池发电厂更具有耐冻性。 来自可以是车辆散热器（120）的冷凝器的双相流动使得冷却剂返回流更具有耐冻性。 分开的冷却器板（122）可以与冷却剂管理系统（125）一起使用。

公开(公告)号：US20120115058A1

公开(公告)日：2012-05-10

申请号：US13261129

申请日：2009-08-28

申请人： Robert M. Darling ,  Paravastu Badrinarayanan ,  Carl A. Reiser

发明人： Robert M. Darling ,  Paravastu Badrinarayanan ,  Carl A. Reiser

IPC分类号： H01M8/04

CPC分类号： H01M8/0432 ,  H01M8/04559 ,  H01M8/04753 ,  H01M8/0488 ,  H01M8/0491 ,  H01M2008/1095

摘要： A method of operating a fuel cell power plant (10) including a stack (11) of fuel cells having an anode catalyst layer and a cathode electrode (15) including a catalyst layer disposed on catalyst support material is characterized by, during normal operation of said power plant, adjusting the voltage of the stack to be substantially equal to or less than a predetermined maximum voltage for the temperature of the stack. Further, said step of adjusting comprises adjusting the stack voltage to the lesser of: a) a predetermined voltage above which corrosion of catalyst support material is significant and below which corrosion of catalyst support material is insignificant at the temperature of the stack; and b) a predetermined voltage above which dissolution of catalyst is significant and below which dissolution of the catalyst is insignificant at the temperature of the stack.

摘要翻译： 一种操作包括具有阳极催化剂层的燃料电池堆（11）和包括设置在催化剂载体材料上的催化剂层的阴极电极（15）的燃料电池发电厂（10）的方法，其特征在于，在正常运行期间， 所述发电厂将所述堆的电压调整为基本上等于或小于所述堆的温度的预定最大电压。 此外，所述调节步骤包括将堆叠电压调整为较小的一个：a）预定电压，在该预定电压之上，催化剂载体材料的腐蚀是显着的，低于该预定电压，催化剂载体材料的腐蚀在堆叠温度下不显着; 和b）预定电压，其上催化剂的溶解是显着的，低于该电压时，催化剂的溶解在叠层的温度下是不显着的。

公开(公告)号：US20120088173A1

公开(公告)日：2012-04-12

申请号：US13261079

申请日：2009-07-16

申请人： Robert M. Darling

发明人： Robert M. Darling

IPC分类号： H01M8/04

CPC分类号： H01M8/04059 ,  H01M8/04119 ,  H01M8/0432 ,  H01M8/0435 ,  H01M8/04589 ,  H01M8/04701 ,  H01M8/04753 ,  H01M2008/1095 ,  H01M2250/20 ,  Y02E60/50 ,  Y02T90/32

摘要： A fuel cell stack (10) is operated with a low air utilization which is very low when the stack is providing low current density, and is operated with air utilization increasing as a function of current density above a predetermined current density.

摘要翻译： 燃料电池堆（10）以低空气利用率工作，当堆叠提供低电流密度时，其空气利用率非常低，并且随着空气利用率的增加而以电流密度高于预定电流密度而增加。

公开(公告)号：US08048582B2

公开(公告)日：2011-11-01

申请号：US12925840

申请日：2010-11-01

申请人： Robert M. Darling ,  Michael L. Perry

发明人： Robert M. Darling ,  Michael L. Perry

IPC分类号： H01M8/04

CPC分类号： H01M8/0267 ,  H01M8/0258 ,  H01M8/04029 ,  H01M8/04059 ,  H01M8/04164 ,  H01M8/04201 ,  H01M8/04253 ,  H01M8/04291 ,  H01M8/241

摘要： A PEM fuel cell power plant includes fuel cells, each of which has a cathode reactant flow field plate which is substantially impermeable to fluids, a coolant source, and a fluid permeable anode reactant flow field plate adjacent to said coolant source. The anode reactant flow field plates pass coolant from the coolant sources into the cells where the coolant is evaporated to cool the cells. The cathode flow field plates prevent reactant crossover between adjacent cells. By providing a single permeable plate for each cell in the power plant the amount of coolant present in the power plant at shut down is limited to a degree which does not require adjunct coolant purging components to remove coolant from the plates when the power plant is shut down during freezing ambient conditions. Thus the amount of residual frozen coolant in the power plant that forms in the plates during shut down in such freezing conditions will be limited. The power plant can thus be restarted and brought up to full operating power levels quickly due to the reduced amount of frozen coolant that must be melted during startup. Pressure in the coolant source is preferably greater than ambient pressure, and pressure in the anode reactant flow field is greater than the pressure in the coolant source so as to prevent the coolant from flooding the cells. The power plant is well suited for use in powering vehicles.

摘要翻译： PEM燃料电池发电厂包括燃料电池，每个燃料电池具有阴极反应物流场板，其基本上不透液体，冷却剂源和与所述冷却剂源相邻的流体可渗透阳极反应物流场板。 阳极反应物流场板将冷却剂从冷却剂源传递到冷却剂被蒸发以冷却电池的电池中。 阴极流场板防止相邻电池之间的反应物交叉。 通过为发电厂中的每个电池提供单个可渗透板，停电时存在于发电厂中的冷却剂的量被限制在不需要辅助冷却剂吹扫部件以在发电厂关闭时从板上去除冷却剂的程度 在冷冻环境条件下下降。 因此，在这种冷冻条件下在关闭期间在板中形成的发电厂中剩余的冷冻冷冻剂的量将受到限制。 因此，由于在启动期间必须熔化的冷冻冷冻剂的量减少，因此发电厂可以重新启动并迅速达到完全的工作功率水平。 冷却剂源中的压力优选大于环境压力，并且阳极反应物流场中的压力大于冷却剂源中的压力，以便防止冷却剂淹没电池。 发电厂非常适合用于为车辆供电。

公开(公告)号：US20110014530A1

公开(公告)日：2011-01-20

申请号：US12922956

申请日：2008-04-08

申请人： Ryan J. Balliet ,  Robert M. Darling

发明人： Ryan J. Balliet ,  Robert M. Darling

IPC分类号： H01M8/04

CPC分类号： H01M8/04029 ,  H01M8/04141 ,  H01M8/04164 ,  H01M8/04253

摘要： A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell having a cathode and an anode. A water flow field is in communication with the cathode for producing moist air. A cooling system for an evaporatively cooled fuel cell includes a condenser arranged to receive the moist air and produce condensed water. A separator may be arranged to receive the condensed water. A return line fluidly connects the separator and the water flow field. A reservoir has additional water that is in fluid communication with the return line for selectively providing the additional water to the water flow field in an out-of-balance hot fuel cell condition. The reservoir is connected in and to the cooling system in a manner that does not block water flow if the reservoir freezes.

摘要翻译： 燃料电池系统包括具有阴极和阳极的燃料电池。 水流场与阴极连通，用于产生湿气。 用于蒸发冷却的燃料电池的冷却系统包括冷凝器，其布置成接收潮湿空气并产生冷凝水。 可以设置分离器以接收冷凝水。 回流管路流体连接分离器和水流场。 储存器具有与返回管线流体连通的额外的水，用于在不平衡的热燃料电池状态下选择性地向水流场提供额外的水。 储存器以不会阻塞水流的方式连接到冷却系统中，如果储存器冻结。

公开(公告)号：US20090061262A1

公开(公告)日：2009-03-05

申请号：US11918624

申请日：2005-04-15

申请人： Robert M. Darling ,  Craig E. Evans ,  Carl A. Reiser ,  Tommy Skiba ,  Ryan J. Balliet

发明人： Robert M. Darling ,  Craig E. Evans ,  Carl A. Reiser ,  Tommy Skiba ,  Ryan J. Balliet

IPC分类号： H01M8/04 ,  H01M8/10

CPC分类号： H01M8/04291 ,  H01M8/04029 ,  H01M8/04134 ,  H01M8/04164 ,  H01M8/04171 ,  H01M8/04253 ,  H01M8/04303 ,  H01M8/241 ,  H01M8/2415 ,  H01M8/2484 ,  H01M2008/1095

摘要： A fuel cell power plant (19, 19a) has a plurality of fuel cells (70, 70a, 70c) arranged in a stack (20, 20c), each fuel cell having porous, at least partially hydrophilic water transport plates (75, 81) with fuel (74) and oxidant (82) reactant gas channels, there being water channels (78, 85, 78a, 85a, 78c, 85c) exchanging water with the water transport plates. On shut down, water is retained in the water channels and water transport plates by means of either a micro vacuum pump (46), one or two valves (89, 90, 118, 120), a check valve (95, 99), capillary force in the water channels to prevent water from entering the reactant channels which, if frozen, could block flow of reactant gas upon startup.

摘要翻译： 燃料电池发电厂（19,19a）具有以堆叠（20,20c）排列的多个燃料电池（70,70a，70c），每个燃料电池具有多孔的，至少部分亲水的水输送板（75,81 ）与燃料（74）和氧化剂（82）反应物气体通道，存在与水输送板交换水的水通道（78,85,78a，85a，78c，85c）。 关闭时，通过微型真空泵（46），一个或两个阀（89,90,118,120），止回阀（95,99），水被保持在水通道和水输送板中， 水通道中的毛细管力，以防止水进入反应物通道，如果冷冻，则可能阻止反应气体在启动时流动。

公开(公告)号：US09570763B2

公开(公告)日：2017-02-14

申请号：US13261678

申请日：2010-12-23

申请人： Christopher John Carnevale ,  Timothy W. Patterson, Jr. ,  Robert M. Darling ,  Paravastu Badrinarayanan ,  Michael L. Perry

发明人： Christopher John Carnevale ,  Timothy W. Patterson, Jr. ,  Robert M. Darling ,  Paravastu Badrinarayanan ,  Michael L. Perry

IPC分类号： H01M8/04 ,  H01M8/02 ,  H01M8/10

CPC分类号： H01M8/04029 ,  H01M8/0258 ,  H01M8/0267 ,  H01M8/04164 ,  H01M8/04291 ,  H01M8/1004 ,  H01M8/241 ,  H01M8/2457 ,  H01M2008/1095 ,  Y02E60/521

摘要： A fuel cell power plant (36) has vertical fuel cells (102) each sharing a half of a hybrid separator plate (100) which includes a solid fuel flow plate (105) having horizontal fuel flow channels (106) on one surface and coolant channels (108) on an upper portion of the opposite surface, bonded to a plain rear side of a porous, hydrophilic oxidant flow field plate (115) having vertical oxidant flow channels (118). Coolant permeates through the upper portion of the porous, hydrophilic oxidant flow field plates and enters the oxidant flow channels, where it evaporates as the water trickles downward through the oxidant flow field channels, thereby cooling the fuel cell.

摘要翻译： 燃料电池发电厂（36）具有垂直燃料电池（102），每个燃料电池共享一个混合隔板（100）的一半，该混合隔板包括在一个表面上具有水平燃料流动通道（106）的固体燃料流动板（105）和冷却剂 通道（108）在相对表面的上部结合到具有垂直氧化剂流动通道（118）的多孔亲水氧化剂流场板（115）的平坦的后侧。 冷却剂渗透通过多孔亲水氧化剂流场板的上部并进入氧化剂流动通道，当水向下流过氧化剂流场通道时，其蒸发，从而冷却燃料电池。

公开(公告)号：US20110281186A1

公开(公告)日：2011-11-17

申请号：US13138021

申请日：2009-01-26

申请人： Robert M. Darling ,  Timothy W. Patterson, JR. ,  Michael L. Perry ,  Jonathan O'Neill

发明人： Robert M. Darling ,  Timothy W. Patterson, JR. ,  Michael L. Perry ,  Jonathan O'Neill

IPC分类号： H01M8/06 ,  H01M8/04 ,  H01M8/24

CPC分类号： H01M8/04303 ,  H01M8/04156 ,  H01M8/04179 ,  H01M8/04253 ,  H01M2250/20 ,  Y02T90/32

摘要： Fuel cell systems (100, 400) and related methods involving accumulators (106, 200, 300, 406) with multiple regions (R1, R2; R1′, R2′) of differing water fill rates are provided. At least one accumulator region with a relatively more-rapid fill rate (R2; R2′) than another accumulator region (R1; R1′) is drained of water at shutdown under freezing conditions to allow at least that region to be free of water and ice. That region is then available to receive water from and supply water to, a fuel cell (102; 402) nominally upon start-up. The region having the relatively more-rapid fill rate (R2; R2′) may typically be of relatively lesser volume, and may be positioned either relatively below or relatively above the other region(s).

摘要翻译： 提供了具有不同充水率的多个区域（R1，R2; R1'，R2'）的燃料电池系统（100,400）和涉及蓄电池（106,200,300,406）的相关方法。 至少一个具有比另一蓄水区域（R1; R1'）更快速填充率（R2; R2'）的蓄水器区域在冷冻条件下关闭时排出水，以至少该区域不含水， 冰。 然后该区域可用于从启动时名义上接收来自燃料电池（102; 402）的水并向其供应水。 具有相对更快速填充率（R2; R2'）的区域通常可以具有相对较小的体积，并且可以位于相对低于或相对高于其它区域的位置。