公开(公告)号：US20100003546A1

公开(公告)日：2010-01-07

申请号：US12014272

申请日：2008-01-15

申请人： Clark G. Hochgraf ,  Robert S. Foley ,  Matthew K. Hortop ,  Balasubramanian Lakshmanan

发明人： Clark G. Hochgraf ,  Robert S. Foley ,  Matthew K. Hortop ,  Balasubramanian Lakshmanan

IPC分类号： H01M8/04

CPC分类号： H01M8/04238 ,  H01M8/04231 ,  H01M8/04559 ,  H01M8/0488 ,  H01M8/0491

摘要： A fuel cell system is provided that includes a fuel cell stack with a plurality of fuel cells and a power converter in electrical communication with the fuel cell stack. The power converter is configured to selectively regulate a power of the fuel cell stack and short circuit the fuel cell stack, as desired. A method for starting the fuel cell stack is also described including the steps of causing a short circuit of the fuel cell stack by placing the power converter in a short circuit mode; introducing a hydrogen to the anodes of the fuel cell stack to displace a quantity of air on the anodes; and placing the power converter in a power regulation mode. A degradation of the fuel cell stack during start-up is thereby militated against.

摘要翻译： 提供一种燃料电池系统，其包括具有多个燃料电池的燃料电池堆和与燃料电池堆电连通的电力转换器。 功率转换器被配置为根据需要选择性地调节燃料电池堆的功率并使燃料电池堆短路。 还描述了用于起动燃料电池堆的方法，包括通过将功率转换器置于短路模式来引起燃料电池堆的短路的步骤; 向燃料电池堆的阳极引入氢以置换阳极上的空气量; 并将功率转换器置于功率调节模式。 因此，在启动期间燃料电池堆的劣化因此受到阻碍。

公开(公告)号：US07608351B2

公开(公告)日：2009-10-27

申请号：US11245755

申请日：2005-10-07

申请人： Manish Sinha ,  David A. Arthur ,  Matthew K. Hortop

发明人： Manish Sinha ,  David A. Arthur ,  Matthew K. Hortop

IPC分类号： H01M8/04

CPC分类号： H01M8/04089 ,  H01M8/04589 ,  H01M8/04753 ,  H01M8/04798 ,  H01M8/04835 ,  H01M2250/20 ,  Y02T90/32

摘要： A system and method for providing dynamic cathode stoichiometry control in a fuel cell during stack load transients to minimize relative humidity excursions. Particularly, changes in the cathode stoichiometry is controlled as a function of time in response to a decrease or increase in stack current density. Thus, if the stack current density drops to a predetermined current density, the dynamic stoichiometry logic will monitor the low power condition and determine if the condition is sustained, i.e., for an extended period of time. If the low power condition is not sustained, then the cathode stoichiometry does not change, but if it is sustained, then the cathode stoichiometry is increased. The same delay in changing the cathode stoichiometry can be provided for a transition from a low power condition to a high power condition.

摘要翻译： 一种用于在堆叠负载瞬变期间在燃料电池中提供动态阴极化学计量控制以最小化相对湿度偏移的系统和方法。 特别地，响应于堆叠电流密度的降低或增加，阴极化学计量的变化被控制为时间的函数。 因此，如果堆叠电流密度下降到预定的电流密度，则动态化学计量逻辑将监视低功率状态并确定该条件是否持续，即延长的时间段。 如果低功率条件不持续，则阴极化学计量不变，但如果持续，则阴极化学计量增加。 对于从低功率状态到高功率状态的转变，可以提供改变阴极化学计量的相同延迟。

公开(公告)号：US20100143813A1

公开(公告)日：2010-06-10

申请号：US12706354

申请日：2010-02-16

申请人： Steven G. Goebel ,  Matthew K. Hortop

发明人： Steven G. Goebel ,  Matthew K. Hortop

IPC分类号： H01M8/04

CPC分类号： H01M8/04253 ,  H01M8/04223 ,  H01M8/04302 ,  H01M8/04303 ,  H01M8/04365 ,  H01M8/04388 ,  H01M8/04552 ,  H01M8/04559 ,  H01M8/04671 ,  H01M8/2457 ,  H01M2008/1095 ,  Y02E60/50

摘要： Methods for starting a fuel cell system are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes providing hydrogen to an inlet of an anode of the fuel cell pressurizing the anode to a pressure; determining whether a blocked cell condition exists; if a blocked cell condition exists, if no blocked cell condition exists, initiating a normal start sequence, alternately reducing the pressure of the anode and increasing the pressure of the anode until an exit condition exists, the exit condition selected from a voltage of the fuel cell being stable, or a temperature of the fuel cell being greater than about 0° C., or both, and when the exit condition exists, initiating the normal start sequence.

摘要翻译： 提供了启动燃料电池系统的方法。 在一个实施例中，该方法包括向燃料电池的阳极的入口提供氢气以将阳极加压至压力; 确定是否存在阻塞的细胞条件; 如果存在阻塞的电池状况，则如果不存在阻塞的电池状况，启动正常启动顺序，交替地降低阳极的压力并增加阳极的压力直到存在出口条件，则从燃料的电压 电池稳定，或者燃料电池的温度大于约0℃或两者，并且当出口条件存在时，启动正常启动顺序。

公开(公告)号：US20100040931A1

公开(公告)日：2010-02-18

申请号：US12190261

申请日：2008-08-12

申请人： Matthew K. Hortop ,  Bernd Peter Elgas ,  Robert S. Foley ,  David John Keyes

发明人： Matthew K. Hortop ,  Bernd Peter Elgas ,  Robert S. Foley ,  David John Keyes

IPC分类号： H01M2/02

CPC分类号： H01M8/2475 ,  H01M8/04559 ,  H01M8/04589 ,  H01M8/04649 ,  H01M8/2465 ,  H01M8/249 ,  H01M2008/1095

摘要： A fuel cell system that includes a single enclosure for all of a fuel cell stack and other stack critical electronics and components, such as power distribution components, voltage monitoring and detecting components, electrical isolation components, etc. The single enclosure offers a number of advantages, such as reduced weight and reduced complexity for service and safety.

摘要翻译： 一种燃料电池系统，其包括用于所有燃料电池堆和其他堆叠关键电子和组件的单个外壳，例如配电部件，电压监测和检测部件，电隔离部件等。单个外壳提供了许多优点 ，例如减轻重量并降低服务和安全的复杂性。

公开(公告)号：US06749452B2

公开(公告)日：2004-06-15

申请号：US10098783

申请日：2002-03-14

申请人： Matthew K. Hortop ,  William S. Wheat ,  Patricia J. Nelson

发明人： Matthew K. Hortop ,  William S. Wheat ,  Patricia J. Nelson

IPC分类号： H01R1315

CPC分类号： H01M8/04537 ,  H01M8/02 ,  H01M8/0202 ,  H01M8/2465 ,  H01R13/193 ,  H01R31/06

摘要： A fuel cell monitor connector electrically connects a fuel cell monitor to a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell monitor connector includes a non-conductive housing. First connectors on the housing align with second connectors located on fuel cell plates of the fuel cell stack. A third connector on the housing mates with a fourth connector coupled to the monitor. Conductors connect the first connectors to the third connector. A clamping device includes a lever and has locked and released positions. When the clamping device is in the locked position, the first connectors retain the second connectors. When the clamping device is in the released position, the first connectors release the second connectors. The clamping device is a zero insertion force connector.

摘要翻译： 燃料电池监视器连接器将燃料电池监视器电连接到燃料电池堆。 燃料电池监视器连接器包括非导电壳体。 壳体上的第一连接器与位于燃料电池堆的燃料电池板上的第二连接器对准。 壳体上的第三连接器与连接到监视器的第四连接器配合。 导体将第一个连接器连接到第三个连接器。 夹紧装置包括杠杆并具有锁定和释放位置。 当夹紧装置处于锁定位置时，第一连接器保持第二连接器。 当夹紧装置处于释放位置时，第一个连接器释放第二个连接器。 夹紧装置是零插入力连接器。

公开(公告)号：US06582840B2

公开(公告)日：2003-06-24

申请号：US09756321

申请日：2001-01-08

申请人： Matthew K. Hortop

发明人： Matthew K. Hortop

IPC分类号： H01M804

CPC分类号： H01M8/04029

摘要： A method and apparatus for detecting leakage current in the coolant of a fuel cell stack. The invention eliminates the use of a conductivity sensor by using a voltmeter to measure the voltage across the coolant. If the coolant voltage is at or below a predetermined level, an excessive level of conductivity in the coolant exists, and the presence of leakage current is reported. The invention can also compare the coolant voltage to two different predetermined voltage levels, the second one higher than the first. A coolant voltage at or below the lower voltage level could signal a shut down of the stack, while a coolant voltage at or below the higher voltage level could signal an alarm or another diagnostic. The invention can optionally use a second voltmeter to measure the voltage across the stack and calculate the resistivity and conductivity of the coolant.

公开(公告)号：US07862943B2

公开(公告)日：2011-01-04

申请号：US12184766

申请日：2008-08-01

申请人： Matthew K. Hortop ,  David John Keyes ,  Ellen Greifenstein ,  Kazuyuki Izawa ,  Kengo Ikeya

发明人： Matthew K. Hortop ,  David John Keyes ,  Ellen Greifenstein ,  Kazuyuki Izawa ,  Kengo Ikeya

IPC分类号： H01M8/04

CPC分类号： B60W10/28 ,  B60K6/32 ,  B60W10/30 ,  B60W20/00 ,  B60Y2400/112 ,  B60Y2400/114 ,  H01M8/04223 ,  H01M8/04225 ,  H01M8/04302 ,  H01M16/003 ,  Y02T10/6278 ,  Y02T10/92 ,  Y02T90/34

摘要： A hybrid fuel cell system that employs a fuel cell stack and an ultracapacitor. A diode is provided on a high voltage electrical bus between the fuel cell stack and the ultracapacitor so that high voltage from the ultracapacitor does not affect the operation of the fuel cell stack. During system start-up, a by-pass switch is closed to by-pass the ultracapacitor so that power from the ultracapacitor can be used to start various system loads, such as a cathode side air compressor that provides air to the fuel cell stack. A 12 volt-to-high voltage converter is employed to provide a low power, high voltage supply from a low voltage battery to the system loads at start-up when the by-pass switch is opened, but before a fuel cell stack switch is closed.

摘要翻译： 一种采用燃料电池堆和超级电容器的混合燃料电池系统。 在燃料电池堆和超级电容器之间的高压电气总线上提供二极管，使得来自超级电容器的高电压不影响燃料电池堆的操作。 在系统启动期间，旁路开关闭合以绕过超级电容器，使得来自超级电容器的功率可以用于启动各种系统负载，例如向燃料电池堆提供空气的阴极侧空气压缩机。 采用12伏至高电压转换器，当旁路开关打开时，在燃料电池堆开关为燃料电池堆叠开关之前，从低电压电池向起动时的系统负载提供低功率高电压电源 关闭。