摘要:
A procedure for starting up a fuel cell system that is disconnected from its primary load and that has air in both its cathode and anode flow fields includes a) connecting an auxiliary resistive load across the cell to reduce the cell voltage; b) initiating a recirculation of the anode flow field exhaust through a recycle loop and providing a limited flow of hydrogen fuel into that recirculating exhaust; c) catalytically reacting the added fuel with oxygen present in the recirculating gases until substantially no oxygen remains within the recycle loop; disconnecting the auxiliary load; and then d) providing normal operating flow rates of fuel and air into respective anode and cathode flow fields and connecting the primary load across the cell. The catalytic reaction may take place on the anode or within a catalytic burner disposed within the recycle loop. The procedure allows start-up of the fuel cell system without the use of an inert gas purge while minimizing dissolution of the catalyst and corrosion of the catalyst support during the start-up process.
摘要:
A procedure for shutting down an operating fuel cell system includes disconnecting the primary electricity using device and stopping the flow of hydrogen containing fuel to the anode, followed by quickly displacing the residual hydrogen with air by blowing air through the anode fuel flow field. A sufficiently fast purging of the anode flow field with air eliminates the need for purging with an inert gas such as nitrogen.
摘要:
A procedure for starting up a fuel cell system that is disconnected from its primary load and has both its cathode and anode flow fields filled with air includes initiating a flow of air through the cathode flow field and rapidly displacing the air in the anode flow field by delivering a flow of fresh hydrogen containing fuel into the anode flow field, and thereafter connecting the primary load across the cell. Sufficiently fast purging of the anode flow field with hydrogen prior to connecting the cells to the load eliminates the need for purging the anode flow field with an inert gas, such as nitrogen, upon start-up.
摘要:
A procedure for starting up a fuel cell system that is disconnected from its primary load and has both its cathode and anode flow fields filled with air includes initiating a flow of air through the cathode flow field and rapidly displacing the air in the anode flow field by delivering a flow of fresh hydrogen containing fuel into the anode flow field, and thereafter connecting the primary load across the cell. Sufficiently fast purging of the anode flow field with hydrogen prior to connecting the cells to the load eliminates the need for purging the anode flow field with an inert gas, such as nitrogen, upon start-up.
摘要:
An inlet fuel distributor (10-10d) has a permeable baffle (39, 54, 54a, 60) between a fuel supply pipe (11, 83) and a fuel inlet manifold (12, 53, 53a, 63) causing fuel to be uniformly distributed along the length of the fuel inlet manifold. A surface (53, 68) may cause impinging fuel to turn and flow substantially omnidirectionally improving its uniformity. Recycle fuel may be provided (25, 71) into the flow downstream of the fuel inlet distributor. During startup, fuel or inert gas within the inlet fuel distributor and the fuel inlet manifold may be vented through an exhaust valve (57, 86) in response to a controller (58, 79) so as to present a uniform fuel front to the inlets of the fuel flow fields (58).
摘要:
A cell stack assembly (102) coolant system comprises a coolant exhaust conduit (110) in fluid communication with a coolant exhaust manifold (108) and a coolant pump (112). A coolant inlet conduit (120) enables transportation of the coolant to the coolant inlet manifold. The coolant system further includes a bypass conduit (132) in fluid communication with the coolant exhaust manifold and the coolant inlet manifold, while a bleed valve (130) is in fluid communication with the coolant exhaust conduit and a source of gas. Operation of the bleed valve enables venting of the coolant from the coolant channels, and through a shut down conduit (124). An increased pressure differential between the coolant and reactant gases forces water out of the pores in the electrode substrates (107,109). An ejector (250) prevents air form inhibiting the pump. Pulsed air is blown (238,239,243,245) through the coolant channels to remove more water.
摘要:
Water is fed into the fuel cell stack in the hydrogen reactant stream. Some of the water is evaporated in the cells to cool the stack, and some of the water migrates through the stack from cell to cell. The water migration is the result of the water being dragged from the anode to the cathode through the electrolyte membrane and by the use of porous hydrophilic separator plates being interposed between adjacent cells in the stack. Water is forced through these porous separator plates by means of a reactant pressure differential maintained between the cathode and anode. The anode support plates provide a large surface area from which water is evaporated to perform the cooling function.
摘要:
A fuel cell power plant includes a fuel cell having a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), disposed between an anode support plate and a cathode support plate, the anode and/or cathode support plates include a hydrophilic substrate layer having a predetermined pore size. The pressure of the reactant gas streams is greater than the pressure of the coolant stream, such that a greater percentage of the pores within the hydrophilic substrate layer contain reactant gas rather than water. Any water that forms on the cathode side of the MEA will migrate through the cathode support plate and away from the MEA. Controlling the pressure also ensures that the coolant water will continually migrate from the coolant stream toward the anode side of the MEA, thereby preventing the membrane from becoming dry. Proper pore size and a pressure differential between coolant and reactants improves the electrical efficiency of the fuel cell.
摘要:
The mirror assembly uses a reflective coating as a heating element for preventing fog formation on a mirror exposed to a humid environment such as is found in a bathroom. As compared to other typically reflective mirror coatings, the coating used in this invention has a relatively high resistance. The coating may be split into separate conductive elements with one or more scribe lines in order to control the length of the conductive path from inlet bus to outlet bus. The buses are made from an ultra thin foil tape which can be adhered to the reflective coating and which is solderable for securement of power lines thereto. The bus tape possesses both in plane and through plane conductive characteristics and can simply be cut to any length desired for the mirror sizes being produced. Power levels supplied to the mirror assembly are varied, with the initial level being higher so as to heat up the mirror quickly, and the maintenance level, which follows, being lower whereby mirror temperature can be maintained without producing an undesirable high mirror temperature. Power change is accomplished by a simple switch. If needed, the mirror assembly can possess a high degree of reflectivity.
摘要:
A fuel cell power plant (10) includes a fuel cell (12) having a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) (16), disposed between an anode support plate (14) and a cathode support plate (18), the anode and/or cathode support plates include a hydrophilic substrate layer (80, 82) having a predetermined pore size. The pressure of the reactant gas streams (22, 24) is greater than the pressure of the coolant stream (26), such that a greater percentage of the pores within the hydrophilic substrate layer contain reactant gas rather than water. Any water that forms on the cathode side of the MEA will migrate through the cathode support plate and away from the MEA. Controlling the pressure also ensures that the coolant water will continually migrate from the coolant stream toward the anode side of the MEA, thereby preventing the membrane from becoming dry. Proper pore size and a pressure differential between coolant and reactants improves the electrical efficiency of the fuel cell.