Methods of operating fuel cell stacks and systems
    1.
    发明授权
    Methods of operating fuel cell stacks and systems 有权
    操作燃料电池堆和系统的方法

    公开(公告)号:US09099704B2

    公开(公告)日:2015-08-04

    申请号:US13375850

    申请日:2010-06-03

    IPC分类号: H01M8/04 H01M4/92 H01M8/10

    摘要: A method for removing contaminants in a fuel cell comprises: supplying a hydrogen-based fuel to the anode; supplying a first oxidant to the cathode, wherein the first oxidant comprises at least some sulfur dioxide; drawing a primary load from the fuel cell stack while supplying the hydrogen-based fuel to the anode and the air to the cathode; shutting down the fuel cell when a voltage of the fuel cell is equal to or less than a threshold voltage at which sulfur crosses over from the cathode to the anode, wherein shutting down the fuel cell comprises: performing at least one oxidant starvation while drawing the primary load, removing the primary load after performing the at least one oxidant starvation, and bringing the anode to a high potential after removing the primary load; and thereafter, restarting the fuel cell.

    摘要翻译: 用于去除燃料电池中的污染物的方法包括:向阳极供应氢基燃料; 向所述阴极供应第一氧化剂,其中所述第一氧化剂包含至少一些二氧化硫; 在将氢基燃料供给到阳极和空气到阴极的同时,从燃料电池堆中抽出初级负荷; 当燃料电池的电压等于或小于硫从阴极到阳极交叉的阈值电压时关闭燃料电池,其中关闭燃料电池包括:在绘制所述燃料电池的同时进行至少一种氧化剂缺乏 主负荷,在进行至少一种氧化剂不足之后去除主负荷,以及在去除主负载之后使阳极达到高电位; 然后重新启动燃料电池。

    METHODS OF OPERATING FUEL CELL STACKS AND SYSTEMS
    2.
    发明申请
    METHODS OF OPERATING FUEL CELL STACKS AND SYSTEMS 有权
    燃料电池堆栈和系统的运行方法

    公开(公告)号:US20120148929A1

    公开(公告)日:2012-06-14

    申请号:US13375850

    申请日:2010-06-03

    IPC分类号: H01M8/04

    摘要: A method for removing contaminants in a fuel cell comprises: supplying a hydrogen-based fuel to the anode; supplying a first oxidant to the cathode, wherein the first oxidant comprises at least some sulfur dioxide; drawing a primary load from the fuel cell stack while supplying the hydrogen-based fuel to the anode and the air to the cathode; shutting down the fuel cell when a voltage of the fuel cell is equal to or less than a threshold voltage at which sulfur crosses over from the cathode to the anode, wherein shutting down the fuel cell comprises: performing at least one oxidant starvation while drawing the primary load, removing the primary load after performing the at least one oxidant starvation, and bringing the anode to a high potential after removing the primary load; and thereafter, restarting the fuel cell.

    摘要翻译: 用于去除燃料电池中的污染物的方法包括:向阳极供应氢基燃料; 向所述阴极供应第一氧化剂,其中所述第一氧化剂包含至少一些二氧化硫; 在将氢基燃料供给到阳极和空气到阴极的同时,从燃料电池堆中抽出初级负荷; 当燃料电池的电压等于或小于硫从阴极到阳极交叉的阈值电压时关闭燃料电池,其中关闭燃料电池包括:在绘制所述燃料电池的同时进行至少一种氧化剂缺乏 主负荷,在进行至少一种氧化剂不足之后去除主负荷,以及在去除主负载之后使阳极达到高电位; 然后重新启动燃料电池。

    Power plant with energy recovery from fuel storage
    4.
    发明授权
    Power plant with energy recovery from fuel storage 有权
    从燃料储存能源回收的发电厂

    公开(公告)号:US08015808B2

    公开(公告)日:2011-09-13

    申请号:US11506562

    申请日:2006-08-17

    IPC分类号: F01B29/10

    摘要: Power plant systems and processes are described that enable recovery of at least a portion of the fuel storage energy associated with a storage system for supplying fuel to the power plant systems. A first embodiment of an energy-recovery power plant system includes at least one fuel storage container and at least one expander that can receive fuel from the fuel storage container at a first pressure and provide the fuel to the power plant at a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure. A second embodiment of an energy-recovery power plant system includes a first conduit fluidly coupling the fuel storage container and the power plant for delivering fuel from the fuel storage container to the power plant and at least one regenerative thermodynamic cycle engine thermally coupled to the first conduit such that heat may be exchanged between the fuel and a working fluid for the regenerative thermodynamic cycle engine.

    摘要翻译: 描述了能够恢复与用于向发电厂系统供应燃料的存储系统相关联的燃料储存能量的至少一部分的发电厂系统和过程。 能量回收发电厂系统的第一实施例包括至少一个燃料储存容器和至少一个膨胀器,其能够在第一压力下从燃料储存容器接收燃料,并在第二压力下将燃料提供给发电厂 低于第一压力。 能量回收发电厂系统的第二实施例包括将燃料储存容器和发电厂流体耦合的第一导管,用于将燃料从燃料储存容器输送至发电厂,以及至少一个热耦合到第一 导管,使得可以在燃料和用于再生热力循环发动机的工作流体之间交换热量。

    Fuel cell anode structures for voltage reversal tolerance
    7.
    发明授权
    Fuel cell anode structures for voltage reversal tolerance 有权
    用于电压反转公差的燃料电池阳极结构

    公开(公告)号:US06517962B1

    公开(公告)日:2003-02-11

    申请号:US09585696

    申请日:2000-06-01

    IPC分类号: H01M800

    摘要: In a solid polymer fuel cell series, various circumstances can result in a fuel cell being driven into voltage reversal by other cells in the series stack. For instance, cell voltage reversal can occur if that cell receives an inadequate supply of fuel (for example, fuel starvation). In order to pass current during fuel starvation, reactions other than fuel oxidation may take place at the fuel cell anode, including water electrolysis and oxidation of anode components. The latter may result in significant degradation of the anode. Such fuel cells can be made more tolerant to cell reversal by promoting water electrolysis over anode component oxidation at the anode. This can be accomplished by enhancing the presence of water in the anode catalyst layer through modifications to the anode structure or anode composition near or in the catalyst layer. For instance, water electrolysis during voltage reversal is promoted through the use of different or additional ionomer, polytetrafluoroethylene, or graphite in the anode catalyst layer, or through the use of certain sublayers between the anode catalyst layer and the anode substrate.

    摘要翻译: 在固体聚合物燃料电池系列中,各种情况可能导致燃料电池被串联堆叠中的其他电池驱动成电压反转。 例如,如果该电池接收到不足的燃料供应(例如,燃料不足),则可能发生电池电压反转。 为了在燃料不足期间通过电流,燃料氧化以外的反应可能发生在燃料电池阳极,包括水电解和阳极组件的氧化。 后者可能导致阳极的显着降解。 通过在阳极上的阳极组分氧化促进水电解,可以使这种燃料电池更容忍电池逆转。 这可以通过在催化剂层附近或催化剂层中改变阳极结构或阳极组合来增强阳极催化剂层中的水的存在来实现。 例如,通过在阳极催化剂层中使用不同的或附加的离聚物,聚四氟乙烯或石墨,或通过使用阳极催化剂层和阳极基底之间的某些子层来促进电压反转期间的水电解。

    Reduced degradation of ion-exchange membranes in electrochemical fuel cells
    8.
    发明授权
    Reduced degradation of ion-exchange membranes in electrochemical fuel cells 有权
    电化学燃料电池中离子交换膜的降解降低

    公开(公告)号:US07537857B2

    公开(公告)日:2009-05-26

    申请号:US10738962

    申请日:2003-12-17

    IPC分类号: H01M8/02 H01M4/86

    摘要: A significant problem in PEM fuel cell durability is in premature failure of the ion-exchange membrane and in particular by the degradation of the ion-exchange membrane by reactive hydrogen peroxide species. Such degradation can be reduced or eliminated by the presence of an additive in the anode, cathode or ion-exchange membrane. The additive may be a radical scavenger, a membrane cross-linker, a hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst and/or a hydrogen peroxide stabilizer. The presence of the additive in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) may however result in reduced performance of the PEM fuel cell. Accordingly, it may be desirable to restrict the location of the additive to locations of increased susceptibility to membrane degradation such as the inlet and/or outlet regions of the MEA.

    摘要翻译: PEM燃料电池耐久性的一个重大问题是离子交换膜的过早失效,特别是通过活性过氧化氢物质降解离子交换膜。 通过在阳极,阴极或离子交换膜中存在添加剂可以降低或消除这种降解。 添加剂可以是自由基清除剂,膜交联剂,过氧化氢分解催化剂和/或过氧化氢稳定剂。 然而,添加剂在膜电极组件(MEA)中的存在可能导致PEM燃料电池的性能降低。 因此,可能需要将添加剂的位置限制在对膜降解的易感性增加的位置,例如MEA的入口和/或出口区域。

    Method and apparatus for detecting a leak within a fuel cell
    9.
    发明授权
    Method and apparatus for detecting a leak within a fuel cell 失效
    用于检测燃料电池内的泄漏的方法和装置

    公开(公告)号:US06492043B1

    公开(公告)日:2002-12-10

    申请号:US09220163

    申请日:1998-12-23

    IPC分类号: H01M804

    摘要: A method detects fluid leaks within a fuel cell assembly. The method comprises (a) introducing a first supply fluid to a first fluid passage within the fuel cell assembly, wherein the first supply fluid comprises a tracer; (b) introducing a second supply fluid to a second fluid passage within the fuel cell assembly, wherein in the absence of a leak in the first fluid passage, the second fluid passage is fluidly isolated from the first fluid passage; and (c) monitoring a second fluid exhaust stream exiting from the second fluid passage and detecting when a concentration of the tracer is present within the second fluid exhaust stream.

    摘要翻译: 一种方法检测燃料电池组件内的流体泄漏。 该方法包括(a)将第一供应流体引入燃料电池组件内的第一流体通道,其中第一供给流体包括示踪剂; (b)将第二供应流体引入燃料电池组件内的第二流体通道,其中在第一流体通道中没有泄漏的情况下,第二流体通道与第一流体通道流体隔离; 和(c)监测从第二流体通道出来的第二流体排出流,并且检测何时在第二流体排出流内存在示踪剂的浓度。

    Solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack having specific corrosion resistant cells
    10.
    发明授权
    Solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack having specific corrosion resistant cells 失效
    固体聚合物电解质燃料电池堆具有特定的耐腐蚀电池

    公开(公告)号:US07014935B2

    公开(公告)日:2006-03-21

    申请号:US10411895

    申请日:2003-04-11

    IPC分类号: H01M8/10 H01M4/86

    摘要: A solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells, wherein at least one cell of the fuel cell stack has a resistance to corrosion that is greater than a significant portion of the other fuel cells of the stack. In one embodiment, the at least one fuel cell of the fuel cell stack that is more resistant to corrosion is one or both end cells of the stack. Also disclosed is a fuel cell system containing such a stack, as well as methods for reducing degradation of the same during operation.

    摘要翻译: 一种具有多个燃料电池的固体聚合物电解质燃料电池堆,其中所述燃料电池堆的至少一个电池具有大于所述电池堆的其它燃料电池的相当大部分的腐蚀性。 在一个实施例中,燃料电池堆的至少一个更耐腐蚀的燃料电池是电池堆的一个或两个端电池。 还公开了包含这种堆的燃料电池系统,以及用于在运行期间降低其劣化的方法。