FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SAME

    公开(公告)号:US20200381754A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-12-03

    申请号:US16629649

    申请日:2017-07-28

    发明人: Fumio KAGAMI

    摘要: A fuel cell system that supplies fuel gas and oxidant gas to a fuel cell stack and causes the fuel cell stack to generate power includes a tank that stores aqueous solution containing oxygen-containing fuel, and a reformer that reforms mixed gas obtained as the aqueous solution is vaporized, and generates the fuel gas. The fuel cell system also includes an actuator that supplies the mixed gas to the reformer, a heating device that heats the reformer, a detecting unit that estimates or detects a concentration of the oxygen-containing fuel in the mixed gas that is supplied to the reformer, and a controller programmed to control operations of the actuator and the heating device so that the fuel cell generates power. The controller is programmed to increase a thermal dose to the reformer from the heating device or reduces a supply amount of the mixed gas to the reformer by the actuator when the concentration of the oxygen-containing fuel is high, compared to when the concentration is low.

    Fe—Cr redox flow battery systems including a balance arrangement and methods of manufacture and operation

    公开(公告)号:US10777836B1

    公开(公告)日:2020-09-15

    申请号:US16824195

    申请日:2020-03-19

    发明人: Kui Wei Liyu Li

    IPC分类号: H01M8/18 H01M8/0444

    摘要: A system includes a redox flow battery system that includes an anolyte having chromium ions in solution, a catholyte having iron ions in solution, a first half-cell having a first electrode in contact with the anolyte, a second half-cell having a second electrode in contact with the catholyte, and a first separator separating the first half-cell from the second half-cell. The system also includes a balance arrangement that includes a balance electrolyte having vanadium ions in solution, a third half-cell having a third electrode in contact with the anolyte or the catholyte, a fourth half-cell having a fourth electrode in contact with the balance electrolyte, and a reductant in the balance electrolyte or introducible to the balance electrolyte for reducing dioxovanadium ions.

    Operation of a fuel cell stack to prevent low oxygen concentrations in a surrounding enclosed space

    公开(公告)号:US10763528B2

    公开(公告)日:2020-09-01

    申请号:US15707201

    申请日:2017-09-18

    摘要: A method of operating a fuel cell stack that powers a vehicle includes determining when the vehicle is in a non-moving state, calculating an O2 concentration over time of an assumed enclosed space while the vehicle is in the non-moving state, establishing a set of O2 concentration concern levels that includes a first O2 concentration concern level being less than a standard atmospheric O2 concentration and a second O2 concentration concern level being less than the first O2 concentration concern level, comparing the O2 concentration of the assumed enclosed space over time with the set of O2 concentration concern levels, and operating the fuel cell stack without restriction when the vehicle is in the non-moving state so long as the O2 concentration of the assumed enclosed space remains greater than the first O2 concentration concern level.

    Method for controlling fuel cell system

    公开(公告)号:US10647219B2

    公开(公告)日:2020-05-12

    申请号:US15829358

    申请日:2017-12-01

    摘要: A method for controlling a fuel cell system includes steps of: (a) determining whether hydrogen (H2) is detected in an interior space of a stack enclosure in which a fuel cell stack is accommodated; (b) stopping power generation that is performed using the stack when it is determined in step (a) that the hydrogen is detected; (c) opening a purge valve to discharge gases circulating in an anode through the purge valve, and opening a condensate discharge valve to discharge condensate contained in a water trap through the condensate discharge valve; and (d) determining whether the hydrogen discharged through at least one of the purge valve and the condensate discharge valve in step (c) flows back to the interior space based on H2 concentration in the interior space.

    Generation of oxygen depleted air by a fuel cell system

    公开(公告)号:US10553886B2

    公开(公告)日:2020-02-04

    申请号:US15208148

    申请日:2016-07-12

    摘要: The present disclosure is directed to a fuel cell system for generating oxygen depleted air. The fuel cell system may include a fuel cell having an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte positioned between the anode and the cathode. The cathode may be configured to receive an air flow and discharge an oxygen depleted air flow. The fuel cell system may further include a sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a presence of hydrogen in the oxygen depleted air flow and a controller in communication with the sensor and the fuel cell. The controller may be configured to detect the presence of hydrogen in the oxygen depleted air flow based on the first signal, and in response to detecting the presence of hydrogen in the oxygen depleted air flow, selectively cause a current density of the fuel cell to decrease and/or increase a flow rate of the air flow to the cathode.

    METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EVALUATING MOVEMENT TENDENCY OF IONS IN ELECTROLYTE MEMBRANE

    公开(公告)号:US20200036022A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-01-30

    申请号:US16197183

    申请日:2018-11-20

    摘要: A method of evaluating a movement tendency of ions in an electrolyte membrane includes counting inter-movement ions, counting intra-movement ions and calculating the ratio of the intra-movement ions and inter-movement of ions. The movement tendency of ions is predicted based on the ratio. In the case of evaluating a movement tendency of ions using the method, since the structure of the electrolyte membrane in which the ratios of intra-movement and inter-movement are maximized is predicted through measurement of the ratios of the intra-movement and inter-movement of ions, ohmic resistance that may occur in a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) may be reduced. The electrolyte membrane having the optimal structure predicted by the method can be applied to a fuel cell to increase its performance.

    Alkaline hybrid redox flow battery with high energy density

    公开(公告)号:US10511044B2

    公开(公告)日:2019-12-17

    申请号:US15787637

    申请日:2017-10-18

    申请人: Jeffrey Phillips

    发明人: Jeffrey Phillips

    摘要: A novel high cycle life, low cost hybrid redox flow battery that has application in the storage of energy generated by solar cells, windmills and other means is described. By combining a solid battery positive electrode with a redox flow negative electrode, the volumetric energy density of the system is maximized and footprint minimized for medium scaled installations of multi kilowatt-hour size as may be envisioned in domestic distributed power systems. The positive electrode is a high cycle life rechargeable nickel hydroxide electrode in alkaline solution. The negative active material is a low cost organic chemical such as a substituted anthroquinone dissolved in an alkaline electrolyte and stored external to the negative plate of the electrochemical device. The material of the negative plate is high surface area and capable of facilitating the oxidation and reduction reactions of the negative active material. The negative and positive electrodes are separated by an electronically insulating but ionically conducting separator material that allows ionic mobility and the generation of electric current when charging or discharging of the battery takes place. Ideally, an ion exchange membrane would separate the positive and negative active material in order to maximize service life and reduce intermingling of active material.

    Fuel Battery System and Fuel Battery System Operation Method

    公开(公告)号:US20190267652A1

    公开(公告)日:2019-08-29

    申请号:US16333976

    申请日:2017-10-13

    发明人: Tomonori Miura

    摘要: A fuel battery system is provided which can start up without receiving an energy supply from the outside. This fuel battery system 1 is provided with an input unit 11 which is connected to a hydrogen source 41, a reformer 12 which produces a hydrogen-containing gas, a hydrogen storage container 13, a fuel battery 15 which generates power using the hydrogen-containing gas, and a control unit 18. The control unit 18 stores a threshold value of the hydrogen-containing gas necessary for start-up of the fuel battery 15, and controls the amount stored in the hydrogen storage container 13 to be greater than or equal to the amount necessary for start-up of the fuel battery 15. Further, when starting up, the fuel battery 15 generates power by receiving a supply of the hydrogen-containing gas stored in the hydrogen storage container 13 and supplies power to the reformer 12 from a first power supply path 16. The reformer 12 starts up and the necessary hydrogen is produced.