Method of qualifying at least a portion of a fuel cell system and an apparatus employing same
First Claim
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1. A method for enabling qualification of a fuel cell system, the method comprising:
- performing a first test on a first portion of the fuel cell system;
electronically obtaining a first result of the first test;
electronically comparing the first result to a first qualifying criteria; and
performing a second test on a second portion of the fuel cell system in response to the first result comparing favorably relative to the first qualifying criteria.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method for enabling qualification of at least a portion of a fuel cell system. The method includes electronically obtaining at least one result of a test of the at least a portion of a fuel cell system and electronically comparing the at least one result to at least one qualifying criteria.
16 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for enabling qualification of a fuel cell system, the method comprising:
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performing a first test on a first portion of the fuel cell system;
electronically obtaining a first result of the first test;
electronically comparing the first result to a first qualifying criteria; and
performing a second test on a second portion of the fuel cell system in response to the first result comparing favorably relative to the first qualifying criteria. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for enabling qualification of a fuel cell stack, the method comprising:
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providing a flow rate of reactant gases to the fuel cell stack to mimic full scale operating conditions;
applying a load to the fuel cell stack to mimic the full scale operating conditions;
electronically obtaining at least one measurement of voltage drop from a voltage drop test across a plurality of fuel cells of the fuel cell stack;
electronically comparing the at least one measurement of voltage drop of the voltage drop test to a qualifying criteria; and
providing at least one of an indication that each fuel cell of the fuel cell stack is functioning properly to produce electrical energy and an indication that each fuel cell is not functioning properly in response to the comparison of the at least one measurement of voltage drop of the voltage drop test to the qualifying criteria. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. An apparatus for enabling qualification of at least a portion of a fuel cell system comprising:
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a testing mechanism couplable to the at least a portion of a fuel cell system;
a computing unit couplable to said testing mechanism; and
wherein said testing mechanism is configured to perform a first test on the at least a portion of a fuel cell system;
wherein the computing unit is configured to control the testing mechanism to obtain a first result of the first test on the at least a portion of a fuel cell system and to compare the first result to a first qualification criteria; and
wherein the computing unit is configured to provide an indication;
that the fuel cell system is disqualified in response to the first result comparing negatively relative to the first qualification criteria, that the system is qualified in response to the first result comparing favorably relative to the first qualification criteria and the first test being a last test of a plurality of tests, and that the fuel cell system requires further testing in response to the first result comparing favorably relative to the first qualification criteria. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for enabling qualification of a fuel cell system comprising:
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means for electronically obtaining a result of a test on the fuel cell system;
means for electronically comparing the result to at least one qualifying criteria; and
means for indicating;
that the fuel cell system is qualified in response to the result comparing favorably relative to the at least one qualifying criteria and the first test being a last test of a plurality of tests, that the system is disqualified in response to the result comparing negatively relative to the at least one qualifying criteria, and that the fuel cell system requires further testing in response to the result comparing favorably relative to the at least one qualifying criteria. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for enabling qualification of at least a portion of a fuel cell system comprising:
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a first computing unit adapted to obtain a first result of a first test on the at least a portion of a fuel cell system;
a second computing unit adapted to compare the first result to at least one qualifying criteria;
and a third computing unit adapted to provide an indication;
that the fuel cell system is disqualified in response to the first result comparing negatively relative to the first qualification criteria, that the system is qualified in response to the first result comparing favorably relative to the first qualification criteria and the first test being a last test of a plurality of tests, and that the fuel cell system requires further testing in response to the first result comparing favorably relative to the first qualification criteria. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An article of manufacture comprising:
at least one computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for enabling qualification of at least a portion of a fuel cell system, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;
computer readable program code means for causing a computing unit to obtain a first result of a first test on the at least a portion of a fuel cell system;
computer readable program code means for electronically comparing the first result to at least one qualifying criteria; and
computer readable program code means for providing an indication;
that the fuel cell system is disqualified in response to the first result comparing negatively relative to the first qualification criteria, that the system is qualified in response to the first result comparing favorably relative to the first qualification criteria and the first test being a last test of a plurality of tests, and that the fuel cell system requires further testing in response to the first result comparing favorably relative to the first qualification criteria.- View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
Specification