Methods and devices for heating or cooling fuel cell systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A fuel cell stack comprising:
- one or more fuel cell assemblies; and
one or more thermoelectric layers, each layer comprising one or more thermoelectric devices, and wherein each layer is in contact with at least one of said fuel cell assemblies.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure relates generally to cooling devices for fuel cell systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to fuel cell stacks comprising one or more fuel cell assemblies and one or more thermoelectric layers. The present disclosure also relates to methods of cooling or heating fuel cell assemblies and fuel cell stacks.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A fuel cell stack comprising:
-
one or more fuel cell assemblies; and
one or more thermoelectric layers, each layer comprising one or more thermoelectric devices, and wherein each layer is in contact with at least one of said fuel cell assemblies. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for controlling a temperature of a fuel cell assembly, wherein the fuel cell assembly comprises one or more thermoelectric layers, each layer comprising one or more thermoelectric devices in electrical communication with a power source, and wherein each layer is in contact with at least one of said fuel cell assemblies, the method comprising:
-
measuring the temperature of the fuel cell assembly adjacent to the thermoelectric layers at one or more locations across the fuel cell assemblies; and
adjusting a voltage of the power source in response to the measured temperatures to increase or decrease the temperature at the one or more locations of the fuel cell stack. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
18. A method of controlling a temperature of a fuel cell stack, comprising:
-
providing one or more thermoelectric layers in between adjacent fuel cell assemblies in the fuel cell stack, wherein the thermoelectric layers each comprise one or more thermoelectric devices, each thermoelectric device in electrical communication with a power source;
providing a heat sink in thermal contact with the fuel cell stack;
measuring the temperature of fuel cell assemblies adjacent to the thermoelectric layers at one or more locations across the fuel cell assemblies; and
adjusting the voltage of the power sources in response to the measured temperatures to increase or decrease the temperature at the one or more locations of the fuel cell stack. - View Dependent Claims (21)
-
Specification