Monitoring system for fuel cell stack

• US 20060199049A1
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Shen-Li High Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Shen-Li High Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Fu, Mingzhu, Hu, Liqing
• Application Number:
  US11/073,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20060199049A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04552 of the individual fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04671 of the individual fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A monitoring system includes a plurality of monitoring sensors for electrically connecting to fuel cell units of a fuel cell stack respectively, wherein a voltage of each of the fuel cell units is measured when two corresponding neighboring monitoring sensors are switched on. An alert controller includes a switch control sequentially switching each two neighboring monitoring sensors, and an alert device arranged when the voltage of the respective fuel cell unit is within a safety range, the switch control continuously switches on another two neighboring monitoring sensors until the voltage of the last fuel cell unit is read, and when the voltage of the respective fuel cell unit is out of the safety range, the alert device generates an alert signal for indicating an abnormal operation of the respective fuel cell unit of the fuel cell stack.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cell units, comprising:

a monitor device comprising a plurality of monitoring sensors adapted for electrically connecting to said fuel cell units of said fuel cell stack respectively, wherein said monitor device is adapted for measuring an voltage of each of said fuel cell units when said two corresponding neighboring monitoring switches are switched on; and

an alert controller, which is electrically connected to said monitor device, comprising a switch control sequentially switching each said two neighboring monitoring sensors for reading said output voltage of said respective fuel cell unit, and an alert device arranged in such a manner that when said voltage of said respective fuel cell unit falls within a safety range, said switch control continuously switches on another two neighboring monitoring sensors for reading said voltage of said subsequent fuel cell unit until said voltage of said last fuel cell unit is read, and when said voltage of said respective fuel cell unit is out of said safety range, said alert device generates an alert signal for indicating an abnormal operation of said respective fuel cell unit of said fuel cell stack.

2. The monitoring system, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a controller electrically connected to said monitoring sensors of said monitor device for converting said voltage of each of said fuel cell units into a digital signal.

3. The monitoring system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said switch control programmably activates said monitoring sensors in an on and off manner that said preceding monitoring sensor is automatically switched off by said switch control when said subsequent monitoring sensor is switched on such that only said two neighboring monitoring sensors are switched on at said same time for reading said voltage of said respective fuel cell unit.

4. The monitoring system, as recited in claim 2, wherein said switch control programmably activates said monitoring sensors in an on and off manner that said preceding monitoring sensor is automatically switched off by said switch control when said subsequent monitoring sensor is switched on such that only said two neighboring monitoring sensors are switched on at said same time for reading said voltage of said respective fuel cell unit.

5. The monitoring system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said monitoring sensors are photoelectric isolating relays for reading said output voltages of said fuel cell units.

6. The monitoring system, as recited in claim 4, wherein said monitoring sensors are photoelectric isolating relays for reading said output voltages of said fuel cell units.

7. The monitoring system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said switch control is a multi-controller unit (MCU) sending a digital control signal to said monitoring device so as to control an on-off action of each of said monitoring sensors.

8. The monitoring system, as recited in claim 4, wherein said switch control is a multi-controller unit (MCU) sending a digital control signal to said monitoring device so as to control an on-off action of each of said monitoring sensors.

9. The monitoring system, as recited in claim 6, wherein said switch control is a multi-controller unit (MCU) sending a digital control signal to said monitoring device so as to control an on-off action of each of said monitoring sensors.

10. The monitoring system, as recited in claim 1, further having a computer port electrically extended from said alert controller for communicatively connecting to a computer device so as to programmably control said monitoring sensors and to selectively adjust said safety level with respect to said voltage of said fuel cell stack.

11. The monitoring system, as recited in claim 6, further having a computer port electrically extended from said alert controller for communicatively connecting to a computer device so as to programmably control said monitoring sensors and to selectively adjust said safety level with respect to said voltage of said fuel cell stack.

12. The monitoring system, as recited in claim 9, further having a computer port electrically extended from said alert controller for communicatively connecting to a computer device so as to programmably control said monitoring sensors and to selectively adjust said safety level with respect to said voltage of said fuel cell stack.

13. A method of monitoring a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cell units, comprising said steps of:

(a) communicatively connecting a plurality of monitoring sensors to said fuel cell units of said fuel cell stack respectively,

(b) sequentially switching each said two neighboring monitoring sensors for reading an voltage of said respective fuel cell unit so as to collect said voltage of said fuel cell units;

(c) diagnosing said voltages of said fuel cell units, wherein when said voltage of said respective fuel cell unit is within a safety range, another two neighboring monitoring sensors are continuously switched on for reading said voltage of said subsequent fuel cell unit until said voltage of said last fuel cell unit is read; and

(d) generating an alert signal for indicating an abnormal operation of said respective fuel cell unit of said fuel cell stack when said voltage of said respective fuel cell unit is out of said safety range.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, after step (b), further comprising a step of converting said voltage of said fuel cell units into digital forms.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, in step (b), wherein said preceding monitoring sensor is automatically switched off when said subsequent monitoring sensor is switched on such that only said two neighboring monitoring sensors are switched on at said same time for reading said voltage of said respective fuel cell unit.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, in step (b), wherein said preceding monitoring sensor is automatically switched off when said subsequent monitoring sensor is switched on such that only said two neighboring monitoring sensors are switched on at said same time for reading said voltage of said respective fuel cell unit.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, in step (c), wherein when said voltage of said respective fuel cell unit is out of said safety range, said monitoring sensors are deactivated to stop reading said voltage of said next fuel cell unit so as to determine said abnormal operation of said fuel cell unit.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, in step (c), wherein when said voltage of said respective fuel cell unit is out of said safety range, said monitoring sensors are deactivated to stop reading said voltage of said next fuel cell unit so as to determine said abnormal operation of said fuel cell unit.

19. The method as recited in claim 13, in step (c), wherein when said voltage of said respective fuel cell unit is out of said safety range, said monitoring sensors keeps reading said voltage output of said next fuel cell unit until all said voltage of said fuel cell unit are read, wherein said alert signal indicates said abnormal operation of said respective fuel cell unit.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, in step (c), wherein when said voltage of said respective fuel cell unit is out of said safety range, said monitoring sensors keeps reading said voltage output of said next fuel cell unit until all said voltage of said fuel cell unit are read, wherein said alert signal indicates said abnormal operation of said respective fuel cell unit.