BACK-UP FUEL CELL ELECTRIC GENERATOR COMPRISING A COMPACT MANIFOLD BODY, AND METHODS OF MANAGING THE OPERATION THEREOF
First Claim
1. A fuel cell electric generator, comprising;
- a fuel cell stack;
means for supplying the fuel cell stack with a first and a second reagent flow comprising pressure reducing means of said first and second reagent flows, respectively; and
a manifold body to communicate with said first and second reagent flows and at least a flow of coolant fluid via a respective coolant loop,wherein the manifold body comprises inside chambers for the mixing of said first and second reagent flows with corresponding re-circulated product flows, said manifold body further comprises a coolant fluid expansion chamber within which said pressure reducing means of said first and second reagent flows are positioned at least partially drowned by said coolant fluid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fuel cell electric generator designed for back-up in the absence of network electricity supply. The generator comprises a fuel cell stack, means for supplying the stack with a first and a second reagent flow comprising, in turn, pressure reducing means, and a manifold body to communicate with the stack said first and second reagent flows and at least a flow of coolant fluid via a respective coolant loop. The manifold body comprises inside chambers for the mixing of said reagent flows with corresponding re-circulated product flows and a coolant fluid expansion chamber within which said pressure reducing means of said first and second reagent flows are positioned at least partially drowned by said coolant. Method for the start-up and shut-down of the generator, and a method for detecting the flooding of a fuel cell and a method for detecting the presence of gas leakages in the generator are also disclosed.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A fuel cell electric generator, comprising;
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a fuel cell stack; means for supplying the fuel cell stack with a first and a second reagent flow comprising pressure reducing means of said first and second reagent flows, respectively; and
a manifold body to communicate with said first and second reagent flows and at least a flow of coolant fluid via a respective coolant loop,wherein the manifold body comprises inside chambers for the mixing of said first and second reagent flows with corresponding re-circulated product flows, said manifold body further comprises a coolant fluid expansion chamber within which said pressure reducing means of said first and second reagent flows are positioned at least partially drowned by said coolant fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9)
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7. A method of starting up a fuel cell electric generator to satisfy a power request of a user (UPR), comprising:
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(a) supplying said user with an auxiliary power supply (APS) and, in parallel, with a fuel cell power supply (FCP) being obtained from the fuel cells in such a manner that the sum of them is substantially equal to said user power request (UPR); (b) acquiring data relative to overall stack voltage (VS) and individual cell voltage (VSC) of each single cell in the stack; (c) progressively increasing said fuel cell power supply (FCP) and decreasing said auxiliary power supply (APS) such that their sum remains substantially equal to said user power request (UPR); wherein said step (c) of progressively increasing said fuel cell power supply (FCP) is carried out only if said acquired data are detected to be greater than respective reference values (VO,S and VO,SC) stored in a memory unit; and only until said fuel cell power supply (FCP) is detected to be equal to said user power request (UPR). - View Dependent Claims (8)
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10. A method of shutting down a fuel cell electric generator, comprising
(a) interrupting the supply of fresh reagents to the stack; -
(b) measuring the stack temperature; (c) cooling down the fuel cell stack; and (d) purging water out of the fuel cell stack; wherein said steps (c) and (d) are carried out substantially simultaneously until the stack temperature is detected to be less than a reference value stored in a memory unit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 15)
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13. A method of detecting the flooding of a fuel cell in an electric fuel cell generator and accordingly recovering a flooded fuel cell, comprising:
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(a) acquiring single cell voltage data for each fuel cell in a stack of fuel cells; (b) calculating an average single cell voltage (ASCV) and a threshold value TVO as a predetermined percentage of said average (ASCV); (c) comparing the single cell voltage of a cell with said threshold value TVO; (d) increasing the pressure within the flow conduits of fuel cells if said single cell voltage is less than said threshold value, wherein said step (d) is carried out by (e) a first step of increasing a flow of re-circulated exhaust gases towards the stack, and (f) a second step, carried out after said first step and by throttling the flow of re-circulated exhaust gases towards the stack in such a manner to produce a back pressure of such exhaust gases back to the stack; between said steps (e) and (f) said step (C) being repeated and said step (f) being carried out only when said single cell voltage is still less than said threshold value.
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14. A method of checking for the presence of gas leakages in a back-up fuel cell electric generator, comprising,
(i) carrying out a leakage test procedure for a predetermined time t1; - and
(j) repeating said leakage test procedure for a predetermined time t2 shorter than t1; characterised in that after carrying out said step (i) and before carrying out said step (j), the electric generator is shut down.
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Specification