APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE CONDITION OF AN ELECTRICITY-PRODUCING CELL
First Claim
1. A method of determining the condition of an electricity-producing cell comprising:
- injecting a signal into an electricity-producing cell, measuring one or both of a voltage and current response, and calculating an impedance of the electricity-producing cell using the applied signal and the response, wherein the signal is a broadband signal having a plurality of superimposed waveforms at different frequency set points across a frequency range, and wherein a distribution of the waveform frequency set points is linear at either or both of a lower portion and an upper portion of the frequency range, and is logarithmic at a mid-range of the frequency range, the response at each of the frequency set points being obtained simultaneously and the impedance response across the frequency range calculated and used to determine a condition of the electricity-producing cell.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining the condition of an electricity-producing cell such as a fuel cell is disclosed. A signal is injected into an electricity-producing cell, a voltage and/or current response is measured, and the impedance response of the electricity-producing cell is calculated using the injected signal and the response. The injected signal is a broadband signal that includes a plurality of superimposed waveforms at different frequency set points across a frequency range. The distribution of the waveform frequency set points is linear at either or both of a lower portion and an upper portion of the frequency range, and is logarithmic at a mid-range of the frequency range. The response at each of the frequency set points are simultaneously obtained and the impedance response across the frequency range is calculated and used to determine a condition of the electricity-producing cell.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of determining the condition of an electricity-producing cell comprising:
- injecting a signal into an electricity-producing cell, measuring one or both of a voltage and current response, and calculating an impedance of the electricity-producing cell using the applied signal and the response, wherein the signal is a broadband signal having a plurality of superimposed waveforms at different frequency set points across a frequency range, and wherein a distribution of the waveform frequency set points is linear at either or both of a lower portion and an upper portion of the frequency range, and is logarithmic at a mid-range of the frequency range, the response at each of the frequency set points being obtained simultaneously and the impedance response across the frequency range calculated and used to determine a condition of the electricity-producing cell.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- 13. An apparatus for determining the condition of an electricity-producing cell, comprising a digital signal processor configured to generate a broadband signal having a plurality of superimposed waveforms at different frequency set points across a frequency range with a distribution of the waveform frequency set points being linear at either or both of a lower portion and upper portion of the frequency range and logarithmic at a mid-range of the frequency range, a regulator circuit for injecting the broadband signal into the electricity-producing cell, and a measurement circuit for measuring, simultaneously at each of the frequency set points, one or both of a voltage and current response from the electricity-producing cell, the measured response being digitized and recorded by the digital signal processor, and wherein the digital signal process is further configured to calculate the impedance response across the frequency range so as to determine a condition of the electricity-producing cell.
Specification