Method and apparatus for monitoring fuel cell performance
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring the performance of a plurality of series connected fuel cells comprising:
- a. dividing the fuel cells into at least three groups,b. measuring the voltage across each fuel cell group, andc. comparing the normalized measured voltage of one fuel cell group as a reference voltage with the normalized measured voltage of each of the other fuel cell groups.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for monitoring the performance of fuel cells arranged in series. More particularly, the method and apparatus involve the measurement and comparison of fuel cell performance indicators, such as voltage, in groups of cells connected in series. In a first embodiment, the voltage across each fuel cell group is compared to a reference voltage equal to a predetermined minimum voltage. In a second embodiment, the voltage across each group is compared to a reference voltage equal to the average across all fuel cell groups. In a third embodiment, a reference voltage equal to the voltage across one group is compared to the voltage across each of the other fuel cell groups. In a fourth embodiment, the voltage across each group is compared as a reference voltage to the voltage across an adjacent fuel cell group. Other embodiments comprising various combinations of the first, second, third and fourth embodiments are also provided. An alarm is activated, and supply of fuel to the cells discontinued, when the measured voltage for a fuel cell group varies from the reference voltage by more than a predetermined voltage differential.
432 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring the performance of a plurality of series connected fuel cells comprising:
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a. dividing the fuel cells into at least three groups, b. measuring the voltage across each fuel cell group, and c. comparing the normalized measured voltage of one fuel cell group as a reference voltage with the normalized measured voltage of each of the other fuel cell groups. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of monitoring the performance of a plurality of series connected fuel cells comprising:
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a. dividing the fuel cells into at least three groups including a first outer fuel cell group, at least one inner fuel cell group, and a second outer fuel cell group, b. measuring the voltage across each fuel cell group, c. comparing the normalized measured voltage of said first outer fuel cell group as a reference voltage with the normalized measured voltage of the adjacent inner fuel cell group, d. comparing in sequence the normalized measured voltage of each inner fuel cell group as a reference voltage with the normalized measured voltage of the next adjacent fuel cell group, and e. comparing the normalized measured voltage of said second outer fuel cell group as a reference voltage with the normalized measured voltage of said first outer fuel cell group. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of monitoring the performance of a plurality of electrical series connected fuel cells comprising:
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a. dividing the fuel cells into at least three groups, b. measuring the voltage across each fuel cell group, c. comparing the normalized measured voltage of each fuel cell group with a first reference voltage equal to a predetermined minimum voltage, and d. comparing the normalized measured voltage of one fuel cell group as a second reference voltage with the normalized measured voltage of each of the other fuel cell groups. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of monitoring the performance of a plurality of electrical series connected fuel cells comprising:
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a. dividing the fuel cells into at least three groups including a first outer fuel cell group, at least one inner fuel cell group, and a second outer fuel cell group, b. measureing the voltage across each fuel cell group, c. comparing the normalized measured voltage of each fuel cell group with a first reference voltage equal to a predetermined minimum voltage, d. comparing the normalized measured voltage of said first outer fuel cell group as a second reference voltage with the normalized measured voltage of the adjacent inner fuel cell group, e. comparing in sequence the normalized measured voltage of each inner fuel cell group as a second reference voltage with the normalized measured voltage of the next adjacent fuel cell group, and f. comparing the normalized measured voltage of said second outer fuel cell group as a second reference voltage with the normalized measured voltage of said first outer fuel cell group. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of monitoring the performance of a plurality of electrical series connected fuel cells comprising:
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a. dividing the fuel cells into at least three groups, b. measuring the voltage across each fuel cell group, c. comparing the normalized measured voltage of each fuel cell group with a first reference voltage equal to a predetermined minimum voltage, d. comparing the normalized measured voltage of each fuel cell group with a second reference voltage equal to the normalized total voltage across the plurality of series connected fuel cells, and e. comparing the normalized measured voltage of one fuel cell group as a third reference voltage with the normalized measured voltage of each of the other fuel cell groups. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of monitoring the performance of a plurality of electrical series connected fuel cells comprising:
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a. dividing the fuel cells into at least three groups including a first outer fuel cell group, at least one inner fuel cell group, and a second outer fuel cell group, b. measuring the voltage across each fuel cell group, c. comparing the normalized measured voltage of each fuel cell group with a first reference voltage equal to a predetermined minimum voltage, d. comparing the normalized measured voltage of each fuel cell group with a second reference voltage equal to the normalized total voltage across the plurality of series connected fuel cells, e. comparing the normalized measured voltage of said first outer fuel cell group as a third reference voltage with the normalized measured voltage of the adjacent inner fuel cell group, f. comparing in sequence the normalized measured voltage of each inner fuel cell group as a third reference voltage with the normalized measured voltage of the next adjacent fuel cell group, and g. comparing the normalized measured voltage of said second outer fuel cell group as a third reference voltage with the normalized measured voltage of said first outer fuel cell group. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification