Integral sensors for monitoring a fuel cell membrane and methods of monitoring
First Claim
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1. A membrane electrode assembly having an integral sensor, comprising:
- a polymer electrolyte membrane having two major surfaces and an electrode on each of the two major surfaces; and
a sensor for monitoring one or more parameters of the membrane electrode assembly, said parameters selected from the group consisting of temperature, hydration, ionic conductivity, AC impedance, resistivity, capacitance, dielectric constant, complex dielectric constant, bulk dielectric constant, and response of the membrane electrode assembly, wherein the sensor is on one of the two major surfaces, and wherein the sensor is an integral part of the membrane electrode assembly.
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Abstract
A membrane electrode assembly consists of a polymer electrolyte membrane (100) with an electrode on each side. The polymer electrolyte membrane has an integral sensor (115) disposed on the surface. The sensor monitors the physical, thermal, chemical or electrical state of the membrane electrode assembly. Information obtained from the sensor is used to identify a defective membrane electrode assembly, and the operation of the fuel cell is altered based on the identified defective membrane electrode assembly.
71 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A membrane electrode assembly having an integral sensor, comprising:
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a polymer electrolyte membrane having two major surfaces and an electrode on each of the two major surfaces; and
a sensor for monitoring one or more parameters of the membrane electrode assembly, said parameters selected from the group consisting of temperature, hydration, ionic conductivity, AC impedance, resistivity, capacitance, dielectric constant, complex dielectric constant, bulk dielectric constant, and response of the membrane electrode assembly, wherein the sensor is on one of the two major surfaces, and wherein the sensor is an integral part of the membrane electrode assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of operating a fuel cell assembly having membrane electrode assemblies with sensors, comprising the steps of;
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monitoring one or more parameters of the membrane electrode assemblies via one or more sensors that are integrally on each of the membrane electrode assemblies, said parameters selected from the group consisting of temperature, hydration, ionic conductivity, AC impedance, resistivity, capacitance, dielectric constant, complex dielectric constant, bulk dielectric constant, and response; and
optimizing the operation of the fuel cell assembly in response to the monitored parameters. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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- 11. A membrane electrode assembly having an integral sensor, comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane having an electrode and a sensor on one major surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane to monitor one or more parameters of the membrane electrode assembly, said parameters selected from the group consisting of temperature, hydration, ionic conductivity, AC impedance, resistivity, capacitance, dielectric constant, complex dielectric constant, bulk dielectric constant, and response of the membrane electrode assembly.
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13. A method of operating a fuel cell assembly having membrane electrode assemblies with sensors, each membrane electrode assembly comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane, the method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring one or more parameters of one or more of the membrane electrode assemblies via one or more sensors integrally on the polymer electrolyte membranes in the membrane electrode assemblies, said parameters selected from the group consisting of temperature, hydration, ionic conductivity, AC impedance, resistivity, capacitance, dielectric constant, complex dielectric constant, bulk dielectric constant, and response of one or more of the membrane electrode assemblies;
identifying a membrane electrode assembly that is operating sub-optimally by using the monitored parameters; and
altering the operation of the fuel cell assembly based on the identified sub-optimal membrane electrode assembly. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of operating a fuel cell assembly having membrane electrode assemblies with sensors, comprising the steps of;
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measuring the AC impedance of the membrane electrode assemblies via one or more sensors integrally on each of the membrane electrode assemblies;
identifying a membrane electrode assembly that is operating sub-optimally by using the measured AC impedance; and
altering the operation of the fuel cell assembly based on the identified sub-optimal membrane electrode assembly.
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25. A method for monitoring the individual fuel cells in a fuel cell stack and altering the stack'"'"'s operation in response to said monitoring, comprising the steps of:
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a. measuring one or more parameters of a membrane electrode assembly in each of said individual fuel cells via a sensor integrally on said membrane electrode assembly, said parameters selected from the group consisting of temperature, hydration, ionic conductivity, AC impedance, resistivity, capacitance, dielectric constant, complex dielectric constant, bulk dielectric constant, and response;
b. comparing the measured parameters to predetermined standards; and
c. altering the operation of the fuel cell stack when the comparison performed in step (b) indicates that the measured parameters do not meet the predetermined standards.
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Specification