Fuel cell system
First Claim
1. A fuel cell system comprising:
- an anode chamber;
a cathode chamber;
a proton conducting membrane disposed between and separating said anode chamber and said cathode chamber;
means for supplying fuel to said anode chamber during an operational state;
means for supplying an oxidant to said cathode chamber during said operational state;
means for filling said anode chamber with fuel during a standby state;
means for filling said cathode chamber with oxidant during said standby state; and
means for preventing oxidant flow through said cathode chamber during said standby state, wherein said cathode chamber is connected to a cathode outlet having a cathode outlet blocking member which is closed in the standby state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a fuel cell system (11, 111) comprising an anode chamber (13, 113) and a cathode chamber (14, 114) which are separated from each other by a proton conducting membrane (15, 115). When the fuel cell system is operated, fuel, in particular H2 or a water/methanol mixture, can be fed to the anode chamber and an oxidant, in particular oxygen, can be fed to the cathode chamber. In standby mode, the cathode chamber (14, 114) does not allow flow through and the oxidant and fuel are present in both the cathode chamber (14, 114) and the anode chamber (13, 113), respectively. The fuel cell system remains at operating temperature in the standby mode. This enables the fuel cell system (11) to be used as a combined interruption-free power supply unit and backup unit.
53 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A fuel cell system comprising:
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an anode chamber;
a cathode chamber;
a proton conducting membrane disposed between and separating said anode chamber and said cathode chamber;
means for supplying fuel to said anode chamber during an operational state;
means for supplying an oxidant to said cathode chamber during said operational state;
means for filling said anode chamber with fuel during a standby state;
means for filling said cathode chamber with oxidant during said standby state; and
means for preventing oxidant flow through said cathode chamber during said standby state, wherein said cathode chamber is connected to a cathode outlet having a cathode outlet blocking member which is closed in the standby state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
a) filling said anode chamber with fuel during a standby state of the fuel system;
b) filling said cathode chamber with oxidant, during said standby state, said anode chamber separated from said cathode chamber by said proton conducting membrane;
c) preventing oxidant flow through said cathode chamber during said standby state;
d) detecting breakdown in an alternating current power network normally supplying energy to a user;
e) switching the fuel cell system into an operational state following step d), wherein oxidant is permitted to flow through said cathode chamber;
f) supplying fuel to said anode chamber following step e); and
g) supplying oxidant to said cathode chamber following step e).
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25. The method of claim 24, further comprising preventing fuel flow through said anode chamber during said standby state.
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26. The method of claim 24, further comprising exerting pressure on said membrane with said fuel and said oxidant during said standby state.
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27. The method of claim 24, wherein step e) comprises the step of opening a cathode outlet blocking member.
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28. The method of claim 27, wherein step b) comprises introducing oxidant into said cathode chamber from a tank and step g) comprises suctioning a gas into said cathode chamber.
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29. The method of claim 28, wherein said gas comprises air.
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30. The method of claim 27, wherein step e) comprises the step of opening an anode outlet blocking member.
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31. The method of claim 24, further comprising keeping the fuel cell system under gas pressure within an inner chamber of a housing.
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32. The method of claim 31, wherein said gas pressure is exercised using nitrogen.
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33. The method of claim 24, further comprising maintaining the fuel cell at an operational temperature.
Specification