Fuel cell flooding detection

• US 7,781,118 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2004
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Falta, Steven R, Trabold, Thomas A
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuan; Dah-Wei D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Enin-Okut; Edu E
• Application Number:
  US10/774,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20050175872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,388 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 429/446
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04104 Regulation of differential pressures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04126 Humidifying
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04291 Arrangements for managing water in solid electrolyte fuel cell systems H01M8/04119 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04432 Pressure differences, e.g. between anode and cathode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04835 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04992 characterised by the implementation of mathematical or computational algorithms, e.g. feedback control loops, fuzzy logic, neural networks or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0612 from carbon-containing material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A pressure fluctuation parameter (for example, a statistical indicator such as a root-mean-square value) from a set of differential pressure measurements between the inlet and the outlet of a fuel cell reactant flow channel carrying vaporized water is used to define flooding onset. Vaporized water in the flow of gas (air) through the flow channels is controlled in response to the parameter. Benefits include efficient operation (i.e., minimized stoichiometry) and effective management of rapid power transients in a fuel cell.

Claims

1. A fuel cell stack comprising:

a fuel cell having an inlet, a flow field in fluid communication with said inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with said flow field;

a vaporized water source in fluid communication with said inlet;

a differential pressure transducer repeatedly measuring a differential pressure across said flow field and generating a set of differential pressure signals;

a computer comprising a collection of the set of differential pressure signals measured during operation of the fuel cell; and

the computer further comprising a controller in communication with said differential pressure transducer, said controller is configured to execute logic for determining a root-mean-square value from only said collection of the set of differential pressure signals and control circuitry for controlling said vaporized water source in response to the root-mean-square value, wherein the fuel cell stack attains a steady state in less than about 100 seconds at a sampling of about 10 Hz or greater.

2. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein said controller further comprises executable logic for comparing said root-mean-square value to a threshold value.