Consumption-based fuel cell monitoring and control
First Claim
1. A method of operating a fuel cell system, comprising:
- producing a supply fuel at a supply pressure;
applying oxidant and the supply fuel to a fuel cell stack, which includes at least one fuel cell, and which is adapted to produce electrical current therefrom;
discharging fuel unused by the fuel cell stack through an exit orifice at an exit pressure;
detecting the exit pressure;
determining the flow of unused fuel based on the exit pressure; and
controlling production of the supply fuel based on the determined flow of unused fuel.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Fuel cell systems and methods for controlling the operation of components of the fuel cell system, such as which may include a fuel source and a fuel cell stack. In some examples, a fuel source is adapted to provide supply fuel to a fuel cell stack at a supply pressure. In some systems, fuel not used by the fuel cell stack is discharged through at least one exit orifice at an exit pressure. In some examples, a control system is adapted to control operation of one or both of the fuel source and the fuel cell stack based on the flow of unused fuel. In some examples, a target pressure is determined based on the level of electrical current produced by a fuel cell stack, such that when fuel is supplied at the target pressure, the fuel cell stack consumes a given proportion of the supply fuel.
130 Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A method of operating a fuel cell system, comprising:
-
producing a supply fuel at a supply pressure; applying oxidant and the supply fuel to a fuel cell stack, which includes at least one fuel cell, and which is adapted to produce electrical current therefrom; discharging fuel unused by the fuel cell stack through an exit orifice at an exit pressure; detecting the exit pressure; determining the flow of unused fuel based on the exit pressure; and controlling production of the supply fuel based on the determined flow of unused fuel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
Specification