Method of testing an electrochemical device
First Claim
1. A method of testing a fuel cell, the method including charging the fuel cell during a charge period;
- discharging the fuel cell during a discharge period;
monitoring the response of the fuel cell during at least part of the discharge period; and
calculating one or more equivalent circuit values in accordance with the monitored response of the passive fuel cell, wherein the one or more equivalent circuit values include a first resistance value as a first component in an equivalent circuit model that represents electrical resistance between each fuel cell and fixed first capacitance value representing a capacitance across terminals of the fuel cell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and associated apparatus for testing an electrochemical device, such as a fuel cell. A first method involves charging the fuel cell during a charge period; discharging the fuel cell during a discharge period; and monitoring the response of the fuel cell during at least part of the discharge period or the open-circuit response of the fuel cell. Another method involves testing the fuel cell when the fuel cell is in a passive state in which substantially no electrochemical reactions are taking place in the fuel cell. simultaneously applying a stimulus to all of the devices, and independently monitoring the response of each of the devices to the stimulus. Further methods involve obtaining test data from a device being tested; obtaining equivalent circuit values; calculating sets of simulation data for each equivalent circuit value; comparing sets of simulation data with the test data; and selecting one of the equivalent circuit values based on the comparison. This method allows all circuit parameters of each cell in a stack to be obtained from only one quick test.
24 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of testing a fuel cell, the method including charging the fuel cell during a charge period;
- discharging the fuel cell during a discharge period;
monitoring the response of the fuel cell during at least part of the discharge period; and
calculating one or more equivalent circuit values in accordance with the monitored response of the passive fuel cell, wherein the one or more equivalent circuit values include a first resistance value as a first component in an equivalent circuit model that represents electrical resistance between each fuel cell and fixed first capacitance value representing a capacitance across terminals of the fuel cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- discharging the fuel cell during a discharge period;
Specification