Fuel cell with selectively conducting anode component

• US 8,580,448 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: cellcentric GmbH & Co. KG, Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company, Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Haas, Herwig, Berretta, Francine, Hsieh, Yvonne, Pepin, Guy, Roberts, Joy, Yang, Amy Shun-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalafut, Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US13/165,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20120328967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 429/429, 429/528
• US Class Current: 429/429
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04225 during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04228 during shut-down
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04231 Purging of the reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04302 applied during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04303 applied during shut-down
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04955 Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

By incorporating a selectively conducting component in electrical series with the anode components in a solid polymer fuel cell, degradation during startup and shutdown can be reduced. As a result, the startup and shutdown procedures can be simplified and consequently certain system apparatus may be omitted. The anode does not need to be rapidly purged with hydrogen on startup or with air on shutdown. Additionally, the auxiliary load usually employed during such purging is not required.

Claims

1. A method for starting up a fuel cell system to supply power to a primary load, the system comprising a programmable controller for controlling a startup sequence of the system and a series stack of solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells, the fuel cells comprising a solid polymer electrolyte, a cathode, and an anode, the anode comprising anode components connected in series electrically, wherein the anode components comprise a selectively conducting component comprising a selectively conducting material, and the electrical resistance of the selectively conducting component in the presence of hydrogen is more than 100 times lower than the electrical resistance in the presence of air, the method comprising:

controlling the fuel cell system according to the startup sequence; and

not purging the anode with hydrogen during the startup sequence.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising not supplying power from the fuel cell stack to an auxiliary load during the startup sequence.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the fuel cell system will be subjected to greater than 1000 startup and shutdown sequences over the lifetime of the system.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the fuel cell system is mounted on board a vehicle and is the traction power supply for the vehicle and the primary load is the drive system for the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical resistance of the selectively conducting component in the presence of hydrogen is more than 1000 times lower than the electrical resistance in the presence of air.

3. A method for shutting down a fuel cell system to supply power to a primary load, the system comprising a programmable controller for controlling a shutdown sequence of the system and a series stack of solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells, the fuel cells comprising a solid polymer electrolyte, a cathode, and an anode, the anode comprising anode components connected in series electrically, wherein the anode components comprise a selectively conducting component comprising a selectively conducting material, and the electrical resistance of the selectively conducting component in the presence of hydrogen is more than 100 times lower than the electrical resistance in the presence of air, the method comprising:

controlling the fuel cell stack according to the shutdown sequence; and

not purging the anode with air during the shutdown sequence.

4. The method of claim 3 comprising not supplying power from the fuel cell stack to an auxiliary load during the shutdown sequence.

5. The method of claim 3 comprising not purging the cathode with air during the shut-down sequence.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the fuel cell system will be subjected to greater than 1000 startup and shutdown sequences over the lifetime of the system.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the fuel cell system is mounted on board a vehicle and is the traction power supply for the vehicle and the primary load is the drive system for the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the electrical resistance of the selectively conducting component in the presence of hydrogen is more than 1000 times lower than the electrical resistance in the presence of air.

9. A fuel cell system comprising a programmable controller for controlling a startup sequence of the system and a series stack of solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells, the fuel cells comprising a solid polymer electrolyte, a cathode, and an anode, the anode comprising anode components connected in series electrically, wherein the anode components comprise a selectively conducting component comprising a selectively conducting material, and the electrical resistance of the selectively conducting component in the presence of hydrogen is more than 100 times lower than the electrical resistance in the presence of air, wherein the controller is configured to control the fuel cell system according to the startup method comprising:

controlling the fuel cell system according to the startup sequence; and

not purging the anode with hydrogen during the startup sequence.

10. The fuel cell system of claim 9 wherein the system is absent an auxiliary load.

19. The fuel cell system of claim 9 wherein the fuel cell system is mounted on board a vehicle and is the traction power supply for the vehicle and the primary load is the drive system for the vehicle.

11. A fuel cell system comprising a programmable controller for controlling a shutdown sequence of the system and a series stack of solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells, the fuel cells comprising a solid polymer electrolyte, a cathode, and an anode, the anode comprising anode components connected in series electrically, wherein the anode components comprise a selectively conducting component comprising a selectively conducting material, and the electrical resistance of the selectively conducting component in the presence of hydrogen is more than 100 times lower than the electrical resistance in the presence of air, wherein the controller is configured to control/operate the fuel cell system according to the shutdown method comprising:

controlling the fuel cell stack according to the shutdown sequence; and

not purging the anode with air during the shutdown sequence.

12. The fuel cell system of claim 11 wherein the system is absent apparatus for providing an anode air purge.

13. The fuel cell system of claim 11 wherein the system is absent an auxiliary load.

20. The fuel cell system of claim 11 wherein the fuel cell system is mounted on board a vehicle and is the traction power supply for the vehicle and the primary load is the drive system for the vehicle.

14. A fuel cell system comprising a programmable controller for controlling a startup sequence and a shutdown sequence of the system and a series stack of solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells, the fuel cells comprising a solid polymer electrolyte, a cathode, and an anode, the anode comprising anode components connected in series electrically, wherein the anode components comprise a selectively conducting component comprising a selectively conducting material, and the electrical resistance of the selectively conducting component in the presence of hydrogen is more than 100 times lower than the electrical resistance in the presence of air, wherein the controller is configured:

i) to control the fuel cell system according to the startup sequence, and not to purge the anode with hydrogen during the startup sequence; and

ii) to control the fuel cell stack according to the shut-down sequence, and not to purge the anode with air during the shutdown sequence.

15. The fuel cell system of claim 14 wherein the fuel cell system is mounted on board a vehicle and is the traction power supply for the vehicle and the primary load is the drive system for the vehicle.