Fuel cell system with wetness sensor

• US 9,236,622 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2009
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Wang, Tie, Huang, Chendong, Adams, James A., Hirano, Shinichi, Saloka, George S., Sulek, Mark S., Waldecker, James, Shirvanian, Alireza Pezhman
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruddock, Ula C
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERNOW, FRANK A
• Application Number:
  US12/537,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20110033764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,349 Days
• Field of Search: 733/350.2, 733/350.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/121 for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity, of the fluid moisture content of the tested material G01N27/048
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04253 Means for solving freezing problems
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/045 of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04507 of cathode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell system may have at least one sensor including a pair of electrodes disposed on a substrate. The sensor may be configured to produce an output signal having a magnitude that is proportional to a relative humidity in a vicinity of the sensor and, if liquid water is on the sensor, proportional to an amount of the liquid water on the sensor.

Claims

1. A fuel cell system comprising:

at least one sensor including a pair of electrodes disposed on a substrate, the sensor being calibrated to produce an output signal having a magnitude that is (i) proportional to a relative humidity in a vicinity of the sensor during a first instance while exposed to water vapor and (ii), proportional to an amount of liquid water on the sensor during a second instance while exposed to liquid water.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the magnitude of the output signal is based on an electrical potential difference between the electrodes.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are interdigitated.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are metallic.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein one of the electrodes is comprised of gold and the other of the electrodes is comprised of copper.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the substrate is comprised of FR4-laminate.

7. A fuel cell system comprising:

a fuel cell stack;

an air supply line in fluid communication with the fuel cell stack;

a fuel supply line in fluid communication with the fuel cell stack; and

a sensor disposed in one of the supply lines or the fuel cell stack, the sensor including a pair of electrodes disposed on a substrate and calibrated to produce an output signal having a magnitude that is (i) proportional to a relative humidity in a vicinity of the sensor during a first instance while exposed to water vapor and (ii) proportional to an amount of liquid water on the sensor during a second instance while exposed to liquid water.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the magnitude of the output signal is based on an electrical potential difference between the electrodes.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the electrodes are interdigitated.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the electrodes are metallic.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein one of the electrodes is comprised of gold and the other of the electrodes is comprised of copper.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the substrate is comprised of FR4-laminate.

13. A fuel cell system comprising:

at least one sensor having a pair of electrodes disposed on a substrate, the at least one sensor being calibrated to produce an output signal having a magnitude that is proportional to an amount of liquid water on the sensor based on an electrical potential difference between the electrodes.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the electrodes are interdigitated.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the electrodes are metallic.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein one of the electrodes is comprised of gold and the other of the electrodes is comprised of copper.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the substrate is comprised of poly-oxydiphenylene-pyromellitimide.