Vehicles containing and methods for using a pre-heater to reduce emissions, and for warming fuel cells at low ambient temperatures

• US 20020092294A1
• Filed: 01/17/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Kempfer, Stephen Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 6,675,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/284
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04007 related to heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04268 Heating of fuel cells during the start-up of the fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A vehicle includes a fuel cell that generates electricity, a pre-heater electrically coupled to the fuel cell, wherein the pre-heater provides an output, and a component configured to receive a portion of the output, wherein a temperature of the component is changed through receipt of the portion of the output. In addition, a method is described for operating a fuel cell in a vehicle that includes: generating electricity from the fuel cell, and providing a portion of the electricity to a pre-heater, which provides an output to a vehicular component, thereby pre-heating the component.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a fuel cell that generates electricity;

a pre-heater electrically coupled to the fuel cell, wherein the pre-heater provides an output; and

a component configured to receive a portion of the output, wherein a temperature of the component is changed through receipt of the portion.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the component is increased through receipt of the portion.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the pre-heater is configured to receive at least a portion of the electricity generated by the fuel cell.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising an internal combustion engine electrically coupled to the fuel cell.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the component comprises a catalytic converter.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the component comprises a reformer selected from the group consisting of a gasoline reformer and a methanol reformer.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 herein the component further comprises a catalytic converter.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 further comprising an internal combustion engine electrically coupled to the fuel cell.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the fuel cell comprises a fuel cell selected from the group consisting of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, a direct methanol fuel cell, an alkaline fuel cell, a phosphoric acid fuel cell, a molten carbonate fuel cell, a solid oxide fuel cell, and combinations thereof.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a control member electrically coupled to the fuel cell, such that the control member activates the fuel cell for a period of time when a minimum set point is reached, and deactivates the fuel cell when a maximum set point is reached.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the component comprises a catalytic converter, and wherein the period of time is long enough for the catalytic converter to reach an operating temperature corresponding to at least 50% efficiency.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

measuring a temperature;

decreasing the portion of electricity provided to the pre-heater when the measured temperature is below a minimum set point; and

increasing the portion of electricity provided to the pre-heater when the measured temperature is above a maximum set point.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising operating the fuel cell at a calibrated load point.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the vehicular component is a catalytic converter.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

measuring a temperature; and

activating the fuel cell when the measured temperature is below a minimum set point.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising operating the fuel cell at a calibrated load point.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising deactivating the fuel cell when a maximum set point is reached.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the minimum set point exceeds the freezing point of water.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the maximum set point is a maximum operating temperature of the fuel cell.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the maximum set point exceeds the minimum set point by less than 50 degrees Centigrade.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the component comprises a catalytic converter.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the component comprises a reformer selected from the group consisting of a gasoline reformer and a methanol reformer.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein the component comprises a catalytic converter and a reformer.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

measuring a temperature; and

activating a fuel cell when the measured temperature is below a minimum set point.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

starting an internal combustion engine;

generating an exhaust containing pollutants;

converting about 50% of the pollutants to non-pollutants in less than about 30 seconds from the starting of the engine.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

operating the fuel cell at a calibrated load point.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

starting an internal combustion engine;

generating an exhaust containing pollutants;

converting about 50% of the pollutants to non-pollutants in less than about 30 seconds from the starting of the engine.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising comprising:

measuring a temperature; and

activating a fuel cell when the measured temperature is below a minimum set point.

12. A method for operating a fuel cell in a vehicle comprising:

generating electricity from the fuel cell; and

providing a portion of the electricity to a pre-heater, which pre-heater provides an output to a vehicular component to pre-heat the component.

25. A method for reducing vehicular emissions comprising:

generating electricity from a fuel cell;

providing a portion of the electricity to a pre-heater, which pre-heater provides an output to a catalytic converter, thereby pre-heating the catalytic converter.