Partitioned fuel cell stacks and fuel cell systems including the same
First Claim
1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
- at least one fuel cell stack, comprising;
a pair of end plates;
a plurality of fuel cells supported between the pair of end plates, wherein each of the fuel cells is adapted to receive fuel and an oxidant and to produce an electric current therefrom, and further wherein the fuel cell stack is adapted to satisfy an applied load utilizing a power output drawn from all of the fuel cells in the fuel cell stack, and further wherein the fuel cell stack is adapted to selectively provide the power output at a selected predetermined nominal voltage;
a partition dividing the plurality of fuel cells into first and second fuel cell subassemblies that each include a plurality of electrically interconnected fuel cells;
wherein the partition includes first and second opposed sides and is adapted to provide a non-conductive barrier between the first and the second plurality of fuel cells;
a plurality of current collectors associated with the fuel cell subassemblies, wherein the plurality of current collectors includes at least a pair of current collectors in electrical communication with each of the fuel cell subassemblies and adapted to provide an electrical connection between the fuel cell subassembly and an applied load; and
a voltage-determining assembly adapted to selectively establish an electrical connection between the first fuel cell subassembly and the second fuel cell subassembly;
wherein the fuel cell stack is adapted to provide a power output having a first predetermined nominal voltage when the voltage-determining assembly provides an electrical connection between the first fuel cell subassembly and the second fuel cell subassembly, and further wherein the fuel cell stack is adapted to provide a power output having a second predetermined nominal voltage that is different than the first predetermined nominal voltage when the voltage-determining assembly does not provide an electrical connection between the first fuel cell subassembly and the second fuel cell subassembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Partitioned fuel cell stacks having end plates between which two or more subassemblies of fluidly interconnected fuel cells are supported and selectively electrically isolated from each other. At least the fuel cells in each subassembly, and optionally all of the stack'"'"'s fuel cells, are in fluid communication with each other. The stacks further include at least one partition that provides a non-conductive barrier between subassemblies within the stack. In some embodiments, a jumper is connected across a partition to electrically interconnect the subassemblies that are separated by the partition. In some embodiments, an electrical connection across the partition is provided by the jumper responsive to a switch. Responsive to the presence or absence of the jumper and/or the configuration of a switch, the partitioned stack provides a power output having a nominal voltage selected from a predetermined number of nominal voltages that the stack is adapted to selectively provide.
115 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
at least one fuel cell stack, comprising;
a pair of end plates;
a plurality of fuel cells supported between the pair of end plates, wherein each of the fuel cells is adapted to receive fuel and an oxidant and to produce an electric current therefrom, and further wherein the fuel cell stack is adapted to satisfy an applied load utilizing a power output drawn from all of the fuel cells in the fuel cell stack, and further wherein the fuel cell stack is adapted to selectively provide the power output at a selected predetermined nominal voltage;
a partition dividing the plurality of fuel cells into first and second fuel cell subassemblies that each include a plurality of electrically interconnected fuel cells;
wherein the partition includes first and second opposed sides and is adapted to provide a non-conductive barrier between the first and the second plurality of fuel cells;
a plurality of current collectors associated with the fuel cell subassemblies, wherein the plurality of current collectors includes at least a pair of current collectors in electrical communication with each of the fuel cell subassemblies and adapted to provide an electrical connection between the fuel cell subassembly and an applied load; and
a voltage-determining assembly adapted to selectively establish an electrical connection between the first fuel cell subassembly and the second fuel cell subassembly;
wherein the fuel cell stack is adapted to provide a power output having a first predetermined nominal voltage when the voltage-determining assembly provides an electrical connection between the first fuel cell subassembly and the second fuel cell subassembly, and further wherein the fuel cell stack is adapted to provide a power output having a second predetermined nominal voltage that is different than the first predetermined nominal voltage when the voltage-determining assembly does not provide an electrical connection between the first fuel cell subassembly and the second fuel cell subassembly.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
Specification