Fuel cell system

Details Fuel cell system Fuel cell system

2011-08-09

2011-08-09

Conley, Helen O (Department: 1726)

Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and

Fuel cell, subcombination thereof, or method of making or...

Process or means for control of operation

C429S428000, C429S443000, C429S454000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07993786

ABSTRACT:
The disclosure describes fuel cell systems including a fuel cell stack that generates electricity, an exhaust valve that externally vents a fuel gas from a fuel chamber of the fuel cell stack, and a controller that computes an estimated time to replace an oxidant gas in at least the fuel chamber with a newly supplied fuel gas, wherein at a time of starting-up the fuel cell system the controller maintains the exhaust valve in an open position for the estimated time. In some embodiments, the controller computes the estimated time as a summation of a first time T1measured from the fuel cell start-up time to a time when contents of a supply conduit are replaced with fuel gas, a second time T2measured from the time when contents of a supply conduit are replaced with fuel gas to a time when contents of the fuel chamber are replaced with fuel gas, and a third time T3measured from the time when contents of the fuel chamber are replaced with fuel gas to a time when contents of the exhaust conduit are replaced with fuel gas. The disclosure further describes methods of operating a fuel cell system, particularly during fuel cell start-up.

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