Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – With pressure equalizing means for liquid immersion operation
Patent
1997-09-05
1999-07-20
Gorgos, Kathryn
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
With pressure equalizing means for liquid immersion operation
429 23, 429 25, H01M 804
Patent
active
059254769
ABSTRACT:
A fuel-cells generator system of the present invention carries out an appropriate control to ensure a high output even when a catalyst carried on an electrode is poisoned. An electronic control unit of the fuel-cells generator system measures an output voltage E of fuel cells, a concentration D of carbon monoxide included in a gaseous fuel, a temperature T of the fuel cells, and a pressure P of the gaseous fuel at steps S100 through S130. When the output voltage E has been lowered by the amount of change that is not less than a predetermined voltage E0 at step S140 and when the concentration D of carbon monoxide measured by a carbon monoxide sensor represents the poisoned state of a catalyst carried on the anodes of the fuel cells at step S150, the temperature T of the fuel cells is gradually increased at step S180. The pressure P of the gaseous fuel is also gradually increased at step S190, in order to enable a partial vapor pressure in the gaseous fuel to be kept at a constant value even under the condition of the increased temperature of the fuel cells. This structure keeps the partial vapor pressure in the gaseous fuel at a constant level, thus preventing the partial pressure of hydrogen in the gaseous fuel from being lowered and ensuring a continuous supply of hydrogen to the anodes.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4680240 (1987-07-01), Furukawa et al.
patent: 5009967 (1991-04-01), Scheffler
patent: 5344721 (1994-09-01), Sonai et al.
patent: 5366821 (1994-11-01), Merritt et al.
patent: 5677073 (1997-10-01), Kawatsu
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 096, No. 009, Sep. 30, 1996, JP 08-138710, May 31, 1996.
Schmidt, V.M., et al., Proceedings of the First Inernational Symposium on Proton Conducting Membrane Fuel Cells I, vol. 95.23, pp.1-11, "Oxidation of H.sub.2 /CO in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell", 1995.
Masayoshi Iwase, et al., Proceedings of the First Inernational Symposium on Proton Conducting Membrane Fuel Cells I, vol. 95.23, pp.12-23, "Optimized CO Tolerant Electrocatalysts for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells", 1995.
Gorgos Kathryn
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
Wong Edna
LandOfFree
Fuel-cells generator system and method of generating electricity does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Fuel-cells generator system and method of generating electricity, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Fuel-cells generator system and method of generating electricity will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1320861