Methods and apparatus for improving the cold starting...

Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Having magnetic field feature

Reexamination Certificate

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Reexamination Certificate

active

07132179

ABSTRACT:
Apparatus and methods of ceasing operation of an electric power generating system improve the cold starting capability of the system. The system comprises a fuel cell stack connectable to an external circuit for supplying power to the external circuit. The stack comprises at least one solid polymer fuel cell, and the system further comprises a fuel passage for directing a fuel stream through the stack and an oxidant passage for directing an oxidant stream through the stack, a sensor assembly connected to the stack for monitoring a parameter indicative of stack performance, a controller for controlling at least one stack operating parameter, and a control system communicative with the sensor assembly and stack operating parameter controller. The method comprises adjusting at least one stack operating parameter to cause the stack to operate under a drying condition that causes a net outflux of water from the stack, operating the stack under the drying condition until the water content in the stack has been reduced, and interrupting supply of power from the stack to the external circuit.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3198664 (1965-08-01), Kunz
patent: 3296029 (1967-01-01), Davis
patent: 3507702 (1970-04-01), Sanderson
patent: 4729932 (1988-03-01), McElroy
patent: 5041344 (1991-08-01), Kamoshita et al.
patent: 5082753 (1992-01-01), Shimizu et al.
patent: 5084144 (1992-01-01), Reddy et al.
patent: 5200278 (1993-04-01), Watkins et al.
patent: 5230966 (1993-07-01), Voss et al.
patent: 5262249 (1993-11-01), Beal et al.
patent: 5366818 (1994-11-01), Wilkinson et al.
patent: 5478662 (1995-12-01), Strasser
patent: 5482790 (1996-01-01), Yamada et al.
patent: 5503944 (1996-04-01), Meyer et al.
patent: 5648182 (1997-07-01), Hara et al.
patent: 5798186 (1998-08-01), Fletcher et al.
patent: 5935726 (1999-08-01), Chow et al.
patent: 6068941 (2000-05-01), Fuller et al.
patent: 6103410 (2000-08-01), Fuller et al.
patent: 6376110 (2002-04-01), Koschany
patent: 197 57 318 (1997-12-01), None
patent: 10150386 (2003-04-01), None
patent: 0 878 860 (1998-11-01), None
patent: 1296831 (1972-11-01), None
patent: 59-073854 (1984-04-01), None
patent: 60-138855 (1985-07-01), None
patent: 61-045569 (1986-03-01), None
patent: 06-223855 (1994-08-01), None
patent: 11-273704 (1999-10-01), None
patent: 2000-315514 (2000-11-01), None
patent: 2000-324617 (2000-11-01), None
patent: WO 95/18469 (1995-07-01), None
patent: WO 97/48142 (1997-12-01), None
patent: WO 00/002282 (2000-01-01), None
patent: WO 00/30200 (2000-05-01), None
patent: WO 00/65676 (2000-11-01), None
patent: WO 2000/65676 (2000-11-01), None
Adhart, “Environmental Testing of SPE Fuel Cell Assemblies”,Proceedings of the 29thPower Sources Conference, Jun. 9-12, (1980).
Rieke et al. “Temperature Dependence of Water Content and Proton Conductivity in Polyperfluorosulfonic Acid Membranes”,Journal of Membrane Science, vol. 32 pp. 313-328 (1987).
Tasaka et al. “Freezing and Nonfreezing Water in Charged Membranes”,Journal of Membrane Science, vol. 38, pp. 175-183 (1988).
Bernardi, “Water-Balance Calculations for Solid-Polymer-Electrolyte Fuel Cells”,J. Electrochem. Soc.,vol. 137, No. 11, pp. 3344-3350 (Nov. 1990).
Yoshida et al. “Behavior of Water in perflourinated ionomer membranes containing various monovalent cations”,Journal of Membrane Science, vol. 68, pp. 1-10 (1992).
Chen et al. “Studies of Water in Nafion Membranes Using Zdeuteron and Oxygen-17 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, and Dielectric Relaxation Techniques”,J. Electrochem. Soc.,vol. 140, No. 4, pp. 889-895 (Apr. 1993).
Holleck, “Near-Ambient Solid Polymer Fuel Cell”, Final Report, EIC Laboratories, Norwood, Massachusetts, (Jul. 1993).
Wilson et al. “Endurance Testing of Low Pt Loading Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells”,Proceedings of the Symposium on Electrode Materials and Process for Energy Conversion and Storage, vol. 94-23, pp. 145-154 (1994).
Simpson et al. “Factors Affecting the Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells”,Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Proton Conducting Membrane Fuel Cells I, vol. 95-23, pp. 182-192 (1995).
Sen et al. “Determination of Water Content and Resistivity of Perfluorosulfonic Acid Fuel Cell Membranes”Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc.,vol. 393, pp. 157-162 (1995).
Cappadonia et al. “Conductance of Nafion 117 membranes as a function of temperature and water content”,Solid State Ionics, vol. 77, pp. 65-69 (1995).
Grot et al. “Evaluation of the Humidifcation Requirements of New Proton Exchange Membranes for Fuel Cells”,Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc, vol. 393, pp. 163-168, (1995).
St-Pierre et al. Advanced Water Management Techniques for Solid Polymer Fuel Cells,Modern Battery Systems II, pp. 318-329 (1997).
Büchi et al. “Operating Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells Without External Humidification of the Reactant Gases”,J. Electrochem. Soc.,vol. 144, No. 8, pp. 2767-2772 (Aug. 1997).
Van Bussel et al. “Dynamic model of solid polymer fuel cell water management”,Journal of Power Sources, vol. 71, pp. 218-222 (1998).
Watanabe et al. “Analyses of Self-Humidification and Suppression of Gas Crossover in Pt-Dispersed Polymer Electrolyte Membranes for Fuel Cells”,Journal of Electrochem. Soc.,vol. 145, pp. 134-1141, (Apr. 1998).
Srinivasan et al. “High Energy Density Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell with Dry Reactant Gases”, Center for Electrochemical Systems And Hydrogen Research, Texas A& M University System, pp. 513-516 No Date.

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Methods and apparatus for improving the cold starting... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Methods and apparatus for improving the cold starting..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Methods and apparatus for improving the cold starting... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3637647

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.