Fuel cell system cathode inlet relative humidity control
A fuel cell system, a cathode inlet technology, applied in the field of relative humidity or dew point systems, can solve problems such as immediate failure, limited performance, and shortened fuel cell service life
Active Publication Date: 2012-01-11
GM GLOBAL TECH OPERATIONS LLC
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Problems solved by technology
In addition, if the MEA is too dry in operation, the MEA can be damaged, which can lead to immediate failure or reduce the life of the fuel cell
[0005] However, operating the fuel cell when the MEA is over-humidified can also limit the performance of the fuel cell stack
Specifically, the formation of liquid water can hinder gas diffusion to the MEA, limiting its performance
Liquid water can also create a flow blockage, reducing flow in the cell and even leading to higher fuel cell relative humidity which can cause fuel cell performance instability
Additionally, the formation of liquid water inside the cell can cause severe damage when the fuel cell is shut down and exposed to freezing conditions
That is, when the fuel cell is not in operation and the temperature in the fuel cell drops below freezing, the liquid water in it will freeze and expand, potentially damaging the fuel cell
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[0012] The description provided below enables one skilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed, and is embodied in the specific example expressions discussed below, variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. More specifically, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in terms of a fuel cell stack that uses gaseous hydrogen (H 2 ) as fuel, using air (O 2 and nitrogen N 2 mixture) in the form of gaseous oxygen (O 2 ) as the oxidizing agent, and a proton exchange or polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrode assembly (MEA) is used. However, the claims appended hereto are not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.
[0013] In general, fuel cell stacks operated in accordance with the present invention use a combination of sensor inputs and component patterns to controllably bypass cathode effluent processin...
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A fuel cell system (100) and operational methods (200, 300 and 400) are described that utilize a combination of sensor input and component models for causing the system's cathode effluent (150) to selectively bypass cathode effluent processing components (140) so as to obtain or maintain a desired cathode inlet relative humidity or dew point. The described system and methods may operate open loop(e.g., without sensor feedback to verify operation) or closed loop (e.g., relying on cathode inlet relative humidity / dew point sensors or fuel cell stack membrane conductivity measures).
Description
technical field [0001] The present invention relates to systems and methods for operating fuel cells, and more particularly to systems and methods for controlling the relative humidity or dew point of a cathode inflow to a fuel cell system. Background technique [0002] Fuel cells are used as power sources for electric vehicles, stationary power supplies and other applications. One known fuel cell is a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, which includes a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). The MEA consists of a thin solid polymer membrane electrolyte having an anode on one side and a cathode on the opposite side, the MEA is interposed between a pair of conductive contact elements that serve as the anode and cathode current collector. Current collectors typically contain suitable channels and openings for distributing the fuel cell's gaseous reactants (e.g., hydrogen / H 2 and oxygen / O 2 ). [0003] A PEM fuel cell comprises a plurality of MEAs in the ...
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IPC IPC(8): H01M8/04
CPCH01M8/04164H01M8/04649Y02E60/50H01M8/04141H01M8/04507
Inventor V·W·罗根
Owner GM GLOBAL TECH OPERATIONS LLC