Fuel cell throttle valve

Abstract

The disclosed technology generally relates to fuel cells. In one example of the technology, a fuel cell stack including an anode and a cathode causes a load to be driven. A control subsystem measures at least one characteristic associated with the load and provides at least one control signal based at least in part on the at least one characteristic. An oxidant input subsystem provides an oxidant to the cathode of the fuel cell stack. A fuel input subsystem provides a gaseous fuel to the anode of the fuel cell stack. The fuel input subsystem includes a fuel pump arranged to pump the gaseous fuel into the fuel input subsystem. A fuel-side high-speed valve adjusts a mass flow of the gaseous fuel to the cathode of the fuel cell stack based on at least a first control signal in at least one control signal.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Fuel cells convert chemical energy from a fuel into electrical energy, typically by using an electrochemical process such as a chemical reaction of positively charged hydrogen ions or other fuels with oxygen or other oxidants. Fuel cell operation typically depends on two supplies: a fuel supply that provides a continuous source of fuel, and an oxidant supply that provides a continuous source of oxygen or other oxidant to sustain the chemical reaction. The fuel is typically hydrogen, but other fuels can be used. A variety of oxidants can be used; in some cases, ambient air serves as the oxygen supply. In general, unlike batteries, which eventually run out of charge and must be recharged before further use as a power source, fuel cells can generate electricity continuously as long as the necessary fuel and oxygen are supplied. Summary of the invention

[0002] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0003] In short, the disclosed technology is generally directed to fuel cells. In one example of the technology, a fuel cell stack includes an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte located between the anode and the cathode. In some examples, the fuel cell stack is configured to drive a load based at least in part on a voltage difference between the anode and the cathode. In some examples, a control subsystem is arranged to measure at least one characteristic associated with the load, and at least in part based on at least one characteristic to provide at least one control signal. In some examples, an oxidant input subsystem is arranged to provide an oxidant to the cathode of the fuel cell stack. In some examples, a fuel input subsystem is arranged to provide a gaseous fuel to the anode of the fuel cell stack. In some examples, the fuel input subsystem includes a fuel pump, and the fuel pump is arranged to pump the gaseous fuel into the fuel input subsystem. In some examples, a fuel-side high-speed valve is arranged to adjust the mass flow of the gaseous fuel to the cathode of the fuel cell stack based on at least a first control signal in at least one control signal.

[0004] Other aspects and applications of the disclosed technology will be understood upon reading and understanding the drawings and description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples of the present disclosure are described with reference to the following drawings. In the drawings, unless otherwise specified, like reference numerals refer to like parts in various figures. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0006] For a better understanding of the present disclosure, reference will be made to the following detailed description which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example fuel cell and load;

[0008] Figure 2 It's a picture. Figure 1 A block diagram of an example of a fuel cell and a load;

[0009] Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating a portion of an example data center, wherein Figure 1 and / or Figure 2 An example fuel cell is used;

[0010] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating one example of a suitable computing device; and

[0011] Figure 5A-Figure 5B is a flow chart illustrating an example of a process for fuel cell throttling according to aspects of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The following description provides specific details in order to thoroughly understand various technical examples and implement their description. Those skilled in the art will understand that the technology can be practiced without many of these details. In some cases, well-known structures and functions are not shown or described in detail, so as not to unnecessarily obscure the description of the technical examples. The terms used in this disclosure are intended to be interpreted in their broadest and most reasonable manner, even if it is used in conjunction with the detailed description of certain examples of the technology. Although certain terms may be emphasized below, any term intended to be interpreted in any limited manner will be disclosed and clearly defined as such in this detailed description section. Throughout the specification and claims, unless otherwise indicated by the context, the following terms have at least the meanings clearly associated with this article. The meanings determined below do not necessarily limit these terms, but are merely illustrative examples for these terms. For example, each of the terms "based on" and "according to" is not exclusive and is equivalent to the term "based at least in part on", and includes options based on additional factors, some of which may not be described in this article. As another example, the term "via" is not exclusive and is equivalent to the term "based at least in part on", and includes options for additional factors after experience, some of which may not be described in this article. The meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on". The phrase "in one embodiment" or "in an example" used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example, but it may also refer to the same embodiment or example. The use of a specific textual numerical indicator does not mean that there is a numerical indicator of lower value. For example, listing "a widget selected from the group consisting of a third foo and a fourth bar" does not itself mean that there are at least three foos, nor does it mean that there are at least four bar elements. Singular references are for reading clarity only and include plural references unless plural references are specifically excluded. Unless otherwise specifically stated, the term "or" is an inclusive "or" operator. For example, the phrase "A or B" means "A, B, or A and B". As used herein, the terms "component" and "system" are intended to cover various combinations of hardware, software, or hardware and software. Thus, for example, a system or component can be a process, a process executed on a computing device, a computing device, or a part thereof.

[0013] In short, the disclosed technology is generally directed to fuel cells. In one example of the technology, a fuel cell stack includes an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte located between the anode and the cathode. In some examples, the fuel cell stack is configured to drive a load based at least in part on a voltage difference between the anode and the cathode. In some examples, a control subsystem is arranged to measure at least one characteristic associated with the load, and at least in part based on at least one characteristic to provide at least one control signal. In some examples, an oxidant input subsystem is arranged to provide an oxidant to the cathode of the fuel cell stack. In some examples, a fuel input subsystem is arranged to provide a gaseous fuel to the anode of the fuel cell stack. In some examples, the fuel input subsystem includes a fuel pump, which is arranged to pump the gaseous fuel into the fuel input subsystem. In some examples, a fuel-side high-speed valve is arranged to adjust the mass flow of the gaseous fuel to the cathode of the fuel cell stack based on at least a first control signal in at least one control signal.

[0014] In some examples, the fuel cell includes a pump for bringing fuel into the system and a high-speed valve close to the fuel cell stack that adjusts the mass flow of fuel entering the fuel cell stack based on detected load changes. In some examples, this allows the fuel cell to follow load changes relatively quickly, such as on the order of milliseconds.

[0015] Illustrative fuel cell

[0016] Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a fuel cell 100 and a load 130. The fuel cell 100 may be any suitable type of fuel cell. The fuel cell 100 may include a fuel cell stack 110, a control subsystem 120, a fuel input subsystem 101, and an oxidant input subsystem 102. The fuel cell stack 110 may include an anode 111, a cathode 112, and an electrolyte 113. The fuel input subsystem 101 may include a fuel pump 141 and a fuel-side high-speed valve 151.

[0017] In the fuel cell stack 110, in some examples, the electrolyte 113 is located between the anode 111 and the cathode 112. The fuel cell stack 110 can be configured to cause the load 130 to be driven based at least in part on the voltage difference between the anode 111 and the cathode 112. In some examples, the fuel cell stack 110 is in a hot box and is at a much higher temperature than the rest of the fuel cell 100 during normal fuel cell operation. The fuel cell stack 110 can receive fuel from the fuel input subsystem 101 and an oxidant from the oxidant subsystem 102. The internal fuel can be, for example, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, etc. In some examples, the external fuel provided can be a fuel that reacts inside the hot box to provide the internal fuel - for example, in some examples, the external fuel can be a hydrocarbon such as methane that reacts to form hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and the hydrogen and carbon monoxide in turn serve as the internal fuel.

[0018] The oxidant may be, for example, oxygen or an oxide. The oxidant may be a gas including oxygen, such as air. A fuel cell stack may rely on chemical reactions, such as hydrogen and oxygen combining to form water, or carbon monoxide and oxygen reacting to form carbon dioxide.

[0019] The electrolyte 113 can allow ions to move between the anode 111 and the cathode 112 of the fuel cell stack 110. At the anode 111, the catalyst can cause the fuel to undergo an oxidation reaction that generates ions and electrons. The ions can move from the anode 111 to the cathode 112 through the electrolyte 113. At the same time, the electrons can flow from the anode 111 to the cathode 112 through the load 130, thereby generating an electric current. At the cathode 112, another catalyst can cause the ions, electrons, and oxidant to react to form an output of the chemical reaction, such as outputting water in the case of hydrogen and oxygen. During operation, the battery stack 110 can provide a voltage drop of approximately 0.7V between the anode 111 and the cathode 112, where the voltage drop can vary based on the load and other factors.

[0020] In some examples, the control subsystem 120 is arranged to measure at least one characteristic associated with the load 130, such as current, voltage, etc., and provide one or more control signals based at least in part on the measured characteristic. In some examples, one or more control signals may be provided using a lookup table based on the measured characteristic.

[0021] In some examples, the oxidant input subsystem 102 is arranged to provide an oxidant to the cathode 112 of the fuel cell stack 110. In some examples, the fuel input subsystem 101 is arranged to provide fuel to the cathode 111 of the fuel cell stack 110. In some examples, the fuel pump 141 is arranged to pump fuel into the fuel input subsystem 101, wherein the fuel is a gaseous fuel. In some examples, the fuel side high-speed valve 151 is arranged to adjust the mass flow of the gaseous fuel to the anode of the cell stack based on at least one of the control signals (e.g., control signal CTL) provided by the control subsystem 120. For example, in some examples, the fuel side high-speed valve 151 is controlled to adjust the mass flow of the fuel provided to the fuel cell stack 110 based on the load current and load voltage, and these values ​​are provided to the lookup table so as to follow the load changes relatively quickly, such as in a time range of milliseconds.

[0022] Figure 2 is a diagram of an example of a fuel cell 200 and a load 230, which may be Figure 1 1 and 130. The fuel cell 200 may include a fuel cell stack 210, a control subsystem 220, a fuel input subsystem 201, and an oxidant input subsystem 202. The fuel cell stack 210 may include an anode 211, a cathode 212, and an electrolyte 213. The fuel input subsystem 201 may include a fuel pump 241, a pressure regulator 243, a fuel accumulator 261, a fuel side high speed valve 251, and a heated nitrogen purge subsystem 271. The oxidant input subsystem 202 may include an oxidant pump 242, a pressure regulator 244, an oxidant accumulator 262, and an oxidant side high speed valve 252.

[0023] In some examples, the fuel pump 241 and the oxidant pump 242 are variable speed pumps, the speed of the fuel pump 241 is linked to the speed of the oxidant pump 242, and the two speeds are each controlled based on one of the control signals provided by the control subsystem 220. In some examples, the fuel pump 241 is arranged to increase the pressure of the fuel entering the fuel cell 200 from the fuel inlet, and the oxidant pump 242 is arranged to increase the pressure of the oxidant entering the fuel cell 200 from the oxidant inlet. The fuel input subsystem 201 may include one or more conduits through which the gaseous fuel passes, and the oxidant input subsystem 202 may include one or more conduits through which the oxidant, such as air or a solid oxide, passes.

[0024] In some examples, the pressure regulator 243 is arranged to adjust the pressure of the fuel entering the fuel cell 200, and the pressure regulator 244 is arranged to adjust the pressure of the oxidant entering the fuel cell 200. In some examples, the pressure regulator 243 is part of a return line that bypasses the pump 241 to ensure that the fuel flowing into the fuel cell 200 has the correct volume and ratio. In some examples, the pressure regulator 244 is part of a return line that bypasses the pump 242 to ensure that the oxidant flowing into the fuel cell 200 has the correct volume and ratio. In some examples, the pressure regulator 243 is part of the fuel pump 241, while in other examples, the pressure regulator 243 is separate from the fuel pump 241. Similarly, in some examples, the pressure regulator 244 is part of the fuel pump 242, while in other examples, the pressure regulator 244 is separate from the fuel pump 242.

[0025] In some examples, the fuel side high speed valve 251 is arranged to control the mass flow of fuel to the fuel cell stack 210 based on the control provided by the control subsystem 220. In some examples, the oxidant side high speed valve 252 is arranged to control the mass flow of the oxidant to the fuel cell stack 210 based on the control provided by the control subsystem 220. The control provided to the high speed valves 251 and 252 can be provided by the control subsystem 220 via feedback based on the load 230, such as by pulse width modulation (PWM) or other suitable types of feedback. In some examples, the control provided to the high speed valve 251 and the high speed valve 252 is mechanically and / or electrically linked. Thus, in some examples, the high speed valve 251 and the high speed valve 252 are synchronized with each other. An example of mechanical linkage is an actuator that controls the high speed valve 251 and the high speed valve 252. The high speed valve 251 and / or the high speed valve 252 can be a high speed needle valve, a high speed valve butterfly valve or other suitable high speed valve.

[0026] In some examples, high-speed valves 251 and 252 are both located near the fuel cell stack 210. In some examples, each high-speed valve (251 and 252) includes an actuator outside the hot box, and a long shaft or plunger that enters the hot box to open the valve inside the hot box so that the opening of the high-speed valve is inside the hot box. The actuator can include electronics, a motor that turns the valve, etc. In addition, the controls associated with the high-speed valve can be outside the hot box.

[0027] As discussed above, in some examples, the hot box contains a fuel cell stack 210 for high temperature reactions, and the hot box is a well-insulated high temperature stack and provides isolation protection for high temperatures to the rest of the fuel cell, thereby keeping heat inside the hot box during fuel cell operation. In some examples, the electronic equipment is kept outside the hot box. In some examples, pumps 141 and 142 are also kept at a certain distance from the hot box to avoid pumps 141 and 142 being at high temperatures during fuel cell operation. That is, in some examples, although high-speed valves 251 and 252 are very close to the fuel cell stack 210, almost at the input of the fuel cell stack 210, pumps 241 and 242 are relatively far away from the fuel cell stack 210.

[0028] The accumulator 261 can be arranged to handle the pressure drop during the opening of the valve 251 and the speed-up of the pump 241 during the high-speed load demand change. The accumulator 261 stores fuel in a high-pressure form. In this way, for example, if the pressure drops suddenly due to the flow opening at the valve 251, the accumulator 261 can provide additional pressure or additional fuel buffer. In this way, in some examples, the valve 251 and the accumulator 261 work together to enable the fuel cell 200 to adapt to rapid changes in load-when the valve 251 is opened, a pressure drop may occur, and the accumulator 261 can provide additional amount to ensure that the fuel can be increased and compensated in time. Because the fuel is gaseous, in some examples, when the fuel is pressurized, the gas is compressed so that it is possible to obtain more fuel quality through the pipeline in the fuel input subsystem 201.

[0029] Accumulator 262 may operate in a similar manner on the oxidant side to provide an additional oxidant buffer, for example, when flow at valve 252 is open.

[0030] In some examples, a parallel fuel input may be used instead of or in addition to accumulator 261. The parallel fuel input may provide a second path for fuel that joins the main path near anode 211 of fuel cell stack 210, and if the load increases very quickly, the second path opens and starts injecting higher pressure fuel there, and a staged system may be used in some examples.

[0031] In some examples, the heated nitrogen purge subsystem 271 can be used to "de-throttle" the fuel cell 200 in the event of a momentary loss of load to prevent excess fuel from passing through the system. In some examples, the heated nitrogen purge subsystem 271 can also be used in the event of a sudden and significant drop in load, where the amount of heated nitrogen provided is based on the load drop detected by the control subsystem 120. In some examples, the heated nitrogen purge subsystem 271 is used when the fuel cell 100 is shut down to ensure that no more electricity is generated. Although Figure 2A heated nitrogen purge subsystem is specifically shown, however a different purge subsystem may be employed in other examples such that an inert gas other than nitrogen may be used for the purge.

[0032] As discussed above, the control subsystem 220 can provide one or more control signals based on the load current, load voltage, etc. In some examples, the control subsystem 220 can also use other factors, such as the temperature of the fuel cell stack 210, the volume measurement of the oxidant side, the pressure difference, the fuel flow rate, etc., particularly for controlling the oxidant side. In some examples, a pressure sensor can be used throughout the pipeline on the fuel side and the oxidant side and the output of the pressure sensor is provided to the control subsystem 220. The control subsystem 220 can provide control for both the fuel side and the oxidant side. In some examples, the control of the oxidant side can ensure that a large pressure difference is not developed between the fuel side and the oxidant side.

[0033] The fuel cell stack 210 may output unused fuel, unused oxidant, and one or more outputs of the chemical reaction, such as, for example, water. Figure 2 211 and cathode 212 are provided directly to the load 230, but in some examples, a power regulator is first used to ensure that the output DC voltage is relatively constant, and the constant DC voltage output is applied to the fuel cell stack. In some examples where AC power needs to be output, an AC / DC converter can be used to convert the power into AC power before applying it to the load. In some examples, the output voltages of multiple stacks from multiple fuel cells can be connected in series. For example, in some examples, several fuel cells can each provide a voltage drop across the corresponding anode and diode of the fuel cell stack, wherein the voltage drop is provided to a voltage regulator to provide a substantially constant voltage, wherein the voltage output of each power regulator is coupled together to provide a combined voltage output provided across the load. When the load changes, based on the variable speed pump, accumulator, and high speed valve present in each fuel cell that each provides a portion of the voltage to the load, each fuel cell can then follow the load accordingly at a speed range of milliseconds.

[0034] The fuel cell 210 may be used in any suitable fuel cell environment, particularly in a fuel cell environment where dynamic load changes may occur. An example application of the fuel cell 210 is for use in a data center, as described below according to Figure 3 An example is shown in .

[0035] Illustrative Data Center

[0036] Figure 3305 is a diagram of a portion (305) of an example data center. Portion 305 may include a fuel cell 300, a battery 389, a voltage regulator 381, a voltage regulator 382, ​​a direct current (DC) rack 378, and an alternating current (AC) rack 379. In some examples, data center services are provided by server racks including a DC rack 378 and an AC rack 379, where the fuel cell 300 is used as a power source for the server racks. In some examples, each fuel cell 300 has a corresponding battery 389 for the fuel cell 300. In some examples, a voltage regulator 381 is used at the output of the battery 389.

[0037] In some examples, the output of each fuel cell 300 enters a corresponding voltage regulator 382 to provide a constant voltage output in response to the voltage of the corresponding fuel cell 300 output received. In some examples, the output of the voltage regulator 382 is used to power a DC rack 378 and an AC rack 379, wherein each AC rack includes a DC / AC converter. In the illustrated example, a common fuel line enters to provide a gaseous fuel to each fuel cell 300. The gaseous fuel can be hydrogen, carbon monoxide gas, a fuel source that will react in the fuel cell 300 to form a suitable fuel in the hot box of the fuel cell 300, and the like. In some examples, power is supplied to the server racks row by row, wherein a row of server racks is connected to a row of fuel cells. Other suitable arrangements are used in other examples.

[0038] Figure 3 A specific example of a portion of an example data center is shown. Various other examples of the present disclosure may include more or fewer components than shown, and may be varied in various suitable ways.

[0039] Illustrative Computing Devices

[0040] Figure 4 400 is a diagram illustrating one example of a computing device 400 in which aspects of the technology may be practiced. The computing device 400 may be virtually any type of general or special purpose computing device. In some examples, the computing device 400 may be Figure 2 The control subsystem 220 and / or Figure 1 An example of a portion of the control subsystem 120. Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 4 , computing device 400 includes processing circuit 410, operating memory 420, memory controller 430, data storage memory 450, input interface 460, output interface 470, and network adapter 480. Each of these aforementioned components of computing device 400 includes at least one hardware element.

[0041] The computing device 400 includes at least one processing circuit 410, which is configured to execute instructions, such as instructions for implementing the workload, process or technology described herein. The processing circuit 410 may include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a graphics processor, a coprocessor, a field programmable gate array, a programmable logic device, a signal processor, or any other circuit suitable for processing data. The processing circuit 410 is an example of a core. The aforementioned instructions together with other data (e.g., data sets, metadata, operating system instructions, etc.) can be stored in the operating memory 420 when the computing device 400 is running. The operating memory 420 can also include any of a variety of data storage devices / components, such as volatile memory, semi-volatile memory, random access memory, static memory, cache, buffer, or other media used to store runtime information. In one example, when the computing device 400 is powered off, the operating memory 420 does not retain information. Instead, the computing device 400 can be configured to transfer instructions from a non-volatile data storage component (e.g., data storage component 450) to the operating memory 420 as part of a boot or other loading process.

[0042] The operating memory 420 may include a 4th generation double data rate (DDR4) memory, a 3rd generation double data rate (DDR3) memory, other dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a high bandwidth memory (HBM), a hybrid memory cube memory, a 3D stacked memory, a static random access memory (SRAM), or other memory, and such memory may include one or more memory circuits integrated into a DIMM, SIMM, SODIMM or other package. Such operating memory modules or devices may be organized according to channels, ranks, and banks. For example, the operating memory device may be coupled to the processing circuit 410 via a memory controller 430 in a channel. An example of the computing device 400 may include one or two DIMMs per channel, wherein each channel has one or two blocks. The operating memory within the block may be operated with a shared clock, a shared address, and a command bus. In addition, the operating memory device may be organized into several banks, wherein the bank may be considered as an array addressed by rows and columns. Based on this operating memory organization, the physical address within the operating memory may be referenced by a tuple of a channel, a bank, a bank, a row, and a column.

[0043] Notwithstanding the above discussion, operational memory 420 expressly does not include or contain communications media, any communications media, or any signals per se.

[0044] The memory controller 430 is configured to interface the processing circuit 410 to the operating memory 420. For example, the memory controller 430 may be configured to interface commands, addresses, and data between the operating memory 420 and the processing circuit 410. The memory controller 430 may also be configured to abstract certain aspects of memory management from the processing circuit 410, or otherwise manage certain aspects of memory management for the processing circuit 410. Although the memory controller 430 is illustrated as a single memory controller separate from the processing circuit 410, in other examples, multiple memory controllers may be employed, the memory controller(s) may be integrated with the operating memory 420, etc. Further, the memory controller(s) may be integrated into the processing circuit 410. These and other variations are possible.

[0045] In computing device 400 , data storage memory 450 , input interface 460 , output interface 470 , and network adapter 480 are coupled to processing circuit 410 via bus 440 . Figure 4 The bus 440 is illustrated as a single passive bus, but other configurations may be appropriately employed, such as a collection of buses, a collection of point-to-point links, input / output controllers, bridges, other interface circuits, or any collection thereof, for coupling the data storage memory 450, input interface 460, output interface 470, or network adapter 480 to the processing circuit 410.

[0046] In computing device 400, data storage memory 450 is employed for long-term non-volatile data storage. Data storage memory 450 may include any of a variety of non-volatile data storage devices / components, such as non-volatile memory, disks, disk drives, hard disk drives, solid-state drives, or any other medium that may be used for non-volatile storage of information. However, data storage memory 450 explicitly does not include or contain communication media, any communication media, or any signal itself. In contrast to operating memory 420, computing device 400 employs data storage memory 450 for non-volatile long-term data storage, rather than for runtime data storage.

[0047] In addition, computing device 400 may include or be coupled to any type of processor-readable media, such as processor-readable storage media (e.g., operating memory 420 and data storage memory 450) and communication media (e.g., communication signals and radio waves). Although the term processor-readable storage media includes operating memory 420 and data storage memory 450, throughout the specification and claims, the term "processor-readable storage media" (whether in the plural or singular form) is defined herein such that the term "processor-readable storage media" explicitly excludes and does not include communication media, any communication media, or any signal itself. However, the term "processor-readable storage media" does include processor cache, random access memory (RAM), register memory, etc.

[0048] The computing device 400 also includes an input interface 460, which can be configured to enable the computing device 400 to receive input from a user or from other devices. In addition, the computing device 400 includes an output interface 470, which can be configured to provide output from the computing device 400. In one example, the output interface 470 includes a frame buffer, a graphics processor, a graphics processor or an accelerator, and is configured to render a display for presentation on a separate visual display device (such as a monitor, a projector, a virtual computing client computer, etc.). In another example, the output interface 470 includes a visual display device and is configured to render and present the display for viewing. In yet another example, the input interface 460 and / or the output interface 470 may include a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter ("UART"), a serial peripheral interface ("SPI"), an internal integrated circuit ("I2C"), a general purpose input / output (GPIO), and the like. In addition, the input interface 460 and / or the output interface 470 may include or be coupled to any number or type of peripheral devices.

[0049] In the illustrated example, computing device 400 is configured to communicate with other computing devices or entities via network adapter 480. Network adapter 480 may include a wired network adapter, such as an Ethernet adapter, a token ring adapter, or a digital subscriber line (DSL) adapter. Network adapter 480 may also include a wireless network adapter, such as a Wi-Fi adapter, a Bluetooth adapter, a ZigBee adapter, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) adapter, or a 5G adapter.

[0050] Although computing device 400 is illustrated with certain components configured in a particular arrangement, these components and arrangements are merely one example of a computing device in which the technology may be employed. In other examples, data storage memory 450, input interface 460, output interface 470, or network adapter 480 may be coupled directly to processing circuit 410, or via an input / output controller, bridge, or other interface circuitry. Other variations of the technology are possible.

[0051] Some examples of computing device 400 include at least one memory suitable for storing runtime data (e.g., operating memory 420) and at least one processor (e.g., processing unit 410) suitable for executing processor-executable code that, in response to execution, enables computing device 400 to perform actions.

[0052] Illustrative Process

[0053] Figure 5A-Figure 5B An example data flow for a process (590) for a fuel cell is illustrated. In some examples, process 590 is performed by a device such as Figure 1 The fuel cell 100, Figure 2 A fuel cell 200, or Figure 3 One or more fuel cells 300.

[0054] In the illustrated example, step 591 occurs first. At step 591, in some examples, a load is driven based at least in part on a voltage difference between an anode and a cathode of a fuel cell stack of a fuel cell. As shown, in some examples, step 592 occurs next. At step 592, in some examples, at least one characteristic associated with the load is measured. As shown, in some examples, step 593 occurs next. At step 593, in some examples, at least one control signal is provided based at least in part on at least one characteristic.

[0055] As shown, in some examples, step 594 occurs next. At step 594, in some examples, an oxidant is provided to the cathode of the fuel cell stack. As shown, in some examples, step 595 occurs next. At step 595, in some examples, a gaseous fuel is pumped into the anode of the fuel cell stack. As shown, in some examples, step 596 occurs next. At step 596, in some examples, a mass flow of the gaseous fuel flowing to the cathode of the fuel cell stack is adjusted based on at least a first control signal in at least one control signal. The process can then proceed to a return block where other processing is resumed.

[0056] in conclusion

[0057] Although the above detailed description describes certain examples of the technology and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in the text, the technology can be practiced in a variety of ways. The details may vary in implementation, but are still covered by the technology described herein. As described above, specific terms used when describing certain features or aspects of the technology should not be taken as implying that the term is redefined herein to be limited to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects associated with the term. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be interpreted as limiting the technology to the specific examples disclosed herein unless the specific implementation clearly defines such terms. Therefore, the actual scope of the technology covers not only the disclosed examples, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the technology.

Claims

1. A device for a fuel cell, comprising: a fuel cell stack comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte between the anode and the cathode, wherein the fuel cell stack is configured such that a load is driven based at least in part on a voltage difference between the anode and the cathode; a control subsystem arranged to measure at least one characteristic associated with the load and arranged to provide at least one control signal based at least in part on the at least one characteristic, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the load is at least one of a voltage of the load or a current of the load; an oxidant input subsystem arranged to provide an oxidant to the cathode of the fuel cell stack; as well as a fuel input subsystem arranged to provide gaseous fuel to the anode of the fuel cell stack, wherein the fuel input subsystem comprises: a fuel pump arranged to pump the gaseous fuel into the fuel input subsystem; and a fuel-side high speed valve arranged to adjust a mass flow of the gaseous fuel to the anode of the fuel cell stack based on at least a first control signal of the at least one control signal; and a heat box surrounding the fuel cell stack such that the heat box is configured to isolate components external to the heat box from high temperatures within the heat box; wherein a first portion of the fuel-side high-speed valve including an opening of the fuel-side high-speed valve is inside the heat box, and wherein a second portion of the fuel-side high-speed valve is outside the heat box.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the fuel input subsystem further comprises a fuel accumulator, which is arranged to store gaseous fuel and is arranged to provide the gaseous fuel stored in the fuel accumulator to the fuel-side high-speed valve in response to a pressure drop of the gaseous fuel in the fuel input subsystem. 3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fuel pump is a variable speed pump arranged to adjust a speed of the fuel pump based at least in part on a second control signal of the at least one control signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fuel input subsystem further comprises a purge subsystem arranged to provide an inert gas to the anode of the fuel cell stack in response to another of the at least one control signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fuel input subsystem further comprises a fuel pressure regulator located in a fuel return line from an output of the fuel pump to an input of the fuel pump.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the oxidant input subsystem comprises an oxidant pump arranged to pump oxidant into the oxidant subsystem.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the oxidizer pump is a variable speed pump, and the variable speed pump is arranged to adjust the speed of the oxidizer pump at least partially based on at least one signal of the at least one control signal, wherein the fuel pump is another variable speed pump, and the other variable speed pump is arranged to adjust the speed of the fuel pump at least partially based on at least one control signal of the at least one control signal, and wherein the speed of the oxidizer pump and the speed of the fuel pump are related.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the oxidant input subsystem further comprises an oxidant pressure regulator located in an oxidant return line from the output of the oxidant pump to the input of the oxidant pump.

9. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the oxidant input subsystem further comprises an oxidant side high-speed valve, which is arranged to adjust the mass flow of the oxidant into the cathode of the fuel cell stack based on at least one of the signals of the at least one control signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the oxidant input subsystem further comprises an oxidant accumulator arranged to store oxidant and arranged to provide the oxidant stored in the oxidant accumulator to the oxidant-side high-speed valve in response to a pressure drop in the oxidant.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the control of the oxidant side high-speed valve and the fuel side high-speed valve are linked.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a first portion of the oxidant side high-speed valve including an opening of the oxidant side high-speed valve is inside the hot box, and wherein a second portion of the oxidant side high-speed valve is outside the hot box.

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