Fuel Cell Control via Partial Electron Configuration Analysis

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fuel cell device operation methods require full analysis of fuel constituents for effective control, which is inefficient and unnecessary.

Innovation Solution

Determine the quality characteristic of the fuel from a partial analysis of electrochemically active substances, specifically the electron configuration, to control the fuel cell device's reformer and fuel cell units, setting points for oxygen-carbon ratio, fuel efficiency, and electrical current, and adjust exhaust gas return and water supply rates accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If full analysis of fuel constituents is performed, then control precision is improved, but analysis time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel quality determinationVSAvoidanalysis time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential information needed for control - the electron configuration of electrochemically active substances - from the complete fuel composition. This partial extraction provides sufficient control precision without requiring full analysis of all fuel constituents, thereby reducing analysis time while maintaining effective control capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing complete fuel analysis, the patent applies partial action by analyzing only the electron configuration of electrochemically active substances. This partial analysis is sufficient for effective control of the fuel cell device, avoiding the time consumption and complexity of full constituent analysis while maintaining adequate measurement precision for control purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Measurement precision

If full analysis of fuel constituents is performed, then control accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel quality determinationVSAvoidanalysis system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential information needed for control - the electron configuration of electrochemically active substances - from the complete fuel composition. This partial extraction provides sufficient control precision without requiring full analysis of all fuel constituents, thereby reducing analysis time while maintaining effective control capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing complete fuel analysis, the patent applies partial action by analyzing only the electron configuration of electrochemically active substances. This partial analysis is sufficient for effective control of the fuel cell device, avoiding the time consumption and complexity of full constituent analysis while maintaining adequate measurement precision for control purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11309562B2Method for operating a fuel cell device

Publication Date: 2022.04.19 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for operating a fuel cell device (10), wherein the fuel cell device (10) is operated in accordance with a quality characteristic of a fuel that is used. According to the invention, the quality characteristic is determined from a partial analysis of the constituents of the fuel that is used. The invention further relates to a fuel cell device (10) that is operated by means of such a method.