Fuel Cell Isolation Jumper with Automatic Safety Interlock
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Solution Overview
Problem
During servicing or repair operations on fuel cells, there is a risk of fire and potential destruction of the fuel-cell system due to improper isolation, particularly if the shorting jumper is forgotten or not properly executed, especially when the system is still charged with hydrogen.
Innovation Solution
A fuel-cell system with a valve-controlled fuel supply line and a short-circuit line between the terminals, where a shorting jumper can be used to isolate the fuel cell by bridging either the signal line or the short-circuit line, ensuring safe operation by interrupting the fuel supply, and is encoded to prevent incorrect usage across different fuel cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a shorting jumper is used to isolate a fuel cell during servicing or repair, then the fuel cell can be worked on safely, but there is a risk of fire or destruction if the shorting jumper is forgotten or not properly executed
Solution Approach 1:
The device automatically performs the shorting action before any servicing or repair work can begin. The isolating device is pre-positioned and automatically engages to short the fuel cell terminals and close the fuel supply valve, ensuring the safety measure is executed in advance without relying on manual intervention during the critical isolation phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The isolating device is designed to automatically execute the isolation sequence without requiring manual operation. When activated, it self-performs both the terminal shorting and fuel supply cutoff functions, eliminating the need for human operators to manually implement these safety measures and reducing the risk of human error.
2Ease of operation
If the shorting jumper is not properly executed, then the fuel cell remains connected to the system, but this creates a threat of complete destruction of the fuel-cell system
Solution Approach 1:
The device combines multiple safety functions into a single integrated isolating device. It simultaneously performs terminal shorting, fuel supply cutoff, and system isolation in one unified mechanism, ensuring that all protective measures are executed together as a package, eliminating the possibility of partial or incorrect execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The isolating device acts as an intermediary component between the fuel cell and the rest of the system. It provides a controlled interface that can safely disconnect and isolate the fuel cell, mediating the separation process and ensuring proper isolation without direct manual intervention on the fuel cell terminals.
3Productivity
If individual fuel cells are isolated in a fuel-cell stack, then continued operation of the system is enabled, but complex devices with multiple components are required
Solution Approach 1:
The isolating device is designed as a universal component that can be applied to individual fuel cells within a stack while maintaining system-wide functionality. It provides multi-functional capabilities including terminal shorting, fuel supply control, and electrical isolation, allowing continued operation of remaining cells without requiring complex specialized equipment for each isolation event.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device and a method for isolating a fuel cell, which make it possible to safely work on the fuel cell during a servicing or repair operation.