Fuel Cell Stop Control Partial Oxygen Consumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
In fuel cell systems, excessive consumption of cathode side oxygen during stop control leads to high hydrogen concentration at the cathode upon restart, exceeding processing limits and preventing proper hydrogen processing.
Innovation Solution
Ending current extraction from the fuel cell when a certain quantity of oxygen remains on the cathode side, rather than until oxygen is completely consumed, to control hydrogen movement and concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current extraction is continued until cathode side oxygen is completely consumed, then oxygen consumption for preventing fuel cell deterioration is improved, but cathode internal hydrogen concentration becomes excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by ending current extraction when a predetermined amount of oxygen remains in the cathode, rather than continuing until complete oxygen consumption. This partial consumption approach prevents excessive hydrogen concentration buildup while still achieving sufficient oxygen reduction to prevent fuel cell deterioration, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability improvement and hydrogen concentration control.
2Quantity of substance
If current extraction is stopped early with oxygen remaining, then cathode internal hydrogen concentration is kept low, but oxygen consumption for preventing fuel cell deterioration is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameter from complete oxygen consumption to partial oxygen consumption with a predetermined remaining oxygen amount. This parameter change optimizes the balance between maintaining low cathode hydrogen concentration and achieving sufficient oxygen consumption for deterioration prevention, resolving the contradiction between these two objectives.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively suppresses hydrogen movement to the cathode after system stop, maintaining a low cathode internal hydrogen concentration at restart, allowing proper processing and preventing fuel cell deterioration.
Implementation Method 1
the hydrogen quantity which moves from the anode side to the cathode side via an electrolyte membrane
Implementation Method 2
the fuel cell system extracts the current from the fuel cell and consumes the cathode side oxygen of the fuel cell
Data Source
AI summary
For implementing a stop control which extracts a current from a fuel cell and consumes a cathode side oxygen at a system stop, the current extraction from the fuel cell is ended in a state that a certain quantity of oxygen smaller than when the current extraction is started remains on a cathode side of the fuel cell. With this, the hydrogen movement to the cathode side after the system stop can be effectively suppressed and thereby a cathode internal hydrogen concentration at the system start can be kept low, thus making it possible to properly process the cathode side hydrogen at the system start.