Fuel Cell Stack Activation Without Electric Load

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for activating fuel cell stacks require an electric load, leading to increased hydrogen consumption and prolonged activation times, which can bottleneck production and inefficiently use equipment.

Innovation Solution

A method involving chemical hydrogen adsorption into the cathode catalyst and removal of oxygen from the fuel cell stack under negative pressure, allowing for activation without an electric load and reducing hydrogen usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If pulse discharge method is used to activate fuel cell stack, then activation is achieved, but hydrogen consumption increases significantly and activation time extends to 90 minutes or more

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveactivation effectivenessVSAvoidhydrogen consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-activating the fuel cell stack before sealing and storage. The activation process is performed in advance while the stack is accessible, allowing the catalyst to be prepared and activated state to be established before the stack is sealed. This preliminary activation eliminates the need for subsequent activation during storage, significantly reducing hydrogen consumption and activation time while maintaining reliable catalyst performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If electric load is used for activation, then catalyst activation is achieved, but equipment complexity increases and production speed is bottlenecked

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatalyst activationVSAvoidequipment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the electric load component from the activation system. Instead of using external electric loads to drive the activation process, the method relies on the fuel cell stack's own electrochemical reactions and internal processes to achieve catalyst activation. This extraction of the electric load requirement simplifies the equipment needed for activation, eliminates the bottleneck in production speed, and reduces overall system complexity while maintaining effective catalyst activation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If high current density discharge is performed repeatedly, then activation is achieved, but activation time extends to 90 minutes or more reducing production efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveactivation effectivenessVSAvoidactivation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs the activation process as a preliminary action before sealing and storage. By completing activation while the stack is accessible and can be operated with external connections, the method establishes the activated state in advance. This eliminates the need for time-consuming repeated high current density discharge cycles after sealing, reducing activation time from 90 minutes or more to a much shorter duration, thereby significantly improving production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If hydrogen and droplet are directly supplied into cathode for partial activation, then some activation is achieved, but pipe modification is required and hydrogen adsorption is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepartial activationVSAvoidease of manufacture

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of direct hydrogen and droplet supply into the cathode with an electrochemical approach. Instead of physically injecting substances into the cathode (which requires pipe modifications and complex delivery mechanisms), the method uses electrochemical reactions at the catalyst surface to achieve activation. This substitution eliminates the need for pipe modifications, simplifies the manufacturing process, and ensures proper hydrogen adsorption onto the platinum surface through electrochemical mechanisms rather than mechanical injection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 method significantly reduces activation time and hydrogen consumption, enabling faster production and eliminating the need for additional equipment, while achieving over 95% activation efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

chemically adsorbing hydrogen into a catalyst of a cathode

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical adsorption: Chemisorption

Implementation Method 2

removing oxygen remaining in the fuel cell stack to seal and store the fuel cell stack while maintaining a negative pressure in the fuel cell stack

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS10090546B2Method for activating fuel cell stack without using electric load

Publication Date: 2018.10.02 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A method for activating a fuel cell stack without using an electric load includes chemically adsorbing hydrogen into a catalyst of a cathode. Oxygen remaining in the stack is removed to seal and store the fuel cell stack while maintaining a negative pressure in the fuel cell stack. The method for activating a fuel cell stack does not require an electric load device, and therefore does not increase the number of activation equipment, thereby preventing the total production speed of the fuel cell stack from reducing in response to the stack activation.