Intelligent Energy Inc.

Other

Ashley James Kells

Paul Leonard Adcock

Simon Edward Foster

Peter David Hood

Jonathan Cole

Scott Baird

Kevin M Kupcho

Nathan Grange

Paul Alan Benson

Michael John Provost

Jeremy Stephen Matcham

Pratap Rama

Emma Farndon

Andrew John Carnall

Simon Nicholas

An apparatus () configured to determine reactant purity comprising: a first fuel cell () configured to generate electrical current from the electrochemical reaction between two reactants, having a first reactant inlet () configured to receive a test reactant comprising one of the two reactants from a first reactant source (); a second fuel cell () configured to generate electrical current from the electrochemical reaction between the two reactants, having a second reactant inlet () configured to receive the test reactant from a second reactant source (); a controller () configured to apply an electrical load to each fuel cell and determine an electrical output difference, OD, between an electrical output of the first fuel cell () and an electrical output of the second fuel cell (), and determine a difference between a predicted output difference and the determined electrical output difference, OD, the predicted output difference determined based on a historical output of difference and a historical rate of change in said output difference determined at an earlier time, said controller () configured to provide a purity output indicative of the test reactant purity at least based on the difference between the predicted and determined output difference.

Apparatus for determining reactant purity

A fuel cell stack assembly has a plurality of cells each having a fluid coolant conduit. A coolant feed manifold has a first inlet and a second inlet and is coupled to each fluid coolant conduit for distribution of fluid coolant within each cell. A pump is coupled for delivery of fluid coolant to the coolant feed manifold through the first and second inlets. A flow control assembly is configured to periodically modify the relative flow rates of fluid coolant through the first and second inlets so that stagnant regions in the coolant feed manifold are avoided. The flow control assembly may also be adapted to periodically interrupt the flow path between the pump and the manifold such that the fluid coolant is delivered to the manifold intermittently, thereby enabling low water flows below a minimum set point of the pump.

Coolant fluid feed to fuel cell stacks

A fuel cell power module is coupled to a fuel supply reactor module by way of an adaptor which includes some of the control elements for controlling reaction of reactants in the reactor module. The adaptor includes a housing and a first connection interface in the housing for detachably coupling the adaptor to a fuel cell power module fuel inlet port and a second connection interface in the housing for detachably coupling the adaptor to a reactor module fuel outlet port. A fluid line extends between the first connection interface and the second connection interface. The adaptor includes a motive unit of a flow control mechanism configured to provide motive power to a flow circuit of a reactor module when the reactor module is coupled to the adaptor. The adaptor enables a fuel cell power module to be interfaced with different types of reactor modules having different form factor and different control requirements.

Modular fuel cell and fuel source

A fuel cell stack including a plurality of fuel cells, each end of the fuel cell stack having a heater plate disposed between a current collector plate and an end plate, each heater plate being thermally insulated from a respective end plate, wherein each heater plate comprises a heating element in the form of an electrically conductive track; and, wherein the heater plate comprises a pair of terminals extending from an edge of the heater plate, the terminals being separated by an air gap.

Fuel cell system

A fuel cell stack assembly has a plurality of fuel cells each having a fluid coolant conduit. A coolant feed inlet manifold has a coolant inlet, and the coolant feed inlet manifold is coupled to each fluid coolant conduit for distribution of coolant to each fuel cell. The coolant feed inlet manifold also has a discharge conduit located at one end of the coolant feed inlet manifold. The discharge conduit is configured to discharge excess coolant from the coolant feed inlet manifold. By supplying excess coolant to the coolant feed inlet manifold problems arising due to very low coolant flow rates through the fluid coolant conduits in the fuel cells can be reduced or eliminated.

Excess coolant fluid feed to fuel cell stacks

The disclosure provides a fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack and an electrical control unit configured to adjust operating parameters of the fuel cell stack to optimize operation of the fuel cell system based on a standard deviation of voltage outputs from a plurality of cells in the fuel cell stack.

An electrochemical fuel cell having an anode, an ion transfer membrane and a cathode has liquid water delivered to the fluid flow channels within the cathode so as to maintain a relative humidity of 100% throughout the fluid flow channels. A calibration method and apparatus is described for determining an optimum quantity or range of quantities of liquid water to be delivered to the cathode fluid flow channels under varying operating conditions. An operating method and apparatus is described that ensures an optimum quantity of liquid water is delivered to the cathode fluid flow channels under varying operating conditions.

Growing community of inventors

Loughborough, United Kingdom

Ashley James Kells