Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Craig Michael Mathie

William Frederick Sanderson

Matthew Riley

Virgo Edwards

Martin Pryor

Milos Milacic

Fred G Brighton

Shailesh Shrikant Kozarekar

Norman Jerry Bird

Kurt David Osborne

Michael Jon Veenstra

Hasdi R Hashim

Zijie Lu

Douglas Piccard

Daniel William Forthoffer

Brian Gillespey

Valentina Mejia Mejia

Seha Son

William F Sanderson, Jr

Michael Allen DeBolt

Mark A Pellerin

Scott M Staley

Patrick J Ford

James G Buvalic

Kevin Wujcik

Francis Niezabytowski

Ryan Ma

Joseph Michael Conrad, Ii

Systems and methods for managing cathode stoichiometry of an electrochemical cell are disclosed. A system may include a fuel cell, a compressor for supplying air to the fuel cell and an oxygen sensor proximate to or downstream of an outlet of a cathode chamber of the fuel cell. An operation speed of the compressor or flow rate of the air may be adjusted by, for example, a controller after receiving data from the sensor regarding the amount of residual oxygen. For example, the operation speed/flow rate may be increased or decreased to achieve a cathode stoichiometry of about 1.00.

Controlling cathode stoichiometry in fuel cells

A mounting assembly for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has a chassis with a first frame rail and a second frame rail extending longitudinally. The mounting assembly has a bracket with a concave region to receive and attach to a compressed gas tank to move the compressed gas tank away from an external force applied to an outer surface of the tank and in a first direction towards and beneath the first frame rail. The bracket has a first end region connected to the first frame rail to position the tank on an outboard side of the first frame rail.

Vehicle tank mounting assembly

A fuel cell vehicle includes a bypass valve positioned downstream of a compressor and upstream of a fuel cell stack to selectively direct airflow from the compressor to an exhaust bypassing the fuel cell in an attempt to clear a partially or fully obstructed exhaust pipe. The bypass valve may be opened by a controller when an exhaust throttle valve is at or near a wide-open throttle position. The controller may also increase compressor flow and adjust airflow to the fuel cell stack until compressor pressure, speed, or temperature exceed corresponding limits.

Fuel cell vehicle with bypass valve control for clearing exhaust

A fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack, separator and a scavenging reservoir. The fuel cell stack is configured to generate water and reusable fuel. The separator is downstream of and in fluid communication with the fuel cell stack. The separator is configured to separate the water from the reusable fuel. The scavenging reservoir is downstream of and in fluid communication with the separator. The scavenging reservoir is configured to receive the water from the separator. The scavenging reservoir includes an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a middle portion positioned between the inlet and outlet portions. The middle portion includes a reservoir and a passageway extending there between. The passageway is configured to allow a fluid stream to flow there through when the reservoir is occupied by a frozen fluid.

Fuel cell purge line system

A fuel cell system and a method of controlling the fuel cell system is provided. A fuel cell generates power, and a coolant system provides coolant flow through the stack. A controller is configured to, in response to at least one of an ambient temperature and a coolant temperature being below a threshold value after a vehicle shut down command or event, command the coolant system to circulate coolant through the stack to reduce ice formation in the stack prior to commanding a purge of the fuel cell stack.

Fuel cell system for a vehicle

A vehicle includes a fuel cell having a stack for generating power and a controller. The controller is programmed to, in response to a fuel cell temperature decreasing to less than a temperature threshold after a shutdown, initiate a primary purge of the stack and terminate the primary purge at a predetermined anode pressure.

Vehicle fuel cell purging system

A fuel cell assembly includes a fuel cell arrangement having first and second plates sandwiching a membrane electrode assembly. The arrangement defines first and second header regions that each include supply and return headers. The first plate defines coolant channels that extend between the header regions and connect to the return header in the first region. The second plate defines coolant channels that extend between the header regions and connect to the supply header in the first region.

Fuel cell assembly with cooling system

A fuel cell system in a vehicle has a cathode and an anode. A compressor has an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being configured to outlet a compressed air from the compressor. A bypass line is configured to return the compressed air from the outlet to the inlet such that the air returns to the compressor in a loop. A valve is located downstream of the compressor and is operable in a plurality of modes. In a first mode, the valve is configured to block the air from the cathode and return the air via the bypass line. In a second mode, the valve is configured to direct at least some of the air to the cathode. The valve can also be configured to operate in a third mode in which the air is sent to the cathode without going through the bypass line.

Fuel cell multifunction cathode valve

A fuel cell system in a vehicle includes a fuel cell stack and a cooling system for cooling the fuel cell stack. The cooling system has a radiator and at least one pump configured to supply coolant to the fuel cell stack. A controller operates the cooling system to actively cool the fuel cell stack while the vehicle is shut down in response to conditions indicating that the next time the vehicle will be started, it will be a cold start. The controller can then, subsequent to initiating the cooling, purge the fuel cell stack.

Control of fuel cell cooling system in a vehicle

A fuel cell anode purge line includes an elongated water-scavenging body having a single inlet portion, a single outlet portion having an outlet valve, and a scavenged reservoir configured to accumulate water and fluidly connect the inlet and outlet portions so as to direct a flow of purge gas from the inlet portion through the reservoir such that the purge gas entrains the water in the flow and transfers the water towards the outlet valve.

A mechanical connection includes first and second components supported for rotation, the first component formed with first spline teeth, the second component formed with second spline teeth meshing with the first spline teeth, and a damper fitted in a groove formed in one of the first and second components, including an extension secured to the damper, contacting and extending between at least some of the first and second spline teeth.

Preventing noise from mating spline teeth

A humidification system for a fuel cell may include a condenser configured to receive fluid output from a cathode of the fuel cell and cool the fluid to extract water from it. A heat exchanger operable to transfer heat from a heat source to an airflow flowing through the heat exchanger may also be included. When the heated airflow is brought into contact with at least some of the extracted water, the airflow is humidified prior to its entering the cathode.

Humidification system and method for a fuel cell

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, an ejector in fluid communication with the fuel cell stack and having a converging-diverging (CD) nozzle with a hydrogen feed nozzle and a recirculation conduit upstream of a throat of the CD nozzle, and a thermal source configured to heat the ejector. A hydrogen supply assembly for a fuel cell system includes an ejector having a converging-diverging (CD) nozzle and a mixing chamber upstream of the CD nozzle. The mixing chamber has a recirculation conduit and a hydrogen feed nozzle. A thermal source is configured to heat the ejector. A method of controlling a hydrogen supply device for a fuel cell includes, in response to detecting a heating condition at fuel cell start up, controlling a thermal source to heat an ejector upstream of an anode stack to prevent ice formation in the ejector.

Heated ejector assembly for a fuel cell

A vehicle includes a fuel cell system, and a controller configured to receive a first signal indicative of a predicted ambient temperature at a specified location, and command the fuel cell system to operate at a reduced relative humidity when the predicted ambient temperature is below a threshold value. A method for controlling a fuel cell system includes receiving a first signal at a controller indicative of a predicted ambient temperature for a specified location, and operating the fuel cell system at a reduced relative humidity when the predicted ambient temperature is below a threshold value. A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, and a controller configured to, in response to receiving a predicted freezing condition, command the fuel cell stack to operate at a lower relative humidity level for a time period preceding a predicted time for system shut down.

Freeze preparation for a fuel cell system

A fuel cell system may include a cathode loop having an operating pressure during fuel cell system operation. The cathode loop may include a normally open mechanical check valve disposed at a water pooling location within the loop and having a cracking pressure approximately equal to the operating pressure.

Growing community of inventors

White Lake Township, MI, United States of America

Craig Michael Mathie