Ford Motor Company Limited

Daimler Ag

Nissan Motor Company Limited

Cellcentric Gmbh & Co. Kg

Laura Iwan

Richard Fellows

Yosuke Fukuyama

Takeshi Shiomi

Sven Schmalzriedt

Michael Procter

Pere Antoni Pastor Nigorra

Elisabeth Funk Woolliams

Christopher J Richards

Adrian Kent Roett

Matthew Blair Guenther

A method for starting a fuel cell in a fuel cell system, at temperatures below the freezing point of water, includes, in a first step, that the hydrogen concentration in the anode is increased; after which, in a second step, an anode pressure is increased for a fixed period of time, and while air is supplied to the cathode, the maximum possible current is drawn from the fuel cell, and after which, in a third step, the fuel cell is switched in a load-free manner and the anode pressure is reduced. After the third step, the second step and the third step are repeated successively until a sufficient performance of the fuel cell for its normal operation is reached.

Fuel cell freeze start method with anode pressure control

Methods are disclosed for starting up a fuel cell system from starting temperatures below 0&#xb0; C. The methods apply to systems comprising a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack whose cathodes comprise an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst and whose anodes comprise both a hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) catalyst and an oxidation evolution reaction (OER) catalyst. In the methods, from the beginning of starting up until the fuel cell temperature reaches 0&#xb0; C., the fuel cell stack current is kept sufficiently low such that the current density drawn does not exceed the stack's capability for the oxidation evolution and the oxygen reduction reactions to occur at the anode and cathode respectively (i.e. current density drawn is less than the stack's maximum OER/ORR current density).

Below freezing start-up method for fuel cell system

A method for starting operation of a solid polymer fuel cell from a temperature below 0&#xb0; C. is disclosed that prevents certain problems with ice formation as the fuel cell thaws. During startup, the method involves providing the volumetric oxidant flow at a rate less than two thirds of its maximum when the coolant temperature is near 0&#xb0; C.

Freeze start method for fuel cells

Growing community of inventors

Burnaby, Canada

Laura Iwan