Intelligent Energy Inc.

Other

Pratap Rama

Nathaniel Thomas Palmer

Shahin Moghimi

Paul Leonard Adcock

Simon Edward Foster

Mathias Crespy

Vince Gardner

Jignesh Karsan Devshi Patel

Jonathan Cole

Ashley James Kells

Daniel Ninan

Sophie Charlotte Harris

Prajwal Nirwan

Emma Farndon

Alex Mark Thirkell

David James Grimwade

Vincent Gardner

Max Armstrong Brown

Simon Foster

A method for operating a fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell assembly of a plurality of fuel cells configured to generate electrical power from a fuel flow and an oxidant flow to the plurality of fuel cells, the fuel cell assembly arranged in combination with a coolant storage module configured to supply the fuel cell assembly with a flow of coolant, the method performed when the temperature of the coolant in the coolant storage module is below a coolant temperature threshold and comprises; a first phase performed prior to activation of a coolant pump configured to deliver coolant from the coolant storage module to the fuel cell assembly and a second phase performed after activation of the coolant pump.

Method for operating a fuel cell and controller therefore

Aspects of methods and systems to reduce degradation of a fuel cell () during start-up and shut-down cycles are disclosed. An anode exhaust stream (') is periodically directed via fluid communication through an oxygen capture media (). After shut-down of the fuel cell and before or during start-up said media () removes oxygen in the anode exhaust stream. Periodically, heating the oxygen capture media () is employed to purge the oxygen collected and regenerate the media.

Fuel cell startup/shutdown degradation mitigation by removal of oxygen ad/absorption media

Disclosed is a cooling module for use in a fuel cell system, the module includes a tank configured to receive a coolant therein, a coolant, a pump in fluid communication with the coolant in the tank and the fuel cell system, the pump being configured to transport the coolant to the fuel cell system, a heating element within the coolant in the tank, the heating element configured to heat the coolant, and at least one sensor in signal communication with a controller and in fluid communication with the tank. The sensor is configured to detect a change corresponding to the presence or absence of sufficient liquid coolant to initiate said pump, and the controller processes sensor data and is configured to actuate the pump.

Cooling module for a fuel cell system and method of detecting flowable coolant in a fuel cell system

A fuel cell controller for controlling the operation of a fuel cell system comprising a plurality of fuel cells arranged together to provide electrical current at an output, the controller configured to actively set an upper limit on the rate of change in current provided by the fuel cell system at the output based on at least one electrical parameter of one or more of the fuel cells such as the lowest voltage (V) of an individual fuel cell among a plurality of fuel cells.

Fuel cell controller, fuel cell system and method of operation

A coolant injection controller for a fuel cell system, the coolant injection controller configured to actively control the flow of a coolant to a fuel cell assembly for cooling and/or hydrating the fuel cell assembly in response to a measure of fuel cell assembly performance, wherein the coolant injection controller is configured to provide for a first mode of operation if the measure of fuel cell assembly performance is below a predetermined threshold and a second mode of operation if the measure of fuel cell assembly performance is above the predetermined threshold, the first and second modes having different coolant injection profiles and wherein, in the first mode of operation, the coolant injection profile provides for control of the flow of coolant by alternating between at least two different injection flow rates.

Coolant injection controller

An electrochemical fuel cell assembly comprises a fuel cell stack having a fuel delivery inlet and a fuel delivery outlet. The fuel cell stack further includes a number of fuel cells each having a membrane-electrode assembly and a fluid flow path coupled between the fuel delivery inlet and the fuel delivery outlet for delivery of fuel to the membrane electrode assembly. A fuel delivery conduit is coupled to the fuel delivery inlet for 10 delivery of fluid fuel to the stack. A bleed conduit is coupled to the fuel delivery outlet for venting fluid out of the stack. A variable orifice flow control device coupled to the bleed conduit configured to dynamically vary an amount of fluid from the fuel delivery outlet passing into the bleed conduit as a function of one or more of the control parameters: (i) measured fuel concentration; (ii) measured humidity; (iii) cell voltages of fuel cells in the 15 stack; (iv) impedance of fuel cells in the stack; (v) resistance of fuel cells in the stack. The variable orifice flow control device may be coupled to a recirculation conduit and may be configured to dynamically vary a proportion of fluid from the fuel delivery outlet passing into the bleed conduit as a function of the control parameters.

Anode bleed control in a fuel cell stack

A fuel cell system comprises an antimicrobial patterned surface. The fuel cell system may comprise a fuel cell stack, a coolant reservoir, and a coolant flow path configured to supply coolant from the coolant reservoir to the fuel cell stack. One or more of the fuel cell stack, the coolant reservoir and the coolant flow path may comprise the antimicrobial patterned surface.

Coolant purification

A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack is disclosed. An ozone generator is configured to introduce ozone into a coolant in the fuel cell system. A deionisation apparatus is coupled to the fuel cell stack. A bypass conduit is arranged in parallel with the deionisation apparatus. A controller is configured to control flow of the coolant to the fuel cell stack through either the deionisation apparatus or the bypass conduit based on the operating state of the ozone generator.

An electrochemical fuel cell assembly comprises a fuel cell stack having a fuel delivery inlet and a fuel delivery outlet. The fuel cell stack further includes a number of fuel cells each having a membrane-electrode assembly and a fluid flow path coupled between the fuel delivery inlet and the fuel delivery outlet for delivery of fuel to the membrane-electrode assembly. A fuel delivery conduit is coupled to the fuel delivery inlet for delivery of fluid fuel to the stack. A bleed conduit is coupled to the fuel delivery outlet for venting fluid out of the stack. A variable orifice flow control device coupled to the bleed conduit configured to dynamically vary an amount of fluid from the fuel delivery outlet passing into the bleed conduit as a function of one or more of the control parameters: (i) measured fuel concentration; (ii) measured humidity; (iii) cell voltages of fuel cells in the stack; (iv) impedance of fuel cells in the stack; (v) resistance of fuel cells in the stack. The variable orifice flow control device may be coupled to a recirculation conduit and may be configured to dynamically vary a proportion of fluid from the fuel delivery outlet passing into the bleed conduit as a function of the control parameters.

A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack is disclosed. An ozone generator is configured to introduce ozone into a coolant in the fuel cell system. A deionization apparatus is coupled to the fuel cell stack. A bypass conduit is arranged in parallel with the deionization apparatus. A controller is configured to control flow of the coolant to the fuel cell stack through either the deionization apparatus or the bypass conduit based on the operating state of the ozone generator.

A method of operating a fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell assembly configured to generate electrical power from a fuel flow and an oxidant flow, the method comprising a first phase and a subsequent second phase, the first phase comprising; operating the fuel cell assembly with a first stoichiometric ratio of oxidant flow to fuel flow to generate electrical power; providing said generated electrical power to a heater element for heating a coolant for supply to said fuel cell assembly; the second phase comprising; delivering coolant heated in the first phase to the fuel cell assembly; operating the fuel cell assembly with a second stoichiometric ratio of oxidant flow to fuel flow to generate electrical power, the second stoichiometric ratio lower than the first ratio.

Fuel cell and coolant storage

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.

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Loughborough, United Kingdom

Pratap Rama