The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 1996
Filed:
Oct. 23, 1992
Harold R Kunz, Vernon, CT (US);
International Fuel Cells Corporation, South Windsor, CT (US);
Abstract
During operation of a fuel cell stack, electrolyte within individual fuel cells migrates between the cathode side and the anode side, and across the separator plate between the cathode side and the anode side electrolyte reservoir plate of a second cell. An electrochemical sensor comprised of wires, a sheath, and a porous conduit having a pore size distribution which is similar to that of the electrolyte reservoir plate in which the electrochemical sensor is located, is capable of determining the electrolyte content during fuel cell operation by measuring the electrical resistance between the wires. The conduit wicks electrolyte into its pores to a content similar to that of the electrolyte reservoir plate. This electrolyte establishes electrical contact between the wires such that the measure of the electrical resistance between the wires is related to the electrolyte content of the electrolyte reservoir plate.