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. 01, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 05, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:
Assignee:
Estco Battery Management, Inc., Nepean, CA;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H02J 7/00 ; H01M 8/04 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H02J 7/00 ; H01M 8/04 ;
Abstract
A controller controls a switch bank which can shunt a voltage source in parallel with one or more fuel cells in a stack. By controlling the voltage of the voltage source, the current through the fuel cells is directly controlled. By increasing the anode potential of the fuel cell through control of the voltage source, poisons deposited on the electrocatalyst are removed, thereby rejuvenating the fuel cells. Fuel cells in a stack can be treated in turn, causing a reduction of the effects of electrocatalyst poison on stack performance.