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:
Jul. 01, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 26, 2001
Ronald J. Kelley, Coral Springs, FL (US);
Steven D. Pratt, Plantation, FL (US);
Sivakumar Muthuswamy, Plantation, FL (US);
Robert W. Pennisi, Boca Raton, FL (US);
Motorola INC, Schaumburg, IL (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for temperature regulation of a fuel cell using differential heat capacity of the fuel storage media is disclosed. The method of regulating the temperature involves measuring the temperature of one or more fuel cells, comparing the temperature against target values, selecting a control method from a set of available control methods based on the result of comparison and using that control method to initiate and control a regulation cycle, and actuating a flow control means using the selected control method to alter the flow of fuel between one or more fuel storage containers, each containing fuel storage media which exhibit different enthalpies of formation and dissociation. The regulation process starts with measuring temperature ( ) of a fuel cell system ( ). The measured temperature is then compared ( ) to a predetermined set of ideal target values designed to provide peak fuel cell performance. Following the comparison step, a control method ( ) is selected from a list of available control methods. The control method has the necessary parameters and logic to define an fuel flow initiation process ( ) which in turn actuates a flow control means ( ). Actuation of the flow control means changes the temperature of the one or more fuel cells and alters its operating parameters ( ).