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. 05, 2005
Filed:
Jul. 25, 2001
Brian Wells, Vancouver, CA;
Kenneth W. Strang, Vancouver, CA;
Brian Wells, Vancouver, CA;
Kenneth W. Strang, Vancouver, CA;
Ballard Power Systems Inc., Burnaby, CA;
Abstract
An electric power generating system is provided that comprises a fuel cell stack having at least one solid polymer fuel cell, a cooling system having a coolant flow path that directs coolant to and from the stack, a fuel regulating system having a fuel flow path and for regulating the supply of fuel from a fuel supply to the stack via the fuel flow path, and a hydrogen concentration sensor. The sensor is located in the vicinity of the fuel regulating system and in the coolant flow path at a location downstream of the stack to detect hydrogen that may have been discharged by components of the power generating system in the coolant flow path upstream of the sensor, or by the fuel regulating system. In the event the measured hydrogen concentration exceeds a threshold level, steps are taken to reduce or stop the discharge of hydrogen from the power generating system.