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:
Aug. 09, 2011
Filed:
Sep. 21, 2007
David A. Arthur, Honeoye Falls, NY (US);
John P. Salvador, Penfield, NY (US);
Seth E Lerner, Honeoye Falls, NY (US);
Balasubramanian Lakshmanan, Pittsford, NY (US);
Abdullah B. Alp, West Henrietta, NY (US);
David A. Arthur, Honeoye Falls, NY (US);
John P. Salvador, Penfield, NY (US);
Seth E Lerner, Honeoye Falls, NY (US);
Balasubramanian Lakshmanan, Pittsford, NY (US);
Abdullah B. Alp, West Henrietta, NY (US);
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A method for providing a fast and reliable start-up of a fuel cell system. The method uses a stack voltage response to a load to assess if hydrogen and oxygen are being sufficiently distributed to all of the fuel cells by coupling an auxiliary load to the fuel cell stack until a predetermined minimum cell voltage has been reached or a first predetermined time period has elapsed. The method then determines whether a minimum cell voltage has dropped to a first predetermined voltage and, if so, reduces the maximum power allowed to be below the first predetermined voltage value, determines whether the minimum cell voltage in the stack is below a second predetermined voltage, or determines whether the minimum cell voltage drop rate is greater than a predetermined voltage drop rate. If none of these conditions are met, the method returns to loading the stack with system components.