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. 17, 2012
Filed:
Feb. 18, 2010
Takaaki Matsubayashi, Gunma, JP;
Takaaki Matsubayashi, Gunma, JP;
Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A fuel cell system which provides stable cell outputs at startup. The fuel cell system comprises: a fuel cell stack including a laminate formed by combining a membrane electrode assembly composed of an electrolyte membrane, an anode jointed to one side of the electrolyte membrane, and a cathode joined to the other side of the electrolyte membrane, with a fuel channel plate having a fuel channel for supplying a fuel to the anode, an oxidant channel plate having an oxidant channel for supplying an oxidant to the cathode, and a coolant channel plate having a coolant channel for a coolant to flow through; piping and a circulation pump necessary for cooling the coolant exhausted from the fuel cell stack before putting the coolant into the fuel cell stack for circulation; a fuel humidifier which humidifies the fuel by heat exchange with the coolant; an air humidifier which humidifies the air by heat exchange with the coolant; and a control unit which continues the circulation of the coolant in a system stopping process until a predetermined cooling stop condition holds, and stops power generation of the fuel cell when the predetermined cooling stop condition holds.