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:
Sep. 18, 2012
Filed:
May. 30, 2007
Baki M. Cetegen, Glastonbury, CT (US);
Michael W. Renfro, Storrs, CT (US);
Saptarshi Basu, Storrs, CT (US);
Baki M. Cetegen, Glastonbury, CT (US);
Michael W. Renfro, Storrs, CT (US);
Saptarshi Basu, Storrs, CT (US);
University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT (US);
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to in-situ, line-of-sight measurements of partial pressure and temperature associated with at least one flow channel of a fuel cell. Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) is employed for measurements for which water transition states sensitive to temperature and partial pressure are utilized. Measurements are achievable for a fuel cell operating under both steady-state and time-varying load conditions. For steady-state operation, the water partial pressure increases with increasing current density on a cathode side of the fuel cell due to production of water by electrochemical reaction. Temperature in a gas phase remains relatively constant since the fuel cell housing temperature is controlled externally. For non-steady-state operation of the fuel cell through a time-varying current profile, the water partial pressure responds to the load changes rapidly and follows a current profile. The gas temperature varies in response to the dynamic loading and departures from steady-state conditions become more apparent at higher fuel cell operating temperatures.