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:
Feb. 12, 2013
Filed:
Apr. 04, 2006
Hartmut Stengelin, Mainz, DE;
Bernhard Baaser, Milford, MI (US);
Robert S. Foley, Rochester, NY (US);
Michael F. Zawisa, Victor, NY (US);
Hartmut Stengelin, Mainz, DE;
Bernhard Baaser, Milford, MI (US);
Robert S. Foley, Rochester, NY (US);
Michael F. Zawisa, Victor, NY (US);
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A fuel cell system that includes a cell voltage monitoring sub-system that measures the cell voltage of each cell in a fuel cell stack and provides an indication of a low performing or failed cell. The fuel cell system uses the cell voltage monitoring sub-system to determine if one of the wires connected to a bipolar plate in the stack is broken or has otherwise failed. The cell voltage monitoring sub-system uses differential amplifiers to compare the positive side voltage and the negative side voltage of a cell to determine if the cell voltage is low or the cell is failing. By looking at the outputs of two differential amplifiers in the cell voltage monitoring sub-system, it can be determined whether adjacent cells provide an indication of both cells failing, which would indicate that a connection wire has failed.