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. 09, 2014
Filed:
Oct. 31, 2008
Clark G. Hochgraf, Honeoye Falls, NY (US);
Paul Taichiang Yu, Pittsford, NY (US);
Frederick T. Wagner, Fairport, NY (US);
Robert S. Foley, Rochester, NY (US);
Clark G. Hochgraf, Honeoye Falls, NY (US);
Paul Taichiang Yu, Pittsford, NY (US);
Frederick T. Wagner, Fairport, NY (US);
Robert S. Foley, Rochester, NY (US);
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A fuel cell system that employs a technique for reducing or significantly eliminating the MEA degradation that occurs as a result of the hydrogen-air front in the anode flow channels at system start-up. After system shut-down, any hydrogen remaining within the anode flow channels will be quickly reacted or diffused. At the next start-up, a switch is closed to provide a dead short across the positive and negative terminals of the fuel cell stack as hydrogen is being introduced into the anode flow channels. The existing air in the cathode flow channels reacts with the hydrogen being introduced across the membrane in the normal fuel cell reaction. However, the short prevents a voltage potential across the membrane.