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:
Jun. 23, 2015
Filed:
Jul. 09, 2008
Sridhar V. Kanuri, Milford, CT (US);
Timothy W. Patterson, East Hartford, CT (US);
Sridhar V. Kanuri, Milford, CT (US);
Timothy W. Patterson, East Hartford, CT (US);
AUDI AG, Ingolstadt, DE;
Abstract
The oxidant inlets of the reactant gas flow field grooves () of a fuel cell () which suffers a crossover between the fuel and oxidant flow fields, due to a leak in the seals, the maxtrix or the membrane of the fuel cell, are blocked with a liquid () which cures in place, hot glue, two-part epoxy, or fluoroelastomers. This prevents heating as a result of combusting fuel with oxygen near the site, which avoids excessive heating and damaging of successive fuel cells. As a result, a fuel cell power plant () can continue to operate with only a minor loss of voltage and power, thereby avoiding the need to tear down the stack by loosening the tie-bolts. Voltage and hydrogen levels may be used to detect the crossover. The particular cell () with the leak can be determined by voltage or hydrogen monitoring, or by immersing the stack in a liquid while applying gas to the fuel inlet of the stack.