Activation apparatus of fuel cell stack for performing automatic activation and performance evaluation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10312533-B2
Application number	US-201514836719-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2015
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

An activation apparatus of a fuel cell stack includes an output cable connecting unit mounted on the frame and connecting a positive output cable of an electric load system to a positive output terminal at one side of the fuel cell stack. A fluid supply pipe connecting unit is mounted on the frame to reciprocate forward and backward with respect to another side of the fuel cell stack. The fluid supply pipe connecting unit connects a negative output cable of the electric load system to a negative output terminal at the other side of the fuel cell stack and connects a fluid supply pipe of a fluid supply system to a manifold of the fuel cell stack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An activation apparatus of a fuel cell stack for performing activation and performance evaluation on the fuel cell stack when the fuel cell stack moves toward a frame, the activation apparatus comprising:
an output cable connecting unit mounted on the frame and connecting a positive output cable of an electric load system to a positive output terminal on a first side of the fuel cell stack; and
a fluid supply pipe connecting unit mounted on the frame to reciprocate forward and backward with respect to a second side of the fuel cell stack, the fluid supply pipe connecting unit connecting a negative output cable of the electric load system to a negative output terminal on the second side of the fuel cell stack and connecting a fluid supply pipe of a fluid supply system to a manifold of the fuel cell stack,
wherein the fluid supply pipe connecting unit includes:
a first moving body reciprocating forward and backward with respect to the second side of the fuel cell stack by an actuator,
a connecting terminal set elastically installed in the first moving body and connected to the negative output terminal of the fuel cell stack, and
a pipe connecting part mounted to the first moving body and connected to the fluid supply pipe.

2. The activation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connecting terminal set includes:
a cable connecting member fixedly installed in the first moving body and connected to the electric load system via the negative output cable;
a terminal rod protruding outwardly from inside the cable connecting member and moving toward the second side of the fuel cell stack, wherein a connecting terminal is installed at a protruding end of the terminal rod; and
a spring installed between the cable connecting member and the terminal rod and applying elastic force to the terminal rod.

3. The activation apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the connecting terminal is inserted into a terminal hole formed at the second side of the fuel cell stack, and has a tapered outer circumference.

4. The activation apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the connecting terminal set further includes a supporting member, which has a disk shape and supports the negative output terminal of the fuel cell stack, installed at the protruding end of the terminal rod.

5. The activation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first moving body moves back and forth with respect to the second side of the fuel cell stack by a pair of guide bars.

6. The activation apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the pair of guide bars are inserted into a pair of supporting blocks which are fixed on the frame.

7. The activation apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the fluid supply pipe connecting unit further includes a moving block moving back and forth on the frame with respect to the second side of the fuel cell stack by the actuator.

8. The activation apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the moving block includes stoppers protruding at both sides of the moving block.

9. The activation apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the pair of guide bars include a stopping block mounted at an end thereof and engaged with the stopper.

10. The activation apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the moving block includes a fixed block fixedly installed thereon.

11. The activation apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the moving block further includes a rod cell which is in contact with the fixed block.

12. The activation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid supply pipe connecting unit further includes an air-tightness tester for testing air-tightness of the fuel cell stack.

13. The activation apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the air-tightness tester includes:
an air supply source configured to supply air to the pipe connecting part;
an air pressure regulator configured to regulate air pressure that is supplied to the pipe connecting part;
a flow meter configured to measure flow rate of the supplied air; and
a pressure sensor configured to detect the air pressure exerted to inside of the fuel cell stack.

14. The activation apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a connector connecting unit automatically connecting a cell voltage measuring system with cell terminals of the fuel cell stack,
wherein the connector connecting unit includes:
a second moving body reciprocating moving the fuel cell stack in a horizontal direction with respect to the cell terminals;
terminal guide reciprocating at the second moving body with respect to the cell terminals; and
a connecting part connected to the cell terminals and including a probe block to reciprocate in an up and down movement.

15. The activation apparatus of claim 14 , a proximity sensor detects a position of the second moving body and sends a control signal to a controller to limit the movement of the second moving body.

16. The activation apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the rod cell detects a contact pressure between another moving body and the fixed block, and outputs a detection signal to a controller.

17. The activation apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a display displaying whether the fuel cell stack is normal based on a control signal of a controller.

18. An activation apparatus of a fuel cell stack for performing activation and performance evaluation on the fuel cell stack when the fuel cell stack moves toward a frame, the activation apparatus comprising:
an output cable connecting unit mounted on the frame and connecting a positive output cable of an electric load system to a positive output terminal on a first side of the fuel cell stack; and
a fluid supply pipe connecting unit mounted on the frame to reciprocate forward and backward with respect to a second side of the fuel cell stack, the fluid supply pipe connecting unit connecting a negative output cable of the electric load system to a negative output terminal on the second side of the fuel cell stack and connecting a fluid supply pipe of a fluid supply system to a manifold of the fuel cell stack.

19. The activation apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the output cable connecting unit includes:
a moving body reciprocating forward and backward with respect to the first side of the fuel cell stack by an actuator; and
a connecting terminal set elastically installed in the moving body and connected to the positive output terminal of the fuel cell stack.

20. The activation apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the moving body includes a pair of attachments which support the first side of the fuel cell stack.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lim Junhong
• Chun Daekeun

Classifications

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/04753

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04679

  of fuel cell stacks · CPC title

• H01M8/04552

  of the individual fuel cell · CPC title