Fuel cell and method for operating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10483570-B2
Application number	US-201715607131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2017
Priority date	May 30, 2016
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A fuel cell has a stack that includes a fuel electrode and air electrode on opposite sides of an electrolyte membrane. The fuel electrode includes first and second fuel ports communicative via a fuel flow path, and the air electrode includes first and second air ports communicative via an air flow path. The fuel cell also includes first and second fuel feeders communicative with the first and second fuel ports, and first and second air feeders communicative with the first and second air ports. The fuel cell also includes a fuel switching unit between the first and second fuel feeders that switches a fuel supply direction between the first and second fuel feeders. The fuel cell further includes an air switching unit between the first and second air feeders that switches an air supply direction between the first and second air feeders.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell, comprising:
a stack comprising:
an electrolyte membrane;
a fuel electrode that is disposed on a first side of the electrolyte membrane, the fuel electrode comprising a first fuel port and a second fuel port that are communicative with each other via a fuel flow path; and
an air electrode disposed on a second side, opposite the first side, of the electrolyte membrane, and comprising a first air port and a second air port that are communicative with each other via an air flow path;

a first fuel feeder communicative with the first fuel port;
a second fuel feeder communicative with the second fuel port;
a first air feeder communicative with the first air port;
a second air feeder communicative with the second air port;
a fuel switching unit provided between the first fuel feeder and the second fuel feeder and configured to switch a fuel supply direction to a first direction from the first fuel feeder to the second fuel feeder, or reversely to a second direction from the second fuel feeder to the first fuel feeder; and
an air switching unit provided between the first air feeder and the second air feeder and configured to switch an air supply direction to a third direction from the first air feeder to the second air feeder, or reversely to a fourth direction from the second air feeder to the first air feeder,
wherein the first fuel port of the stack is connected to a first end of a first fuel pipe, and the second fuel port of the stack is connected to a first end of a second fuel pipe,
wherein a first fuel switching valve is provided on a second end of the first fuel pipe and a first fuel supply pipe and a second fuel discharge pipe are connected to the first fuel switching valve,
wherein a second fuel switching valve is provided on a second end of the second fuel pipe and a second fuel supply pipe and a first fuel discharge pipe are connected to the second fuel switching valve,
wherein the first fuel supply pipe and the second fuel supply pipe are connected to a fuel supply valve that is configured to selectively direct a fuel supply direction,
wherein the first fuel discharge pipe and the second fuel discharge pipe are connected to a fuel discharge valve that is configured to selectively direct a fuel discharge direction,
wherein the fuel supply valve and the fuel discharge valve are configured to be jointly controlled,
wherein the first air port of the stack is connected to a first end of a first air pipe, and the second air port of the stack is connected to a first end of a second air pipe,
wherein a first air switching valve is provided on a second end of the first air pipe, and a first air supply pipe and a second air discharge pipe are connected to the first air switching valve,
wherein a second air switching valve is provided on a second end of the second air pipe, and a second air supply pipe and a first air discharge pipe are connected to the second air switching valve,
wherein the first air supply pipe and the second air supply pipe are connected to an air supply valve that is configured to selectively direct an air supply direction,
wherein the first air discharge pipe and the second air discharge pipe are connected to an air discharge valve that is configured to selectively direct an air discharge direction, and
wherein the air supply valve and the air discharge valve are configured to be jointly controlled.

2. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the first fuel feeder and the second fuel feeder share at least a portion of a flow path, and
wherein the fuel switching unit is located on the at least the portion of the flow path shared by the first fuel feeder and the second fuel feeder.

3. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the first air feeder and the second air feeder share at least a portion of a flow path, and
wherein the air switching unit is located on the at least the portion of the flow path shared by the first air feeder and the second air feeder.

4. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the stack is provided with a cooling unit at an outside thereof, and the cooling unit is configured to be controlled to cooperatively operate with at least one of the fuel switching unit or the air switching unit.

5. The fuel cell of claim 1 , further comprising at least one processor electrically connected to the first feeder and the second feeder to and configured to switch a fuel supply direction and an air supply direction to a direction toward the first feeder or the second feeder.

6. The fuel cell of claim 5 , further comprising a load variation detecting unit configured to detect a variation of a load that is applied to the stack,
wherein the load variation detecting unit is electrically connected to the at least one processor and configured to cooperatively operate with at least one of the fuel switching unit or the air switching unit.

7. The fuel cell of claim 5 , further comprising a temperature detecting unit configured to detect heat generated from the stack,
wherein the temperature detecting unit is electrically connected to the at least one processor and is configured to cooperatively operate with at least one of the fuel switching unit or the air switching unit.

8. The fuel cell of claim 5 , further comprising a timer configured to determine a time during which the fuel or the air is supplied from the fuel switching unit or the air switching unit in a corresponding direction,
wherein the timer is electrically connected to the at least one processor and is configured to cooperatively operate with at least one of the fuel switching unit or the air switching unit.

9. The fuel cell of claim 5 , further comprising a flow channel comprising at least one pipe connected in a closed loop shape to an inlet and to an outlet of the stack, the at least one pipe configured to supply or discharge the fuel.

10. The fuel cell of claim 9 , further comprising a switching valve that is provided at a middle portion of the flow channel comprising the at least one pipe, the switching valve configured to control the fuel supply direction and a fuel discharge direction.

11. The fuel cell of claim 10 , further comprising an air supply unit configured to:
supply air in the stack; and
switch the air supply direction under control of the at least one processor.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ryu Choonjae
• Yang Dongkeun
• Woo Hyoungsuk

Classifications

• H01M8/04089 Primary

  of gaseous reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/0432

  Temperature; Ambient temperature · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04753 Primary

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04231

  Purging of the reactants · CPC title