Method for starting a fuel cell and fuel cell system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017279139-A1
Application number	US-201515505834-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 24, 2015
Priority date	Aug 25, 2014
Publication date	Sep 28, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for starting a fuel cell and to a fuel cell system which is configured to carry out the method. The fuel cell includes electrically conductive bipolar plates, arranged between which there is in each case a cathode, including a fluid-conducting cathode space, a membrane and an anode, including a fluid-conducting anode space. There is provision that the method includes the following steps in the specified order:
purging the anode space with a fluid in order to expel fuel, impressing electricity on a unit composed of the cathode ( 2 k )/membrane ( 1 )/anode ( 2 a ) by applying a current and/or a voltage, wherein the fluid is applied to the anode space or continues to be so, switching off the electricity, and introducing a fuel into the anode space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 - 9 . (canceled)

10 . A method for starting a fuel cell, the fuel cell including electrically conductive bipolar plates, situated between which are in each case a cathode, including a fluid-conducting cathode chamber, a membrane and an anode, including a fluid-conducting anode chamber, the method comprising the following steps in the specified order:
purging the anode chamber with a fluid in order to expel fuel; impressing electricity on the fuel cell by applying a current or a voltage, the anode chamber being or continuing to be acted upon by the fluid; switching off the electricity, and introducing a fuel into the anode chamber.

11 . The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the fluid for purging the anode chamber is an inert gas.

12 . The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the fluid for purging the anode chamber is nitrogen.

13 . The method as recited in claim 10 wherein an intensity of the impressed electricity is controlled by an intensity of the applied voltage or of the applied current.

14 . The method as recited in claim 10 wherein a voltage in the range of 0.5 V to 1.5 V is applied or induced.

15 . The method as recited in claim 10 wherein a direction of the applied current flow is opposite a direction of the current flow during operation of the fuel cell.

16 . The method as recited in claim 10 wherein a current flow of the current is induced for a duration in the range of 0.1 s to 50 s.

17 . The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the fuel is introduced with a time delay after the electricity is switched off.

18 . A fuel cell system comprising:
a fuel cell including two electrically conductive bipolar plates, a cathode, including a fluid-conducting cathode chamber, a membrane and an anode, including a fluid-conducting anode chamber; a voltage source; and a control unit, the control unit configured to carry out the method steps as recited in claim 10 .

Assignees

• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Kirsch Sebastian
• Zihrul Patrick
• Hartung Ingmar

Classifications

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/04225 Primary

  during start-up · CPC title

• H01M4/926

  on carbon or graphite · CPC title

• H01M8/04231 Primary

  Purging of the reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04089 Primary

  of gaseous reactants · CPC title