Fuel Cell Freeze Protection Device and System

US2018219237A1 · US · A1

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-2018219237-A1
Application numberUS-201715417800-A
CountryUS
Kind codeA1
Filing dateJan 27, 2017
Priority dateJan 27, 2017
Publication dateAug 2, 2018
Grant date

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  1. Title

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  2. Abstract

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  3. Assignees and inventors

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  4. Key dates

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  5. First independent claim

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  6. CPC / IPC classifications

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  7. Citations and related patents

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Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

A fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack, a coolant loop and a thermal battery. The coolant loop is configured to flow a coolant liquid therethrough. The thermal battery includes a phase change material configured to absorb heat generated by the fuel cell stack or coolant liquid and to latently store the heat during a first mode of operation the fuel cell system.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

1 . A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell stack; a coolant loop configured to flow a coolant liquid therethrough; and a thermal battery including a phase change material configured to absorb heat generated by the fuel cell stack or coolant liquid and to latently store the heat during a first mode of operation of the fuel cell system. 2 . The fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the phase change material is further configured to at least partially change phase from solid to liquid during the first mode of operation. 3 . The fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the phase change material is further configured to release latent heat into the fuel cell stack or coolant loop during a second mode of operation of the fuel cell system. 4 . The fuel cell system of claim 3 , wherein the phase change material is further configured to at least partially change phase from liquid to solid during the second mode of operation of the fuel cell system. 5 . The fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the first mode of operation is a normal operating mode of the fuel cell system. 6 . The fuel cell system of claim 3 , wherein the second mode of operation is a startup of the fuel cell system at low temperature ambient conditions of 0° C. or lower. 7 . The fuel cell system of claim 5 , wherein the fuel cell stack or coolant liquid is configured to release heat to the thermal battery during the first mode of operation. 8 . The fuel cell system of claim 6 , wherein the fuel cell stack or coolant liquid is configured to absorb heat from the thermal battery during the second mode of operation. 9 . (canceled) 10 . The fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal battery includes an insulating layer to at least partially enclose the thermal battery. 11 - 20 . (canceled) 21 . A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell stack; a coolant loop configured to flow a coolant liquid therethrough; and a thermal battery including a phase change material configured to absorb heat generated by the fuel cell stack or coolant liquid, to latently store the heat during a first mode of operation of the fuel cell system, and to latently heat a volume external to the fuel cell system. 22 . The fuel cell system of claim 21 , wherein the phase change material is further configured to at least partially change phase from solid to liquid during the first mode of operation. 23 . The fuel cell system of claim 21 , wherein the phase change material is further configured to release latent heat into the fuel cell stack or coolant loop during a second mode of operation of the fuel cell system. 24 . The fuel cell system of claim 23 , wherein the phase change material is further configured to at least partially change phase from liquid to solid during the second mode of operation of the fuel cell system. 25 . The fuel cell system of claim 21 , wherein the first mode of operation is a normal operating mode of the fuel cell system. 26 . A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell stack; a coolant loop configured to flow a coolant liquid therethrough; a thermal battery including a phase change material configured to absorb heat generated by the fuel cell stack or coolant liquid, to latently store the heat during a first mode of operation of the fuel cell system, and to latently heat a volume external to the fuel cell system; and a fuel cell stack loop including the fuel cell stack and the thermal battery. 27 . The fuel cell system of claim 26 , wherein the phase change material is further configured to at least partially change phase from solid to liquid during the first mode of operation. 28 . The fuel cell system of claim 26 , wherein the phase change material is further configured to release latent heat into the fuel cell stack or coolant loop during a second mode of operation of the fuel cell system. 29 . The fuel cell system of claim 28 , wherein the phase change material is further configured to at least partially change phase from liquid to solid during the second mode of operation of the fuel cell system. 30 . The fuel cell system of claim 26 , wherein the first mode of operation is a normal operating mode of the fuel cell system. 31 . The fuel cell system of claim 28 , wherein the second mode of operation is a startup of the fuel cell system at low temperature ambient conditions of 0° C. or lower.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • of the coolant · CPC title

  • of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers · CPC title

  • Storage of heat in the fuel cell system · CPC title

  • applied during start-up · CPC title

  • Heat exchange using liquids · CPC title

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Frequently asked questions

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What does patent US2018219237A1 cover?
A fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack, a coolant loop and a thermal battery. The coolant loop is configured to flow a coolant liquid therethrough. The thermal battery includes a phase change material configured to absorb heat generated by the fuel cell stack or coolant liquid and to latently store the heat during a first mode of operation the fuel cell system.
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Ford Motor Co
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification H01M8/04253. Mapped technology areas include Electricity.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Thu Aug 02 2018 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (A1). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 2 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).