Hydrogen concentration sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022178893-A1
Application number	US-202017114746-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2020
Priority date	Dec 8, 2020
Publication date	Jun 9, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An illustrative example hydrogen concentration sensor includes a first end plate. A hydrogen evolving electrode assembly that generates hydrogen is situated adjacent the first end plate and at least partially exposed through an opening through the end plate. A separator plate is between the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly and a detection electrode assembly. The separator plate includes a passage to allow a flow of hydrogen generated by the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly to the detection electrode assembly. A second end plate is situated adjacent the detection electrode assembly and includes a second opening where a portion of the detection electrode assembly is exposed to a fluid of interest to provide an indication of a concentration of hydrogen in the fluid of interest.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A hydrogen concentration sensor, comprising:
a first end plate including a first opening through a portion of the first end plate; a hydrogen evolving electrode assembly situated adjacent the first end plate with at least a portion of the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly exposed through the first opening, the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly being configured to generate hydrogen based on exposure to a fluid at the first opening; at least one separator plate adjacent the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly on an opposite side of the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly from the first end plate, the at least one separator plate including a passage configured to allow a flow of hydrogen generated by the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly; a detection electrode assembly situated adjacent the at least one separator plate on an opposite side of the at least one separator plate from the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly, at least a portion of the detection electrode assembly being exposed to hydrogen in the passage; and a second end plate adjacent the detection electrode assembly on an opposite side of the detection electrode assembly from the at least one separator plate, the second end plate including a second opening through a portion of the second end plate, a portion of the detection electrode assembly being exposed to a fluid of interest through the second opening, the detection electrode assembly being configured to provide an indication of a concentration of hydrogen in the fluid of interest.

2 . The hydrogen concentration sensor of claim 1 , wherein
the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly comprises first and second electrode layers and a matrix layer between the first and second electrode layers; the detection electrode assembly comprises third and fourth electrode layers and a matrix layer between the third and fourth electrode layers; the first electrode layer is exposed to the first opening; the second electrode layer is at least partially exposed to the passage; the third electrode layer is at least partially exposed to the passage; the fourth electrode layer is exposed to the second opening; and the electrode layers contain a liquid electrolyte.

3 . The hydrogen concentration sensor of claim 2 , wherein the liquid electrolyte comprises phosphoric acid.

4 . The hydrogen concentration sensor of claim 2 , comprising a heater situated to increase a temperature of at least the liquid electrolyte in the electrode layers.

5 . The hydrogen concentration sensor of claim 1 , wherein
the first end plate is electrically conductive; the at least one separator plate is at least partially electrically conductive; the second end plate is electrically conductive; and the hydrogen concentration sensor includes
at least one isolating layer between the first end plate and the at least one separator plate,
at least one isolating layer between the second end plate and the at least one separator plate, and
at least one isolating layer within the at least one separator plate that electrically isolates a first side of the at least one separator plate received against the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly from a second side of the at least one separator plate received against the detection electrode assembly.

6 . The hydrogen concentration sensor of claim 5 , wherein each electrically conductive plate comprises graphite.

7 . The hydrogen concentration sensor of claim 5 , wherein
the at least one separator plate comprises two graphite plates; the at least one isolating layer within the at least one separator plate comprises a gasket layer between the two graphite plates; and the gasket includes an opening through the gasket aligned with the passage.

8 . The hydrogen concentration sensor of claim 5 , wherein the isolating layers each comprise a fluoropolymer.

9 . The hydrogen concentration sensor of claim 5 , wherein
the at least one isolating layer between the first end plate and the at least one separator plate includes an opening through the at least one isolating layer; the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly is situated within the opening through the at least one isolating layer between the first end plate and the at least one separator plate; the at least one isolating layer between the at least one separator plate and the second end plate includes an opening through the at least one isolating layer; and the detection electrode assembly is situated within the opening through the at least one isolating layer between the at least one separator plate and the second end plate.

10 . The hydrogen concentration sensor of claim 9 , wherein
the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly includes two electrode layers and a matrix layer between the two electrode layers; the at least one isolating layer between the first end plate and the at least one separator plate includes three gaskets; one of the two electrode layers is situated in an opening in one of the three gaskets; the other of the two electrode layers is situated in an opening in another one of the three gaskets; and the matrix layer is situated in a middle one of the three gaskets.

11 . The hydrogen concentration sensor of claim 10 , wherein
the electrode layers contain a liquid electrolyte; a thickness of the electrode layers has a predetermined relationship to a thickness of the gaskets; and the thickness of the gaskets controls an amount of compression of the electrode layers.

12 . The hydrogen concentration sensor of claim 1 , wherein
the at least one separator plate includes a vent situated to allow hydrogen from the passage to exit the hydrogen concentration sensor; and the vent is situated to direct hydrogen exiting the vent away from the second opening.

13 . The hydrogen concentration sensor of claim 1 , comprising a housing including a first side received against the first end plate and a second side received against the second end plate, the first side of the housing including a first window aligned with the first opening, the second side of the housing including a second window aligned with the second opening.

14 . The hydrogen concentration sensor of claim 1 , wherein
the detection electrode assembly includes two electrode layers and a matrix layer between the two electrode layers; and a voltage across the two electrode layers provides the indication of the concentration of hydrogen in the fluid of interest.

15 . A method of assembling a hydrogen concentration sensor, the method comprising:
situating a first end plate adjacent an hydrogen evolving electrode assembly to expose at least a portion of the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly through a first opening through a portion of the first end plate, the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly being configured to generate hydrogen based on exposure to a fluid at the first opening; situating at least one separator plate adjacent the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly on an opposite side of the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly from the first end plate, the at least one separator plate including a passage configured to allow a flow of hydrogen generated by the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly; situating a detection electrode assembly adjacent the at least one separator plate on an opposite side of the at least one separator plate from the hydrogen evolving electrode assembly to position at least a portion of the detection electrode assembly to be exposed to hydrogen in the passage; situating a second end plate adjacent the detection electrode assembly on an opposite side of the detection electrod

Assignees

• Doosan Fuel Cell America Inc

Inventors

• Preston Joshua
• Soldini Marc

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• G01N33/005 Primary

  H2 · CPC title

• H01M8/0444

  Concentration; Density (H01M8/04492 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/04753

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04089

  of gaseous reactants · CPC title