Humidifier, for Example for a Fuel Cell
US-2015380750-A1 · Dec 31, 2015 · US
Apparatus and method for activating fuel cell stack
US9508998B2 · US · B2
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-9508998-B2 |
| Application number | US-201113297693-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | B2 |
| Filing date | Nov 16, 2011 |
| Priority date | Jul 18, 2011 |
| Publication date | Nov 29, 2016 |
| Grant date | Nov 29, 2016 |
How to read this patent
A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.
- Title
What the patent document calls the invention.
- Abstract
A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.
- Assignees and inventors
Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.
- Key dates
Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.
- First independent claim
The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.
- CPC / IPC classifications
Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.
- Citations and related patents
Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.
Abstract
Official abstract text for this publication.
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for activating a fuel cell stack, which significantly reduces the time required for activation and the amount of hydrogen used for the activation by employing a vacuum wetting process in a shutdown operation. In particular, a high humidity open circuit voltage operation humidifies the fuel cell stack and operates the fuel cell stack at an open circuit voltage, and a vacuum wetting operation wets the surface of a polymer electrolyte membrane by creating a vacuum atmosphere in the fuel cell stack. The high humidity open circuit voltage operation and the vacuum wetting operation are performed alternately and repeatedly.
First claim
Opening claim text (preview).
What is claimed is: 1. A method for activating a fuel cell stack, the method comprising: humidifying, a high humidity open circuit voltage operation, the fuel cell stack and operating the fuel cell stack at an open circuit voltage; and wetting, a vacuum wetting operation, pores of a polymer electrolyte membrane by cutting off a supply of hydrogen and air and applying a current to consume residual gas in the fuel cell stack, wherein the high humidity open circuit voltage operation and the vacuum wetting operation are performed alternately and repeatedly. 2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high humidity open circuit voltage operation and the vacuum wetting operation are performed repeatedly at regular intervals. 3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the high humidity open circuit voltage operation is performed repeatedly for a predetermined time of 2 to 5 minutes. 4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the vacuum wetting operation is performed repeatedly for a predetermined time of 2 to 5 minutes. 5. The method of claim 1 , wherein in the high humidity open circuit voltage operation, humidification is performed at a relative humidity of 100%. 6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a hermetic storage operation performed after the high humidity open circuit voltage operation and the vacuum wetting operation are performed repeatedly.
Assignees
Inventors
Classifications
of fuel cell reactants · CPC title
- H01M8/04126Primary
Humidifying · CPC title
Fuel cells · CPC title
Current · CPC title
of fuel cell reactants · CPC title
Patent family
Related publications grouped by family.
External sources
Frequently asked questions
Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.
- What does patent US9508998B2 cover?
- Disclosed is an apparatus and method for activating a fuel cell stack, which significantly reduces the time required for activation and the amount of hydrogen used for the activation by employing a vacuum wetting process in a shutdown operation. In particular, a high humidity open circuit voltage operation humidifies the fuel cell stack and operates the fuel cell stack at an open circuit voltag…
- Who is the assignee on this patent?
- Lee Jae Hyuk, Shin Hwan Soo, Lee Sung Keun, and 2 more
- What technology area does this patent fall under?
- Primary CPC classification H01M8/04126. Mapped technology areas include Electricity.
- When was this patent published?
- Publication date Tue Nov 29 2016 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
- What related patents are in patentsdb?
- We list 8 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).