Apparatus for sensing voltage information of fuel cell
US-11870112-B2 · Jan 9, 2024 · US
Fuel cell system
US9748590B2 · US · B2
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-9748590-B2 |
| Application number | US-201214397912-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | B2 |
| Filing date | May 1, 2012 |
| Priority date | May 1, 2012 |
| Publication date | Aug 29, 2017 |
| Grant date | Aug 29, 2017 |
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Abstract
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A fuel cell system according to the present invention comprises a control apparatus which performs performance restoration processing for a catalyst layer by decreasing the output voltage of a fuel cell to a predetermined voltage. When an oxide film formed on the catalyst layer during power generation of the fuel cell contains, in addition to a first oxide film that can be removed by decreasing the output voltage of the fuel cell to a first oxide film removal voltage, a second oxide film that can be removed by decreasing the output voltage of the fuel cell to a second oxide film removal voltage which is lower than the first oxide film removal voltage, the control apparatus estimates the amount of the second oxide film and performs performance restoration processing with a set voltage being equal to or lower than the second oxide film removal voltage only when it determines that the estimated amount exceeds a predetermined amount A.
First claim
Opening claim text (preview).
What is claimed is: 1. A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell including a membrane-electrode assembly in which electrodes, each having a catalyst layer, are arranged on both surfaces of a polymer electrolyte membrane; and a control apparatus which performs performance restoration processing for the catalyst layer by decreasing an output voltage of the fuel cell to a predetermined voltage, wherein, when an oxide film formed on the catalyst layer during power generation of the fuel cell contains, in addition to a first oxide film that can be removed by decreasing the output voltage of the fuel cell to a first oxide film removal voltage, a second oxide film that can be removed by decreasing the output voltage of the fuel cell to a second oxide film removal voltage which is lower than the first oxide film removal voltage, the control apparatus estimates at least one of: an amount of second oxide film and an amount of performance degradation of the catalyst layer caused by the second oxide film and performs the performance restoration processing only when the estimated amount satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the control apparatus performs the performance restoration processing by setting the predetermined voltage so as to be equal to or lower than the second oxide film removal voltage. 2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the control apparatus determines that the amount of second oxide film exceeds a predetermined amount A, the control apparatus performs the performance restoration processing in which the predetermined voltage is set so as to be equal to or lower than the second oxide film removal voltage. 3. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the control apparatus determines that the amount of performance degradation of the catalyst layer caused by the second oxide film exceeds a predetermined amount C, the control apparatus performs the performance restoration processing in which the predetermined voltage is set so as to be equal to or lower than the second oxide film removal voltage. 4. A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell including a membrane-electrode assembly in which electrodes, each having a catalyst layer, are arranged on both surfaces of a polymer electrolyte membrane; and a control apparatus which performs performance restoration processing for the catalyst layer by decreasing an output voltage of the fuel cell to a predetermined voltage, wherein, when an oxide film formed on the catalyst layer during power generation of the fuel cell contains, in addition to a first oxide film that can be removed by decreasing the output voltage of the fuel cell to a first oxide film removal voltage, a second oxide film that can be removed by decreasing the output voltage of the fuel cell to a second oxide film removal voltage which is lower than the first oxide film removal voltage, the control apparatus performs the performance restoration processing in which the predetermined voltage is set so as to be equal to or lower than the second oxide film removal voltage when an estimated amount of the second oxide film or an estimated amount of performance degradation of the catalyst layer caused by the second oxide film satisfies a condition that is based on a predetermined threshold value.
Assignees
Inventors
Classifications
- H01M8/04873Primary
of the individual fuel cell · CPC title
Voltage · CPC title
Depolarisation · CPC title
- H01M8/04671Primary
of the individual fuel cell · CPC title
Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title
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- What does patent US9748590B2 cover?
- A fuel cell system according to the present invention comprises a control apparatus which performs performance restoration processing for a catalyst layer by decreasing the output voltage of a fuel cell to a predetermined voltage. When an oxide film formed on the catalyst layer during power generation of the fuel cell contains, in addition to a first oxide film that can be removed by decreasing…
- Who is the assignee on this patent?
- Ikeda Kotaro, Matsusue Masaaki, Inoue Yumi, and 1 more
- What technology area does this patent fall under?
- Primary CPC classification H01M8/04873. Mapped technology areas include Electricity.
- When was this patent published?
- Publication date Tue Aug 29 2017 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).