Patents Assigned to Ballard Power Systems
  • Patent number: 8980494
    Abstract: A fuel cell is provided that includes a water transport plate separating an air flow field and a water flow field. The driving force for moving water across the water transport plate into the water flow field is produced by a differential pressure across a restriction. The restriction is arranged between an air outlet of the cathode water transport plate and a head of a reservoir that is in fluid communication with the water flow field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Jeremy P. Meyers
  • Patent number: 8968967
    Abstract: A fuel cell catalyst support includes a fluoride-doped metal oxide/phosphate support structure and a catalyst layer, supported on such fluoride-doped support structure. In one example, the support structure is a sub-stechiometric titanium oxide and/or indium-tin oxide (ITO) partially coated or mixed with a fluoride-doped metal oxide or metal phosphate. In another example, the support structure is fluoride-doped and mixed with at least one of low surface carbon, boron-doped diamond, carbides, borides, and silicides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Belabbes Merzougui, Minhua Shao, Lesia V. Protsailo
  • Publication number: 20150051065
    Abstract: A method for preparing dispersing particles in perfluorinated polymer ionomer includes combining particles and a perfluorinated ionomer precursor in a mixture, and converting the perfluorinated ionomer precursor to a perfluorinated proton-conducting ionomer in the presence of the particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiwei Yang, Mallika Gummalla
  • Patent number: 8956777
    Abstract: The multi-section cathode air heat exchanger (102) includes at least a first heat exchanger section (104), and a fixed contact oxidation catalyzed section (126) secured adjacent each other in a stack association. Cool cathode inlet air flows through cool air channels (110) of the at least first (104) and oxidation catalyzed sections (126). Hot anode exhaust flows through hot air channels (124) of the oxidation catalyzed section (126) and is combusted therein. The combusted anode exhaust then flows through hot air channels (112) of the first section (104) of the cathode air heat exchanger (102). The cool and hot air channels (110, 112) are secured in direct heat exchange relationship with each other so that temperatures of the heat exchanger (102) do not exceed 800° C. to minimize requirements for using expensive, high-temperature alloys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuo Saito, Yao Lin
  • Publication number: 20150004515
    Abstract: The fuel flow channels (20a) of the end fuel cell (9a) at the anode end (34) of a fuel cell stack are significantly deeper than the fuel flow field channels (20) of the remaining fuel cells (9) in the stack, whereby fuel starvation caused by ice in the fuel flow channels is avoided during cold startup. The fuel flow field channels of the end cell (9) at the anode end of the stack is between about 0.15 mm and about 1.5 mm deeper than the fuel flow field channels in the remaining fuel cells of the stack, or between about 35% and about 65% deeper than the fuel flow field channels in the remaining fuel cells of the stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy W. Patterson, JR., Robert M. Darling
  • Patent number: 8920985
    Abstract: A method of generating electrical power includes flowing hydrogen across an anode, splitting the hydrogen into protons and electrons using a catalyst attached to the anode, directing the electrons to a circuit to produce electrical power, flowing oxygen across a cathode, splitting the oxygen molecules into oxygen atoms using a cathode catalyst, passing the protons through an electrolyte to the cathode, and combining the protons with oxygen to form water. The cathode catalyst includes a plurality of nanoparticles having terraces formed of platinum, and corner regions and edge regions formed of a second metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Minhua Shao, Belabbes Merzougui, Patrick L. Hagans, Susanne M. Opalka
  • Patent number: 8921010
    Abstract: A unitized electrode assembly (9) for use in the fuel cell comprises a first GDL (23), a PEM (28), and a second GDL (12), with electrode catalysts (27, 30) disposed between said PEM and each of said GDLs, said layers (23, 27, 30, 12) being impregnated with a thermoplastic polymer a sufficient distance from each edge of the UEA so as to form a fluid seal (13). The UEA is formed by a process which comprises making a sandwich of some or all of said layers (23, 27, 28, 30 and 33), with thermoplastic polymer film (22, 25, 32, 35) extending inwardly from the edges of said sandwich a sufficient distance to form the seal, said thermoplastic polymer film being disposed between each electrode and the adjacent GDL and/or between each GDL and release film (21, 36) on the top and bottom of the sandwich.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Tommy Skiba, Chi-Hum Paik, Thomas D. Jarvi
  • Patent number: 8921260
    Abstract: A catalytic nanoparticle includes a porous, hollow core and an atomically thin layer of platinum atoms on the core. The core is a porous palladium, palladium-M or platinum-M core, where M is selected from the group consisting of gold, iridium, osmium, palladium, rhenium, rhodium and ruthenium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Minhua Shao, Lesia V. Protsailo
  • Patent number: 8916301
    Abstract: In a proton exchange membrane fuel cell power plant (9) in which each of the fuel cells (11) employ reactant gas flow field channels (51) extending inwardly from a first surface of a conductive, water permeable reactant gas flow field plate (50), for at least one of the reactants of the fuel cell, a region (63) of the reactant gas flow field channels is substantially shallower than the remaining portion (60) of the flow field channels (51) thereby decreasing resistance to gas phase mass transfer from the wetted walls of the flow field plate to the gas in the region (63), the resulting increase in thickness of the web (58) adjacent the region (63) reduces the resistance to liquid water transport from the first coolant channel (52) to the inlet edge (55) of the plate (50) so that the plate supports a higher evaporation rate into the reactant gas in the shallow region (63).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M. Darling
  • Patent number: 8906448
    Abstract: An exemplary method of treating a material such as carbon or graphite to render at least some surfaces of the material hydrophilic includes coating at least a portion of the at least some surfaces with an oxygenated element and controlling a rate of a breakdown of the oxygenated element to leave a corresponding elemental oxide on the surfaces. In one example, the material is treated before being incorporated into an article comprising the material. Another example method includes treating an article comprising the material. Disclosed examples include precipitation or decomposition as the breakdown of the oxygenated element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Gennady Resnick, Glenn M. Allen, Zebulon D. Vance, Jr., Ned E. Cipollini
  • Patent number: 8894905
    Abstract: A method of heat treating a substrate for a fuel cell includes stacking substrates to form a group. A dimension is determined for a plate corresponding to a resulting mass that is less than a predetermined mass. The plate is arranged above the group to apply a weight of the plate to the group. The resulting masses for spacer plates and intermediate lifting plates, for example, are minimized to reduce the pressure differential between the bottom and top substrates in the heat treat assembly. In another disclosed method, a dimension for a plate, such as a top plate, is determined that corresponds to a resulting mass that is greater than a predetermined mass. The plate is arranged above the group to apply a weight of the plate to the group. The top plate resulting mass is selected to minimize a variation in the average pressure of the substrates throughout the heat treat assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Richard D. Breault
  • Patent number: 8883368
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes a separator sheet and a perforated support sheet connected to the separator sheet. The perforated support sheet and separator sheet are comprised of a nickel-based alloy. A porous layer is located between the separator sheet and the support sheet and provides an electrical connection between the separator sheet and the support sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Mark R. Jaworowski, Jean Yamanis
  • Publication number: 20140322621
    Abstract: An exemplary fuel cell system includes a cell stack assembly having a plurality of cathode components and a plurality of anode components. A first reactant blower has an outlet situated to provide a first reactant to the cathode components. A second reactant blower has an outlet situated to provide a second reactant to the anode components. The second reactant blower includes a fan portion that moves the second reactant through the outlet. The second reactant blower also includes a motor portion that drives the fan portion and a bearing portion associated with the fan portion and the motor portion. The motor portion has a motor coolant inlet coupled with the outlet of the first reactant blower to receive some of the first reactant for cooling the motor portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Kirtikumar H. PATEL, Kazuo SAITO
  • Patent number: 8835067
    Abstract: A fuel cell power plant includes a cell stack assembly having an anode and a cathode. A component is arranged in fluid connection with at least one of the anode and cathode. The component has a first shut-down cooling rate. A heat exchanger is arranged in fluid communication with and between the component and one of the anode and cathode. The heat exchanger has a second shut-down cooling rate greater than the first shut-down cooling rate. Water vapor within the fuel cell power plant outside of the cell stack assembly will condense and freeze in the heat exchanger rather than the component, avoiding malfunction of the component upon start-up in below freezing environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: David G. Converse, Fortunat J. Mueller
  • Patent number: 8835074
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes a cell having a solid oxide electrolyte between electrodes. The cell has a first coefficient of thermal expansion. A metallic support is in electrical connection with one of the electrodes. The metallic support includes a metal substrate and a compliant porous nickel layer that is bonded to the metal substrate between the cell and the metal substrate. The metal substrate has a second coefficient of thermal expansion that nominally matches the first coefficient of thermal expansion of the cell. The metal substrate has a first stiffness and the compliant porous nickel layer has a second stiffness that is less than the first stiffness such that the compliant porous nickel layer can thermally expand and contract with the metal substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Justin R. Hawkes, Sergei F. Burlatsky, Sunil G. Warrier, Shubhro Ghosh, Jean Colpin
  • Publication number: 20140255823
    Abstract: A fuel cell installation includes a support structure and a cell stack assembly that is removably insertable into the support structure from an uninstalled position to an installed position during an installation procedure. The cell stack assembly includes a fitting. An interfacing structure is mounted on one of the support structure in the cell stack assembly. The interfacing structure carries a connector that is configured to receive the fitting in interconnected relationship. At least one of the fitting and the connector floats in a plane relative to the support structure during the installation procedure. In operation, the fitting engages the connector when the cell stack assembly is inserted into the support structure. The fitting is repositioned relative to the connector to ensure that the fitting and connector are aligned with one another and connected upon installation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Sean M. Blondin, Garrett W. Fink, Robert A. Love, Thomas Rock
  • Patent number: 8828617
    Abstract: In solid polymer fuel cells employing framed membrane electrode assemblies, a conventional anode compliant seal is employed in combination with a cathode non-compliant seal to provide for a thinner fuel cell design, particularly in the context of a fuel cell stack. This approach is particularly suitable for fuel cells operating at low pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Keith M. Martin, Samira Barakat, Emerson R. Gallagher
  • Patent number: 8808934
    Abstract: A fuel cell power plant (5) includes a stack (6) of fuel cells, each of which have an anode (9), a cathode (10), and a PEM (11) disposed between the anode and the cathode. A controller (17) recognizes an indication (67) of no load demand (68) by a load (59), to operate (45) an air recycle loop (44-46) utilizing the process air blower (35) and transfer the power output (57) of the stack from the load (59) to an auxiliary load (60), comprising a resistance which will consume a predetermined small amount of power in response to the current applied thereto, when the stack operates at a critical voltage above which fuel cell corrosion is unacceptable. Fuel and air will also be reduced (16, 40). The controller may cause increased cathode recycle when the critical voltage is reached and increased air when the voltage is a fraction of a volt below the critical voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew P. Wilson, Venkateshwarlu Yadha, Carl A. Reiser
  • Patent number: 8795909
    Abstract: A flow field plate for use in a fuel cell includes a porous, wettable plate body including a first reactant gas channel having an inlet portion, a second reactant gas channel having an outlet portion that is adjacent the inlet portion of the first reactant gas channel, and at least one moisture reservoir fluidly connected with pores of the porous, wettable plate body. The at least one moisture reservoir can selectively collect and release moisture received from a reactant gas in the outlet portion to thereby selectively move the moisture from the outlet portion toward the adjacent inlet portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Mason Darling, Shampa Kandoi
  • Patent number: 8785073
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes an inlet manifold that communicates with an inlet pipe. The inlet pipe enters the inlet manifold at a port. A baffle is positioned about the port. The baffle captures and directs fuel away from a side of the inlet manifold that will face a cell stack. A fuel cell incorporating such an inlet manifold is also claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Richard R. Phillips, Michael D. Harrington