Abstract: Quality monitoring system and method for a fuel cell manufacturing line are disclosed. The system includes an image collection unit and a real-time quality control computer. The image collection unit is configured for generating a captured image of a surface of one fuel cell in the fuel cell manufacturing line. The computer is configured to receive the captured image and generate a set of feature vectors based on the captured image. The computer comprises a defect model repository comprising a defect detection model repository and a defect classification model repository, a defect detection module and a defect classification module. The defect detection module is configured to access the defect detection model repository and determine whether the fuel cell is defective based on the set of feature vectors and the defect detection model repository.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack assembly is presented. The fuel cell stack assembly includes a plurality of fuel cells and a plurality of interconnect plates. In the fuel cell stack assembly, each interconnect plate of the plurality of interconnect plates is disposed between a pair of fuel cells of the plurality of fuel cells. The fuel cell stack assembly further includes a plurality of reactant manifolds defined by the plurality of interconnect plates and a heating element disposed in a reactant manifold of the plurality of reactant manifolds.

Abstract: A system includes a first plurality of fuel cell stacks configured to generate a first portion of an electric potential and a second plurality of fuel cell stacks configured to generate a second portion of the electric potential. The system includes a positive electrical bus bar conductively coupled with the first plurality of fuel cell stacks and configured to power an electrical load using the generated electric potential. The system includes a negative electrical bus bar conductively coupled with the second plurality of fuel cell stacks and configured to electrical load using the generated electric potential. The positive electrical bus bar is elongated and extends between the first plurality of fuel cell stacks and the negative electrical bus bar is elongated and extends between the second plurality of fuel cell stacks.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is disclosed, which includes an anode recirculation loop including a fuel cell stack for generating power, a fuel supply device for providing a fuel to the anode recirculation loop, an air supply device for providing air to a cathode of the fuel cell stack, a voltage monitoring device for monitoring a voltage of the fuel cell stack, and an anode protection controller. The anode protection controller decreases a current drawn from the fuel cell stack by a predetermined amount whenever the voltage of the fuel cell stack drops below a predetermined voltage threshold and decreases a fuel flowrate provided to the anode recirculation loop based on the decreased current, so as to maintain a steam to carbon ratio in the anode recirculation loop above a predetermined steam to carbon ratio limit. A shutdown method for the fuel cell system are also disclosed.

Abstract: A degradation detecting device for a fuel cell stack includes one or more sensors, a first detection module, a second detection module and a detection fusion module. The one or more sensors measure signals of two adjacent fuel cell groups to obtain a measurement of each of the two adjacent fuel cell groups. The first detection module detects a rate of change of deviation between the two measurements and generates a first detection result based on the detected rate of change of deviation. The second detection module detects a trending divergence between the two measurements and generates a second detection result based on the detected trending divergence. The detection fusion module fuses the first detection result and the second detection result to generate a final detection result of the fuel cell stack. A fuel cell system having the degradation detecting device and a managing method thereof are also disclosed.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is disclosed, which includes an anode recirculation loop comprising a fuel cell stack for generating power, a flowmeter for measuring a fuel flow rate of a fuel provided into the anode recirculation loop, a current measuring device for measuring a current drawn from the fuel cell stack, a recycle ratio measuring device for measuring a recycle ratio in the anode recirculation loop, and a processor for estimating a fuel utilization of the fuel cell stack based on the measured fuel flow rate, the measured current and the measured recycle ratio. Methods for operating the fuel cell system are also disclosed.

Abstract: An internally-manifolded solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack is described, including an anode interconnect structure integrated with a cathode interconnect structure. The anode interconnect structure includes a fuel flow field; and the cathode interconnect structure includes an air flow field. The two structures are configured to allow for parallel flow of air and fuel across a plane of the interconnect, while the manifold openings for the fuel are arranged in a cross-flow orientation across a plane of the interconnect structure. Related processes are also described, along with a power generation system that includes an SOFC incorporating this type of interconnect, attached directly or indirectly to at least one power block, such as a combustion engine.

Abstract: A method for operating a power generation system including a fuel-cell is presented. The method includes detecting a water deficient condition of the fuel-cell. The method further includes operating, in response to detecting the water deficient condition of the fuel-cell, at least one auxiliary load of the power generation system via use of an electrical current generated by the fuel-cell to maintain a steam-carbon ratio in the fuel-cell above a threshold steam-carbon ratio value. A control sub-system for operating the power generation system is also presented. Moreover, a power generation system including the fuel-cell, the least one auxiliary load, and the control sub-system is presented.