Removing Or Using Product Water Patents (Class 429/414)
  • Patent number: 10947382
    Abstract: A copolymer having the structure (I) wherein Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, m, and n are defined herein. The copolymer can be formed by oxidative copolymerization of 2,4,6-trimethyIresorcinoI with a monohydric phenol. Also describes are a composition comprising the copolymer and a solvent, and a composition comprising the copolymer and a thermosetting resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: SHPP GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Kenchaiah Lohith, Gurunath Pozhal Vengu, Shadaksharaswamy Puttamadappa, Gaurav Mediratta
  • Patent number: 10930948
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell configured to be supplied with an anode gas and a cathode gas and generate electric power, a compressor configured to supply the cathode gas to the fuel cell, a turbine configured to be supplied with a cathode discharged gas discharged from the fuel cell and generate power, an electric motor connected to the compressor and the turbine and configured to perform power running and regeneration, a combustor disposed between the fuel cell and the turbine and configured to mix and combust the cathode gas and the anode gas, a cooler configured to cool the cathode gas that is supplied from the compressor to the fuel cell, a bypass passage configured to supply the cathode gas from an upstream side of the cooler to the combustor by bypassing the cooler and the fuel cell, and a bypass valve disposed in the bypass passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hayato Chikugo, Yousuke Tomita
  • Patent number: 10930960
    Abstract: In fuel cell system, exhaust material M exhausted from a fuel cell stack flows through the exhaust pipe. The gas-liquid separator is provided at the exhaust pipe and separates the exhaust material M into gas and liquid. The connecting pipe is connected to an exhaust port of the gas-liquid separator. The pressure regulating valve is connected to the connecting pipe and regulates pressures of the gas such that a pressure of the gas at an upstream side is higher than atmospheric pressure. The guide pipe is connected at the downstream side of the pressure regulating valve and guides at least the gas toward the exhaust pipe. The heat exchange unit exchanges heat between the exhaust pipe and the guide pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Wakatsuki, Katsuya Komaki
  • Patent number: 10930957
    Abstract: A method for determining a humidity condition in a fuel cell system includes steps of: detecting an amount of water in a container that receives water discharged from a fuel cell stack, and determining a humidity condition in the fuel cell stack, based on the amount of water detected. As a result, the actual humidity condition in the fuel cell stack may be accurately determined even when humidification performance is degraded over operating time of the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Hyun Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 10923743
    Abstract: A gas supply and discharge system may have a fuel cell arrangement having at least one electrode, a gas-gas heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a first gas to be supplied to the electrode and a second gas discharged or dischargeable from the second electrode, and a humidifier for transferring humidity between the first gas and the second gas. The first gas to be supplied to the electrode can be introduced into the gas-gas heat exchanger before the supply of the first gas to the electrode, and such that the second gas can be introduced into the gas-gas heat exchanger from the electrode in order to transfer heat between the first gas and the second gas in the gas-gas heat exchanger. The first gas and the second gas can be introduced into the humidifier from the gas-gas heat exchanger in order to transfer humidity between the first gas and the second gas in the humidifier. The first gas can be introduced into the fuel cell arrangement from the humidifier and can be supplied to the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: REINZ-DICHTUNGS-GMBH
    Inventors: Andre Speidel, Rainer Glueck
  • Patent number: 10916788
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices of a control system for gas flow. The control system controls gas flow through a fuel cell stack of a vehicle. The control system includes two or more components including one or more actuators and a fuel cell. The control system includes an electronic control unit connected to the two or more components. The control system is configured to determine initial values and previous timestep values. The control system is configured to determine or estimate a total pressure of the gas flow in each of the two or more components based on the initial values and the previous timestep values. The control system is configured to control the one or more actuators based on the total pressure of the gas flow in each of the two or more components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Shigeki Hasegawa, Daniel Folick, Jared Farnsworth, Motoyuki Kimata
  • Patent number: 10847822
    Abstract: A fuel cell system including a fuel cell; a first combustor coupled to a discharged air side of the fuel cell; a heating device that heats the first combustor; and a warming-up control unit that performs a warming-up control of the fuel cell after warming up the first combustor by the heating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Susumu Maeshima
  • Patent number: 10840523
    Abstract: An apparatus for discharging a condensate of a fuel cell stack, the apparatus includes a condensate storage container for storing the condensate from the fuel cell stack, a condensate level detector for detecting a condensate level in the condensate storage container, a discharge valve configured to be opened and closed to discharge the condensate from the condensate storage container, and a control unit for setting a condensate discharge level differently according to currents of the fuel cell stack, and for controlling the discharge valve to be opened when a condensate level measured by the condensate level detector reaches the condensate discharge level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hyo Sub Shim, Hyun Joon Lee
  • Patent number: 10800530
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods of managing grey water or other recycled water onboard an aircraft based on demand within the aircraft. In some cases, the grey water is obtained from a lavatory or galley sink of the aircraft and is treated to purify and/or filter the grey water. The treated grey water can be routed within the aircraft according to a control scheme that accounts for demand within the aircraft. For example, some or all of the treated water may undergo electrolysis to produce oxygen gas (O2) and hydrogen gas (H2), some or all of which may be fed into the fuel cell system and used in a chemical reaction to produce electrical energy and other fuel cell by-products that can be directed to various aircraft systems and/or the aircraft cabin/lavatories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: MAG Aerospace Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Razmik B. Boodaghians
  • Patent number: 10797331
    Abstract: A fuel cell system determines whether or not the injector is failed using a determination result, the determination result showing whether or not a fluctuation range determined for power consumed by a hydrogen pump is a predetermined value or less, the fluctuation range being generated by opening and closing of the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kaori Oya, Masahiro Okuyoshi, Tetsuya Bono
  • Patent number: 10756362
    Abstract: An air shut-off valve apparatus for a fuel cell system is provided. The apparatus includes a valve body having an inlet-side air passage through which supply air flows and an outlet-side air passage through which exhaust air flows. A valve flap is installed in the valve body to open or close the inlet-side air passage and the outlet-side air passage. An inlet-side check valve is opened when pressure of the supply air is greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure, to guide the supply air into the fuel cell stack through the inlet-side air passage even while the valve flap is closed. An outlet-side check valve is opened when pressure of the exhaust air is greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure, to guide the exhaust air released from the fuel cell stack to flow through the outlet-side air passage even while the valve flap is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Byeong Seung Lee, Kyoung Ku Ha, Hyun Yoo Kim, Jeong Hee Park
  • Patent number: 10746090
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsor that includes an exhaust combustor is disclosed. The aircraft propulsor can include an internal combustion engine and a turbocharger. The turbocharger can be spooled while motoring the internal combustion engine. For example, when restarting the internal combustion engine at high altitude, an injector and an igniter can provide fuel to the exhaust and combust fuel to spool the turbocharger, decreasing load on the engine during restarting. In another example, an electric turbocharger can be driven with an electric motor to spool the turbocharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: William John Bigbee-Hansen, Timothy A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10741866
    Abstract: A fuel cell assembly with at least one PEM fuel cell for generating electrical energy from reactant gases includes at least one membrane/electrode having a membrane coated with platinum electrodes and, respectively positioned on each side, a porous gas diffusion layer, or having a membrane and, respectively positioned on each side, a porous gas diffusion layer coated with a platinum electrode, and also includes bipolar plates that lie against the gas diffusion layers and through which, during operation, a coolant flows, wherein at least one of the platinum electrodes has a smaller area than the gas diffusion layer, where the gas diffusion layer protrudes beyond the platinum electrode for a part of an edge region of the membrane/electrode unit, so that the formation of an electrochemical potential in this part of the edge region of the membrane/electrode unit is prevented in order to prevent damage to the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Torsten Brandt, Armin Datz, Albert Hammerschmidt, Silke Latzel, Josef Lersch, Arno Mattejat
  • Patent number: 10707508
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a battery, a fuel cell, an air pump, and a processor. The battery stores electric power. The fuel cell supplies electric power to the battery. The air pump is driven with the electric power supplied from the battery to supply air to the fuel cell. The processor, when starting the fuel cell system, is configured to compare an amount of the electric power stored in the battery with a threshold electric power. If the amount of the electric power is higher than or equal to the threshold electric power, the air pump is driven. If the amount of the electric power is lower than the threshold electric power, the air pump is prohibited to drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kuniaki Ojima
  • Patent number: 10682522
    Abstract: An implantable device, such as a pacer, defibrillator, or other cardiac rhythm management device, can include one or more MRI Safe components. In an example, the implantable device includes a battery including a first electrode and a second electrode separate from the first electrode. The second electrode includes a first surface and a second surface. The second electrode includes a slot through the second electrode from the first surface toward the second surface. The slot extends from a perimeter of the second electrode to an interior of the second electrode. The slot is configured to at least partially segment a surface area of the second electrode to reduce a radial current loop size in the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Lyden, Michael J. Root, Kurt E. Koshiol, Lisa B. Schmalhurst, Yingbo Li, Masoud Ameri
  • Patent number: 10654592
    Abstract: A fuel cell-based power system comprises a fuel cell configured for continuously receiving a first reactant and a second reactant to produce chemical reactions that generate electrical power, water, and heat, a coolant subsystem configured for circulating a primary coolant in association with the fuel cell, thereby absorbing the generated heat, a tank configured for storing a reactant, and a reactant distribution subsystem configured for conveying the reactant from the tank to an independent system, the fuel cell as the first reactant, and the coolant subsystem as a secondary coolant to remove the absorbed heat from the primary coolant and/or a water accumulator. The secondary coolant may be conveyed to a gas thruster as a gas after the absorbed heat has been removed from the secondary coolant. The reactant may be boil off of a cryogenic liquid or vapor or gas transformed from a cryogenic liquid via a heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Marianne E. Mata, Martin E. Lozano, Tyler C. Staudinger, John H. Blumer, Mark W. Henley
  • Patent number: 10629925
    Abstract: When a shut-off valve is opened, gas is discharged via a main passage which is disposed at a predetermined height from a bottom of a gas-liquid separator. Water which gathers in the bottom of the gas-liquid separator flows from a bypass passage to the main passage and is discharged when water level difference>height is satisfied. When water which gathers in the bottom of the gas-liquid separator is supercooled water, discharge of water is avoided by controlling an open pressure and a passage pressure such that water level difference<height is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takami Hosoi, Michitaro Itoga, Michihiko Masuda
  • Patent number: 10608264
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes an auxiliary machine driven by power of the fuel cell, a heater electrically connected to the fuel cell and configured to heat cooling water supplied to the fuel cell, and a warm-up control unit configured to control power supply to the auxiliary machine and the heater during start-up of the fuel cell below freezing point. The warm-up control unit is configured to compute a produced water amount until the temperature of the fuel cell increases to a freezing point temperature on the basis of a degree of wetness and a temperature of the fuel cell and a generated power of the fuel cell during warm-up, and increase a power ratio of power to the heater in regards to the auxiliary machine during the warm-up when the computed produced water amount is determined to be larger than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Hoshi
  • Patent number: 10593971
    Abstract: A system and method of controlling water imbalance in an electrochemical cell is provided. The method includes determining a present water imbalance in the electrochemical cell by summing a waterin and a watercreated less a waterout. Waterin represents an amount of water introduced into the electrochemical cell by an oxidant feed gas; watercreated represents an amount of water created by the electrochemical cell from the electrochemical reaction; and waterout represents an amount of water discharged from the electrochemical cell by an oxidant exhaust gas. The method includes tracking a cumulative water imbalance during operation of the electrochemical cell by repeatedly determining the present water imbalance and continuing to sum the results during operation. And, the method also includes adjusting a flow rate of the oxidant feed gas entering the electrochemical cell based on the cumulative water imbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Nuvera Fuel Cells, LLC
    Inventor: Scott Blanchet
  • Patent number: 10593987
    Abstract: A frame can be mounted easily in an arrangement and which protects the cells received in the arrangement in as optimum manner as possible with high operational suitability, a frame for fixing cells, has a frame body, in which at least one cooling duct for a cooling medium is configured, wherein the frame has at least one plug-in piece for connecting to another frame, wherein the cooling duct runs at least partially within the plug-in piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: CARL FREUDENBERG KG
    Inventors: Peter Kritzer, Olaf Nahrwold, Rudolf Gattringer
  • Patent number: 10578008
    Abstract: A method for coolant pump flow rationalization using coolant pump parameters includes calculating a first pump coolant flow based on a coolant input pressure sensor signal and the coolant pump speed. Further, the method includes calculating a second pump coolant flow based on coolant pump current and coolant pump speed when the first pump coolant flow is greater than a predetermined threshold; and comparing the first pump coolant flow with the second pump coolant flow to rationalize the coolant pressure sensor signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Eugene V. Gonze, Michael J. Paratore, Jr., Daniel J. Shepard
  • Patent number: 10562408
    Abstract: An anode exhaust assembly including a housing and a base member is provided. The base member supports the housing and includes a base reservoir having a channel reservoir defined between two walls and a purge outlet open to the channel reservoir. Each of the walls defines an opening fluidly connecting the reservoirs located at a base reservoir inner surface such that fluid accumulating on a housing inner surface collects in the base reservoir prior to entering the channel reservoir. A cone member may be secured to an inner surface of the housing and include at least one cone opening oriented within the housing to direct fluid from a housing cavity to the base reservoir and not to the channel reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: FORD MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Alysa Darrenkamp
  • Patent number: 10563565
    Abstract: A valve control device includes a valve unit disposed in a cooling water circuit, and a control part which controls operation of the valve unit. The control part has a rotation angle instruction part, a duty ratio calculator and a determiner. The rotation angle instruction part calculates an instruction value of a rotation angle in response to an operational status of an internal-combustion engine. The duty ratio calculator calculates a duty ratio representing a ratio of ON period to OFF period regarding a voltage applied to an electric motor based on a difference between a detection value of the rotation angle detected by a detector and the instruction value of the rotation angle, and regulates the duty ratio to be lower than or equal to a predetermined upper limit. The determiner determines whether the duty ratio continues to be the upper limit during a predetermined period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shingo Sato
  • Patent number: 10535885
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a membrane electrode assembly including a cathode and an anode which are catalyst layers and are formed on a first and a second surface, respectively, of an electrolyte membrane, a first separator disposed at one side of the membrane electrode assembly, and a second separator disposed at the other side of the membrane electrode assembly, wherein a gas path through which a gas is discharged from the cathode or the anode, or a gas is supplied to the cathode or the anode, is disposed between the second separator and the membrane electrode assembly and is formed in a non-reaction zone, and wherein the gas path includes a flow path expansion portion and a height of the flow path expansion portion is greater than a height of a reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jongkil Oh, Seongil Heo
  • Patent number: 10535884
    Abstract: An air processing system of a fuel cell vehicle mounted with an integrated valve includes: the integrated valve attached to an air inlet and an air outlet formed integrally with a fuel cell stack and adjusting amounts of air introduced into and discharged from the fuel cell stack. The integrated valve is positioned at the shortest distance from the fuel cell stack, such that an amount of remaining oxygen that is to be consumed at the time of stopping start of a fuel cell vehicle is minimized. Therefore, corrosion of cathode carbon is decreased as compared with the related art, such that durability of the fuel cell vehicle is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Duck Whan Kim, Chang Ha Lee
  • Patent number: 10522855
    Abstract: A method for creating an oxygen depleted gas in a fuel cell system, including operating a fuel cell stack at a desired cathode stoichiometry at fuel cell system shutdown to displace a cathode exhaust gas with an oxygen depleted gas. The method further includes closing a cathode flow valve and turning off a compressor to stop the flow of cathode air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Thomas W. Tighe, Steven G. Goebel, Gary M. Robb, Abdullah B. Alp, Balasubramanian Lakshmanan, Joseph N. Lovria
  • Patent number: 10522860
    Abstract: Apparatus are provided for a hybrid fuel cell system. The hybrid fuel cell system includes a fuel supply system. The fuel supply system includes a fuel source, a reforming subsystem and a depressurization system. The fuel source is in fluid communication with the reforming subsystem. The reforming subsystem reforms the fuel from the fuel source to generate hydrogen enriched gases, and the reforming subsystem is in fluid communication with the depressurization system. The depressurization system reduces a pressure of the hydrogen enriched gases. The hybrid fuel cell system also includes a fuel cell stack in communication with the depressurization system to receive the hydrogen enriched gases at the reduced pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Daguang Zheng, Dacong Weng
  • Patent number: 10516176
    Abstract: A power generation system includes: a power generation unit configured to discharge a flue gas; a housing configured to accommodate the power generation unit; a ventilator configured to ventilate the housing; a first gas channel through which a gas discharged from the ventilator flows; a second gas channel through which the flue gas from the power generation unit flows; a merging portion where the first gas channel and the second gas channel merge; a third gas channel through which the gases merged at the merging portion flow; a water trap unit connected to the first gas channel and including a water sealing structure; and a water discharge channel through which water in the water trap unit is discharged to an outside of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinori Yukimasa, Hiroshi Tatsui
  • Patent number: 10511032
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes an electrode assembly having an electrolyte between an anode and a cathode for generating an electric current and byproduct water. A porous plate is located adjacent to the electrode and includes reactant gas channels for delivering a reactant gas to the electrode assembly. A separator plate is located adjacent the porous plate such that the porous plate is between the electrode assembly and the separator plate. The separator plate includes a reactant gas inlet manifold and a reactant gas outlet manifold in fluid connection with the reactant gas channels, and a purge manifold in fluid connection with the porous plate such that limiting flow of the reactant gas from the reactant gas outlet manifold and opening the purge manifold under a pressure of the reactant gas in the reactant gas channels drives the byproduct water toward the purge manifold for removal from the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Paravastu Badrinarayanan, Kazuki Amemiya
  • Patent number: 10497950
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes at least one fuel cell, an oxidant conveyor, a humidifier and at least one water sink. The oxidant conveyor conveys an oxidant through a supply line to the fuel cell. The humidifier introduces water into the oxidant flow. The humidifier is arranged in and/or downstream of the oxidant conveyor and upstream of the fuel cell. The water sink is arranged between the fuel cell and the oxidant conveyor. The water sink is formed and arranged in the supply line in such a way that it prevents liquid water located in the supply line from flowing to the oxidant conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Max Eschenbach, Simon Grilc, Marc Becker
  • Patent number: 10396371
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a high-voltage bus and an electric motor electrically coupled to the bus. The vehicle further includes a fuel cell system electrically coupled to the bus. The fuel cell system includes a fuel stack and a reservoir in fluid connection with the fuel stack. The reservoir has a concave, generally conically-shaped bottom wall extending upwardly into and forming an apex within a cavity of the reservoir. The reservoir further includes a valve receptacle extending from a sidewall of the reservoir into the cavity of the reservoir. The valve receptacle defines a drain aperture and an outlet orifice having a bottom edge disposed proximate the apex of the bottom wall. The fuel cell system further includes a drain tube in fluid communication with the drain aperture and a control valve disposed within the valve receptacle and adapted to control fluid communication between the outlet orifice and the drain aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Seha Son
  • Patent number: 10367205
    Abstract: A secondary battery includes a base material, an intermediate layer including a carbon material on the base material, and an active material layer on the intermediate layer. A secondary battery including an intermediate layer may improve adhesion between the base material and the active material layer, thereby reducing the risk of separation of the active material from the base material and improving the reliability and lifetime of the secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-Sik Kim, So-Ra Lee, Sung-Soo Kim, Soo-An Song, Jeong-Soon Shin
  • Patent number: 10364149
    Abstract: A hydrogen generation system including: a reformer generating hydrogen-containing gas using a raw material and reforming water; a combustor combusting hydrogen-containing gas and air and generating exhaust gas; a first channel passing cooling water; a condenser generating condensed water by heat exchange between exhaust gas and cooling water; a tank storing condensed water as cooling water; a pump supplying cooling water from the tank to the condenser; a second channel branching at a branch between the pump and condenser in the first channel, and passing some cooling water to the reformer as reforming water; a heater provided downstream of the branch, and heating the first channel; a temperature detector detecting the temperature of the first channel; and a controller, in an activation operation mode, determining whether the second channel is filled with reforming water, based on the temperature detected by the temperature detector after the heater has operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin Zhang, Shigenori Onuma, Hidenobu Wakita, Yoichiro Tsuji, Akinori Yukimasa, Hiromi Kita, Masashi Morita
  • Patent number: 10347920
    Abstract: A gas channel forming plate is arranged between a membrane electrode assembly and a flat separator base. The gas channel forming plate includes gas channels arranged on a surface that faces the membrane electrode assembly, water channels each formed on the back side of the protrusion between an adjacent pair of the gas channels, communication passages that connect the gas channels and the water channels to each other, and guide portions formed by causing an inner wall surface of a gas channel to protrude inward in the gas channel. The guide portions are formed such that the upstream edge of each communication passage is arranged in a range in which, in the velocity vector of the gas flowing in the gas channel, the directional component directed from the side corresponding to the membrane electrode assembly toward the flat separator base has a positive value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA SHATAI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shinozaki, Satoshi Futami, Kousuke Kawajiri, Keiji Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10340541
    Abstract: An operation control method and system of a fuel cell (stack) are provided and extend the operation field of the fuel cell in a fuel cell electric vehicle and ensure power performance in the initial stage of starting of the vehicle. In an operation control method of a fuel cell having improved reverse voltage durability, in which an oxygen evolution catalyst is added to the anode electrode, a cell voltage of the fuel cell during normal operation of the fuel cell is monitored. The monitored cell voltage of the fuel cell is compared with a first setting voltage. When the cell voltage is less than the first setting voltage as the cell voltage decreases, a fuel cell operation control process for increasing the humidity in a cell of the fuel cell is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Hoon Hui Lee
  • Patent number: 10340532
    Abstract: A separator for fuel cell includes a corrugated portion formed to have a corrugated cross section where a first groove that is concave to a first surface to form a flow path for a first fluid on the first surface and a second groove that is concave to a second surface opposite to the first surface to form a flow path for a second fluid on the second surface are arranged alternately and repeatedly. Each of the second grooves has at least one shallower groove section formed to have a less depth from the second surface than depth of a remaining groove section and provided to form a communication flow channel on the first surface side, which is arranged to communicate between two flow path spaces for the first fluid that are adjacent to each other across the shallower groove section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroki Okabe, Hiroya Nakaji, Makoto Yoshida, Shigetaka Hamada, Takuya Kurihara, Kenji Sato, Hideaki Tanaka, Nobuhiko Nakagaki, Junji Ueda, Katsuhiko Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10320021
    Abstract: A passive-delivery fuel cell system an anode with a fuel flow channel extending along the body and fluidly connecting the inlet to the outlet, wherein a volume of the flow channel per unit length of the anode body increases along the length of the body towards the second end, a capillary check valve in fluid communication with the anode inlet, a vented fuel cartridge in fluid communication with the anode outlet, and a pump in fluid communication with the vented fuel cartridge, the pump configured to pump fuel from the vented fuel cartridge to the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: XNRGI, INC.
    Inventors: Tsali Cross, Chris D'Couto, Sean Huff, Derek Reiman
  • Patent number: 10312532
    Abstract: A method includes predicting, while fuel cell system is operated, whether or not the outside temperature becomes equal to or less than a first predetermined temperature; performing, when it is predicted that the outside temperature becomes equal to or less than the first predetermined temperature, residual water scavenging processing on only an oxidizer gas supply/discharge mechanism and thereafter stopping the operation of the fuel cell system; predicting, after the stop of the operation of the fuel cell system, whether or not the temperature of a predetermined component included in the fuel cell system becomes equal to or less than a second predetermined temperature; and performing the residual water scavenging processing on the fuel gas supply/discharge mechanism when it is predicted that the temperature of the predetermined component becomes equal to or less than the second predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Naganuma, Masashi Toida, Tomohiro Ogawa, Tsuyoshi Maruo
  • Patent number: 10305120
    Abstract: A porous panel for a separator of a fuel cell includes a plate-shaped material and uneven lines repeatedly arranged on the porous panel in a direction crossing a gas flow direction. The porous panel is bent at the uneven lines such that upward and downward uneven portions are repeated, and through holes permitting passage of gas formed on opposite sides of each of the uneven lines have an uneven shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sang Mun Jin, Yoo Chang Yang
  • Patent number: 10297850
    Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly is prepared by sandwiching an electrolyte membrane between an anode and a cathode. In the anode, a first porous layer is interposed between a first electrode catalyst layer and a first gas diffusion layer. In the cathode, a second porous layer is interposed between a second electrode catalyst layer and a second gas diffusion layer. A first piled body of the first gas diffusion layer and the first porous layer has a percolation pressure higher than that of a second piled body containing the second gas diffusion layer and the second porous layer. The first piled body has a percolation pressure of 25 to 120 kPa, and the second piled body has a percolation pressure of 5 to 25 kPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Fukumizu, Hiroshi Matsumori, Yoichi Asano, Takuma Yamawaki
  • Patent number: 10290887
    Abstract: A fuel cell system (100), including a fuel cell (10), which has a cathode input (25) and a cathode output (27); a cathode supply path (24) situated upstream from the cathode input (25) and connected thereto; a cathode exhaust gas path (26) situated downstream from the cathode output (27) and connected thereto; a conveying means (32) situated in the cathode supply path (24) for conveying a cathode gas flow (GS_K) into the cathode input (25) and/or an adjustable exhaust gas throttle means (36), situated in the cathode exhaust gas path (26), for influencing a flow resistance of the cathode exhaust gas path (26); and a regulating device (46), configured to regulate the cathode gas flow (GS_K) and/or a cathode pressure (p_K) is provided. Also, a method (999) for operating a fuel cell system (100) of this type is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG
    Inventor: Matthias Rothschuh
  • Patent number: 10276883
    Abstract: A fuel cell system, comprising: a measurer that measures an impedance of the fuel cell; a controller that controls an operation state of the fuel cell; and an acquirer that acquires a dryness degree of the fuel cell from the measured impedance when the operation state is a first operation state, and acquires the dryness degree of the fuel cell as a wet state when the operation state is a second operation state in which a water balance is more than the first operation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Shiokawa, Tetsuya Bono, Osamu Hamanoi
  • Patent number: 10218012
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system includes a solid oxide fuel cell that produces electricity by using a hydrogen-containing gas and an oxidant gas, an exhaust-gas path via which an exhaust gas discharged from the solid oxide fuel cell flows, a circulation path via which a coolant circulates, a first heat exchanger that is disposed on the exhaust-gas path and the circulation path and enables heat exchange between the exhaust gas and the coolant, a second path, via which condensed water produced when the exhaust gas is cooled in the first heat exchanger flows, that branches from the exhaust-gas path and is connected to the circulation path, a second tank that stores reservoir water, and a second heat exchanger that is disposed in the second tank and on the circulation path and enables heat exchange between the reservoir water and the coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisanori Ishino, Yoshio Tamura, Akinori Yukimasa, Junji Morita
  • Patent number: 10199670
    Abstract: A device includes a case having a surface with a perforation and a first cavity containing a gas generating fuel. A first membrane is supported by the case inside the first cavity. The first membrane has an impermeable valve plate positioned proximate the perforation. The first membrane is water vapor permeable and gas impermeable and flexes responsive to a difference in pressure between the cavity and outside the cavity to selectively allow water vapor to pass through the perforation to the fuel as a function of the difference in pressure. A second membrane that is water vapor permeable gas impermeable is coupled between an outside of the case exposed to ambient atmospheric gas and the valve plate creating a reference pressure second cavity configured to reduce the effects of ambient pressure transients on the difference in pressure. A fuel cell membrane may be included in the device to produce electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited
    Inventors: Steven J. Eickhoff, Russell Barton
  • Patent number: 10193172
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method (40) for starting up a fuel cell (11), wherein hydrogen is introduced into an anode chamber (15) of the fuel cell (11), and at the beginning of the start-up process oxygen is present in the anode chamber (15) of the fuel cell (11). According to the invention, at the beginning of the hydrogen introduction stage enough hydrogen is introduced to ensure that upon entry into the anode chamber (15) hydrogen and oxygen are present in no more than a stoichiometric ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jan Hendrik Ohs, Sebastian Maass
  • Patent number: 10170777
    Abstract: A cooling water direct injection type fuel cell is provided. The fuel cell includes an air-side separator that has an air channel through which air flows, and a cooling water inlet aperture that is formed on an introduction portion of the air channel. A hydrogen-side separator is joined with the air-side separator and has a protrusion that is inserted into the cooling water inlet aperture. The protrusion has a diameter less than a diameter of the cooling water inlet aperture to form a gap between an outer circumferential surface of the protrusion and an inner circumferential surface of the cooling water inlet aperture. Cooling water drawn into space between the junction surfaces of the air-side separator and the hydrogen-side separator is discharged through the gap between the protrusion and the cooling water inlet aperture, is mixed with introduced air, and then is drawn into the air channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Young Woo Noh
  • Patent number: 10122033
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell arrangement (1) having at least one fuel cell (2) with a cathode (3) and an anode. The cathode (3) and the anode each have a reactant feed (4) and a reactant discharge (5), a humidifying device (10) and sensors (12, 13, 14) being provided at least at one of the reactant feeds (4). In particular, the sensors (12, 13, 14) are at least one fluid mass sensor (12) and two pressure sensors (13, 14), the fluid mass sensor (12) and one of the pressure sensors (13) being arranged upstream of the humidifying device (10) and one of the pressure sensors (14) being arranged downstream of the humidifying device (10). The humidifying device (10) can be operated in a controlled manner on the basis of the measurements of the sensors (12, 13, 14). The invention further relates to a method for controlling the humidity of a reactant for such a fuel cell arrangement (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: David Knies, Daniel Zirkel
  • Patent number: 10115986
    Abstract: A method for changing a fuel cell system from a normal mode of operation over to a standby mode comprises the following steps: a) reducing the load withdrawal—via the electric circuit of the fuel cell stack—down to a load within the range from ?1% to +5% around a load with an optimal system efficiency, b) regulating down the anode pressure down via the anode supply system, c) in the meantime, maintaining and controlling the cathode gas feed via the cathode supply system so that the pressure differential between the anode spaces and the cathode spaces does not exceed a prescribed maximum pressure differential, d) switching off the cathode gas feed if the pressure differential between the anode spaces and of the fuel cell stack and the environment has reached the prescribed maximum pressure differential, and e) switching off the load withdrawal via the external electric circuit at the latest when a prescribed minimum limit voltage of the fuel cell stack has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Johannes Mueller, Martin Arendt
  • Patent number: 10101178
    Abstract: Identifying a position of a computing device in a rack may include measuring resistance of one or more resistors of a rack position indicator, said rack position indicator affixed to a rack in which said computing device is installed and ascertaining, from the measured resistance of the one or more resistors, a position in which the computing device is installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Israel S. Dias, Emil P. Parker
  • Patent number: 10090543
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes: a stack having a manifold in which a fluid flows and having a plurality of flowing spaces which communicate with the manifold through openings; a shielding part having a plurality of shielding strips arranged in a stacked direction of the stack and selectively moving along the manifold to shield at least some of the plurality of flowing spaces; and a driver coupled with the shielding part to move the shielding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Jung Ik Kim