Voltage Patents (Class 429/432)
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Patent number: 11961989Abstract: A control method for a fuel cell system, the fuel cell system including a hydrogen storage part and a fuel cell stack that generates electric power using hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen storage part, the fuel cell system being mounted on a towed portion of a moving body that includes the towed portion and a towing portion, the fuel cell system being electrically connected to the towing portion, the towing portion including a battery and a drive device performing driving in response to supply of electric power, the towed portion being towed by the towing portion, the control method includes: acquiring remaining amount information indicating a remaining amount of the battery, and starting supply of electric power to the towing portion when it is determined that the remaining amount of the battery is equal to or less than a threshold based on the remaining amount information.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshikazu Murakami, Shinji Matsunaga, Takashi Arai, Akiji Ando, Takashi Yanagiura, Kazunori Yamamoto
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Patent number: 11962048Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack and a control device that controls operation of the fuel cell system based on a measured voltage value measured by a voltage sensor. When the fuel cell system is started and a value measured by a temperature sensor is equal to or less than a temperature determined in advance, the control device raises the voltage of the fuel cell stack until a voltage condition determined in advance is met, by supplying a cathode with an oxidant gas before current sweep is started. The control device sets a voltage command value and a current command value such that an operation point of the fuel cell stack is on an equal power line of the fuel cell stack when the operation point is caused to transition in at least a part of a transition period.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ryouichi Namba, Masahiro Ito, Manabu Takahashi, Tomotaka Ishikawa
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Patent number: 11938835Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell generator, a rechargeable energy storage circuit, an auxiliary load, a converter circuit, and a switch circuit. The fuel cell generator is operable to generate electrical power in a stack output signal. The auxiliary load is powered by the rechargeable energy storage circuit while in a first mode, and powered by a local signal while in a second mode. The converter circuit is operable to convert the stack output signal into a plurality of recharge signals while in the first mode and in the second mode, and convert the stack output signal into the local signal while in the second mode. The switch circuit is operable switch the plurality of recharge signals to one or more electric vehicles, and switch the local signal to the auxiliary load while in the second mode.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Alan B. Martin, Matthew C. Kirklin, Margarita M. Mann, William H. Pettit, Charles E. Freese, V
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Patent number: 11936076Abstract: A metal support for an electrochemical element where the metal support includes a plate face, has a plate shape as a whole, and has a warping degree of 1.5×10?2 or less determined by calculating a least square value through the least squares method using at least three points in the plate face of the metal support, calculating a first difference between the least square value and a positive-side maximum displacement value on a positive side with respect to the least square value and a second difference between the least square value and a negative-side maximum displacement value on a negative side that is opposite to the positive side with respect to the least square value, and dividing the sum of the first difference and the second difference by a maximum length of the plate face of the metal support that passes through a center of gravity.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2019Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Osaka Gas Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yuji Tsuda, Mitsuaki Echigo, Tadayuki Sogi, Kazuyuki Minami, Kyohei Manabe
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Patent number: 11923779Abstract: A method of regulating an output voltage of a switched mode power supply having a variable input voltage and at least one power switch is provided. The method includes generating a control signal for the at least one power switch of the switched mode power supply based at least in part on a control voltage, the control signal having a duty cycle. The method also includes generating a reference voltage based at least in part on the duty cycle of the control signal and a maximum duty cycle, and generating the control voltage based at least in part on the reference voltage and the output voltage.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2020Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: Bing Zhang, Lian Liang, Mei Qin, Xiaodong Fan, Guozhen Wang
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Patent number: 11909081Abstract: The invention relates to a control device (10) for a fuel cell stack (14), the control device being set up to actuate the fuel cell stack (14) using a predetermined current (IV) and to measure the resulting voltage (U) and to compare this with a reference voltage (UR). The predetermined current (IV) depends on the reference voltage (UR) by means of a sum of at least two exponential functions whose argument in each case contains the reference voltage (UR). The control device (10) is designed to ascertain the reference voltage (UR) by approximately reversing the correlation between the predetermined current and the reference voltage (UR) using an iterative approximation algorithm.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2022Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Antonius Bader
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Patent number: 11909073Abstract: A battery module includes a first battery cell and a second battery cell respectively having a positive electrode lead and a negative electrode lead and connected to each other in series; and a short circuit inducing member having one longitudinal side interposed between the negative electrode lead of the first battery cell and the positive electrode lead of the second battery cell and the other longitudinal side located between the positive electrode lead of the first battery cell and the negative electrode lead of the second battery cell. When a potential difference between the negative electrode lead of the first battery cell and the positive electrode lead of the second battery cell increases over a reference value, the other longitudinal side of the short circuit inducing member makes flexural deformation toward the negative electrode lead of the second battery cell to come into contact with the negative electrode lead.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2020Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.Inventors: Han-Young Lee, Bum-Young Jung
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Patent number: 11894589Abstract: Improved membrane electrode assemblies, cation-associating components thereof, and methods of making and treating the same are provided. Membrane electrode assemblies may include an ionomer having a first pKa value, and a water-insoluble net polymer having a weakly-acidic functional group, wherein the weakly-acidic functional group has a second pKa value greater than the first pKa value.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2022Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: Nikola CorporationInventors: John Slack, Andrew Baker
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Patent number: 11888192Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack made by stacking a plurality of cells and configured to generate power by being supplied with fuel gas and oxidation gas, a high-voltage battery configured to supplement the power generated by the fuel cell stack while being charged with the power generated by the fuel cell stack or being discharged, a converter provided between the fuel cell stack and the high-voltage battery and configured to change an output voltage or an output current of the fuel cell stack, a power control unit configured to control the fuel cell stack to generate power when the fuel cell stack is requested to be diagnosed, the power control unit being configured to adjust the output current of the fuel cell stack to a predetermined current, and a voltage sensing unit configured to sense a voltage of the fuel cell stack or voltages of the plurality of cells included in the fuel cell stack in the state in which the output current of the fuel cell stack is the predetermined current.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATIONInventors: Jae Young Shim, Hyo Jin Park
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Patent number: 11880264Abstract: A battery management system (BMS) recognition system, comprising: a master BMS including a master light emitter, the master BMS being configured to flicker the master light emitter to transmit an operation mode shifting signal to a slave BMS when it is intended to shift an operation mode of the slave BMS; and a slave BMS including a slave light receiver configured to correspond to the master light emitter, the slave BMS being configured to: recognize the flickering of the master light emitter through the slave light receiver; and shift the operation mode thereof in response to the operation mode shifting signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2019Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.Inventors: Ji-Won Hwang, Chang-Hyun Sung
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Patent number: 11872909Abstract: A torque generating system is described, and includes a fuel cell power device, a high-voltage battery, an electric drive unit, and a controller. The fuel cell power device has a non-linear power-temperature relationship that has a local temperature maxima at a first electric power level and a local temperature minima at a second electric power level. A first operating point of the fuel cell power device is less than the first electric power level, and a second operating point of the fuel cell power device is set at a third electric power level that is greater than the first electric power level, wherein the third electric power level generates a fuel cell temperature that is less than the local temperature maxima. The fuel cell power device is controlled to one of the first operating point or the second operating point to transfer electric power to the electric drive unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2021Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: William H. Pettit, Charles E. Freese, V, Balasubramanian Lakshmanan
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Patent number: 11876262Abstract: Methods and systems may provide for technology to detect an unbalanced degradation among a plurality of fuel cells in an automotive system and apply an unbalanced control across the plurality of fuel cells based on the unbalanced degradation. In one example, the unbalanced control balances the degradation among the plurality of fuel cells.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2021Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventor: Takehito Yokoo
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Patent number: 11855314Abstract: An electrochemical arrangement with two metallic separator plates which each define a plate plane and which are stacked in a stack direction perpendicular to the plate planes. The separator plates comprise sealing elements which are embossed into the separator plate and which are supported against one another for sealing the electrochemical cell which is arranged between the separator plates and which are reversibly deformable in the stack direction up to a distance z2. The arrangement further comprises at least one support element which is arranged between the separator plates and which is distanced to the sealing elements of the separator plates in a direction parallel to the plate planes.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2018Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: REINZ-DICHTUNGS-GMBHInventors: Stephan Wenzel, Bernd Gaugler, Armin Guetermann
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Patent number: 11855318Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a fuel battery system improved in reliability by accurately detecting when a fuel electrode gas or an air electrode gas has leaked. A fuel battery cell according to the present invention includes a first electrode, an electrolyte membrane, and a second electrode which are layered on a support substrate. Further, at least any one of the first electrode, the electrolyte membrane, and the second electrode is electrically isolated by an insulating member to form a first region and a second region. The insulating member is disposed at a position where the insulating member does not overlap with an opening portion of the support substrate (refer to FIG. 3).Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2019Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATIONInventors: Munenori Degawa, Noriyuki Sakuma, Yoshitaka Sasago, Aritoshi Sugimoto, Nobuyuki Mise, Takashi Tsutsumi
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Patent number: 11855321Abstract: A method of controlling a hydrogen partial pressure can be carried out in a fuel cell system including a stack having a hydrogen electrode and an air electrode. The method includes: determining a point of time to purge the hydrogen electrode using a hydrogen concentration at an outlet of the hydrogen electrode or an accumulated amount of charge generated in the stack; and setting a target supply pressure of hydrogen supplied to the stack, in which the target hydrogen supply pressure is set in consideration of a hydrogen pressure and a partial pressure of nitrogen resulting from crossover in the stack.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventor: Sang Eun Jang
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Electric power supply system, controlling method of electric power supply system, and storage medium
Patent number: 11831052Abstract: An electric power supply system of an embodiment includes a plurality of fuel cell systems having fuel cell stacks, a controller configured to control to perform stable output electric generation in one fuel cell system having one fuel cell stack, in which a degraded state of an electrode is relatively large, among the plurality of fuel cell stacks, and to perform transient response electric generation in other fuel cell system having other fuel cell stack, in which a degraded state of an electrode is relatively small, and a cell voltage sensor.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2022Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Ryo Jimba, Seiji Sugiura -
Patent number: 11824239Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining an operating state of an electrochemical system (1a; 1b; 1c; 1d; 1e), which has a cell stack (2) having at least one electrode portion (3, 4), at least one valve (5, 6, 20, 21) and at least one fluid line (23) being provided, the method comprising the following steps: conducting, in a varying manner, at least one fluid through the at least one valve (5, 6, 20, 21) via the at least one fluid line (23) with a predefined variation pattern, the variation pattern being applied to a fluid flow by means of the at least one valve (5, 6, 20, 21), determining a voltage response and/or a current response of the cell stack (2) during the varying conducting of the at least one fluid, and determining the operating state of the electrochemical system (1a; 1b; 1c; 1d; 1e) on the basis of the voltage response and/or the current response.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2018Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: AVL List GmbHInventors: Stefan Pofahl, Lukas Wielandner
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Patent number: 11814286Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system can store a fuel reagent such as methanol for conversion into hydrogen to power one or more facility systems via a backup power system. A reactor controller can monitor a power demand of the one or more facility systems and determine whether the power demand is met by a primary power system. The fuel reagent can be provided to a fuel reactor in response to the reactor controller determining that the one or more facility systems are operating at a power deficit to generate an amount of hydrogen that, when provided to the backup power system, causes the backup power system to generate an amount of power that meets or exceeds the power deficit.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2022Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Michael Bardell, David T. Montgomery
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Patent number: 11811111Abstract: A control method for a fuel cell system includes: acquiring a poisoning rate of an electrode catalyst of a fuel cell; performing a potential maintaining operation of maintaining a potential of the fuel cell in a first potential range when the poisoning rate of the electrode catalyst is greater than a prescribed value ?; and performing a potential changing operation of repeating a cycle in which the potential of the fuel cell is changed between an upper-limit potential and a lower-limit potential of a second potential range which is higher than the first potential range after the potential maintaining operation has been performed.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2022Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiroyuki Sugata
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Patent number: 11811112Abstract: The fuel cell control system includes: a reactor; an air compressor, wherein the air compressor has a compressing cavity, the compressing cavity has a gas inlet and a gas outlet, a rotatable pressure wheel is disposed inside the compressing cavity, and the gas outlet is in communication with the reactor; a control flow channel, wherein a first end of the control flow channel is in communication with the gas-intake side of the pressure wheel, a second end of the control flow channel is in communication with the wheel-back side of the pressure wheel, and the control flow channel is provided with a return valve for regulating the flow rate of the control flow channel; and a central control unit, wherein the central control unit is communicatively connected to the return valve to control the opening degree of the return valve.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2021Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: GREAT WALL MOTOR COMPANY LIMITEDInventors: Pengfei Niu, Gaoxia Zhao, Haifeng Tang, Zeyu Zhang, Xin Jin, Peiming Wu, Xiangjun Wang, Haichao Yu, Zhengyu Wang, Yang Feng, Minglong Kang, Lei Gao, Hongshui Du, Xiaolong Ma, Ruyi Yang
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Patent number: 11811115Abstract: In a case where each of the temperature, the impedance, and the output current of a fuel cell stack falls within a predetermined range, the output voltage of the fuel cell stack is measured, and the measured output voltage is compared with a reference value to thereby determine the degree of degradation of the fuel cell stack.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2021Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Takuya Tamura, Koji Moriyama, Manabu Iwaida
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Patent number: 11804611Abstract: A fuel cell module is configured or operated, or both, such that after a shut down procedure a fuel cell stack is discharged and has its cathode electrodes at least partially blanketed with nitrogen during at least some periods of time. If the fuel cell module is restarted in this condition, electrochemical reactions are limited and do not quickly re-charge the fuel cell stack. To decrease start up time, air is moved into the cathode electrodes before the stack is re-charged. The air may be provided by a pump, fan or blower driven by a battery or by the flow or pressure of stored hydrogen. For example, an additional fan or an operating blower may be driven by a battery until the fuel cell stack is able to supply sufficient current to drive the operating blower for normal operation.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2021Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: HYDROGENICS CORPORATIONInventor: Nathaniel Ian Joos
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Patent number: 11791486Abstract: A method for operating a fuel cell power generation system is presented and includes sequentially resting fuel cell modules corresponding to a designated reference module number, from among all fuel cell modules of the fuel cell power generation system, during a designated number of cycles while operating remaining fuel cell modules, gradually reducing a number of the fuel cell modules sequentially rested during the cycles from the reference module number, whenever average performance of the fuel cell modules is sequentially reduced by exceeding designated reference levels configured to be sequentially set, and repairing or replacing the fuel cell modules when the average performance of the fuel cell modules is reduced by a designated lower limit or more.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2022Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia CorporationInventors: Ju Hae Jung, Sun Hee Jo
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Patent number: 11784340Abstract: A system and method for controlling operation of a fuel cell are provided. The method includes estimating an effective catalyst amount within a fuel cell stack and monitoring a change in the estimated effective catalyst amount according to time. An irreversible degradation state of the fuel cell stack is determined based on the monitored change in the estimated effective catalyst amount.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2019Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventors: Sung Mun Cho, Soon Woo Kwon
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Patent number: 11764375Abstract: A fuel cell system for a mobile body includes a fuel cell, an oxidant gas supply system, and a controller. The oxidant gas supply system includes an air compressor. The air compressor includes a rotor, an air bearing, and a housing. The controller includes a movement speed detector configured to measure a movement speed of the mobile body, and an acceleration detector configured to predict an acceleration to be applied to the mobile body. The controller is configured to determine whether the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than a predetermined acceleration threshold, and control a rotation speed of the air compressor to be equal to or higher than a predetermined first rotation speed when determination is made that the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than the acceleration threshold.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2022Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Rei Morinaga
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Patent number: 11745882Abstract: A power management system for an air mobility vehicle includes a plurality of batteries configured to provide power to a propulsion unit of the air mobility vehicle to propel the air mobility vehicle, and a discharge control unit configured to monitor an operation state and a charge state of each battery, determine a discharge mode of each of the plurality of batteries according to the monitored operation state and the monitored charge state, and control whether each of the plurality of batteries is discharged or a discharge rate thereof according to the determined discharge mode.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2021Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia CorporationInventors: Hyun Ki Cho, Hyun Woo Jun, Hee Kwang Lee
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Patent number: 11742503Abstract: A method is provided for operating a fuel cell stack with improved performance recovery from sub-saturated conditions, the method comprising setting an alert for the performance recovery of the fuel cell stack, performing at least one oxidant starvation by supplying oxidant at a stoichiometric ratio below 1 to the fuel cell stack in at least one pulse for a preset amount of time and at low current while the fuel cell stack does not generate power. The fuel cell system with an improved performance recovery comprises a shorting circuit which is connected to the fuel cell stack at predetermined times (startup, shutdown or standby mode) and an air compressor powered by a DC-DC converter which supplies a predetermined number of oxidant pulses of a predetermined duration to the fuel cell stack.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2019Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: BALLARD POWER SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Emerson R. Gallagher, Alan Young, Yingduo Chen
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Patent number: 11733190Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for determining impedance of an electrochemical device by electrically connecting a variable impedance in parallel with the electrochemical device; electrically connecting a power supply to the electrochemical device, the power supply generating a power supply current; modulating a current through the variable impedance; measuring a stack current flowing through the electrochemical device; measuring, at the electrochemical device, a voltage across at least a portion of the electrochemical device; and calculating, based on the measured stack current and the measured voltage, the impedance of the electrochemical device. Systems for performing such methods are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2022Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLCInventor: Walter Ellis Klein, Jr.
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Patent number: 11724707Abstract: A vehicular control system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) that includes (i) a next stack activation size hardware register and (ii) a hardware memory initializer configured to initialize memory. The ECU determines a maximum stack size of a vehicle control function called by a root function. The vehicle control function controls a system of the equipped vehicle. The next stack activation size hardware register stores a value equivalent to the determined maximum stack size of the first function. The ECU, prior to executing the vehicle function and while executing the root function, triggers execution of the hardware memory initializer. The hardware memory initializer initializes memory in parallel with execution of the root function based on the next stack activation size hardware register. The ECU executes the vehicle control function responsive to receiving an indication of completion from the hardware memory initializer indicating the memory initialization is complete.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2021Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.Inventor: Bishnu Raveendran
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Patent number: 11721818Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell in which cells are stacked, a voltage sensor that detects a voltage in unit of one or more of the cells, a control unit that determines an operating point of the fuel cell and causes the fuel cell to operate. The control unit causes the fuel cell to operate at a low efficiency operating point having a lower efficiency than an efficiency of a reference operating point in a warm-up operation. In the warm-up operation, the control unit calculates a total number of the cells in which the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is equal to or less than a predetermined first reference voltage and calculates an exhaust hydrogen concentration based on the total number or the cells.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2020Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ryouichi Namba, Toshiyuki Sanada, Hiroyuki Tsunekawa, Yoshihiro Ikogi, Masahiro Ito
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Patent number: 11715838Abstract: Aspects of methods and systems to reduce degradation of a fuel cell (110) during start-up and shut-down cycles are disclosed. An anode exhaust stream (201?) is periodically directed via fluid communication through an oxygen capture media (86). After shut-down of the fuel cell and before or during start-up said media (86) removes oxygen in the anode exhaust stream. Periodically, heating the oxygen capture media (86) is employed to purge the oxygen collected and regenerate the media.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2020Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Inventors: Max Armstrong Brown, Pratap Rama, Vincent Gardner
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Patent number: 11715841Abstract: A fuel cell system includes fuel cell modules connected in parallel and each including fuel cell stacks connected in series. A tester includes: an output power acquirer that acquires an output power value for each fuel cell stack; a deterioration estimator that estimates a degree of future deterioration for each fuel cell stack; and a future output power estimator that estimates, for each fuel cell stack, a future output power value, which is a value of power that is likely to be outputted after a specific period of time has passed, based on the degree of future deterioration estimated by the deterioration estimator. The fuel cell stack combining method includes determining combinations of the fuel cell stacks based on differences in the output power value between the fuel cell stacks and differences in the future output power value between the fuel cell stacks.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2022Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventor: Naoki Yamano
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Patent number: 11708835Abstract: An air intake assembly for a centrifugal blower having a casing having an axial inlet and a radial outlet, an impeller disposed within the casing for drawing a gaseous medium at a first pressure into the axial inlet and expelling gaseous medium at a second higher pressure through the radial outlet, and a motor for driving the impeller, including an air intake assembly casing having an air inlet and an air outlet, the air outlet connectable to the axial inlet of the blower casing of the centrifugal blower, and a check valve mounted within the air intake assembly casing positioned to permit air flow from the air inlet through the air intake assembly casing to the air outlet and prevent air flow from the air outlet through the air intake assembly casing to the air inlet.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2018Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: WATT Fuel Cell Corp.Inventors: Caine M. Finnerty, Paul Dewald
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Patent number: 11705566Abstract: The disclosure relates to a fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack for providing an electrical power Pstack depending on a power demand, at least one auxiliary unit for operating the fuel cell stack with an electrical power consumption Paux, at least one consumer with an electrical power request Puse, and a control unit for regulating the power demand as well as a method for controlling such a fuel cell system. It is provided that the control unit is configured to selectively operate the fuel cell system in a first operating mode or in a second operating mode, whereby the fuel cell stack is turned off depending on the operating mode upon the falling below of an optimal efficiency degree operating point P(?max) of the fuel cell system or a minimum operating point Pmin of the fuel cell stack. In particular, at least one auxiliary unit is also turned off in the first operating mode, when the optimal efficiency degree operating point decreases.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2017Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AGInventors: Alexander Weß, Marc Düvel, Hendrik Schröder
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Patent number: 11679684Abstract: A modular boost converter includes a fuel cell, a modular boost converter, a battery, a motor, and a capacitor. The modular boost converter includes a plurality of modules. Each of the plurality of modules include a boost system. Only one converter is necessary to utilize each of the fuel cell and the capacitor. The single converter can have a capacity to convert power greater than the energy of the fuel cell, but the total output power of the converter is less than the total energy provided by the fuel cell and the capacitor combined. The modular boost converter utilizes internal module switching to selectively draw energy from at least one of the fuel cell and the capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2021Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: HYZON MOTORS INC.Inventors: Gary M. Robb, Zhijun Gu
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Patent number: 11677086Abstract: According to an embodiment, a control system includes a fuel cell configured to generate electric power using an anode and a cathode, a power storage device capable of storing the electric power generated by the fuel cell, auxiliary equipment to which the electric power is able to be supplied, and a controller configured to control operations of the fuel cell and the auxiliary equipment. The controller performs control so that the electric power is consumed by the auxiliary equipment in accordance with a power storage state of the power storage device at the time of power generation of the fuel cell and adjusts one or both of a timing and a degree at which electric power to be consumed by the auxiliary equipment is limited on the basis of temperature information associated with the auxiliary equipment.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2021Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Shinya Watanabe, Takuya Tamura, Nobumasa Toyoshima
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Patent number: 11670809Abstract: In one or more embodiments, one or more systems, one or more methods, and/or one or more processes: may determine that a rechargeable cell of multiple rechargeable cells has reached a top of charge voltage value; in response to determining that the rechargeable cell has reached the top of charge voltage value, may provide an electrical charge current, associated with a charge current value, to the rechargeable cell; may determine a temperature value associated with the rechargeable cell; may determine a charge current termination value based at least on the temperature value; while the charge current value is not at and is not below the charge current termination value: may determine the temperature value associated with the rechargeable cell; and may determine the charge current termination value based at least on the temperature value; and may cease providing the electrical charge current to the rechargeable cell.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2021Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Richard Christopher Thompson, Shao Szu Ho, Wen-Yung Chang
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Patent number: 11664510Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell stack, a hydrogen gas supply pipe for supplying a hydrogen gas to the fuel cell stack, and injectors provided at positions along the hydrogen gas supply pipe, for injecting the hydrogen gas to the fuel cell stack. The hydrogen gas supply pipe includes a buffer, provided on the upstream side of the injectors, and the hydrogen gas can flow through the buffer. The buffer includes a branch pipe branched from the hydrogen gas supply pipe, and the buffer tank coupled to the branch pipe so as to allow the hydrogen gas to flow through the buffer tank.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2020Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ryoichi Yoshitomi, Kohei Kakuta
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Patent number: 11658319Abstract: In a method of operating a fuel cell system, a stable-period voltage difference is calculated in a state where output power of the fuel cell stack is stable. Thereafter, a voltage difference is calculated during power generation. Then, it is determined whether or not the change amount of the voltage difference with respect to the stable-period voltage difference has exceeded a predetermined threshold value. When it is determined that the change amount has exceeded the predetermined threshold value, electric power is generated with the supply amount of the anode gas to the fuel cell stack being increased.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2022Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Atsushi Kamachi, Akane Goto, Ryo Kobayashi
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Patent number: 11652225Abstract: During performance of low efficiency power generation, a control device controls the flow rate of feed of the oxidizing agent gas so that the amount of heat generation of the fuel cell accompanying power generation loss becomes a first amount of heat generation when the state of a mount on which the fuel cell system is mounted is a first mode and controls the flow rate of feed of the oxidizing agent gas so that the amount of heat generation becomes a second amount of heat generation smaller than the first amount of heat generation when the state of the mount is a second mode where the generated electric power of the fuel cell fluctuates more easily compared with the first mode.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ryouichi Namba, Junichi Matsuo, Hiroyuki Tsunekawa
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Patent number: 11634038Abstract: A fuel cell system installed in a vehicle includes: a fuel cell; a secondary battery; a load including a drive motor and an air compressor; a fuel cell converter; a secondary battery converter; a failure detection unit; a first state determination unit; a reverse rotation detection unit; and a control unit. The control unit performs a limp-home traveling control that supplies electric power from the secondary battery to the drive motor when the secondary battery converter fails. When the vehicle is not in the first state, the control unit prohibits regeneration of the drive motor. When the vehicle is in the first state, the control unit supplies a reaction current to the air compressor. When the reaction current is applied and a reverse rotation of the air compressor is detected, the control unit does not apply the reaction current thereafter.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2020Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA-SHI, AICHI-KEN, JAPANInventor: Ryosuke Oya
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Patent number: 11605855Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a fuel cell step-up converter having an input terminal, wherein the input terminal is connected to the fuel cell; a secondary cell; a secondary cell step-up converter having an input terminal an output terminal, wherein the input terminal is connected to the secondary cell.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2021Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Ryosuke Oya
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Patent number: 11588165Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack in which a plurality of unit cells is stacked, a detection unit configured to detect a cell voltage of at least one of the unit cells, a converter configured to regulate an output current of the fuel cell stack, and a control device configured to control the converter. The control device executes current reduction processing for reducing the output current in a stepwise manner when the cell voltage detected by the detection unit is a negative voltage.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2020Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazuyori Yamada, Masaaki Matsusue
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Patent number: 11557783Abstract: Disclosed are a polymer electrolyte membrane for fuel cells which has improved handling properties and mechanical strength by employing symmetric-type laminated composite films and a method for manufacturing the same.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2020Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventors: Jong Kil Oh, In Yu Park, Bo Ki Hong
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Patent number: 11548408Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling fluid flow in a fuel cell circuit of a vehicle. A system may have a fuel cell stack configured to receive hydrogen gas. The system may have a current sensor configured to detect current flowing through the fuel cell stack. The system may have a plurality of actuators, which may include at least one injector, a pump, and a shut valve. The system may have an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU may estimate pressures of the hydrogen gas and non-hydrogen gases in the circuit. The ECU may determine a current increase rate based on the detected current. The ECU may apply a compensatory hydrogen gas stoic to a base hydrogen gas stoic to meet a target hydrogen gas stoic by controlling one or more of the actuators based on the estimated pressures when the current increase rate is above a predetermined threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2021Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Jared M. Farnsworth, Daniel C. Folick, Shigeki Hasegawa, Nobukazu Mizuno
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Patent number: 11552315Abstract: A control system and a control method of fuel cell stacks are provided. The control system includes a set of fuel cell stacks, a secondary battery, a monitoring device, and a control device. Each fuel cell stack has a power output that can be independently started up or shut down. The secondary battery is connected to power output terminals of the fuel cell stacks via a power transmission path. The monitoring device is configured to monitor an electrical parameter of the power transmission path. The control device receives an electrical parameter signal from the monitoring device, and outputs a control signal to shut down or start up the power output of at least one of the fuel cell stacks if the electrical parameter's value is higher than a predetermined upper limit or lower than a predetermined lower limit.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2021Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: Industrial Technology Research InstituteInventors: Yin-Wen Tsai, Chih-Wei Hsu, Ku-Yen Kang, Yuh-Fwu Chou, Chin-Yi Shih
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Patent number: 11545684Abstract: A system for capturing carbon dioxide in flue gas includes a fuel cell assembly including at least one fuel cell including a cathode portion configured to receive, as cathode inlet gas, the flue gas generated by the flue gas generating device or a derivative thereof, and to output cathode exhaust gas and an anode portion configure to receive an anode inlet gas and to output anode exhaust gas, a fuel cell assembly voltage monitor configured to measure a voltage across the fuel cell assembly, and a controller configured to receive the measured voltage across the fuel cell assembly from the fuel cell assembly voltage monitor, determine an estimated carbon dioxide utilization of the fuel cell assembly based on the measured voltage across the fuel cell assembly, and reduce the carbon dioxide utilization of the fuel cell assembly when the determined estimated carbon dioxide utilization is above a predetermined threshold utilization.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2021Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Michael Daly, Stephen Jolly, Ramakrishnan Venkataraman, Eric Nuhfer
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Patent number: 11545673Abstract: Disclosed are a catalyst complex and a method of manufacturing the same. The catalyst complex may be manufactured by uniformly depositing metal catalyst particles on pretreated support particles through an atomic layer deposition process using a fluidized-bed reactor, which may be then uniformly dispersed throughout the ionomer solution. As such, manufacturing costs may be reduced due to the use of a small amount of metal catalyst particles and the durability of an electrolyte membrane and OCV may increase. Further disclosed are a method of manufacturing the catalyst complex, an electrolyte membrane including the catalyst complex, and a method of manufacturing the electrolyte membrane.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2020Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventors: Seung Jeong Oh, Woong Pyo Hong, Byoung Su Kim, Min Kyung Kim, Soon Hong Park, Yong Min Kim
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Patent number: 11545681Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a first discharger, an opening-and-closing valve, a second discharger, a voltage detector, and a controller.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2020Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Rei Morinaga
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Patent number: 11545686Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack in which a plurality of unit cells is stacked, a detection unit configured to detect a cell voltage of at least one of the unit cells, a converter configured to regulate an output current of the fuel cell stack, and a control device configured to control the converter. The control device executes current reduction processing for reducing the output current in a stepwise manner when the cell voltage detected by the detection unit is a negative voltage.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2020Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazuyori Yamada, Masaaki Matsusue