Patent ID: 9472819
Filing Date: 2016-10-18
CPC Classification: B64D,H01M,Y02E,Y02T

Claim Text:
1. A system for warming a fuel cell on an aircraft, comprising: at least one fuel cell including an anode and a cathode for creating electrical and thermal energy by an electrochemical reaction; a thermal control subsystem including a cooling loop operably coupled to an inlet and an outlet of the fuel cell and a heating loop operably coupled to the inlet and the outlet of the fuel cell, the cooling loop being separate from the heating loop; at least one temperature sensor for measuring a first temperature of the at least one fuel cell; and a control unit electrically coupled to the at least one temperature sensor, the control unit being configured for increasing the first temperature to a second temperature in response to the first temperature being at least equal to a selected temperature threshold; wherein the increasing of the first temperature is indicative of the control unit operating the fuel cell in a warming mode, and wherein the second temperature is higher than the selected temperature threshold wherein the control unit is configured to increase the temperature while the aircraft is in flight, on ground, and during aircraft parking.