Patent ID: 8450018
Filing Date: 2013-05-28
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method for triggering and disabling a fuel cell stack reconditioning process, said method comprising: determining the voltage and current of fuel cells in the fuel cell stack; generating a polarization curve for the fuel cell stack based on the determined voltage and current; estimating polarization curve parameters based on the polarization curve; determining a maximum stack power estimation of the fuel cell stack based on the polarization curve parameters; triggering the stack reconditioning process if the maximum power estimation falls below a first predetermined maximum power threshold for a predetermined period of time, wherein the first predetermined maximum power threshold is between 60 and 70 kW; and triggering the reconditioning process each time the maximum stack power estimation falls below the first predetermined maximum power threshold after the maximum stack power estimation increases from a previous stack reconditioning process.