Patent ID: 7844434
Filing Date: 2010-11-30
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A system for simulating and predicting optimizing transient behavior of a fuel cell, the system comprising: a data input for receiving a plurality of constant parameter values determined based upon theoretical or experimental data corresponding to the fuel cell; and a computation module in communication with the data input for providing a nonlinear electrical circuit equivalent of the fuel cell, the nonlinear electrical circuit equivalent comprising an ohmic resistance circuit and an RCL circuit, the RCL circuit including an inductive circuit element, L, a first resistive circuit element R wherein the computation module is implemented in dedicated hardwired circuitry, wherein the circuit elements are mathematically defined by a first set of equations comprising where A k , B k , and α k , k=CT, L, are the constant parameters determined based upon impedance spectra of the fuel cell, and where i CT , i c , and i L are currents via charge transfer through the second resistive circuit element R CT , the capacitive circuit element C, and the inductive circuit element L, respectively; wherein the nonlinear electrical circuit based upon a set of equations comprising where V 0 and R 0 are open-circuit voltage and ohmic resistance of the fuel cell, respectively, V and I are voltage and current, respectively, of the fuel cell, V RCL , is a voltage drop across the RCL circuit, and q c is charge stored by the capacitive circuit element C.