Patent ID: 8673515
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method for preventing a fuel cell stack in a fuel cell system from operating with an insufficient amount of anode reactant, said method comprising: determining a minimum cell voltage of fuel cells in the fuel cell stack, an average cell voltage of the fuel cells in the stack and a current density of the fuel cell stack; determining an anode pressure of an anode sub-system in the fuel cell system; estimating a hydrogen molar fraction and/or a nitrogen molar fraction in the anode sub-system; determining that there is a decrease in the minimum cell voltage, relative to the average cell voltage and current density, in response to changes in the anode pressure in the anode sub-system; and correcting for the decrease in the minimum cell voltage in response to changes in the anode pressure by increasing the anode pressure and/or by decreasing the molar fraction of nitrogen in the anode sub-system.