Patent ID: 7442453
Filing Date: 2008-10-28
Classification: H01M,Y02B,Y02E,Y02P,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A decontamination procedure for a fuel cell power plant ( 10 ), wherein the plant ( 10 ) includes at least one fuel cell ( 12 ) for generating electrical power from hydrogen containing reducing fluid fuel and oxygen containing oxidant reactant streams, a power circuit ( 80 ) for directing the electrical power from the fuel cell ( 12 ) to a primary electrical load ( 82 ), the fuel cell ( 12 ) including an anode electrode ( 24 ) and a cathode electrode ( 42 ) on opposed sides of an electrolyte ( 48 ), an anode flow field ( 22 ) in fluid communication with the anode electrode ( 24 ) for directing the hydrogen fuel to flow through the fuel cell ( 12 ) and adjacent the anode electrode ( 24 ), and a cathode flow field ( 40 ) in fluid communication with the cathode electrode ( 42 ) for directing the oxidant stream to flow through the fuel cell ( 12 ) and adjacent the cathode electrode ( 42 ), the decontamination procedure comprising the steps of: a. operating the fuel cell power plant ( b. then, whenever electrical power production of the fuel cell ( c. then, decontaminating the fuel cell (