Ballard Power Systems Inc.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPERATING AN ELECTROCHEMICAL FUEL CELL STACK WITH IMPROVED PERFORMANCE RECOVERY

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Abstract:

A method is provided for operating a fuel cell stack with improved performance recovery from sub-saturated conditions, the method comprising setting an alert for the performance recovery of the fuel cell stack, performing at least one oxidant starvation by supplying oxidant at a stoichiometric ratio below 1 to the fuel cell stack in at least one pulse for a preset amount of time and at low current while the fuel cell stack does not generate power. The fuel cell system with an improved performance recovery comprises a shorting circuit which is connected to the fuel cell stack at predetermined times (startup, shutdown or standby mode) and an air compressor powered by a DC-DC converter which supplies a predetermined number of oxidant pulses of a predetermined duration to the fuel cell stack.

Status:
Application
Type:

Utility

Filling date:

6 Nov 2019

Issue date:

10 Mar 2022