Fuel cell CO sensor

Patent · Tue Dec 14 04:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:20014002

Grot, S A; Meltser, M A; Gutowski, S; Neutzler, J K; Borup, R L; Weisbrod, K

The CO concentration in the H{sub 2} feed stream to a PEM fuel cell stack is monitored by measuring current and/or voltage behavior patterns from a PEM-probe communicating with the reformate feed stream. Pattern recognition software may be used to compare the current and voltage patterns from the PEM-probe to current and voltage telltale outputs determined from a reference cell similar to the PEM-probe and operated under controlled conditions over a wide range of CO concentrations in the H{sub 2} fuel stream. A CO sensor includes the PEM-probe, an electrical discharge circuit for discharging the PEM-probe to monitor the CO concentration, and an electrical purging circuit to intermittently raise the anode potential of the PEM-probe's anode to at least about 0.8 V (RHE) to electrochemically oxidize any CO adsorbed on the probe's anode catalyst.

• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-90CH10435
• OSTI ID: 20014002
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
40 CHEMISTRY
CARBON MONOXIDE
CATALYSTS
DESIGN
GAS ANALYSIS
HYDROGEN
ON-LINE MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS
OPERATION
PATTERN RECOGNITION
PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELLS
REFORMER PROCESSES
REGENERATION