Method of monitoring CO concentrations in hydrogen feed to a PEM fuel cell

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000

OSTI ID:872997

Grot, Stephen Andreas ^[1]; Meltser, Mark Alexander ^[2]; Gutowski, Stanley ^[2]; Neutzler, Jay Kevin ^[1]; Borup, Rodney Lynn ^[3]; Weisbrod, Kirk ^[4]

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1. Rochester, NY
2. Pittsford, NY
3. East Rochester, NY
4. Los Alamos, NM

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. The PEM-probe is intermittently purged of any CO build-up on the anode catalyst (e.g., by (1) flushing the anode with air, (2) short circuiting the PEM-probe, or (3) reverse biasing the PEM-probe) to keep the PEM-probe at peak performance levels.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Detroit, MI)
• Patent Number(s): US 6063516
• OSTI ID: 872997
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

method
monitoring
concentrations
hydrogen
feed
pem
fuel
cell
concentration
stream
stack
monitored
measuring
current
voltage
behavior
patterns
pem-probe
communicating
reformate
pattern
recognition
software
compare
telltale
outputs
determined
reference
similar
operated
controlled
conditions
wide
range
intermittently
purged
build-up
anode
catalyst
flushing
air
circuiting
reverse
biasing
peak
performance
levels
reference cell
fuel cell
pattern recognition
fuel stream
cell stack
feed stream
wide range
pem fuel
controlled conditions
recognition software
measuring current
voltage patterns
voltage behavior
behavior patterns
peak performance
cell similar
anode catalyst
reverse bias
reformate feed
pem-probe communicating
hydrogen feed
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