Title: Operational control of fuel cells

Abstract

Various examples are provided for operational control of fuel cells. In one example, among others, a system for controlling a fuel cell includes a stack temperature controller in cascade with a liquid level controller. The liquid level controller can provide a control output based at least in part upon an indication of a liquid level of a liquid fuel tank and a level reference. The stack temperature controller can provide a fan speed control output based at least in part upon an indication of a stack temperature of the fuel cell and the control output of the liquid level controller. In another example, a system for estimating methanol concentration of a fuel cell system includes a state observer that generates an estimate of the methanol concentration of fuel provided to a direct methanol fuel cell based upon a plurality of states of the fuel cell system.

Inventors:

Crisalle, Oscar D.; Biswas, Mohammad A. R.; Mudiraj, Shyam Prasad; Lear, Jr., William E.

Issue Date:

2019-02-19

Research Org.:

Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1502949

Patent Number(s):

10211470

Application Number:

14/771,583

Assignee:

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC. (Gainesville, FL)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

A - HUMAN NECESSITIES A61 - MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE A61K - PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

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A - HUMAN NECESSITIES A61 - MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE A61K - PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES

A61K31/202 - having three or more double bonds, e.g. linolenic

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

H01M8/04067 - {Heat exchange or temperature measuring elements, thermal insulation, e.g. heat pipes, heat pumps, fins}
H01M8/04186 - of liquid-charged or electrolyte-charged reactants
H01M8/04194 - {Concentration measuring cells}
H01M8/04365 - {of other components of a fuel cell or fuel cell stacks}
H01M8/04447 - {of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell}
H01M8/04731 - {of other components of a fuel cell or fuel cell stacks}
H01M8/04753 - {of fuel cell reactants}
H01M8/04768 - {of the coolant}
H01M8/04798 - {of fuel cell reactants}
H01M8/04992 - characterised by the implementation of mathematical or computational algorithms, e.g. feedback control loops, fuzzy logic, neural networks or artificial intelligence
H01M8/1011 - Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

Y02E60/50 - Fuel cells

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DOE Contract Number:  

EE0000476

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 2014 Mar 11

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

42 ENGINEERING