DOE Patents DOE Patents
DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
Search DOE Patents

Title: Combustor air flow control method for fuel cell apparatus

Abstract

A method for controlling the heat output of a combustor in a fuel cell apparatus to a fuel processor where the combustor has dual air inlet streams including atmospheric air and fuel cell cathode effluent containing oxygen depleted air. In all operating modes, an enthalpy balance is provided by regulating the quantity of the air flow stream to the combustor to support fuel cell processor heat requirements. A control provides a quick fast forward change in an air valve orifice cross section in response to a calculated predetermined air flow, the molar constituents of the air stream to the combustor, the pressure drop across the air valve, and a look up table of the orifice cross sectional area and valve steps. A feedback loop fine tunes any error between the measured air flow to the combustor and the predetermined air flow.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
+ Show Inventor Affiliations
  1. Palmyra, NY
  2. Noblesville, IN
  3. Russiaville, IN
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
General Motors LLC, Detroit, MI (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
874070
Patent Number(s):
6306531
Assignee:
General Motors Corporation (Detroit, MI)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01B - NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
Show more
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-90CH10435
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
combustor; air; flow; control; method; fuel; cell; apparatus; controlling; heat; output; processor; dual; inlet; streams; including; atmospheric; cathode; effluent; containing; oxygen; depleted; operating; modes; enthalpy; balance; provided; regulating; quantity; stream; support; requirements; provides; quick; fast; forward; change; valve; orifice; section; response; calculated; predetermined; molar; constituents; pressure; drop; look; sectional; steps; feedback; loop; fine; tunes; error; measured; fuel cell; air flow; flow stream; control method; atmospheric air; cell apparatus; inlet stream; cell cathode; /429/

Citation Formats

Clingerman, Bruce J, Mowery, Kenneth D, and Ripley, Eugene V. Combustor air flow control method for fuel cell apparatus. United States: N. p., 2001. Web.
Copy to clipboard
Clingerman, Bruce J, Mowery, Kenneth D, & Ripley, Eugene V. Combustor air flow control method for fuel cell apparatus. United States.
Copy to clipboard
Clingerman, Bruce J, Mowery, Kenneth D, and Ripley, Eugene V. Mon . "Combustor air flow control method for fuel cell apparatus". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874070.
Copy to clipboard
@article{osti_874070,
title = {Combustor air flow control method for fuel cell apparatus},
author = {Clingerman, Bruce J and Mowery, Kenneth D and Ripley, Eugene V},
abstractNote = {A method for controlling the heat output of a combustor in a fuel cell apparatus to a fuel processor where the combustor has dual air inlet streams including atmospheric air and fuel cell cathode effluent containing oxygen depleted air. In all operating modes, an enthalpy balance is provided by regulating the quantity of the air flow stream to the combustor to support fuel cell processor heat requirements. A control provides a quick fast forward change in an air valve orifice cross section in response to a calculated predetermined air flow, the molar constituents of the air stream to the combustor, the pressure drop across the air valve, and a look up table of the orifice cross sectional area and valve steps. A feedback loop fine tunes any error between the measured air flow to the combustor and the predetermined air flow.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2001},
month = {1}
}
Copy to clipboard
Patent:
View Patent
Save / Share:
Export Metadata
Save to My Library
You must Sign In or Create an Account in order to save documents to your library.

Works referenced in this record:

A Porous Media Burner for Reforming Methanol for Fuel Cell Powered Electric Vehicles
conference, February 1995

Catalytic Combustion for Gas Turbine Applications
conference, April 2015

  • Krill, W. V.; Kesselring, J. P.; Chu, E. K.
  • ASME 1979 International Gas Turbine Conference and Exhibit and Solar Energy Conference, Volume 1B: Gas Turbines
  • https://doi.org/10.1115/79-GT-188

The Advanced Low-Emissions Catalytic-Combustor Program: Phase I — Description and Status
conference, April 2015

    [ × clear filter / sort ]

    Similar Records in DOE Patents and OSTI.GOV collections: