IP Library Granted Patent US 11,843,146
Granted Patent B2
US 11,843,146 · App. 17/488,408 · Granted Dec 12, 2023

Fuel cell system

Inventors: Masaki Ando (Gotemba, JP); Toshihiko Yoshida (Fujimi, JP); Adam Z. Weber (Berkeley, CA)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
H01M8/04835H01M8/045H01M8/04119H01M8/04507
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,843,146
App. No.
17/488,408
Granted
Dec 12, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell, a fuel gas supplier configured to supply fuel gas to an anode of the fuel cell, an oxidant gas supplier configured to supply oxidant gas to a cathode of the fuel cell, a humidity adjuster configured to adjust a relative humidity of the fuel gas and a relative humidity of the oxidant gas, and a controller, wherein the controller detects the relative humidity of the fuel gas at an anode inlet of the fuel cell, and the controller detects the relative humidity of the oxidant gas at a cathode outlet of the fuel cell, and wherein, based on detection results, the controller controls the humidity adjuster so that the relative humidity of the fuel gas at the anode inlet is higher than the relative humidity of the oxidant gas at the cathode outlet.

Claims (13)

1. A fuel cell system comprising:

a fuel cell,

a fuel gas supplier configured to supply fuel gas to an anode of the fuel cell,

an oxidant gas supplier configured to supply oxidant gas to a cathode of the fuel cell,

an anode humidity sensor disposed at a fuel gas supply flow path;

a cathode humidity sensor disposed at an oxidant off-gas discharge flow path;

a humidity adjuster configured to adjust a relative humidity of the fuel gas and a relative humidity of the oxidant gas, and

a controller,

wherein the controller configured to detect the relative humidity of the fuel gas at an anode inlet of the fuel cell from the anode humidity sensor, and the controller detects the relative humidity of the oxidant gas at a cathode outlet of the fuel cell from the cathode humidity sensor, and

wherein, based on detection results, the controller controls the humidity adjuster so that the relative humidity of the fuel gas at the anode inlet is higher than the relative humidity of the oxidant gas at the cathode outlet;

wherein the humidity adjuster comprises a valve connected to a water supply, and wherein the humidity adjuster controls humidity by controlling an opening degree of the valve.

2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the relative humidity of the fuel gas at the anode inlet is 100% or more, and the relative humidity of the oxidant gas at the cathode outlet is 60% or less.

3. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the relative humidity of the fuel gas at the anode inlet is 30% or more, and the relative humidity of the oxidant gas at the cathode outlet is 0% or more and less than 30%.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2023
From: ANDO, MASAKI; YOSHIDA, TOSHIHIKO
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 062672/0695 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded May 25, 2022
From: UNIVERSITY OF CALIF-LAWRENC BERKELEY LAB
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 060010/0718 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WEBER, ADAM Z.
To: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Reel/Frame 059253/0508 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-164836 · Sep 30, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220102744A1 · Mar 31, 2022