Integrated fuel cell stack thermostat
View Patent ↗A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack and a thermostat. The thermostat is mounted to the fuel cell stack to regulate a flow of coolant.
1. A fuel cell system comprising:
a fuel cell stack;
a thermostat mounted to the fuel cell stack to regulate a flow of coolant; and
a bypass tube located inside an internal coolant passageway of the stack, wherein the thermostat regulates flow of the coolant into the bypass tube.
2. The fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the thermostat is mounted inside a pocket formed in the fuel cell stack.
3. The fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the thermostat is mounted inside a pocket formed in an end plate of the fuel cell stack.
4. The fuel cell system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a radiator,
wherein the thermostat controls whether the flow of coolant flows through the radiator.
5. The fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the thermostat is adapted to open communication between the bypass flow tube and the coolant passageway in response to the a temperature of the coolant being below a predefined temperature threshold.
6. The fuel cell system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a radiator,
wherein the bypass tube is adapted to bypass the radiator when the temperature of the coolant is below the predefined threshold.
7. The fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the thermostat is located inside a pocket formed in the stack and the pocket comprises a shoulder to secure a flange of the thermostat to the stack.
8. The fuel cell system of claim 7 , further comprising:
an outlet fitting to communicate the coolant from the fuel cell stack, the fitting comprising an end to Jock the flange to the shoulder.
9. The fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the thermostat is located inside a pocket of the fuel cell stack, the pocket comprising a boss to hold a coolant bypass tube.
10. The fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the thermostat is located inside a pocket of the fuel cell stack, the pocket comprising:
at least one port to receive a coolant flow from the fuel cell stack.
11. A method usable with a fuel cell stack, comprising:
mounting a thermostat to the fuel cell stack to regulate a flow of coolant;
forming a pocket in the stack;
disposing the thermostat in the pocket;
forming a boss in the pocket to hold a coolant bypass tube; and
routing the bypass tube through an internal coolant manifold passageway of the stack.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
forming a pocket in the fuel cell stack and disposing the thermostat inside the pocket.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising: forming a pocket in an end plate of the stack and disposing the thermostat inside the pocket.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
operating the thermostat to selectively bypass a radiator.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein The selectively bypassing comprises:
bypassing the radiator in response to a temperature of the coolant being below a predefined temperature threshold.
16. The method 0 f claim 14 , wherein the selectively bypassing comprises:
not bypassing the radiator in response to the temperature of the coolant exceeding a predefined threshold.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
forming a pocket in the fuel cell stack; and
forming a shoulder in the pocket to hold a flange of the thermostat.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
using an outlet fitting to lock the flange to the shoulder.
19. A fuel cell system comprising:
a structure to form at least one fuel cell, the structure comprising an internal passageway to communicate coolant to remove thermal energy from said at least one fuel cell;
a thermostat mounted to the structure to regulate a flow of coolant; and
a heat exchanger bypass tube located inside the internal passageway, wherein the thermostat regulates flow of the coolant into the bypass tube.
20. The fuel cell system of claim 19 , wherein the thermostat is mounted at least partially inside a pocket formed in the structure.
21. The fuel cell system of claim 19 , further comprising:
a heat exchanger,
wherein the thermostat controls whether the flow of coolant flows through the heat exchanger.
22. A method usable with a fuel cell stack, comprising:
mounting a thermostat to the fuel cell stack to regulate a flow of coolant;
disposing a bypass tube in an internal coolant manifold passageway of the stack; and
using the thermostat to regulate communication of coolant with the bypass tube.
23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
forming a pocket in the fuel cell stack and disposing the thermostat inside the pocket.
24. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
forming a pocket in an end plate of the stack and disposing the thermostat inside the pocket.