A control system and method for preventing a fuel cell from overheating are disclosed. The system includes: a fuel cell that generates electric power through reaction of fuel gas and oxidation gas; a cooling line in which a cooling medium flows and performs heat exchange with the fuel cell; a cooling pump installed on the cooling line and configured to circulate the cooling medium through the cooling line; a cooling controller that controls an operating state of the cooling pump on the basis of the temperature of the fuel cell or the cooling medium; and a power generation controller that limits power generation of the fuel cell on the basis of the operating state of the cooling pump.

A fuel cell including an electrochemical reactor; a cooling circuit; a controller; a coolant circuit; a first temperature sensor; and a second temperature sensor. The cooling circuit includes a cooling pipe, a water pump, a radiator, a heater, and a thermostatic three-way valve. The cooling circuit is configured to cool the electrochemical reactor. The controller is configured to control operations of the electrochemical reactor and the cooling circuit. The cooling pipe includes a first water inlet and a first water outlet; and the coolant circuit is disposed between the first water inlet and the first water outlet. The first temperature sensor is disposed at the first water inlet. The second temperature sensor is disposed at the first water outlet. The first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are configured to detect and transmit temperature data of a coolant in the cooling pipe to the controller.

A method for controlling a fuel cell that includes an electrochemical reactor; a cooling circuit; a controller; a coolant circuit; a first temperature sensor; and a second temperature sensor. The cooling circuit includes a cooling pipe and is configured to cool the electrochemical reactor; the controller is configured to control operations of the electrochemical reactor and the cooling circuit; the cooling pipe includes a first water inlet and a first water outlet; and the coolant circuit is connected to the first water inlet and the first water outlet. The method includes comparing the first temperature of the coolant at the first water inlet to the second temperature at the first water outlet; and controlling operations of the heater and the electrochemical reactor based on the comparison result.

A heater is described. The heater includes a fuel cell to produce heated air, electricity and water vapor. The heater further includes a heating element operatively coupled to the fuel cell to convert the electricity to heat and a control system operatively coupled to the fuel cell and the heating element, the control system being configured to monitor and control the fuel cell and heating element.

A fuel cell system for a vehicle includes: a first cooling line to pass through a fuel cell stack in the vehicle and to circulate a first coolant therethrough; a second cooling line to pass through a power electronic part in the vehicle and to circulate a second coolant therethrough; and a heat exchanger to allow the first coolant and the second coolant to exchange heat.

A fuel cell based power generator includes a fuel cell element, an ambient air path configured to receive ambient air and provide the ambient air across a cathode side of the fuel cell element, receive water from the fuel cell element and provide wet air to the water exchanger element, and a fuel cell cooling mechanism associated with the fuel cell element, separate from the ambient air path and configured to cool the fuel cell element.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for heating a fuel cell module.

The embodiment relates to an energy conversion system having: a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) unit (A) having an anode and a cathode side, for receiving a fuel (1) and a steam of oxidant (4) and for converting a fraction of chemical power of the fuel (1) into electric power; a combustor unit (B) to receive unconverted fuel (5) and unconverted oxidant (6), configured for converting the unconverted fuel (5) and the unconverted oxidant (6) into product gas (10); an expander unit (C) to receive the product gas (10) and configured for expanding said product gas (10) into flue gas (12); a cooler unit (E) in thermal relationship with a heat sink (27) and configured for cooling said flue gas (12); a separator (F) for removing condensed species (15) from the cooled gas (14) exiting the cooler unit (E); and a first compression unit (K) for increasing the pressure of said oxidant (26, 4, 8) to a value suitable for the SOFC unit (A) and the combustor unit (B).

The invention provides a hybrid power system, which integrates an internal combustion engine with a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack and provides power for the vehicle through the internal combustion engine at first in the preheating stage of the SOFC stack, thereby solving the problem that an SOFC stack is unable to provide power for the vehicle in the preheating stage. At the same time, the internal combustion engine burns fuel gas, outputs high temperature exhaust gas, heats the heat exchanger with the high temperature exhaust gas, then discharges the exhaust gas from an exhaust turbine and inhales air from the outside of the system. The air first passes through an air preheater, then passes through a heat exchanger and then enters the inside of the SOFC stack, preheats the air preheater through an air pipeline and then is discharged. After multiple cycles, the preheating of the SOFC stack is completed. As the air preheater is connected to the heat exchanger in series to heat the air, the heating speed of the air entering the SOFC stack is raised, the preheating time is shortened and a quick start of the SOFC stack is achieved so that the SOFC stack can be used to achieve the purpose of providing power for the vehicle efficiently.

An air cooler includes: a cooler main body having a first zone and a second zone partitioned off from the first zone; cooling flow paths configured to cool the air and disposed in the first zone so that the air introduced into the cooler main body passes therethrough; bypass flow paths configured to allow the air to bypass the cooling flow paths and disposed in the second zone so that the air introduced into the cooler main body passes therethrough; and an opening/closing unit configured to selectively open or close the cooling flow paths, thereby obtaining an advantageous effect of simplifying a structure thereof and optimizing water balance of a fuel cell stack.