Disclosed is a method and a device configured to control deterioration avoidance operation of a fuel cell system. In one aspect, the method may include starting the deterioration avoidance operation when an operation of a fuel cell is restarted in a state where an energy storage device is operating, and the fuel cell is stopped; controlling anode hydrogen pressure based on a predetermined condition, the condition indicating that the anode hydrogen pressure needs to be increased; determining hydrogen recirculation and supplying hydrogen including a process to determine whether to recirculate hydrogen based on a predetermined condition, the condition indicating that hydrogen needs to be recirculated, before supplying hydrogen; determining air recirculation and supplying air including a process to determine whether to recirculate air based on a predetermined condition, the condition indicating that air needs to be recirculated, before supplying air; and terminating the deterioration avoidance operation and starting operation of the fuel cell.

The invention relates to a media management plate (1) for a fuel cell assembly (5), a fuel cell system (10) comprising the media management plate and a fuel cell assembly, and a method of operating a fuel cell system (10) comprising a fuel cell assembly (5) and the media management plate (1). All lines for supplying and discharging the fuel cell media and all devices necessary for treating the fuel cell media are integrated in the media management plate (1). The media management plate (1) can be heated by means of coolant and is functional both when oriented vertically and horizontally.

Fuel cell systems configured for efficient byproduct recovery and reuse are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a fuel cell system includes a reformer configured to reform a fuel containing methane (CH.sub.4) with steam to produce a reformed fuel having methane (CH.sub.4), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen (H.sub.2). The fuel cell system also includes a fuel cell configured to perform an electrochemical reaction between a first portion of the reformed fuel and oxygen (O.sub.2) to produce electricity and an exhaust having carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2), water (H.sub.2O), and a second portion of the reformed fuel. The fuel cell system further includes an oxygen enricher configured to generate an oxygen enriched gas and a combustion chamber configured to combust the second portion of the reformed fuel with the oxygen enriched gas.

A controller for a fuel cell based power generator includes a memory and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive a pressure in an anode loop of the fuel cell based power generator, wherein the anode loop includes a hydrogen generator and an anode loop blower, and control the anode loop blower such that the hydrogen generator provides hydrogen to an anode of a fuel cell via the blower and the anode loop at a controlled pressure. In further embodiments, the temperatures of the fuel cell and hydrogen generator are independently controlled.

A pulse hydrogen supply system for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell is provided. The system comprises a fuel cell, a high-pressure hydrogen bottle, a first pressure relief valve, an ejector, a steam-water separator, a first pressure control valve, a first pressure sensor, a high-pressure vessel, a first electromagnetic valve, a low-pressure vessel, a diaphragm pump, and a second electromagnetic valve. The high-pressure hydrogen bottle, the first pressure relief valve, the first pressure control valve, the ejector and the first pressure sensor are sequentially arranged on a gas inlet pipeline; the high-pressure vessel and the first electromagnetic valve are sequentially arranged on a branch pipeline; the second electromagnetic valve, the low-pressure vessel and the diaphragm pump are sequentially arranged on a first output loop; and the first output pipeline and the gas inlet pipeline form a loop.

An ejector has a variable nozzle structure and is installed in a fuel cell recirculation line to supply new hydrogen and a recirculation gas. The ejector includes: a first housing having a first hole through which hydrogen is supplied and an orifice through which the hydrogen is discharged; a second housing disposed in the first housing and having a second hole into which the hydrogen passing through the first hole flows; and a poppet penetrating a third hole defined at one side of the second housing. The poppet is configured to adjust an area of a space opened by the orifice discharging the hydrogen. The hydrogen flowing into the second housing is discharged through a space between the other side opposite to the one side of the second housing and the poppet to move to the orifice.

This specification describes a system and method for controlling the voltage produced by a fuel cell. The system involves providing a bypass line between an air exhaust from the fuel cell and an air inlet of the fuel cell. At least one controllable device is configured to allow the flow rate through the bypass line to be altered. A controller is provided to control the controllable device. The method involves varying the rate of recirculation of air exhaust to air inlet so as to provide a desired change in fuel cell voltage.

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a hydrogen fuel cell anode control system including a hydrogen inlet configured to receive pressurized hydrogen, a hydrogen outlet configured to be fluidically coupled to an anode manifold of a hydrogen fuel cell, a recirculation inlet configured to receive overflow hydrogen from the anode manifold, a hydrogen pressure regulator configured to receive pressurized hydrogen from the hydrogen inlet, a hydrogen recirculation module configured to mix hydrogen received from the hydrogen pressure regulator and the recirculation inlet, and provide a hydrogen mixture to the hydrogen outlet, a differential pressure measurement module configured to measure a differential pressure between the anode manifold and a cathode manifold of the hydrogen fuel cell, and a controller configured to control at least one of the hydrogen pressure regulator or the hydrogen recirculation module based on the measured differential pressure.

A fuel cell system including: an electrochemical pump including a first anode, a first cathode, and a first electrolyte membrane including a proton conductive oxide, the electrochemical pump separating hydrogen from a gas containing the hydrogen, and a solid oxide fuel cell that includes a second anode, a second cathode, and a second electrolyte membrane including a solid oxide electrolyte, and that generates electricity by reacting a fuel gas and an oxidant gas with each other.

The invention relates to a side channel compressor (1) for a fuel cell system for conveying and/or compressing a gas, particularly hydrogen, comprising a housing (3) and a drive (6), wherein the housing (3) has a housing upper part (7) and a housing lower part (8), a compressor chamber (30) which is circulating in the housing (3) about an axis of rotation (4) and has at least one peripheral side channel (19), a compressor wheel (2) located in the housing (3), which is rotatably arranged about an axis of rotation (4) and is driven by the drive (6), said compressor wheel (2) comprising blades (5) arranged on the periphery thereof in the region of the compressor chamber (30), and comprising respectively a gas inlet opening (14) embodied on the housing (3) and a gas outlet opening (16) which are fluidically interconnected via the compressor chamber (30), in particular the at least one side channel (19). According to the invention, the drive (6) is designed as an axial field electric motor (6) which has a stator (12) and a rotor (10), wherein the stator (12) and the rotor (10) have a disc-shaped design and are formed so as to move about the axis of rotation (4), and wherein the stator (12) is arranged next to the rotor in the direction of the axis of rotation (4).