A method and apparatus for operating an intermediate-temperature solid-oxide fuel cell stack (10) with a mixed ionic/electronic conducting electrolyte in order to increase its efficiency. The required power output of the solid-oxide fuel cell stack (10) is determined and one or more operating conditions of the solid fuel cell stack (10) are controlled dependent upon the determined required power output. The operating conditions that are controlled may be at least one or the temperature of the fuel cell stack and the dilution of fuel delivered to the fuel cell stack.

A safety apparatus for portable power generation of a fuel cell vehicle and an operation method thereof are provided. The safety apparatus includes a fuel cell that supplies power required for driving a motor of the fuel cell vehicle and a battery used as an auxiliary power source of the fuel cell. A bidirectional power converter adjusts input power and output power of the battery. A connection port connects to a portable power generator positioned extraneous to the fuel cell vehicle and a relay is connected to the connection port to adjust supplying of power to the portable power generator. A fuel cell controller determines whether a vehicle state satisfies a portable power generation mode entering condition when start-up of the fuel cell vehicle is turned on and operates the relay based on a confirmation result to perform portable power generation.

A method of improving the electrical performance of an operating fuel cell catalyst-containing cathode in a fuel cell connected to an electrical load by: reducing the flow of air to the cathode; disconnecting the load from the fuel cell; connecting a potentiostat to the fuel cell; cycling an applied voltage, current, or power to the fuel cell one or more times; disconnecting the potentiostat from the fuel cell; reconnecting the load to the fuel cell; and resuming the flow of air to the cathode.

A method of transmitting electricity including providing a shippable container configured to transport a liquid electrolyte solution to a first charging station. The first charging station is configured to apply electricity to the liquid electrolyte solution. The first charging station charges the liquid electrolyte solution by applying electricity to the liquid electrolyte solution. The charged liquid electrolyte solution is loaded into the shippable container and transported to a discharging station. The electrolyte solution is electrically discharged at the discharging station and subsequently transported to a second charging station.

A fuel cell system includes a battery, a fuel cell configured to generate power in accordance with a load, an inverter configured to convert power output from the fuel cell into alternating-current power and supply the alternating-current power to a motor, and a converter configured to control voltage between the inverter and the fuel cell using power output from the battery. The fuel cell system includes a voltage control unit configured to control the converter such that the voltage between the inverter and the fuel cell does not fall below a voltage lower limit of the inverter, and a lower limit voltage control unit configured to, when power required by the motor increases, cause the voltage between the inverter and the fuel cell to fall below the voltage lower limit of the inverter.

A direct heat to electricity engine includes solid state electrodes of an electrochemically active material that has an electrochemical reaction potential that is temperature dependent. The electrodes are configured in combination with electrolyte separators to form membrane electrode assemblies. The membrane electrode assemblies are grouped into pairs, whereby each membrane electrode assembly of a given pair is ionically and electronically interconnected with the other. One membrane electrode assembly of a given pair is coupled to a heat source with the other to a heat sink. One membrane electrode assembly of the pair is electrically discharged while the other is electrically charged, whereby the net and relative charge between the two remains constant because of the electronic and ionic interconnection and the difference in temperature of the membrane electrode assemblies, and thereby voltage, results in net power generation.

A drive upper limit electrical energy for an air compressor is set variably in correspondence with vehicle velocity Vv. In this manner, for example, surplus power generation electrical energy of a fuel cell stack is consumed (discarded) by the air compressor in a range where NV (noise and vibration) of the air compressor does not give passengers any sense of discomfort.

Some embodiments include an appliance energy source supply system for an energy source supply appliance. The appliance energy source supply system can comprise a first thermal control device and a second thermal control device. The appliance energy source supply system can be configured so that a hydrogen fuel energy source is selectively received by one of the first thermal control device or the second thermal control device before the hydrogen fuel energy source is made available to a receiver vehicle. Other embodiments of related systems, devices, and methods also are provided.

A method of transmitting electricity including providing a shippable container configured to transport a liquid electrolyte solution to a first charging station. The first charging station is configured to apply electricity to the liquid electrolyte solution. The first charging station charges the liquid electrolyte solution by applying electricity to the liquid electrolyte solution. The charged liquid electrolyte solution is loaded into the shippable container and transported to a discharging station. The electrolyte solution is electrically discharged at the discharging station and subsequently transported to a second charging station.

A method of controlling a power supply system for an electric vehicle includes acquiring a first power setpoint value corresponding to the electrical power to be supplied by the battery, determining the electrical power required by the drivetrain and the electrical power required by the at least one auxiliary apparatus, determining the state of the battery, calculating at least one electrical power value to be delivered by the fuel cell, and calculating a second setpoint value for the electrical power to be delivered by the fuel cell. The second setpoint value is optimized so that the fuel cell operates at or near its maximum efficiency point.