An air compression system for a fuel cell system, the air compression system has a main air compressor with a maximum air flow output approximately equal to a continuous mode air flow requirement of the fuel cell system. The main air compressor weighs less than an air compressor having a maximum air flow output approximately equal to a peak air flow requirement of the fuel cell system such that the weight of the air compression system is reduced compared to a conventional air compression system. The air compression system also includes a supplemental oxygen supply system which is fluidically coupled with the fuel cell system.

A system for generating electrical power includes an electrochemical cell including a cathode and an anode separated by an electrolyte, a cathode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the cathode including a cathode-side inlet and a cathode-side outlet, and an anode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the anode including an anode-side inlet and an anode-side outlet. The system also includes: a reactant source in operative fluid communication with the anode-side inlet; an oxygen generator in operative fluid communication with the cathode-side inlet, including a combustible composition comprising a fuel and a salt that thermally decomposes to release oxygen; and an electrical connection between the electrochemical cell and a power sink.

In an embodiment a system includes a fuel cell, a bus bar having one end portion configured to be electrically connected to the fuel cell, the bus bar being electrically conductive, a terminal block configured to be electrically connected to an opposite end portion of the bus bar, a junction box including a chamber storing a coolant and a tube forming a path to allow the coolant to flow from the chamber to a cover of the terminal block and an insulation protection unit disposed to surround at least a portion of the bus bar to electrically insulate the bus bar from the fuel cell, the insulation protection unit having a flow path to allow the coolant supplied from the cover to flow therethrough.

An environmental control system assembly for an aircraft is provided. The assembly includes: an environmental control system; a fuel cell assembly in electrical communication with the environmental control system for providing electrical power to the environmental control system; and a controller operably connected to the fuel cell assembly, the controller operable to modulate an amount of power generated by the fuel cell assembly and provided to the environmental control system based on load forecasting data from an ECS load forecasting module of the controller.

Recognizing the fact of extremely low utilization of peak power (especially in the aviation use case), we propose a novel approach to significantly reduce the size and weight of the system by downsizing the main air compressor to match the air flow required to produce the desired continuous power (e.g., 55% of the peak power rating for the aviation applications, etc.), and provide the supplemental oxygen flow from an on-board high-pressure oxygen tank.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack having a hydrogen hole in which hydrogen gas passes, a hydrogen-related auxiliary machine, and a hydrogen pipe that connects the hydrogen hole and the hydrogen-related auxiliary machine. The hydrogen pipe includes a liquid retention part that is located below the hydrogen hole, and a connecting point between the hydrogen pipe and the hydrogen-related auxiliary machine in a gravity direction.

A method of operating a power generator having a first electrical output electrically connected to a utility grid and a second electrical output electrically connected to a load includes detecting if the first electrical output of the power generator is electrically disconnected from the utility grid, and electrically connecting at least a neutral line of the first electrical output to ground in response to detecting that the first output is electrically disconnected from the utility grid.

A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell unit; first and second supply systems; a switching device; a switching control unit; an open circuit voltage obtaining unit; and a supply system control unit.

A water content estimation method includes: measuring, by a temperature sensor, the temperature of coolant for cooling a fuel cell stack; calculating, by a water content calculator, a current heat capacity of the fuel cell stack based on the measured temperature of coolant; and estimating, by the water content calculator, a water content of the fuel cell stack based on the calculated current heat capacity of the fuel cell stack.

A system for generating electrical power includes an electrochemical cell including a cathode and an anode separated by an electrolyte, a cathode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the cathode including a cathode-side inlet and a cathode-side outlet, and an anode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the anode including an anode-side inlet and an anode-side outlet. The system also includes: a reactant source in operative fluid communication with the anode-side inlet; an oxygen generator in operative fluid communication with the cathode-side inlet, including a combustible composition comprising a fuel and a salt that thermally decomposes to release oxygen; and an electrical connection between the electrochemical cell and a power sink.