US5100744A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Fuel cell power generation system
Assignee: Fuji Electric Co Ltd
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Filing: 1991-06-11
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Granted: 1992-03-31
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Expires: 2011-06-11
Abstract
Abstract A single fuel cell stack includes a plurality of divided fuel chambers and a plurality of divided air chambers partitioned or a plurality of fuel cell stacks are connected to each other so that respective fuel chambers and air chambers are connected in series to form a plurality of series fuel chambers and a plurality of an series air chambers. Reaction gas is supplied to selected divided fuel chambers and divided air chambers, or to selected series fuel chambers or series air chambers, selected depending on the stage of load factor.
Inventors
- 👤 Koichi Harashima
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 21:43
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M8/00; H01M8/04; H01M8/04082; H01M8/04089; H01M8/24; H01M8/2465; H01M8/2484; H01M8/249; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/50; Y10; Y10S; Y10S429/00; Y10S429/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
288 words
A fuel cell power generation system comprising: a fuel cell stack made of a laminate of a plurality of unit cells, each of the unit cells having a fuel electrode and an air electrode; a fuel processing apparatus for supplying a fuel gas to the fuel electrode of each of the unit cells in the fuel cell stack; an air supplying apparatus for supplying air for reaction to the air electrode of the fuel cell stack; a power transformer for adjusting output power from the fuel cell stack and supplying the output power to a load; a plurality of fuel gas passages formed on each of the unit cells on its side surface of the fuel cell and each having an inlet port and an outlet port, and a plurality of reaction air passages formed on each of the unit cells on its side surface of the air electrode and each having an inlet port and an outlet port, the fuel gas passages being perpendicular to the air gas passages; and a pair of first manifolds provided one on a side of the inlet port of, and the other on a side of the outlet port of each of the air passages, and a pair of second manifolds provided one on a side of the inlet port of, and the other on a side of the outlet port of each of the fuel passages; wherein each of said first and second manifolds comprises a plurality of component manifold portions divided in a direction of flow of the fuel gas or reaction air; and wherein each of said component manifold portions is provided with flow rate controlling means for controlling flow rate of each of said component manifold portions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
288 words
A fuel cell power generation system comprising: a fuel cell stack made of a laminate of a plurality of unit cells, each of the unit cells having a fuel electrode and an air electrode; a fuel processing apparatus for supplying a fuel gas to the fuel electrode of each of the unit cells in the fuel cell stack; an air supplying apparatus for supplying air for reaction to the air electrode of the fuel cell stack; a power transformer for adjusting output power from the fuel cell stack and supplying the output power to a load; a plurality of fuel gas passages formed on each of the unit cells on its side surface of the fuel cell and each having an inlet port and an outlet port, and a plurality of reaction air passages formed on each of the unit cells on its side surface of the air electrode and each having an inlet port and an outlet port, the fuel gas passages being perpendicular to the air gas passages; and a pair of first manifolds provided one on a side of the inlet port of, and the other on a side of the outlet port of each of the air passages, and a pair of second manifolds provided one on a side of the inlet port of, and the other on a side of the outlet port of each of the fuel passages; wherein each of said first and second manifolds comprises a plurality of component manifold portions divided in a direction of flow of the fuel gas or reaction air; and wherein each of said component manifold portions is provided with flow rate controlling means for controlling flow rate of each of said component manifold portions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
The fuel cell power generation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flow rate controlling means controls a degree of supply of the fuel gas and the reaction air to each of the plurality of the component manifold portions to be set up to one selected from stages of light load factors and switched to another after every predetermined time of operation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
371 words
A fuel cell power generation system comprising: at least four fuel cell stacks each made of a laminate of a plurality of unit cells, each of the unit cells having a fuel electrode and an air electrode; a fuel processing apparatus for supplying a fuel gas to the fuel electrode of each of the unit cells in each of the four fuel cell stacks; an air supplying apparatus for supplying reaction air to the air electrode of each of the unit cells in each of the fuel cell stacks; a power transformer for adjusting output power from each fuel cell stack and supplying the output power to a load connected thereto; a plurality of fuel gas passages formed on each of the unit cells on its side surface of the fuel cell and each having an inlet port and an outlet port, and a plurality of reaction air passages formed on each of the unit cells on its side surface of the air electrode and each having an inlet port and an outlet port, the fuel gas passages being perpendicular to the air gas passages; and a pair of first manifolds provided one on a side of the inlet port of, and the other on a side of the outlet port of each of the air passages, and a pair of second manifolds provided one on a side of the inlet port of, and the other on a side of the outlet port of each of the fuel passages; wherein for at least two of said at least four fuel cell stacks, said fuel gas passages and reaction air passages, respectively, are connected in series, to form a series-connected fuel gas passage assembly having an inlet port and an outlet port, and a series-connected reaction gas passage assembly having an inlet port and an outlet port, respectively; and wherein said first manifolds on respective sides of the inlet port and the outlet port of the series-connected fuel gas passage assembly and said second manifolds on respective sides of the inlet port and outlet port of the series-connected reaction air passage assembly are each provided with flow rate controlling means for controlling flow rate of each of the first and second manifolds.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
371 words
A fuel cell power generation system comprising: at least four fuel cell stacks each made of a laminate of a plurality of unit cells, each of the unit cells having a fuel electrode and an air electrode; a fuel processing apparatus for supplying a fuel gas to the fuel electrode of each of the unit cells in each of the four fuel cell stacks; an air supplying apparatus for supplying reaction air to the air electrode of each of the unit cells in each of the fuel cell stacks; a power transformer for adjusting output power from each fuel cell stack and supplying the output power to a load connected thereto; a plurality of fuel gas passages formed on each of the unit cells on its side surface of the fuel cell and each having an inlet port and an outlet port, and a plurality of reaction air passages formed on each of the unit cells on its side surface of the air electrode and each having an inlet port and an outlet port, the fuel gas passages being perpendicular to the air gas passages; and a pair of first manifolds provided one on a side of the inlet port of, and the other on a side of the outlet port of each of the air passages, and a pair of second manifolds provided one on a side of the inlet port of, and the other on a side of the outlet port of each of the fuel passages; wherein for at least two of said at least four fuel cell stacks, said fuel gas passages and reaction air passages, respectively, are connected in series, to form a series-connected fuel gas passage assembly having an inlet port and an outlet port, and a series-connected reaction gas passage assembly having an inlet port and an outlet port, respectively; and wherein said first manifolds on respective sides of the inlet port and the outlet port of the series-connected fuel gas passage assembly and said second manifolds on respective sides of the inlet port and outlet port of the series-connected reaction air passage assembly are each provided with flow rate controlling means for controlling flow rate of each of the first and second manifolds.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
The fuel cell power generation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said flow rate controlling means controls a degree of supply of the fuel gas or the reaction air to each of the manifolds on the side of the inlet portions to be set up to one selected from stages of light load factors and switched to another after every predetermined time of operation.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-03-31 | 1995-09-30 | 1996-03-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-03-31 | 1999-09-30 | 2000-03-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-03-31 | 2003-09-30 | 2004-03-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |