Improving Durability and Lifespan of Fuel Cells

Improving the durability and conductivity of fuel cell membranes by adding a nanofiber antioxidant, cerium hydrogen phosphate (CeHPO4), to the membrane. The antioxidant scavenges destructive radicals produced in the fuel cell to protect the membrane without reducing proton conductivity like conventional antioxidants. The nanofiber form provides high dispersibility in the membrane. The membranes with dispersed CeHPO4 show improved proton conductivity and durability in fuel cells.

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Improving the durability and lifespan of fuel cells by avoiding stack deterioration due to mixed potential and reverse currents when the fuel cell is restarted after being stopped. The fuel cell deterioration avoidance method involves selectively recirculating air and hydrogen, controlling anode hydrogen pressure, and managing cooling water temperature based on diagnostic criteria like open circuit decay time and current distribution deviation. This prevents degradation by avoiding conditions prone to mixed potential and reverse currents when restarting the fuel cell.

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Hydrogen exhaust device for fuel cell systems that reduces pressure fluctuations and improves electrical performance and system reliability compared to conventional hydrogen exhaust methods. The device includes a steam trap, buffer solenoid valve, buffer tank, and drain solenoid valve. The steam trap collects water from the hydrogen. The buffer tank provides a volume to absorb pressure fluctuations. The buffer solenoid valve allows controlled hydrogen exhaust from the buffer tank to reduce pressure spikes. The drain solenoid valve allows draining of excess water from the steam trap.

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Fuel cell system that enhances fuel cell lifetime by controlling hydrogen partial pressure in the cell membrane. The system calculates the optimal target hydrogen partial pressure based on the catalyst location in the membrane. A controller adjusts the gas supply to achieve the target. This reduces chemical degradation of the membrane. The catalyst suppresses hydrogen peroxide formation when hydrogen is over-rich. By limiting hydrogen partial pressure, the catalyst location maximizes the suppression effect.

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Fuel cell hydrogen supply system that estimates fuel cell deterioration and adjusts hydrogen supply to compensate. The system estimates fuel cell stack deterioration based on changes in pressure when opening/closing a hydrogen supply valve. It uses this estimated deterioration level to estimate the hydrogen concentration. This allows precise control of hydrogen supply to compensate for fuel cell degradation. The system avoids additional sensors by inferring stack degradation from pressure changes during valve operation. This enables accurate control of hydrogen supply to the anode side of the fuel cell as the stack degrades.

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An electrode for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell that contains an antioxidant to improve the durability of the fuel cell. The antioxidant is cerium hydrogen phosphate dispersed as nanofibers. Adding this antioxidant to the catalyst layer of the fuel cell electrode helps protect the membrane from chemical degradation during operation. The antioxidant scavenges radicals that can attack and degrade the electrolyte membrane, thereby minimizing performance loss over time.

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A system and method for purging condensate water and hydrogen from a fuel cell stack in a way that improves operation stability and efficiency by accurately and adaptively managing the purging process. The system includes a purge valve that selectively directs the purged water/hydrogen to either the atmosphere or back into the fuel cell humidifier based on stack pressure and conditions.

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Fuel cell system design that protects hydrogen system components from damage due to loads like impacts. The design uses a layout where hydrogen system components are placed between the fuel cell stack and air system components. This ensures that if the fuel cell system receives a load, it is possible to suitably protect auxiliary devices which are present at positions where the pressure of the hydrogen gas is high. The upstream hydrogen auxiliary device is placed farther away from the air system component than the downstream hydrogen auxiliary device. This protects the upstream device from impacts.

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Fuel cell system that can detect poor quality hydrogen fuel and prevent irreversible degradation of the fuel cell performance. The system uses a pressure sensor to monitor the hydrogen gas pressure in the fuel cell. If, after a certain amount of time, the pressure does not reach expected levels based on the amount of hydrogen supplied, it indicates impurities in the gas. The system then disables power generation to avoid damaging the fuel cell.

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A coating for bipolar plates of fuel cells or electrolyzers that provides improved performance and durability compared to previous coatings. The coating is a solid metallic solution containing iridium or iridium and ruthenium in concentrations of at least 99%. The iridium-rich coating has low electrical resistance like gold but is more stable and less prone to corrosion/dissolution. It can also contain small amounts of other noble metals like platinum or gold. The coating may also have an undercoat layer system containing elements like titanium or niobium. The coating is applied to bipolar plates of fuel cells or electrolyzers to improve their corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity.

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Fuel cell design and manufacturing method to improve durability and adhesion between components. The fuel cell includes a "durability enhancing layer" containing a hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst and hydrogen ion conductive polymer on the side of the fuel cell where the gas diffusion layer contacts the electrolyte-electrode assembly. This layer prevents electrolyte deterioration and improves adhesion.

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Fuel cell purging method for preventing fuel cell deterioration and reducing hydrogen consumption in fuel cell vehicles after long stops. The method involves supplying hydrogen to the anode when negative pressure peaks after the vehicle is stopped. This prevents deterioration without excessive purging. The pressure is monitored and when it reaches zero, hydrogen is supplied so the anode pressure rapidly increases to positive pressure.

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Composite polymer electrolyte membrane for fuel cells manufactured by impregnating a fluorinated porous support with a hydrogen ion conductive electrolyte solution using a spray process and drying it using a spin dry process. This enables filling the support's pores with the electrolyte without voids or defects. The resulting composite membrane has improved characteristics like gas permeability compared to conventional methods.

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Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system that maintains a reducing anode environment after shutdown to reduce anode oxidation. It automatically provides hydrogen to the anode, thermally integrated into the SOFC system and plumbed to deliver hydrogen to an anode flow stream. The hydrogen supply is activated after a transition from steady-state to shutdown, using residual heat to produce hydrogen from a tank and prevent anode oxidation.

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Fuel cell with an anode catalyst layer containing a catalyst and electrically conductive material that has a higher electrical resistance when exposed to oxygen compared to hydrogen. The cathode catalyst layer contains a separate catalyst and electrically conductive material. The resistance difference suppresses anode reactions when fuel is replaced with air, which prevents cathode catalyst degradation.

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