US3773559A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Hydraulic type voltage control for a battery of series connected fuel cells
Assignee: Cegelec SA
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Filing: 1971-09-27
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Granted: 1973-11-20
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Expires: 1991-09-27
Abstract
Abstract In a battery of several fuel cells connected in series and supplied with a common recycled electrolyte flow, the first cell 1 is continuously supplied with an adjustable flow of energizing reagent, the adjustment being over a range carrying the voltage across the terminals of the cell between minimum and maximum working value. Each of the other cells (2, 3, 4), which may or may not be supplied with reagent during the use of the battery, is shunted by a rectifier (16, 17, 18) that allows current to pass in the direction of the normal discharge current of the battery as a whole, and the group of cells is supplied with energizing reagent having a total flow subject to adjustment between the flow necessary to obtain the minimum voltage at the terminals of the first cell and that which provides the maximum voltage at the terminals of the battery, this total flow being made up of a variable number of individual cell flows such that at a given moment, ratio between the flow at that moment and the maximum flow is the same for all the cells being energized. This system is particularly applicable to motors for propelling land vehicles.
Inventors
- 👤 B Warszawski
- 👤 B Verger
- 👤 P Domenjoud
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 16:04
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M8/00; H01M8/04; H01M8/24; H01M8/249; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
245 words
A system for voltage control of a plurality of fuel cells comprising means common to all said cells of the plurality to circulate electrolyte to all said cells; means to electrically connect at least one cell in series with all the other cells of said plurality of cells, all said cells being poled alike; a rectifier shunting each of said all other cells so poled to pass electric current in the normal direction of discharge of each cell of said all other cells; means to control electrolyte flow to said at least one cell to be continuously supplied with energizing reagent, the flow of said reagent being regulated within a flow range so that said at least one cell will have an output voltage betwen a minimum and maximum working voltage thereof; and flow control means for regulating the flow of energizing reagent, selectively, through any one of the other cells of said plurality of cells, between (a) shut-off, (b) a minimum amount sufficient so tHat the respective cell will have a minimum working voltage and (c) a maximum flow so that said respectively controlled cell will have maximum working voltage, to provide for reagent flow through all the cells which have, selectively, at any given instant of time reagent applied thereto, of such magnitude that the ratio of the flow of reagent with respect to the maximum reagent flow in all of the cells which are then being energized with reagent, is the same.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
245 words
A system for voltage control of a plurality of fuel cells comprising means common to all said cells of the plurality to circulate electrolyte to all said cells; means to electrically connect at least one cell in series with all the other cells of said plurality of cells, all said cells being poled alike; a rectifier shunting each of said all other cells so poled to pass electric current in the normal direction of discharge of each cell of said all other cells; means to control electrolyte flow to said at least one cell to be continuously supplied with energizing reagent, the flow of said reagent being regulated within a flow range so that said at least one cell will have an output voltage betwen a minimum and maximum working voltage thereof; and flow control means for regulating the flow of energizing reagent, selectively, through any one of the other cells of said plurality of cells, between (a) shut-off, (b) a minimum amount sufficient so tHat the respective cell will have a minimum working voltage and (c) a maximum flow so that said respectively controlled cell will have maximum working voltage, to provide for reagent flow through all the cells which have, selectively, at any given instant of time reagent applied thereto, of such magnitude that the ratio of the flow of reagent with respect to the maximum reagent flow in all of the cells which are then being energized with reagent, is the same.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system according to claim 1 in which said flow control means is adapted to effectuate the control of the flow of said reagent at least in part prior to its introduction into said electrolyte.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system, according to claim 2 in which said flow control means is adapted to control the flow of said reagent completely prior to its introduction into said electrolyte and also adapted to maintain constant the flow of said electrolyte.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system according to claim 1 in which said flow control means is adapted to control the flow of said reagent at least in part after its introduction into said electrolyte by variation of the flow of said electrolyte.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
209 words
A voltage controllable fuel cell battery having a plurality of fuel cells electrically connected in series and supplied in parallel with electrolyte from a common recirculation system comprising, in addition to said fuel cells and said electrolyte recirculation system: means for admitting energizing reagent to the parallel branches of said electrolyte recirculation system, means for controlling the supply of reagent to at least one cell of said battery in amounts such that said at least one cell thereof is continuously supplied, while said battery is in operation, with a flow of reagent at least sufficient for a minimum useful electrical output; means for selectively, progressively controlling the supply of reagent to additional cells as the contribution of their electromotive force is required to maintain a desired current, in amounts such that all cells which are being, selectively, simultaneously supplied with reagent at a particular time, shall be fed approximately the same proportion of actual reagent flow with respect to full output reagent flow of the respective cells being supplied with reagent flow, and rectifiers respectively shunting each of said cells other than said at least one cell or cells, said rectifiers being so poled as to favor the passage of current in the normal discharge direction for said battery.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
209 words
A voltage controllable fuel cell battery having a plurality of fuel cells electrically connected in series and supplied in parallel with electrolyte from a common recirculation system comprising, in addition to said fuel cells and said electrolyte recirculation system: means for admitting energizing reagent to the parallel branches of said electrolyte recirculation system, means for controlling the supply of reagent to at least one cell of said battery in amounts such that said at least one cell thereof is continuously supplied, while said battery is in operation, with a flow of reagent at least sufficient for a minimum useful electrical output; means for selectively, progressively controlling the supply of reagent to additional cells as the contribution of their electromotive force is required to maintain a desired current, in amounts such that all cells which are being, selectively, simultaneously supplied with reagent at a particular time, shall be fed approximately the same proportion of actual reagent flow with respect to full output reagent flow of the respective cells being supplied with reagent flow, and rectifiers respectively shunting each of said cells other than said at least one cell or cells, said rectifiers being so poled as to favor the passage of current in the normal discharge direction for said battery.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
218 words
A method to start electric devices with progressively increasing voltage, supplied by a fuel cell battery including n identical cells having a common recirculated electrolyte supply and individual energizing reagent supplies, including the following steps: a first feeding a first cell with reagent at a progressively increasing flow rate until the voltage of said battery reaches a given value UM, b then simultaneously feeding a second cell with reagent and decreasing the reagent flow rate of said first cell, in such proportion that both flow rates are equal, until the battery voltage of both cells equals UM, c simultaneously increasing the reagent flow rates of both cells, in such proportion that the flow rates remain equal to one another, until the battery voltage reaches 2 UM, d then simultaneously feeding a third cell with reagent and decreasing the reagent flow rates of said first and second cells in such proportion that the three flow rates are equal and that the battery voltage of all three cells equals 2 UM, e increasing the reagent flow rates of said three cells in such proportion that they remain equal to each other until the battery voltage is 3 UM, f supplying the other cells with reagent, one after the other, in the same manner, until the voltage battery reaches n UM.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
218 words
A method to start electric devices with progressively increasing voltage, supplied by a fuel cell battery including n identical cells having a common recirculated electrolyte supply and individual energizing reagent supplies, including the following steps: a first feeding a first cell with reagent at a progressively increasing flow rate until the voltage of said battery reaches a given value UM, b then simultaneously feeding a second cell with reagent and decreasing the reagent flow rate of said first cell, in such proportion that both flow rates are equal, until the battery voltage of both cells equals UM, c simultaneously increasing the reagent flow rates of both cells, in such proportion that the flow rates remain equal to one another, until the battery voltage reaches 2 UM, d then simultaneously feeding a third cell with reagent and decreasing the reagent flow rates of said first and second cells in such proportion that the three flow rates are equal and that the battery voltage of all three cells equals 2 UM, e increasing the reagent flow rates of said three cells in such proportion that they remain equal to each other until the battery voltage is 3 UM, f supplying the other cells with reagent, one after the other, in the same manner, until the voltage battery reaches n UM.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
Method according to claim 6, wherein the device it an electric d-c motor comprising the step of connecting n-1 rectifiers, one each, in parallel with n-1 cells omitting the first cell, and connecting the motor across the battery.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-19 | 1977-05-21 | 1977-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-19 | 1981-05-21 | 1981-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-19 | 1985-05-21 | 1985-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |