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 Title: |
US6306531:
Combustor air flow control method for fuel cell apparatus
[ Derwent Title ]
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| Country: |
US United States of America
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| Inventor: |
Clingerman, Bruce J.; Palmyra, NY
Mowery, Kenneth D.; Noblesville, IN
Ripley, Eugene V.; Russiaville, IN
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| Assignee: |
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI
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| Published / Filed: |
2001-10-23
/ 2000-05-05
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| Application Number: |
US2000000565781
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| IPC Code: |
Advanced:
C01B 3/32;
H01M 8/06;
Core:
C01B 3/00;
more...
IPC-7:
H01M 8/04;
H01M 8/06;
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| ECLA Code: |
C01B3/32B; H01M8/06B2B;
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| U.S. Class: |
Current:
429/019;
429/022;
429/026;
Original:
429/019;
429/022;
429/026;
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| Field of Search: |
429/012,13,16,17,19-22,24-26
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| Government Interest: |
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
The Government of the United States of America has right in this invention pursuant to Agreement No. DE-AC02-90CH10435 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
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| Priority Number: |
| 2000-05-05 |
US2000000565781 |
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| Abstract: |
A method for controlling the heat output of a combustor in a fuel cell apparatus to a fuel processor where the combustor has dual air inlet streams including atmospheric air and fuel cell cathode effluent containing oxygen depleted air. In all operating modes, an enthalpy balance is provided by regulating the quantity of the air flow stream to the combustor to support fuel cell processor heat requirements. A control provides a quick fast forward change in an air valve orifice cross section in response to a calculated predetermined air flow, the molar constituents of the air stream to the combustor, the pressure drop across the air valve, and a look up table of the orifice cross sectional area and valve steps. A feedback loop fine tunes any error between the measured air flow to the combustor and the predetermined air flow.
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| Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Simon, A. Luke ;
Barr, Karl F. ;
Deschere, Linda M. ;
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| Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Chaney, Carol; Tsang, Susy
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| INPADOC Legal Status: |
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Family Legal Status Report
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| Parent Case: |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application discloses subject matter which is disclosed and claimed in co-pending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 09/358,080, now abandoned Attorney Docket No. H-202971, filed Jul. 21, 1999, in the names of David J. Hart-Predmore and William H. Pettit, and entitled "Methanol Tailgas Combustor Control Method," and the continuation thereof filed May 5, 2000 as Ser. No. 09/565,853, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/345,127, filed Jul. 6, 1999, now abandoned, in the names of Bruce J. Clingerman, Kenneth D. Mowery and Eugene V. Ripley, and entitled "Combustor Air Flow Control Method for Fuel Cell Apparatus."
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| Designated Country: |
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
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| Family: |
Show 6 known family members
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First Claim:
Show all 14 claims |
What is claimed is:
1. A method of operating a combustor to heat a fuel processor in a fuel cell apparatus in which the fuel processor generates hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuel for supplying a fuel cell, the fuel cell discharging oxygen containing cathode effluent, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a fuel stream to the combustor;
- (b) providing an air flow stream to the combustor, the air flow stream including at least one of a first air source and the cathode effluent from the fuel cell;
- (c) determining the power input requirement of the fuel processor;
- (d) determining the output power of the combustor to support the determined power requirement of the fuel processor; and
- (e) regulating the air flow stream to the combustor to control the temperature of the combustor, by controlling the effective cross sectional area of an output flow orifice of an air flow regulator in response to the constituent makeup of the air stream.
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| Background / Summary: |
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| Drawing Descriptions: |
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| Description: |
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| Forward References: |
Show 15 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one
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