Abstract:
t tAn apparatus (10) configured to determine reactant purity comprising; a first fuel cell (11) configured to generate electrical current from the electrochemical reaction between two reactants having a first reactant inlet (13) configured to receive a test reactant comprising one of the two reactants from a first reactant source (7 5 16); a second fuel cell (12) configured to generate electrical current from the electrochemical reaction between the two reactants having a second reactant inlet (14) configured to receive the test reactant from a second reactant source (5); a controller (20) configured to apply an electrical load to each fuel cell and determine an electrical output difference OD between an electrical output of the first fuel cell (11) and an electrical output of the second fuel cell (12) and determine a difference between a predicted output difference and the determined electrical output difference OD the predicted output difference determined based on a historical output difference and a historical rate of change in said output difference determined at an earlier time said controller (20) configured to provide a purity output indicative of the test reactant purity at least based on the difference between the predicted and determined output difference.
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Notices, Deadlines & Correspondence
Charnwood Building
Holywell Park
Ashby Road
Loughborough LE11 3GB
Inventors
1. PROVOST Michael John
Intelligent Energy Limited
Charnwood Building Holywell Park
Ashby Road
Loughborough LE11 3GB
2. KUPCHO Kevin M
Intelligent Energy Limited
Charnwood Building Holywell Park
Ashby Road
Loughborough LE11 3GB
3. FOSTER Simon Edward
Intelligent Energy Limited
Charnwood Building Holywell Park
Ashby Road
Loughborough LE11 3GB
4. KELLS Ashley James
Intelligent Energy Limited
Charnwood Building Holywell Park
Ashby Road
Loughborough LE11 3GB
Specification
APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING REACTANT PURITY
This invention relates to an apparatus configured to determine the purity of a reactant. In
particular, it relates to an apparatus for determining the purity of a fuel, such as
hydrogen, and/or an oxidant, such as air. It also relates to a filling station or stationary
power device including the apparatus and a method of determining reactant purity.
The use of hydrogen as a fuel for the generation of electrical power in fuel cells is
becoming of increasing importance. Purity of the hydrogen supply is important for
optimal electrical power generation and for maintaining fuel cells using that hydrogen in
optimal condition.
Currently, hydrogen used in fuel cell systems is often synthesized through the steam
reforming of natural methane gas. Even where best quality practices are used, a
number of contaminants may be present in the hydrogen fuel which are harmful to fuel
cell operation. Although the harm is usually reversible, in the worst cases a high degree
of contamination may be present including some compounds which may cause
irreversible harm to the fuel cell.
According to a first aspect of the invention, we provide an apparatus configured to
determine reactant purity comprising;
a first fuel cell configured to generate electrical current from the electrochemical
reaction between two reactants, having a first reactant inlet configured to receive a test
reactant comprising one of the two reactants from a first reactant source;
a second fuel cell configured to generate electrical current from the
electrochemical reaction between the two reactants, having a second reactant inlet
configured to receive the test reactant from a second reactant source;
a controller configured to apply an electrical load to each fuel cell and determine
an electrical output difference, ODt, between an electrical output of the first fuel cell and
an electrical output of the second fuel cell, and determine a difference between a
predicted output difference and the determined electrical output difference, ODt, the
predicted output difference determined based on a historical output difference and a
historical rate of change in said output difference determined at an earlier time,
said controller configured to provide a purity output indicative of the test reactant
purity at least based on the difference between the predicted and determined output
difference.
This is advantageous as it has been found that determining a prediction of what the
output difference is going to be at a later time based on historical measurements and
then, at the later time, determining the output difference and making a comparison
provides an effective way of determining or monitoring reactant purity. The historical
values may comprise a previously determined difference or rate of change or a historical
average of the difference or rate of change.
The controller may be configured to determine at least three indicators at time t using two
of the same indicators previously determined at an earlier time t-1, the indicators
comprising a Deltat indicator representative of the difference between a predicted output
difference and the determined output difference, a smoothed level indicator SLt, and a
rate of change indicator ROCt, wherein;
Deltat = ODt - (SL + At x ROC )
SLt = (SLt-i + At x ROCM ) + x Deltat
ROCt = ROCM + 2 x Deltat
and At comprises the time difference between time t and t-1, and C and a2 comprise
predetermined values, wherein the purity output is determined using said indicators.
These indicators have been found to be effective at identifying deterioration of reactant
quality over time, while being computationally efficient.
The purity output may be determined using the electrical output difference, ODt.
The first reactant source may provide a reference reactant of the test reactant, the
reference reactant having a known purity and the second reactant source provides a fuel
of an unknown purity. The first reactant source may comprise a purification device, the
purification device configured to purify part of the test reactant supplied from the second
reactant source.
Thus, the apparatus is configured to determine the electrical output of two fuel cells that
are substantially identical other than the fuel that is supplied to them. It may be assumed
that the reference reactant is pure while the test reactant has an unknown purity which
the present apparatus may determine relative to the reference reactant.
Optionally the test reactant comprises a fuel. The fuel may comprise hydrogen.
Optionally the test reactant comprises an oxidant, such as atmospheric air. The reactant
may be for supply to a fuel cell power source, such as a fuel cell powered vehicle or a
stationary power device.
The output difference may be determined based on an average of a plurality of sampled
electrical output values from the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell. Thus, a plurality
of output values may be averaged and the difference determined or a plurality of output
differences determined and then averaged. The average may comprise a modal, mean
or median average, measure of central tendency or any other average.
The controller may be configured to determine if the rate of change indicator exceeds a
predetermined threshold range and, if so, provide a warning of changing reactant purity.
The controller may be configured to determine if the smoothed level indicator exceeds a
predetermined threshold range and, if so, provide an indication that the reactant purity is
unacceptable. The controller may be configured to determine if the Delta indicator
exceeds a predetermined threshold range and, if so, provide an indication that the
reactant purity is unacceptable. Thus, the controller may only raise an alarm or warning
if a predetermined threshold is exceeded. Alternatively, it may provide a plurality of
warnings based on a plurality of thresholds.
The apparatus may include a third fuel cell configured to generate electrical current from
the electrochemical reaction between the two reactants, wherein the test reactant
comprises a first test reactant and the other of the two reactants comprises a second test
reactant;
the first fuel cell configured to receive the first test reactant from the first reactant
source and the second test reactant from a fourth reactant source;
the second fuel cell configured to receive the first test reactant from the second
reactant source and the second test reactant from the fourth reactant source;
the third fuel cell configured to receive the first test reactant from the first reactant
source and the second test reactant from a third reactant source,
the controller configured to determine an electrical output difference, ODt,
between an electrical output of the
first and second fuel cell;
first and third fuel cell; and
second and third fuel cell,
the controller configured to give an indication of the first test reactant purity and
the second test reactant purity at least based on a difference between a predicted output
difference and the determined output difference, ODt, the predicted output difference
determined based on a historical output difference and a historical rate of change in said
output difference for each of the output differences.
The first test reactant may comprise a fuel and the second test reactant comprises air;
the first reactant source comprising a pure fuel source; the second reactant source
comprising a fuel source of unknown purity; the third reactant source comprising a pure
air source or an air source of unknown purity and the fourth reactant source comprising
the other of the pure air source and air source of unknown purity.
The controller may be configured to output an indication of the performance difference
between the third fuel cell and the second fuel cell. Thus, the output difference between
second and third fuel cells may provide an indication of fuel cell health.
The first fuel cell may comprise a plurality of series-connected fuel cells in a stack and/or
in which the second fuel cell comprises a plurality of series-connected fuel cells in a
stack.
According to a second aspect of the invention we provide a method for determining an
indication of reactant purity comprising;
measuring an electrical output of a first fuel cell having a load applied thereto and
configured to generate electrical current from the electrochemical reaction between two
reactants, one of the two reactants comprising a test reactant supplied from a first
reactant source to the first fuel cell;
measuring an electrical output of a second fuel cell having a load applied thereto
and configured to generate electrical current from the electrochemical reaction between
the two reactants, the test reactant supplied to the second fuel cell supplied from a
second reactant source;
determining an electrical output difference, ODt, between an electrical output of
the first fuel cell and an electrical output of the second fuel cell,
providing an indication of the test reactant purity at least based on a difference
between a predicted output difference and the determined output difference, the
predicted output difference determined based on a historical output difference and a
historical rate of change in said output difference.
The step of providing an indication may comprise;
determining at least three indicators at time t using two of the same indicators
previously determined at time t-1, the indicators comprising a Delta indicator
representative of the difference between a predicted output difference and the
determined output difference, a smoothed level indicator SU, and a rate of change
indicator ROCt, wherein;
Deltat = ODt - (SLM + At X ROCt- )
SU = (SLt-i + At x ROCn) + x Deltat
ROCt = ROCt-i + a2 x Deltat
and At comprises the time difference between time t and t-1, and c