| CPC H01M 8/2475 (2013.01) [B60L 58/32 (2019.02); H01M 8/04089 (2013.01); H01M 8/04231 (2013.01); H01M 8/04365 (2013.01); H01M 8/0438 (2013.01); H01M 8/0444 (2013.01); H01M 8/04746 (2013.01); H01M 8/0662 (2013.01); B60L 2200/10 (2013.01); H01M 2250/20 (2013.01)] | 10 Claims |
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising
at least one fuel cell stack having a cathode side and an anode side,
a housing which surrounds the at least one fuel cell stack,
a housing purging air inlet,
an air-conveying installation which is disposed on the housing purging air inlet,
a housing purging air outlet,
an oxidation catalyst,
at least one temperature sensor,
a control unit, and
an anode purging device, coupled to the control unit, for purging the anode side of the at least one fuel cell stack,
wherein the air-conveying installation is configured to continuously direct an airflow into the housing purging air inlet,
wherein the oxidation catalyst is disposed downstream of the housing purging air outlet and is configured to catalytically combust hydrogen and oxygen,
wherein the at least one temperature sensor is disposed on the oxidation catalyst and is configured to detect a temperature of the oxidation catalyst as an item of information pertaining to a volumetric flow of hydrogen that occurs outside a fuel cell process and is to be discharged, and
wherein the control unit is coupled to the at least one temperature sensor and to the air-conveying installation and is configured to receive a temperature detected by the at least one temperature sensor and to therefrom determine variations of a concentration of hydrogen or to determine a concentration of hydrogen,
wherein the anode purging device has at least one purging valve which is disposed between an anode outlet and the oxidation catalyst, and
wherein the control unit, by selectively opening the at least one purging valve, is configured to direct a flow of hydrogen through the anode side to the oxidation catalyst, to purge the anode side,
wherein the at least one fuel cell stack comprises a plurality of fuel cell stacks,
wherein the at least one purging valve comprises a plurality of purging valves, each of which is fluidically connected between a different fuel cell stack and the oxidation catalyst, and
wherein the control unit is configured to open the plurality of purging valves at least one of successively or not simultaneously.
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