Fuel cell startup/shutdown degradation mitigation by removal of oxygen ad/absorption media

摘要

A fuel cell system 10 comprises at least one fuel cell 21 including an anode for receiving hydrogen and a cathode for receiving an air source containing oxygen, the system further comprising a purification unit 85 fluidly connected to the anode, wherein the purification unit is configured to reduce the amount of oxygen exiting the unit prior to being directed to the anode. The purification unit preferably contains a regenerable oxygen capture media 86 configured to at least one of adsorb and absorb oxygen. The oxygen capture media may contain at least one of nickel, copper, zinc oxide and carbon. A method of reducing degradation of a fuel cell 21 during start-up and shut-down cycles comprises fluidly connecting the anode exhaust stream 26 from a fuel cell to an absorption module 85 containing an oxygen capture media 86 to remove oxygen from the exhaust stream and directing the anode exhaust downstream of the absorption module to the anode fuel inlet prior to start-up.