Multi-stack electrochemical cell system and method of use

Abstract

An electrochemical cell stack system may include a plurality of cell stacks fluidly connected by a plurality of first conduits to form a loop of cell stacks. At least one first valve may be located on each first conduit and may be capable of a closed configuration and an open configuration. Each of the cell stacks may have an input end for receiving a first fluid and an output end for discharging a second fluid. The system may deliver the first fluid from the fluid source to the input end of a first cell stack of the plurality of cell stacks via a first input line of a plurality of input lines and may receive the second fluid from the output end of a second cell stack of the plurality of cell stacks via a first output line of a plurality of output lines.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrochemical cell stack system comprising:
 a plurality of cell stacks fluidly connected to each other to form a loop,   wherein fluid flows between the plurality of cell stacks in the loop, and wherein the system is configured to substantially prevent the flow of fluid between any two of the cell stacks, and wherein the system is configured to switch which two cell stacks of the plurality of cell stacks that the flow of fluid is prevented from flowing between.   
     
     
         2 . The electrochemical cell stack system of  claim 1 , wherein the cell stacks between which fluid is substantially prevented from flowing at a given time include a first cell stack and a second cell stack, wherein the first cell stack is configured to receive a first fluid from a fluid source and is configured to discharge the first fluid consecutively to the next of the plurality of cell stacks in the loop, and wherein the second cell stack is the last cell stack in the loop to receive the first fluid, and wherein the second cell stack is configured to discharge a second fluid to a purge valve. 
     
     
         3 . The electrochemical cell stack system of  claim 2 , wherein the second fluid includes a higher concentration of contaminants than the first fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The electrochemical cell stack system of  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of cell stacks is fluidly connected in the loop by a plurality of conduits, and each of the plurality of conduits includes a valve configured to switch between a first configuration in which fluid flow between connected fuel cell stacks is substantially prevented and a second configuration in which fluid flow between connected fuel cell stacks is permitted. 
     
     
         5 . The electrochemical cell stack system of  claim 2 , further comprising an inlet valve fluidly connecting the fluid source to a plurality of inlet lines, wherein the inlet valve is fluidly connected to each of the plurality of cell stacks via one of the plurality of inlet lines, and is configured to receive the first fluid from the fluid source and deliver the first fluid to the first cell stack via one of the plurality of inlet lines at a time. 
     
     
         6 . The electrochemical cell stack system of  claim 2 , further comprising a controller operatively connected to an inlet valve and an outlet valve and configured to switch which cell stacks of the plurality of cell stacks that the flow of fluid is prevented from flowing between. 
     
     
         7 . The electrochemical cell stack system of  claim 6 , further comprising at least one measuring device configured to measure at least one parameter of the system, wherein the controller switches which cell stacks of the plurality of cell stacks that the flow of fluid is prevented from flowing between based on the at least one measured parameter. 
     
     
         8 . The electrochemical cell stack system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one parameter includes voltage. 
     
     
         9 . The electrochemical cell stack system of  claim 8 , wherein each of the cell stacks includes a plurality of individual cells, and wherein voltage is measured based on one of the plurality of individual cells in a cell stack, an average voltage of the individual cells in a cell stack, or a maximum voltage of the plurality of individual cells of a cell stack. 
     
     
         10 . The electrochemical cell stack system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cells stacks is fluidly connected to at least three other cell stacks. 
     
     
         11 . The electrochemical cell stack system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cell stacks includes at least one of a hydrogen compressor or a hydrogen purifier.