IdaTech (Bend, OR), a subsidiary of IDACORP Inc. (Boise, ID), has received its fifth fuel cell system patent, US Patent No. 6,242,120, which covers the mechanism that synchronizes the purging of the fuel cell stack with the rate at which water is produced. It protects IdaTech's system from unauthorized use or manufacture.
"Our optimized purge cycle helps maximize the fuel cell's use of the hydrogen fuel," said Dr. David Edlund, IdaTech's senior vice president and CTO. "Our optimization method is done automatically and responds precisely to the load placed on the fuel cell system. That responsiveness ensures that optimal performance occurs over a wide range of operating conditions."
This is an important step forward in our efforts to bring an efficient fuel cell system to market," said IdaTech president and CEO Claude Duss. "Optimizing system operations is crucial to building product reliability and efficiency, and this patent solidifies and protects one of our areas of technical advantage."
