Fuel cell based power generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11011765-B2
Application number	US-201916353985-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2019
Priority date	Mar 14, 2019
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

A fuel cell based power generator includes a fuel cell element, an ambient air path configured to receive ambient air and provide the ambient air across a cathode side of the fuel cell element, receive water from the fuel cell element and provide wet air to the water exchanger element, and a fuel cell cooling mechanism associated with the fuel cell element, separate from the ambient air path and configured to cool the fuel cell element.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A fuel cell based power generator, comprising:
a fuel cell element;
a hydrogen generator element having a hydride composition configured to generate hydrogen in response to receiving water vapor;
a water exchanger element;
an ambient air path configured to receive ambient air and provide the ambient air across a cathode side of the fuel cell element, receive water from the fuel cell element and provide wet air to the water exchanger element, wherein the water exchanger element is coupled to the ambient air path downstream from the fuel cell element and coupled to extract water from air in the ambient air path and provide water vapor to the hydrogen generator element; and
a fuel cell cooling mechanism associated with the fuel cell element, separate from the ambient air path and configured to cool the fuel cell element.

2. The fuel cell based power generator of claim 1 and further comprising an anode loop coupled to receive water from the water exchanger element, provide the water to the hydrogen generator, and recirculate hydrogen to an anode side of the fuel cell.

3. The fuel cell based power generator claim 2 and further comprising
power management circuitry coupled to the fuel cell element to receive electricity generated by the fuel cell element and provide electricity to a load;
a charge storage device for storing electricity generated by the fuel cell element;
a fuel cell temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature of the fuel cell element; and
a controller to control fuel cell cooling mechanism based on the sensed temperature of the fuel cell element.

4. The fuel cell based power generator of claim 3 , further including a blower coupled to the controller to adjust the speed of fluid moving through the recirculating hydrogen path based on fluid loop pressure measured via a pressure sensor.

5. The fuel cell based power generator of claim 2 , further comprising:
a hydrogen generator element temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature of the hydrogen generator element; and
a cooling mechanism associated with the hydrogen generator and configured to control a speed of a fan configured to control the hydrogen generator temperature based on the sensed hydrogen generator temperature.

6. The fuel cell based power generator claim 2 , wherein the anode loop comprises a secondary path to provide hydrogen to the anode of the fuel cell element, and a primary path coupled to recirculate hydrogen in a loop including the water exchanger element and the hydrogen generator.

7. The fuel cell based power generator of claim 6 , wherein the secondary path includes a purge valve to purge inert material into the ambient air path.

8. The fuel cell based power generator of claim 2 , further comprising:
a water exchanger element temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature of the water exchanger element;
a recirculating hydrogen path heat exchanger with fan disposed in the anode loop coupled to the water exchanger element;
an ambient air path water heat exchanger element with fan disposed in the ambient air path coupled to the water exchanger element.

9. The fuel cell based power generator of claim 2 , wherein the system includes a speed control for a cooling mechanism associated with the hydrogen generator.

10. The fuel cell based power generator of claim 2 , wherein the first water exchanger element is coupled to receive wet air from the ambient air path, dry hydrogen from the recirculating hydrogen path, exhaust dryer air, and provide wet hydrogen to the hydrogen generator element via the anode loop.

11. The fuel cell based power generator of claim 10 and further comprising a second water exchanger element coupled to receive the dryer air from the first water exchanger and provide water extracted from the received dryer air to the ambient air path upstream from the fuel cell cathode.

12. A fuel cell based power generator, comprising:
a fuel cell element;
a first water exchanger element and a second water exchanger element;
a hydrogen generator element;
an ambient air path configured to receive ambient air and provide the ambient air across a cathode side of the fuel cell element, receive water from the fuel cell element and provide wet air to at least one of the first and second water exchanger elements; and
a recirculating hydrogen path having a first path and a second path, the second path configured to receive hydrogen from the hydrogen generator element, provide the hydrogen, via the second path that passes adjacent an anode side of the fuel cell element and configured to provide dry hydrogen back to the hydrogen generator, via the first path.

13. The fuel cell based power generator of claim 12 , wherein the first water exchanger element transfers water from the ambient air path to the recirculating hydrogen path.

14. A fuel cell based power generator, comprising:
a fuel cell element;
a first water exchanger element;
a hydrogen generator element;
an ambient air path configured to receive ambient air and provide the ambient air across a cathode side of the fuel cell element, receive water from the fuel cell element and provide wet air to the first water exchanger element; and
a recirculating hydrogen path having a first path and a second path, the second path configured to receive hydrogen from the hydrogen generator element, provide the hydrogen, via the second path that passes adjacent an anode side of the fuel cell element and configured to provide dry hydrogen back to the hydrogen generator, via the first path.

15. The fuel cell based power generator of claim 14 , wherein the first water exchanger element transfers water from the ambient air path to the recirculating hydrogen path.

16. The fuel cell based power generator of claim 15 an further including a second water exchanger coupled to transfer heat and water vapor from the ambient airpath downstream from the first water exchanger to the ambient airpath upstream of the fuel cell element.

17. The fuel cell based power generator claim 15 and further comprising
power management circuitry coupled to the fuel cell element to receive electricity generated by the fuel cell element and provide electricity to a load;
a charge storage device for storing electricity generated by the fuel cell element;
a fuel cell temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature of the fuel cell element; and
a controller to control fuel cell cooling mechanism based on the sensed temperature of the fuel cell element.

18. The fuel cell based power generator of claim 17 , further including a blower coupled to the controller to adjust the speed of fluid moving through the recirculating hydrogen path based on fluid loop pressure measured via a pressure sensor.

19. The fuel cell based power generator of claim 18 , further comprising:
a hydrogen generator element temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature of the hydrogen generator element; and
a cooling mechanism associated with the hydrogen generator and configured to control a speed of a fan configured to control the hydrogen generator temperature based on the sensed hydrogen generator temperature.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Klein Jeffrey Michael
• Eickhoff Steven J
• Koeneman Paul Bryant

Classifications

• H01M8/0606

  with means for production of gaseous reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04365

  of other components of a fuel cell or fuel cell stacks · CPC title

• H01M8/04828

  Humidity; Water content · CPC title

• Y02T90/40

  Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04007

  related to heat exchange · CPC title