Chemical hydride ambulatory power source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11469434-B2
Application number	US-201916552361-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2019
Priority date	Sep 26, 2018
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A power source includes a container, a fuel cell stack disposed within the container, the fuel cell stack having an anode side and a cathode side, a hydrogen producing fuel disposed within the container and positioned to provide hydrogen to anode side of the fuel cell stack, and a pump disposed within the hydrogen producing fuel to circulate water vapor through the hydrogen producing fuel. A capacitor may be coupled to receive electricity generated by the fuel cell stack.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power source comprising:
a container;
a fuel cell stack disposed within the container, the fuel cell stack having an anode side and a cathode side;
a mass of hydrogen producing fuel disposed within the container and positioned to provide hydrogen to the anode side of the fuel cell stack; and
a pump disposed within the mass of hydrogen producing fuel creating internal convective currents to circulate water vapor through the hydrogen producing fuel.

2. The power source of claim 1 and further comprising a capacitor coupled to receive electricity generated by the fuel cell stack.

3. The power source of claim 2 wherein the capacitor forms a base of the container.

4. The power source of claim 2 wherein the capacitor comprises a lithium capacitor.

5. The power source of claim 1 wherein a side of the container proximate the fuel cell stack contains pinholes to restrict gas flow from ambient to the fuel cell stack.

6. The power source of claim 1 wherein the pump comprises a membrane diaphragm pump disposed within and surrounded by the mass of fuel.

7. The power source of claim 6 wherein the pump comprises a micro pump having two independently actuatable membranes.

8. The power source of claim 7 wherein the pump comprises two sections forming a cavity, each section having a port, and wherein the membranes are sandwiched between the two sections and actuatable to pump air between the cavity and the fuel through the ports.

9. The power source of claim 1 wherein the hydrogen producing fuel comprises a hydride fuel.

10. The power source of claim 9 wherein the hydride fuel comprises lithium aluminum hydride (LAH).

11. The power source of claim 1 and further comprising an insulator positioned around at least a portion of the container.

12. The power source of claim 11 wherein the insulator comprises a vacuum between two layers.

13. The power source of claim 12 wherein the vacuum is formed by an evacuated silica plus fiberglass foam.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Eickhoff Steven J
• Klein Jeffrey Michael

Classifications

• H01M8/2475

  Enclosures, casings or containers of fuel cell stacks · CPC title

• H01M8/04201

  Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes · CPC title

• H01M8/065

  by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances · CPC title

• H01M8/2457 Primary

  with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised · CPC title

• H01M8/04089

  of gaseous reactants · CPC title