Systems and methods for uav fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017200961-A1
Application number	US-201715470572-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2017
Priority date	Jul 6, 2015
Publication date	Jul 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices are provided herein for removing a byproduct of a fuel cell from a vehicle. The vehicle comprises a fuel cell and a venting system. The fuel cell is in communication with a fuel storage container. The fuel is configured to generate electricity and a byproduct, by reacting a first fuel from the fuel storage container with a second fuel through an electrochemical reaction. The venting system is configured to expose the byproduct to forced convection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
a fuel cell in communication with a fuel storage container, wherein the fuel cell is configured to generate electricity and a byproduct, by reacting a first fuel from the fuel storage container with a second fuel through an electrochemical reaction; and a venting system configured to expose the byproduct to forced convection.

2 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the byproduct is evaporated and removed from the UAV via the forced convection through the venting system.

3 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the forced convection is generated with aid of one or more propulsion units of the UAV that generates airflow over the byproduct, and wherein said propulsion units include at least one propeller.

4 . The UAV of claim 3 , wherein the one or more propulsion units of the vehicle are configured to force air from an ambient environment to (1) flow into at least one arm of the UAV and (2) flow along said arm to a central cavity of the UAV.

5 . The UAV of claim 4 , wherein the fuel cell is stored within the central cavity of the UAV.

6 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the first fuel comprises hydrogen and the second fuel comprises oxygen.

7 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the fuel storage container comprises a conformable bag having a chamber configured to store the first fuel.

8 . The UAV of claim 7 , wherein the bag is made of a light-weight polymer comprising polyester, polyester fiber, mylar, or reinforced nylon.

9 . The UAV of claim 8 , wherein the bag is made of a flame-resistant material.

10 . The UAV of claim 7 , wherein the fuel storage container further comprises a storage case integrally connected to a central body of the UAV, and wherein the storage case is configured to store the bag therein and protect the bag from external impact and damage.

11 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the fuel storage container is connected to the fuel cell via an air duct.

12 . The UAV of claim 11 , further comprising a control module configured to control flow of the first fuel from the fuel storage container to the fuel cell.

13 . The UAV of claim 12 , wherein the control module is configured to control an on/off state, flow rate, and/or flow pressure of the first fuel along the air duct.

14 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the fuel storage container provides a lift force to the UAV when the first fuel is being stored in the fuel storage container.

15 . The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising an electrolysis module configured to generate the first fuel from a liquid byproduct of the electrochemical reaction.

16 . The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising at least one solar cell configured to convert solar energy to electrical energy.

17 . The UAV of claim 16 , wherein the electrical energy from the solar cell is used to (1) power the electrolysis module to generate the first fuel from the liquid byproduct, and/or (2) power one or more components of the UAV.

18 . A method of handling a byproduct generated from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
generating electricity and the byproduct, with aid of a fuel cell and a fuel storage container onboard the UAV, by reacting a first fuel from the fuel storage container with a second fuel through an electrochemical reaction; and exposing the byproduct to forced convection with aid of a venting system.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising: evaporating and removing the byproduct from the UAV via the forced convection through the venting system.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the first fuel comprises hydrogen that is stored in the fuel storage container, and wherein the second fuel comprises oxygen from an ambient environment.

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zheng Dayang
• Wang Lei
• Wang Wentao
• Zhan Juncheng
• Xu Bogao

Classifications

• H01M8/04208

  Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs · CPC title

• H01M8/04776

  at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformer, compressor, burner · CPC title

• H01M8/0662

  Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M2250/402

  Combination of fuel cell with other electric generators · CPC title