Hydrogen fueling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021260989-A1
Application number	US-201917274670-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 20, 2019
Priority date	Sep 28, 2018
Publication date	Aug 26, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A hydrogen fueling system for generating hydrogen on demand is described. The system includes an electrolyzer configured to generate at least a predetermined quantity of hydrogen in a predetermined time when operated at no less than a predetermined current density and provided with at least a predetermined electrical energy over the predetermined time, where the predetermined quantity of hydrogen is at least 1 kg of hydrogen, the predetermined time is no more than 30 minutes, and the predetermined current density is at least 5 A/cm 2 . The system may further include an electrical energy storage system electrically connected to the electrolyzer and capable of supplying at least 20% of the predetermined electrical energy over the predetermined time. The electrolyzer may include an anode including a plurality of acicular particles dispersed in an ionomer binder, where the acicular particles include iridium.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A hydrogen fueling system for generating hydrogen on demand, the hydrogen fueling system comprising:
an electrolyzer configured to generate at least a predetermined quantity of hydrogen in a predetermined time when operated at no less than a predetermined current density and provided with at least a predetermined electrical energy over the predetermined time, the predetermined quantity of hydrogen being at least 1 kg of hydrogen, the predetermined time being no more than 30 minutes, the predetermined current density being at least 5 A/cm 2 ; a vehicle tank filling system connected to the electrolyzer and configured to at least partially fill a tank of a vehicle with hydrogen generated by the electrolyzer; and an electrical energy storage system electrically connected to the electrolyzer and capable of supplying at least 20% of the predetermined electrical energy over the predetermined time.

2 . The hydrogen fueling system of claim 1 being supplied with an external power connection configured to recharge the electrical energy storage system.

3 . The hydrogen fueling system of claim 2 having an operating mode wherein the electrolyzer is powered by both the electrical energy storage system and the external power connection.

4 . The hydrogen fueling system of claim 3 having an operating mode wherein the electrolyzer is powered primarily by the electrical energy storage system.

5 . The hydrogen fueling system of claim 2 , wherein the external power connection is not capable of providing the predetermined electrical energy over the predetermined time.

6 . The hydrogen fueling system of claim 1 , wherein at least a predetermined power density is supplied to the electrolyzer over the predetermined time, the predetermined power density being at least 10 W/cm 2 .

7 . The hydrogen fueling system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined electrical energy is at least 35 kWh.

8 . The hydrogen fueling system of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyzer comprises a membrane having an anode disposed thereon, the anode comprising catalyst, the catalyst comprising iridium, an areal loading of the catalyst being less than 3 grams per square meter of the anode.

9 . The hydrogen fueling system of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyzer comprises a membrane having an anode disposed thereon, the anode comprising catalyst, the catalyst comprising iridium, and the electrolyzer is configured to produce hydrogen at a rate of at least 0.2 kilograms of hydrogen per hour per gram of catalyst.

10 . The hydrogen fueling system of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyzer comprises:
a proton-exchange membrane having first and second opposed major surfaces; a cathode on the first major surface of the proton-exchange membrane; and an anode on the second major surface of the proton-exchange membrane, wherein the anode comprises (a) an ionomer binder; and (b) a plurality of acicular particles dispersed throughout the ionomer binder, the acicular particles comprising an elongated core with a layer of catalytic material on at least one portion of a surface of the elongated core, the catalytic material comprising iridium.

11 . The hydrogen fueling system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical energy storage system is capable of supplying at least 2 times the predetermined electrical energy over the predetermined time.

12 . A hydrogen fueling system for generating hydrogen on demand, the hydrogen fueling system comprising:
an electrolyzer configured to generate hydrogen, the electrolyzer comprising:
a proton-exchange membrane having first and second opposed major surfaces;
a cathode on the first major surface of the proton-exchange membrane; and
an anode on the second major surface of the proton-exchange membrane; and
a vehicle tank filling system connected to the electrolyzer and configured to at least partially fill a tank of a vehicle with hydrogen generated by the electrolyzer,
wherein the anode comprises (a) an ionomer binder; and (b) a plurality of acicular particles dispersed throughout the ionomer binder, the acicular particles comprising an elongated core with a layer of catalytic material on at least one portion of a surface of the elongated core, the catalytic material comprising iridium, the elongated core comprising at least one of a polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon, heterocyclic compounds, or combinations thereof.

13 . The hydrogen fueling system of claim 12 , wherein the acicular particles are substantially free of platinum.

14 . The hydrogen fueling system of claim 12 , wherein the proton-exchange membrane comprises at least one of metallic Pt or Pt oxide.

15 . The hydrogen fueling system of claim 12 , wherein the anode comprises less than 54 percent by volume of the acicular particles.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Johnston Raymond P
• Steinbach Andrew J L
• Lewinski Krzysztof A
• Sun Fuxia
• Haug Andrew T
• Abulu John E
• Luopa Sean M
• Park Jiyoung
• Molnar Attila
• Bedoya Cedric

Classifications

• B60K2015/03315

  for hydrogen · CPC title

• Y02E60/36

  Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis · CPC title

• B60K15/03 Primary

  Fuel tanks · CPC title

• F17C2270/0184

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• C25B15/02

  Process control or regulation · CPC title