Hydrogen-generating fuel cell cartridges

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9337501-B2
Application number	US-201113336765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2011
Priority date	Jul 29, 2003
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

The present application is directed to a gas-generating apparatus and various pressure regulators or pressure-regulating valves. Hydrogen is generated within the gas-generating apparatus and is transported to a fuel cell. The transportation of a first fuel component to a second fuel component to generate of hydrogen occurs automatically depending on the pressure of a reaction chamber within the gas-generating apparatus. The pressure regulators and flow orifices are provided to regulate the hydrogen pressure and to minimize the fluctuation in pressure of the hydrogen received by the fuel cell. Connecting valves to connect the gas-generating apparatus to the fuel cell are also provided.

First claim

We claim:

1. A pressure regulator comprising a movable pressure-responsive member disposed in a housing member, an inlet and an outlet, wherein the movable pressure member moves in response to an inlet pressure of the inlet and an outlet pressure of the outlet, wherein the pressure regulator is fluidically connected to a gas-generating apparatus and at least one of the inlet and outlet pressure is a pressure of the gas-generating apparatus,
wherein the movable pressure-responsive member defines a channel therein and wherein a fluid selectively passes from the inlet through said channel and to the outlet;
wherein the movable pressure-responsive member comprises an upper end proximate to the inlet and a lower end proximate to the outlet, and wherein the lower end is larger than the upper end.

2. The pressure regulator of claim 1 , wherein the movable pressure-responsive member is also exposed to a reference pressure.

3. The pressure regulator of claim 2 , wherein the reference pressure acts on the lower end.

4. The pressure regulator of claim 1 , wherein the movable pressure-responsive member comprises at least one sealing member.

5. The pressure regulator of claim 1 , wherein the movable pressure-responsive member comprises at least one sealing member on an upper end and at least one sealing member on a lower end.

6. The pressure regulator of claim 1 , wherein the inlet comprises an inlet channel that is unaligned with the channel in the movable pressure-responsive member, such that the fluid can go from the inlet channel to the channel in the movable pressure-responsive member and to the outlet when the movable pressure-responsive member moves.

7. The pressure regulator of claim 6 , wherein an upper end of the pressure-responsive member comprises an outer sealing member and an inner sealing member and the inlet channel terminates between the outer sealing member and the inner sealing member.

8. The pressure regulator of claim 1 , wherein the movable pressure-responsive member deforms.

9. The pressure regulator of claim 1 , wherein the movable pressure-responsive member moves translationally.

10. The pressure regulator of claim 9 , wherein at least one spring biases the movable pressure-responsive member.

11. The pressure regulator of claim 9 , wherein a first spring biases an upper end of the movable pressure-responsive member and a second spring biases a lower end of the pressure-responsive member.

12. A pressure regulator comprising a movable pressure-responsive member disposed in a housing member, an inlet and an outlet, wherein the movable pressure-responsive member moves in response to an inlet pressure of the inlet and an outlet pressure of the outlet, wherein the pressure regulator is fluidically connected to a gas-generating apparatus and at least one of the inlet and outlet pressure is a pressure of the gas-generating apparatus, wherein the movable pressure-responsive member comprises an upper end proximate to the inlet and a lower end proximate to the outlet, wherein at least an edge of the upper end is fixed in position relative to the housing member as the upper end deforms or flexes in response to said inlet and outlet pressures and wherein the lower end is larger than the upper end;
wherein the movable pressure-responsive member is also exposed to a reference pressure.

13. The pressure regulator of claim 12 , wherein the movable pressure-responsive member comprises at least one sealing member.

14. The pressure regulator of claim 12 , wherein the movable pressure-responsive member comprises at least one sealing member on the upper end and at least one sealing member on the lower end.

15. The pressure regulator of claim 12 , wherein the movable pressure-responsive member defines a channel therein and wherein a fluid selectively passes from the inlet through said channel and to the outlet.

16. The pressure regulator of claim 15 , wherein the inlet comprises an inlet channel that is unaligned with the channel in the movable pressure-responsive member, such that the fluid can go from the inlet channel to the channel in the movable pressure-responsive member and to the outlet when the movable pressure-responsive member moves.

17. The pressure regulator of claim 16 , wherein the upper end of the pressure-responsive member comprises an outer sealing member and an inner sealing member and the inlet channels terminates between the outer sealing member and the inner sealing member.

18. The pressure regulator of claim 12 , further comprises a flow restrictor proximate to the outlet, wherein the flow restrictor is a variable diameter orifice.

19. A pressure regulator comprising a movable pressure-responsive member disposed in a housing member, an inlet and an outlet, wherein the movable pressure-responsive member moves in response to an inlet pressure of the inlet and an outlet pressure of the outlet, wherein the pressure regulator is fluidically connected to a gas-generating apparatus and at least one of the inlet and outlet pressure is a pressure of the gas-generating apparatus,
wherein the movable pressure-responsive member comprises an upper end proximate to the inlet and a lower end proximate to the outlet,
wherein at least an edge of the upper end is fixed in position relative to the housing member as the upper end deforms or flexes in response to said inlet and outlet pressures and wherein the lower end is larger than the upper end,
wherein the movable pressure-responsive member defines a channel therein and wherein a fluid selectively passes from the inlet through said channel and to the outlet,
wherein the inlet comprises an inlet channel that is unaligned with the channel in the movable pressure-responsive member, such that the fluid can go from the inlet channel to the channel in the movable pressure-responsive member and to the outlet when the movable pressure-responsive member moves, and
wherein the upper end of the pressure-responsive member comprises an outer sealing member and an inner sealing member and the inlet channels terminates between the outer sealing member and the inner sealing member.

20. The pressure regulator of claim 19 , wherein the movable pressure-responsive member comprises at least one sealing member.

21. The pressure regulator of claim 19 , wherein the movable pressure-responsive member comprises at least one sealing member on the upper end and at least one sealing member on the lower end.

22. The pressure regulator of claim 19 , further comprises a flow restrictor proximate to the outlet, wherein the flow restrictor is a variable diameter orifice.

23. A pressure regulator comprising a movable pressure-responsive member disposed in a housing member, an inlet and an outlet, wherein the movable pressure member moves in response to an inlet pressure of the inlet and an outlet pressure of the outlet, wherein the pressure regulator is fluidically connected to a gas-generating apparatus and at least one of the inlet and outlet pressure is a pressure of the gas-generating apparatus,
wherein the movable pressure-responsive member defines a channel therein and wherein a fluid selectively passes from the inlet through said channel and to the outlet,
wherein the inlet comprises an inlet channel that is unaligned with the channel in the movable pressure-responsive member, such that the fluid can go from the inlet channel to the channel in the movable pressure-responsive member and to the outlet when the movable pressure-responsive me

Assignees

• Curello Andrew J
• Spahr Paul
• Intelligent Energy Ltd

Inventors

• Curello Andrew J
• Spahr Paul

Classifications

• Y02E60/362

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H01M8/065

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

• H01M8/04216

  characterised by the choice for a specific material, e.g. carbon, hydride, absorbent · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04089

  of gaseous reactants · CPC title