Power generator with high pressure hydrogen generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9577275-B2
Application number	US-201514590746-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2015
Priority date	Mar 22, 2007
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

A power generator includes a hydrogen producing fuel in a first high pressure chamber. A fuel cell having a proton exchange membrane is disposed in a second low pressure chamber. A water absorbing material provides water vapor to the hydrogen producing fuel, and a plurality of valves control hydrogen provided to the fuel cell from the first high pressure chamber, and exposure of the water absorbing material to ambient and the high pressure chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating a power generator, the method comprising:
absorbing water into a water absorbing material from ambient;
controlling, using a plurality of valves, exposure of the water absorbing material to the ambient;
controlling, using the plurality of valves, exposure of the water absorbing material to a first chamber to provide water vapor to the first chamber, wherein a first chamber pressure in the first chamber is higher than an ambient pressure;
producing hydrogen in the first chamber, the first chamber including a hydrogen producing fuel;
controlling, using the plurality of valves, hydrogen provided from the first chamber to a second chamber;
producing electricity from hydrogen and oxygen in the second chamber, wherein a second chamber pressure in the second chamber is lower than the first chamber pressure; and
sealing off, using a spring and piston arrangement coupled to the plurality of valves, the water absorbing material from the ambient until a valve plate between the water absorbing material and hydrogen producing fuel is closed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling exposure of the water absorbing material to the first chamber includes exposing the water absorbing material to the first chamber when first chamber pressure is below a first chamber threshold pressure.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling exposure of the water absorbing material to the first chamber includes isolating the water absorbing material from the first chamber when first chamber pressure is above the first chamber threshold pressure.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling exposure of the water absorbing material to the ambient includes exposing the water absorbing material to the ambient when the first chamber pressure is above the first chamber threshold pressure.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein producing electricity in the second chamber includes producing electricity by exposing hydrogen to a hydrogen fuel cell, the hydrogen fuel cell including a PEM membrane.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of valves includes a first valve that includes a membrane positioned between the ambient and the second chamber; and
controlling hydrogen provided from the first chamber to the second chamber includes controlling the first valve.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of valves includes a pair of plates and corresponding seals disposed on either side of the water absorbing material.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein controlling exposure of the water absorbing material to the first chamber includes exposing, using the pair of plates and corresponding seals, the first chamber to the water absorbing material as a function of the first chamber pressure.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein exposing the first chamber to the water absorbing material includes:
exposing, using the pair of plates and corresponding seals, the first chamber to the water absorbing material when the first chamber pressure is below the first chamber threshold pressure; and
isolating, using the pair of plates and corresponding seals, the first chamber from the water absorbing material when the first chamber pressure is above the first chamber threshold pressure.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein controlling exposure of the water absorbing material to the ambient includes exposing, using the pair of plates and corresponding seals, the water absorbing material to the ambient when the first chamber is isolated from the water absorbing material.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein controlling exposure of the water absorbing material to the first chamber includes controlling the pair of plates using at least one pin coupled to a diaphragm positioned between the first chamber and the ambient.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the at least one pin is coupled to the spring and piston;
one of the plates and corresponding seal is positioned between the water absorbing material and the ambient; and
wherein controlling exposure of the water absorbing material to the first chamber includes moving the one of the plates and corresponding seal relative to the at least one pin responsive to the spring and piston.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein absorbing water into a water absorbing material from ambient includes absorbing water into a perfluorosulfonate ionomer.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Eickhoff Steven J

Classifications

• H01M8/1018

  Polymeric electrolyte materials · CPC title

• Y02E60/36

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

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M2250/30

  Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title

• H01M8/2465

  Details of groupings of fuel cells · CPC title