Modular fuel cell and fuel source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9819033-B2
Application number	US-201414784905-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2014
Priority date	Apr 16, 2013
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A fuel cell power module is coupled to a fuel supply reactor module by way of an adaptor which includes some of the control elements for controlling reaction of reactants in the reactor module. The adaptor includes a housing and a first connection interface in the housing for detachably coupling the adaptor to a fuel cell power module fuel inlet port and a second connection interface in the housing for detachably coupling the adaptor to a reactor module fuel outlet port. A fluid line extends between the first connection interface and the second connection interface. The adaptor includes a motive unit of a flow control mechanism configured to provide motive power to a flow circuit of a reactor module when the reactor module is coupled to the adaptor. The adaptor enables a fuel cell power module to be interfaced with different types of reactor modules having different form factor and different control requirements.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An adaptor for a fuel cell power source comprising:
a housing;
a first connection interface in the housing for detachably coupling the adaptor to a fuel cell power module fuel inlet port;
a second connection interface in the housing for detachably coupling the adaptor to a reactor module fuel outlet port;
a fluid line extending between the first connection interface and the second connection interface;
a motive unit of a flow control mechanism configured to provide motive power to a flow circuit of a reactor module when the reactor module is coupled to the adaptor, wherein the motive unit comprises one of:
(a) a motor and pump, wherein the second connection interface further comprises a first reactant port and a second reactant port and the pump is disposed in a fluid line extending between the first reactant port and the second reactant port;
(b) a pump motor having a drive output disposed on the second connection interface for coupling to a pump head in the reactor module;
(c) a flow control valve, wherein the second connection interface further comprises a first reactant port and a second reactant port and the switching valve is disposed in a fluid line extending between the first reactant port and the second reactant port.

2. The adaptor of claim 1 in which:
the motive unit comprises a motor and pump, and
the second connection interface further comprises a first reactant port and a second reactant port, the pump being disposed in a fluid line extending between the first reactant port and the second reactant port.

3. The adaptor of claim 2 in which, when the motive unit comprises the motor and pump, the motor and pump comprises a peristaltic pump.

4. The adaptor of claim 1 in which the motive unit comprises a pump motor having a drive output disposed on the second connection interface for coupling to a pump head in the reactor module.

5. The adaptor of claim 4 in which, when the motive unit comprises the pump motor, the drive output comprises a roller configured to cooperate with a peristaltic pump head in a reactor module when the reactor module is coupled to the second connection interface.

6. The adaptor of claim 1 in which the first connection interface further includes an electrical connection interface for receiving control signals and/or electrical power from a fuel cell power module.

7. The adaptor of claim 6 further including an electronic controller coupled to the electrical connection interface for receiving control signals from the fuel cell power module.

8. The adaptor of claim 1 in which the first connection interface further includes a mechanical actuator coupled to a valve, the mechanical actuator being operable by a fuel cell power module when coupled to the first connection interface.

9. The adaptor of claim 1 in which the first connection interface further includes a mechanical actuator coupled to a valve, the mechanical actuator being operable by a fuel cell power module when coupled to the first connection interface.

10. The adaptor of claim 1 in which the second connection interface comprises a mechanical actuator for operating a closure valve or seal of the reactor module.

11. The adaptor of claim 7 further including a controller configured to control the motive unit.

12. The adaptor of claim 1 in which:
the motive unit comprises a flow control valve, and
the second connection interface further comprises a first reactant port and a second reactant port, the switching valve being disposed in a fluid line extending between the first reactant port and the second reactant port.

13. A modular reactor assembly comprising an adaptor according to any preceding claim and a reactor module,
the reactor module having a connection interface configured to engage and cooperate with the second connection interface of the adaptor.

14. The modular reactor assembly of claim 13 in which the reactor module comprises:
a reactant reservoir containing a first reactant,
a reaction chamber containing a second reactant; and
(a) when the motive unit comprises the pump motor having a drive output, the reactor module further comprises a flow circuit comprising a flow path extending between the reactant reservoir and the reaction chamber and a flow control element in the flow path for controlling flow of first reactant to the reaction chamber, the flow control element being driveable by the motive unit of the adaptor when the reactor module is coupled to the second connection interface of the adaptor;
(b) when the motive unit comprises the motor and pump or the flow control valve, the reactor module further comprises a flow circuit comprising a first flow path extending from the reactant reservoir to the reactor module connection interface and a second flow path extending from the reactor module connection interface to the reaction chamber; and in which the first reactant port and the second reactant port of the adaptor are configured to respectively engage with the first flow path and the second flow path of the reactor connection interface, the motive unit comprising a flow control element in the fluid line extending between the first reactant port and the second reactant port for controlling flow of first reactant to the reaction chamber via the fluid line of the adaptor when the reactor module is coupled to the second connection interface of the adaptor.

15. The modular reactor assembly of claim 13 in which the adaptor defines a cavity into which the reactor module is received.

16. The modular reactor assembly of claim 15 in which the cavity is closable when the reactor module is received into the cavity.

17. The modular reactor assembly of claim 13 in which the reactor module defines a cavity into which the adaptor module is received.

18. A computer-readable medium comprising a physical medium selected from the group consisting of an optical medium, a magnetic medium, or a solid-state memory device, the computer-readable medium configured for loading onto a microcontroller in the adaptor of claim 1 for a fuel cell power source to configure the adaptor to control delivery of fuel from a reactor module to a fuel cell power source, using a motive unit within the adaptor.

19. A fuel cell power source comprising:
a housing;
a connection interface in the housing for detachably coupling the fuel cell power source to a reactor module fuel outlet port;
a motive unit of a flow control mechanism configured to provide motive power to a flow circuit of a reactor module when the reactor module is coupled to the fuel cell power source;
wherein the motive unit comprises one of:
(a) a motor and pump, and the connection interface further comprises a first reactant port and a second reactant port, the pump being disposed in a fluid line extending between the first reactant port and the second reactant port;
(b) a pump motor having a drive output disposed on the connection interface for coupling to a pump head in the reactor module; and
(c) a flow control valve, and the connection interface further comprises a first reactant port and a second reactant port, the flow control valve being disposed in a fluid line extending between the first reactant port and the second reactant port.

20. The fuel cell power source of claim 19 in which:
the motive unit comprises a motor and pump, and
the connection interface further comprises a first reactant port and a second reactant port, the pump being disposed in a fluid line extending between the first reactant port and the sec

Assignees

• Intelligent Energy Ltd

Inventors

• Carnall Andrew John
• Nicholas Simon
• Kells Ashley James

Classifications

• H01M8/04089

  of gaseous reactants · CPC title

• H01M2250/30

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

• H01M8/0625 Primary

  in a modular combined reactor/fuel cell structure · CPC title

• H01M8/04201 Primary

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

• H01M8/04

  Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids · CPC title