Fuel cell system with stored hydrogen
First Claim
1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
- at least one fuel processor adapted to receive a feed stream and to produce a product hydrogen stream containing at least substantially pure hydrogen gas therefrom;
a hydrogen storage system adapted to receive and selectively store at least a portion of the product hydrogen stream, wherein the hydrogen storage system includes a mechanical compressor adapted to receive at least a portion of the product hydrogen stream and to produce a compressed gas stream therefrom, and at least one hydrogen storage device adapted to receive and selectively store the compressed gas stream; and
at least one fuel cell stack containing a plurality of fuel cells and adapted to receive a stream containing hydrogen gas from at least one of the fuel processor and the hydrogen storage system and to produce an electric current therefrom.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved method and apparatus for quickly supplying hydrogen gas from a fuel processor, which in some embodiments is supplied to a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell system includes one or more fuel processors adapted to produce a product hydrogen stream, and one or more fuel cell stacks adapted to produce an electric current from the product hydrogen stream. The fuel cell system further includes a hydrogen storage device adapted to store hydrogen gas produced by the fuel processor(s) and deliver the stored hydrogen gas to the fuel cell stack(s), such as during times of increased load demand or times when the fuel processor(s) are not available to produce the hydrogen gas required by the fuel cell stack or other hydrogen-consuming device.
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Citations
53 Claims
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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at least one fuel processor adapted to receive a feed stream and to produce a product hydrogen stream containing at least substantially pure hydrogen gas therefrom;
a hydrogen storage system adapted to receive and selectively store at least a portion of the product hydrogen stream, wherein the hydrogen storage system includes a mechanical compressor adapted to receive at least a portion of the product hydrogen stream and to produce a compressed gas stream therefrom, and at least one hydrogen storage device adapted to receive and selectively store the compressed gas stream; and
at least one fuel cell stack containing a plurality of fuel cells and adapted to receive a stream containing hydrogen gas from at least one of the fuel processor and the hydrogen storage system and to produce an electric current therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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at least one fuel processor adapted to receive a feed stream and to produce a product hydrogen stream containing at least substantially pure hydrogen gas therefrom;
a hydrogen storage system containing at least one hydrogen storage device adapted to receive and selectively store at least a portion of the product hydrogen stream;
at least one fuel cell stack containing a plurality of fuel cells and adapted to receive a stream containing hydrogen gas from at least one of the fuel processor and the hydrogen storage system and to produce an electric current therefrom; and
a controller adapted to selectively regulate at least one of the delivery of the product hydrogen stream to the hydrogen storage system and the flow of the stream containing hydrogen gas from the hydrogen storage system. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification