Fuel cell arrangement and method for operation thereof

• US 20040072041A1
• Filed: 08/27/2003
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Manhattan Scientifics Inc.
• Original Assignee: Manhattan Scientifics Inc.
• Inventors: Koschany, Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 7,169,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/23
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04373 of auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04425 at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04559 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04589 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04604 Power, energy, capacity or load
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04619 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04776 at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformer, compressor, burner
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/065 by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell arrangement comprises a fuel cell current source, peripheral units, a regulated hydrogen source for the fuel cell current source, based on the hydrolysis of a hydride and furthermore an electronic control circuit for controlling the fuel cell current source and an electronic control circuit for controlling the hydrogen source. The control circuit, for the fuel cell current source and the control circuit, for the hydrogen source are coupled together and the control of the current source and the hydrogen source carried out with mutually related adjustment.

Claims

1. A fuel cell arrangement (1) including a fuel cell current source (10), peripheral units and a controlled hydrogen source (11) associated to the fuel cell current source, based on the hydrolysis of a hydride,

furthermore including an electronic control circuit (12) for controlling the fuel cell current source (10), this circuit exhibiting at least one terminal for an operational signal,

and including an electronic control circuit (13) for controlling the hydrogen source (11), this circuit exhibiting at least one input terminal for an operational signal of the control circuit (12) of the fuel cell current source and at least one output terminal connected to the hydrogen source for control signals with the help of which the operational state of the hydrogen source can be influenced,

characterized in that the output terminal of the control circuit (12) of the fuel cell current source (10) is coupled together (14) with the respective input terminal of the control circuit (13) of the hydrogen source.

2. The fuel cell arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the control circuit (13) of the hydrogen source (11) has at least one output terminal for an operational state signal of the hydrogen source and the control circuit (12) of the fuel cell current source (10) has at least one control input terminal with a connection (14) to said output terminal for this operational state signal, and by means of this signal influences the control of the fuel cell current source and/or its peripheral units.

3. The fuel cell arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control circuit (12) of the fuel cell current source (10) has a control input terminal for a power demand signal (from 3) and the control circuit (13) of the hydrogen source (11) has a control input terminal for a gas flow demand signal and these two control input terminals of the two control circuits are coupled together.

4. The fuel cell arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the electronic control circuits (12, 13) are microprocessor circuits and are located on a common board.

5. The fuel cell arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the two electronic control circuits (12, 13) use a common microprocessor.

6. The fuel cell arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fuel cell current source (10), the hydrogen source (11) and their control circuits (12, 13) are connected to a common starter battery.

7. The fuel cell arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the hydrogen source (11) comprises a tank (19) for a liquid (20) containing the hydrolysable hydride and is provided with means (28, 29;

45, 46) which cause the hydrolysing in a controlled manner.

8. The fuel cell arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the means causing the hydrolysing are catalyst beds (28).

9. The fuel cell arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the means (45) causing the hydrolysing are arranged to add hydrolysable hydride (20) to an acid (46) or to non-bound catalyst material.

10. The fuel cell arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that several catalyst beds with different amounts of catalyst can each be contacted selectively (28, 29) with the hydride-containing liquid.

11. The fuel cell arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that the individual catalyst beds are positioned in separate reaction chambers (29) which can be made part of a circulation of the hydride-containing liquid (20) via separately controllable valves (30).

12. The fuel cell arrangement according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the tank has a housing (19) which during operation is filled up to a predetermined level (21) with the hydride-containing liquid (20) and contains a buffer gas volume (31) above this level.

13. The fuel cell arrangement according claim 11 if referred back to claim 10, characterized in that the separate reaction chambers (29) and their valves (30) as well as a pump (23) in the tank housing (19) which pump forms part of the circulation are arranged above or below the liquid level.

14. The fuel cell arrangement according to claim 13, characterized in that in the tank housing (19) above the liquid level (21) the electronic control circuits (12, 13), a gas outlet device (32-35) with a valve (32) and a droplet filter (34) as well as a pressure sensor (38) which is connected with the control circuits (12, 13) via a data line are located, surrounded by the buffer gas volume (31).

15. The fuel cell arrangement according to any one of claims 7 to 14, characterized in that the electronic control circuits (12, 13) are connected via a data line with at least one temperature sensor (39) located in the tank.

16. The fuel cell arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the electronic control circuits (12, 13) comprise a means (41) for measuring the amount of electric charge delivered by the fuel cell current source (10) and a means for bringing into relation to each other this amount of charge with the total amount of charge which can be provided by the reserve (20) of hydrolysable hydride via the hydrogen generation and the fuel cell current source reaction.

17. A method for the operation of a fuel cell arrangement comprising a fuel cell current source and a hydrogen source according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the hydrogen source (11) is controlled directly in dependence on the power demand (2, 41) directed to the fuel cell current source (10).

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the operational data of the hydrogen source (11) is used to control the operation of the fuel cell current source (10) as well.

19. The method according to claim 18 for the operation of the fuel cell arrangement according to claim 12, characterized in that the fuel cell current source (10) additionally is controlled in dependence on the pressure of the hydrogen generated, in the buffer gas volume (31) of the tank.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that in case of a decrease in pressure below given thresholds the further electric power output is reduced and finally stopped.

21. The method according to any one of claims 18 to 20, characterized in that the desired temperature of the fuel cell current source (10) is controlled in dependence on the actual temperature of the hydrogen source (11).

22. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 21, characterized in that as starting substance for the hydride hydrolysis an aqueous solution (20) of a metalborohydride, preferably of sodiumborohydride NaBH₄ is used.