Integrated platform and fuel cell cooling

• US 20050058866A1
• Filed: 09/15/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Pokharna, Himanshu, DiStefano, Eric, Rocke, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/662,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20050058866A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/435
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04007 related to heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04029 Heat exchange using liquids
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A first cooling system pre-heats a fuel for a fuel cell, and a second cooling system cools a heat generating device using a fluid medium.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a fuel cell to receive a fuel;

an integrated circuit; and

a cooling system to cool the integrated circuit, wherein the cooling system includes a fluid path for the fuel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a second integrated circuit; and

a second cooling system to cool the second integrated circuit wherein the second cooling system includes a fluid cooling medium.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fuel cell includes at least one electrode through which the fluid cooling medium can pass.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a pump to pump the fluid cooling medium.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the second cooling system comprises a heat pipe.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the second cooling system is adapted to cool the fuel cell.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising at least one temperature sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the temperature sensor is configured to sense a temperature of the fuel cell.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the temperature sensor is configured to sense a temperature of the second integrated circuit.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a control system adapted to modify a fluid flow in response to a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a control system adapted to modify a power output level of the fuel cell in response to a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.

12. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the integrated circuit comprises a processor.

13. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fluid cooling medium comprises a liquid metal.

14. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the second cooling system is adapted to have the fluid medium pass through a phase change.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a fuel cell having an electrode with fluid passages through which a fluid cooling medium can pass; and

a heat generating device to preheat fuel for the fuel cell.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a pump to pump the fluid cooling medium through the fluid passages.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the heat generating device comprises an integrated circuit.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the integrated circuit comprises a graphics circuit.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the integrated circuit comprises a processor.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a cooling system coupled to the fluid passages.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the fluid cooling medium comprises a liquid metal.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a second integrated circuit adapted to be cooled by the cooling system.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a temperature sensor.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising a control system to increase the fuel cell output when a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor drops.

25. A method comprising:

preheating a fuel for a fuel cell in a first cooling system; and

cooling the fuel cell in a second cooling system.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

sensing a temperature within the second cooling system; and

modifying a power output of the fuel cell.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein sensing a temperature comprises sensing a temperature of the fuel cell.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein sensing a temperature comprises sensing a temperature of a device cooled by the second cooling system.

29. An electronic system comprising:

a fuel cell to receive a fuel;

an integrated circuit;

a cooling system to cool the integrated circuit, wherein the cooling system includes a fluid path for the fuel; and

an antenna coupled to the integrated circuit.

30. The electronic system of claim 29 wherein the electronic system comprises a computer.

31. The electronic system of claim 30 wherein the fuel cell is external to the computer.

32. The electronic system of claim 30 wherein the fuel cell is in a swappable bay of the computer.

33. The electronic system of claim 30 wherein the fuel cell is semi-permanently affixed within the computer.