REGENERATIVE FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION THEREOF
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for generating high pressure hydrogen comprising:
- a storage tank;
a low pressure high volume hydrogen generator fluidly coupled to said storage tank; and
, a high pressure low volume hydrogen generator fluidly coupled to said storage tank.
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Abstract
A regenerative fuel cell system is provided having at least one hydrogen storage container fluidly coupled to at least one hydrogen generator and at least one power generator. Each power generator further includes a fuel cell fluidly coupled to the hydrogen storage container, an electric energy storage device, and an unregulated dc bus electrically connected to said fuel cell and said electric storage device. The system further provides for a health monitoring system for determining the occurrence of critical events which may necessitate the disabling of the system.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A system for generating high pressure hydrogen comprising:
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a storage tank;
a low pressure high volume hydrogen generator fluidly coupled to said storage tank; and
,a high pressure low volume hydrogen generator fluidly coupled to said storage tank. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for generating and storing high pressure hydrogen comprising:
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generating hydrogen at a first pressure with a first hydrogen generator;
storing hydrogen at said first pressure in a storage tank;
generating hydrogen with a second hydrogen generator at a second pressure higher than said first pressure until said storage tank reaches said second pressure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A regenerative fuel cell system comprising:
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at least one hydrogen storage container;
a first hydrogen generator fluidly coupled to said storage container;
a second electrochemical hydrogen generator fluidly coupled to said storage container, said second hydrogen generator generating hydrogen at a higher pressure than said first hydrogen generator; and
, at least one power generator fluidly coupled to said storage container. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A regenerative fuel cell system comprising:
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at least one hydrogen storage container;
at least one hydrogen generator fluidly coupled to said storage container; and
,at least one power generator, each power generator including a fuel cell fluidly coupled to said storage container, an electric storage device, an unregulated dc bus electrically connected to said fuel cell and said electric storage device, and a DC/DC converter electrically connected to said unregulated dc bus. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A health monitoring system for a regenerative fuel cell system comprising:
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at least one hydrogen storage container having a first sensor associated therewith;
at least one hydrogen generator fluidly coupled with said storage container and having a second sensor associated therewith;
at least one power generator having a third sensor associated therewith; and
,a disconnect device electrically connected to said first, second and third sensors wherein said disconnect device disables said hydrogen generator, said power generator and said storage container in response to a signal from said first second or third sensor. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A manifold for limited hydrogen flow to a power generator having a fuel cell, said manifold comprising:
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an input port;
at least one output port fluidly coupled to said input port; and
,at least one orifice associated with said at least one output port, said orifice sized to limit hydrogen flow to the fuel cell to a predetermined maximum flow rate. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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Specification