Fuel cell cartridge with reformate filtering
First Claim
1. A hydrogen fuel source storage device for storing a hydrogen fuel source, the storage device comprising:
- a cavity configured to store the hydrogen fuel source;
a connector that interfaces with a mating connector to permit transfer of the fuel source between the storage device and a device that includes the mating connector; and
a reformate cleaning system that removes a contaminant from reformate output by a fuel processor that is configured to receive the hydrogen fuel source from the storage device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein is a portable storage device that stores a hydrogen fuel source. The storage device includes a bladder that contains the hydrogen fuel source and conforms to the volume of the hydrogen fuel source. A housing provides mechanical protection for the bladder. The storage device also includes a connector that interfaces with a mating connector to permit transfer of the fuel source between the bladder and a device that includes the mating connector. The device may be a portable electronics device such as a laptop computer. Refillable hydrogen fuel source storage devices and systems are also described. Hot swappable fuel storage systems described herein allow a portable hydrogen fuel source storage device to be removed from a fuel processor or electronics device it provides the hydrogen fuel source to, without shutting down the receiving device or without compromising hydrogen fuel source provision.
152 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A hydrogen fuel source storage device for storing a hydrogen fuel source, the storage device comprising:
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a cavity configured to store the hydrogen fuel source;
a connector that interfaces with a mating connector to permit transfer of the fuel source between the storage device and a device that includes the mating connector; and
a reformate cleaning system that removes a contaminant from reformate output by a fuel processor that is configured to receive the hydrogen fuel source from the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A fuel cell system for producing electrical energy, the fuel cell system comprising:
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a hydrogen fuel source storage device for storing a hydrogen fuel source, the storage device including a) a connector that interfaces with a mating connector, and b) a reformate cleaning system configured to remove a contaminant from reformate produced by a fuel processor that reforms the hydrogen fuel source to produce reformate;
an electronics device including the mating connector, a fuel processor configured to receive the hydrogen fuel source and to output reformate, and a fuel cell configured to produce electrical energy using hydrogen in the reformate; and
plumbing configured to route the reformate from the fuel processor in the electronics device to the reformate cleaning system in the storage device and configured to route hydrogen from the reformate cleaning system in the storage device to the fuel cell in the electronics device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for providing a refillable hydrogen fuel source storage device, the system comprising:
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a hydrogen fuel source storage device including a) a cavity configured to store the hydrogen fuel source, b) a connector that interfaces with a mating connector to permit transfer of the hydrogen fuel source between the storage device and a device that includes the mating connector, and c) a reformate cleaning system configured to remove a contaminant from reformate; and
a hydrogen fuel source refiner including the mating connector and configured to a) provide hydrogen fuel source to the storage device when the connector is coupled to the mating connector, and b) rejuvenate the reformate cleaning system. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for providing hydrogen to a fuel cell in an electronics device, the method comprising:
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transferring a hydrogen fuel source from the storage device to a fuel processor included in the electronics device;
reforming the hydrogen fuel source in the fuel processor to produce reformate;
transferring the reformate from the fuel processor to the storage device;
removing a contaminant from the reformate while the reformate is in the storage device; and
transferring hydrogen in the reformate from the storage device to the fuel cell in the electronics device. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for refilling a hydrogen fuel source storage device, the method comprising:
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connecting the hydrogen fuel source storage device to a hydrogen fuel source refiller;
transferring the hydrogen fuel source from the hydrogen fuel source refiner to the hydrogen fuel source storage device; and
rejuvenating a reformate cleaning system. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification