Power Generation System Using Fuel Cell

• US 20080307787A1
• Filed: 12/07/2005
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Power More Limited
• Original Assignee: Power More Limited
• Inventors: Pettersson, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US11/792,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20080307787A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/624
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 5/04 the devices using kinetic energy
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/005 Exhaust driven pumps being combined with an exhaust driven auxiliary apparatus, e.g. a ventilator
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/04 for electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0644 the gaseous fuel being hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0671 Means to generate or modify a fuel, e.g. reformers, electrolytic cells or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/081 Adjusting the fuel composition or mixing ratio; Transitioning from one fuel to the other
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

The present invention relates to a power generating system, a motorised device comprising such a power generation system as well as a method of lowering the fuel consumption of a combustion engine (12). The power generation system comprises a combustion engine (12), an electrical power supply unit (18, 26) that is at least partly driven by exhaust fumes generated by said combustion engine and a reversely operated fuel cell (30) connected to the electrical power supply unit and the combustion engine. The reversely operated fuel cell is provided with electrical power by the electrical power supply unit and is arranged to emit hydrogen to the combustion engine for use in the operation thereof. In this way fuel consumption is lowered.

Claims

1. Power generation system comprising:

a combustion engine (12), an electrical power supply unit (36, 24, 26;

50;

52;

54) at least partly driver by exhaust fumes generated by said combustion engine, and a reversely operated fuel cell (30) connected to the electrical power supply u and the combustion engine, wherein said reversely operated fuel cell is provided with electrical power by said electrical power supply unit and is arranged to emit hydrogen to said combustion engine for use in the operation thereof.

6. Power generation system according to any previous claim, wherein said power supply unit comprises a thermo electrical unit (50) arranged to provide electrical power based on differences in temperature.

7. Power generation system according to claim 1, wherein said power supply unit comprises a battery (54).

8. Power generation system according to claim 1, wherein said power supply unit comprises at least one solar cell (52).

9. Power generation system according to claim 1, wherein said fuel cell is thermally connected to said combustion engine.

10. Power generation system according to claim 1, further comprising a hydrogen container (56) connected between the fuel cell and the engine, which container can be controlled to supply hydrogen to said engine.

11. Power generation system according to claim 10, wherein a power supply unit is arranged to supply said fuel cell with electrical power when a throttle is released simultaneously with a brake being activated by a user of the system, where both said throttle and said brake are associated with said engine.

12. Power generation system according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell receives fuel in the form of air and possibly water for generating hydrogen.

13. Power generation system according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen is supplied to said combustion engine via at least one separate duct (32;

32, 58).

14. Power generation system according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen is supplied to said combustion engine together with air through a standard air intake provided for said engine.

15. Power generation system according to claim 1, wherein the combustion engine is operable through fuel being injected into it.

2. Power generation system according to claim 2, wherein said electrical power supply unit comprises a generator (26) and further comprising a rotational element (36) driven by said exhaust fumes for providing mechanical rotation energy to said generator for conversion to electrical power.

3. Power generation system according to claim 2, wherein said rotational element is provided in a turbo charging unit (18) connected to said combustion engine

4. Power generation system according to claim 3, wherein the hydrogen is provided to said engine together with compressed air from said turbo charger unit.

5. Power generation system according to claim 2, wherein said generator furthermore receives mechanical rotational energy via a shaft (14) rotated b) said combustion engine.

16. Motorised device (10) comprising a power generation system comprising:

a combustion engine (12), an electrical power supply unit (36, 24, 26;

50;

52;

54) at least partly driven by exhaust fumes generated by said combustion engine, and a reversely operated fuel cell (30) connected to the electrical power supply unit and the combustion engine, wherein said reversely operated fuel cell is provided with electrical power by said electrical power supply unit and is arranged to emit hydrogen to said combustion engine for use in the operation thereof.

17. Motorised device according to claim 16, wherein the combustion engine is operable through fuel being injected into it.

18. Method of lowering the fuel consumption of a combustion engine (12) comprising the steps of:

generating electrical power at least partly based on exhaust fumes generated by said combustion engine, (steps 40, 42) providing electrical power to a reversely operated fuel cell (30), (step 44), generating hydrogen in said fuel cell, (step 46), and injecting said hydrogen into the combustion engine, (step 48).

19. Method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of injecting fuel into the combustion engine for running said combustion engine (step 38).

20. Method according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the step of generating electrical power comprises driving a rotational element with exhaust fumes from said engine, (step 40), and converting the rotational energy of the turbine wheel to electrical power, (step 42)