Fuel Cell System Having Hydrogen Generating Apparatus

• US 20090263687A1
• Filed: 10/23/2006
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Atsuhiro Yoshizaki
• Original Assignee: Atsuhiro Yoshizaki
• Inventors: Yoshizaki, Atsuhiro
• Application Number:
  US12/091,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20090263687A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/410
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/066 with fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/065 from a hydride
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04201 Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04597 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04619 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04828 Humidity; Water content
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/065 by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

In a fuel sell system having a hydrogen generating apparatus, data of electric power to be supplied in response to a fluctuating power load is input to a system controller. Based on this data of electric power, an amount of water dissolved fuel to be supplied to a reactor is controlled and a fuel cell unit is operated by using hydrogen which is generated in the reactor. The fuel cell system responds to a fluctuating power load and stabilizes load current by means of a compound power that is a sum of the generated power by the fuel cell unit and charged or discharged power in the capacitor. A water separation tank which separates water from used fuel in the reactor and a temporary storage tank which stores water from the water separation tank are provided. In a hydrogen generator unit which contains a system to supply water in the temporary storage tank to the reactor, hydrogen which is generated in the reactor is supplied to the fuel cell unit.

Claims

1. A fuel sell system having a hydrogen generating apparatus comprising a fuel tank for storing solid hydride fuel, a mixer for dissolving said solid hydride fuel stored in said fuel tank into water dissolved fuel by using water, a reactor for generating hydrogen through chemical reaction which is caused by said water dissolved fuel which is produced in said mixer, a fuel cell unit connected by means of piping to said reactor, a capacitor connected electrically to output terminals of said fuel cell unit in a manner of parallel connection, and a controller for controlling electrically all the function of said fuel cell system, wherein said fuel cell system inputs a predetermined data concerning electric power to be supplied in response to fluctuating power load to said system controller, controls an amount of said water dissolved fuel to be poured to said reactor on a basis of said determined data, puts said fuel cell unit in operation by feeding hydrogen generated in said reactor, and makes it possible to respond to a fluctuating power load automatically by utilizing total of said electric power generated by said fuel cell unit and charging or discharging power of said capacitor.

2. In a fuel sell system having a hydrogen generating apparatus according to claim 1 in which a water separation tank which separates water from the used fuel, which is produced in said reactor, a condenser which produces water from an emission generated in said reactor by means of condensation, and a temporary storage tank which stores said separated water from said water separation tank and said condensed water from said condenser, constitutes said fuel cell system, wherein said fuel cell system supplies water from said temporary storage tank to said mixer.

3. In a hydrogen generating apparatus in which a fuel tank which stores solid hydride fuel, a mixer which dissolves said solid hydride fuel stored in said fuel tank into water dissolved fuel by using water, a reactor which generates hydrogen through chemical reaction that is caused by said water dissolved fuel which is produced in said mixer, a water separation tank which separates water from the used fuel which is produced in said reactor, and a temporary storage tank which stores said separated water from said water separation tank, constitute said fuel cell system, wherein said fuel cell system supplies water from said temporary storage tank to said reactor.

4. In a hydrogen generating apparatus according to claim 3 in which said fuel cell system which is connected to a hydrogen generating apparatus, pressurizes said water dissolved fuel and jets said pressurized water dissolved fuel into said reactor in a manner of pulse jet.

5. In a hydrogen generating apparatus according to claim 3 in which said fuel cell system which is connected to a hydrogen generating apparatus, supplies hydrogen which is generated in said reactor to a fuel cell unit.