Method and apparatus for operating a fuel cell in combination with an electrochemical cell to produce a chemical product
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for carrying out an electrochemical process which comprises:
- a chlorate electrolysis cell which uses input electrical power at a first voltage and a first current to produce a chlorate product and hydrogen;
at least one fuel cell which utilizes hydrogen to produce output electrical power at a second voltage which is independent of the voltage of the electrochemical cell and a second current;
means for supplying the hydrogen produced by the electrolysis cell to the fuel cell for comsumption of at least a portion of the hydrogen by the fuel cell; and
,regulator means responsive to the power produced by the fuel cell and responsive to the hydrogen available to the fuel cell for supplying output power received from the fuel cell as input power at the first voltage to the electrolysis cell, said means being electrically connected to the fuel cell and the electrolysis cell and said means employing gated switch means which intermittently passes current for regulating the electrical power received from the fuel cell to adjust the current and voltage supplied by the fuel cell so that the voltage change across said regulator means is equal to the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus is disclosed for operating a fuel cell 14 which produces electrical energy using hydrogen in combination with a chlorate electrolysis cell which uses electrical energy to produce a chlorate product and hydrogen. A regulator means employs a direct current converter 16 having a gated switch means, such as thyristor 98, to intermittently pass electrical power from the fuel cell to the chlorate electrolysis cell such that the voltage drop across the direct current converter is equal to the difference in voltage between the fuel cell and the electrolysis cell.
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9 Claims
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1. An apparatus for carrying out an electrochemical process which comprises:
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a chlorate electrolysis cell which uses input electrical power at a first voltage and a first current to produce a chlorate product and hydrogen; at least one fuel cell which utilizes hydrogen to produce output electrical power at a second voltage which is independent of the voltage of the electrochemical cell and a second current; means for supplying the hydrogen produced by the electrolysis cell to the fuel cell for comsumption of at least a portion of the hydrogen by the fuel cell; and
,regulator means responsive to the power produced by the fuel cell and responsive to the hydrogen available to the fuel cell for supplying output power received from the fuel cell as input power at the first voltage to the electrolysis cell, said means being electrically connected to the fuel cell and the electrolysis cell and said means employing gated switch means which intermittently passes current for regulating the electrical power received from the fuel cell to adjust the current and voltage supplied by the fuel cell so that the voltage change across said regulator means is equal to the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification