Fuel cell system

• US 5,229,222 A
• Filed: 11/12/1991
• Issued: 07/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yonesaki, Takahiro, Satoh, Koichi, Saito, Toshihiko, Fujitani, Shin, Furukawa, Akio, Matsubayashi, Takaaki, Yonezu, Ikuo, Nishizawa, Nobuyoshi, Nasako, Kenji, Tsutsumi, Masaru, Itoh, Tsukasa
• Primary Examiner(s): LANGEL, WAYNE A
• Application Number:
  US07/790,474
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 429/19, 429/25, 429/57, 429/58
• US Class Current: 429/421
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/065 by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell system for directly converting chemical energy of a fuel into electric energy electrochemically. A fuel cell has a cathode and an anode. A main hydrogen absorbing alloy supplies a hydrogen gas to the anode of the fuel cell during steady-state operation of the system. An auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy originally having a higher hydrogen gas absorbing/desorbing equilibrium pressure than the main hydrogen absorbing alloy at an equal temperature supplies a hydrogen gas to the anode until the equilibrium pressure of the main hydrogen absorbing alloy, which is supplied an exhaust gas from the fuel cell is equal to a hydrogen gas absorbing/desorbing equilibrium pressure of the auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy, the auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy receiving the hydrogen gas from the main hydrogen absorbing alloy during steady-state operation.

Claims

1. A fuel cell system for directly converting a chemical energy of a fuel into an electric energy electrochemically, the system comprising:

a fuel cell having a cathode and an anode;

a main hydrogen absorbing alloy for supplying a hydrogen gas to the anode of said fuel cell during steady-state operation of the system; and

an auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy originally having a higher hydrogen gas absorbing/desorbing equilibrium pressure than said main hydrogen absorbing alloy at an equal temperature, whereby, when supplying a hydrogen gas to the anode until the equilibrium pressure of said main hydrogen absorbing alloy becomes equal to a hydrogen gas absorbing/desorbing equilibrium pressure of said auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy, said auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy receives the hydrogen gas from said main hydrogen absorbing alloy during steady-state operation.

2. A fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein said fuel cell and said main hydrogen absorbing alloy are connected to each other through a hydrogen gas supply path, which is equipped with said auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy.

3. A fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein said fuel cell and said main hydrogen absorbing alloy are connected to each other through a hydrogen gas supply path, which has a branch path equipped with said auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy.

4. A fuel cell system of claim 2, wherein said auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy and said main hydrogen absorbing alloy are connected to each other through a hydrogen gas circulating path equipped with a back pressure valve;

means for operating said back pressure valve at no lower than a predetermined pressure.

5. A fuel cell system of claim 3, wherein said auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy and said main hydrogen absorbing alloy are connected to each other through a hydrogen gas circulating path equipped with a back pressure valve;

means for operating said back pressure valve at no lower than a predetermined pressure.