Miniature ceramic fuel cell

• US 5,641,585 A
• Filed: 03/21/1995
• Issued: 06/24/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Idaho Technologies Company
• Inventors: Lessing, Paul A., Zuppero, Anthony C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maples, John S.
• Application Number:
  US08/408,761
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 429/26, 429/24, 429/34, 429/20, 429/13
• US Class Current: 429/423
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1293 Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0074 Ion conductive at high temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04007 related to heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04014 Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04022 Heating by combustion
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04225 during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0625 in a modular combined reactor/fuel cell structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1253 the electrolyte containing zirconium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/243 Grouping of unit cells of tubular or cylindrical configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2432 Grouping of unit cells of planar configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/247 Arrangements for tightening a stack, for accommodation of a stack in a tank or for assembling different tanks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A miniature power source assembly capable of providing portable electricity is provided. A preferred embodiment of the power source assembly employing a fuel tank, fuel pump and control, air pump, heat management system, power chamber, power conditioning and power storage. The power chamber utilizes a ceramic fuel cell to produce the electricity. Incoming hydro carbon fuel is automatically reformed within the power chamber. Electrochemical combustion of hydrogen then produces electricity.

Claims

1. A self-contained power source assembly for use in providing electricity, the power source assembly comprising:

a plurality of fuel cells connected in series, each fuel cell having an anode, a cathode, and electrolyte for producing electricity by oxidation of supplied fuel;

fuel source means for supplying fuel to the fuel cells;

first routing means for directing the flow of fuel about the anode of the fuel cells;

second routing means for directing the flow of air about the cathode of the fuel cells;

air pump means for moving air about the fuel cells adequate to produce a desired power output;

catalyst means for reforming the fuel into the chemical components needed for oxidation; and

electric starter means for adding heat to the system thereby to initiate oxidation.

2. A power source assembly for use in providing electricity as defined in claim 1 wherein the fuel cells are cylindrical having an inner surface and an outer surface.

3. A power source assembly for use in providing electricity as defined in claim 2 wherein the anode resides on the outer surface of the cylindrical fuel cell and the cathode resides on the inner surface of the cylindrical fuel cell.

4. A power source assembly for use in providing electricity as defined in claim 2 wherein the anode resides on the inner surface of the cylindrical fuel cell and the cathode resides on the outer surface of the cylindrical fuel cell.

5. A power source assembly for use in providing electricity as defined in claim 1 wherein the fuel cells are planar.

6. A power source assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the air pump means comprises a bellows pump.

7. A power source assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the air pump means comprises a bellows pump having a magnetic actuator.

8. A power source assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the air pump means comprises an electrostatically actuated planar air pump.

9. A power source assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein the catalyst means comprises a Nickel Aluminum Ceramic tube substantially surrounding the cylindrical fuel cells thereby automatically reforming the incoming fuel into the chemical components required for the electrochemical reaction which produces electricity.

10. A power source assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein the catalyst means comprises a Nickel Aluminum Ceramic Element disposed at the inner surface of the cylindrical fuel cells.

11. A power source assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the starter means comprises a resistance heating element.

12. A power source assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein the resistance heating element comprises a Nichrome wire.

13. A power source assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein the resistance heating element comprises a Tungsten wire.

14. A power source assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the starter means comprises a burner.

15. A power source assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the first routing means comprises a container and the second routing means comprises a conduit.

16. A power source assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein the container further comprises a reflective coating disposed interior to the container thereby reflecting energy back into the electrochemical reaction.

17. A power source assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein the container comprises a double walled container thereby containing energy within the container and sustaining the electrochemical reaction.

18. A power source assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein the conduit comprises a straight conduit.

19. A power source assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein the conduit comprises a u-shaped conduit.

20. A power source assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the first routing means comprises a conduit and the second routing means comprises a container.

21. A power source assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein the container further comprises a reflective coating disposed interior to the container thereby reflecting energy back into the electrochemical reaction.

22. A power source assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein the container comprises a double walled container thereby containing energy within the container and sustaining the electrochemical reaction.

23. A power source assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein the conduit comprises a straight conduit.

24. A power source assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein the conduit comprises a u-shaped conduit.

25. A power source assembly for use in providing electricity, the power source assembly comprising:

a plurality of fuel cells connected in series, each fuel cell having an anode, a cathode, and electrolyte for producing electricity by oxidation of supplied fuel;

fuel source means for supplying fuel to the fuel cells;

first routing means for directing the flow of fuel about the anode of the fuel cells;

second routing means for directing the flow of air about the cathode of the fuel cells;

air pump means for moving air about the fuel cells;

catalyst means for reforming the fuel into the chemical components needed for oxidation;

electric starter means for adding heat to the system thereby to initiate oxidation;

a superinsulator for insulating the high operating heat of the fuel cells from surrounding components; and

a recuperator means for recuperating and sending heat back into the fuel cells.

26. A power source assembly for use in providing electricity as defined in claim 25 wherein the fuel cells are cylindrical having an inner surface and an outer surface.

27. A power source assembly for use in providing electricity as defined in claim 26 wherein the anode resides on the outer surface of the cylindrical fuel cell and the cathode resides on the inner surface of the cylindrical fuel cell.

28. A power source assembly for use in providing electricity as defined in claim 26 wherein the anode resides on the inner surface of the cylindrical fuel cell and the cathode resides on the outer surface of the cylindrical fuel cell.

29. A power source assembly for use in providing electricity as defined in claim 25 wherein the fuel cells are planar.

30. A power source assembly as defined in claim 25 wherein the air pump means comprises a bellows pump.

31. A power source assembly as defined in claim 25 wherein the air pump means comprises a bellows pump having a magnetic actuator.

32. A power source assembly as defined in claim 25 wherein the air pump means comprises an electrostatically actuated planar air pump.

33. A power source assembly as defined in claim 25 wherein the starter means comprises a resistance heating element.

34. A power source assembly as defined in claim 33 wherein the resistance heating element comprises a Nichrome wire.

35. A power source assembly as defined in claim 33 wherein the resistance heating element comprises a Tungsten wire.

36. A power source assembly as defined in claim 25 wherein the starter means comprises a burner.

37. A power source assembly as defined in claim 25 wherein the recuperator means comprises a cylindrical chimney having an inner duct and an outer duct, the inner duct having a plurality of thermally conductive elements disposed therein whereby heat is conducted away from hot exhaust gases traveling upward through the inner duct while incoming air is heated as it travels downward through the outer duct.

38. A power source assembly as defined in claim 25 wherein the recuperator means comprises a rectangular chimney having an inner duct and an outer duct, the inner duct having a plurality of thermally conductive elements disposed therein whereby heat is conducted away from hot exhaust gases traveling upward through the inner duct while incoming air is heated as it travels downward through the outer duct.

39. A power source assembly as defined in claim 25 wherein the recuperator means comprises a chimney having a plurality of highly thermally conductive vanes disposed at least partially therethrough, thereby to conduct heat way from hot exhaust gas traveling upward through the chimney.

40. A power source assembly as defined in claim 25 wherein the super insulator comprises space shuttle tile.

41. A power source assembly as defined in claim 25 wherein the first routing means comprises a container and the second routing means comprises a conduit.

42. A power source assembly as defined in claim 41 wherein the container further comprises a reflective coating disposed interior to the container thereby reflecting energy back into the electrochemical reaction.

43. A power source assembly as defined in claim 41 wherein the container comprises a double walled container thereby containing energy within the container and sustaining the electrochemical reaction.

44. A power source assembly as defined in claim 41 wherein the conduit comprises a straight conduit.

45. A power source assembly as defined in claim 41 wherein the conduit comprises a u-shaped conduit.

46. A power source assembly as defined in claim 25 wherein the first routing means comprises a conduit and the second routing means comprises a container.

47. A power source assembly as defined in claim 46 wherein the container further comprises a reflective coating disposed interior to the container thereby reflecting energy back into the electrochemical reaction.

48. A power source assembly as defined in claim 46 wherein the container comprises a double walled container thereby containing energy within the container and sustaining the electrochemical reaction.

49. A power source assembly as defined in claim 46 wherein the conduit comprises a straight conduit.

50. A power source assembly as defined in claim 46 wherein the conduit comprises a u-shaped conduit.

51. A pump source assembly as defined in claim 27 wherein the catalyst means comprises a Nickel Aluminum Ceramic tube substantially surrounding the cylindrical fuel cells.

52. A power source assembly as defined in claim 28 wherein the catalyst means comprises a Nickel Aluminum Ceramic Element disposed at the inner surface of the cylindrical fuel cells thereby automatically reforming the fuel.