Hydrogen canister fuel cell battery

• US 5,932,365 A
• Filed: 06/09/1997
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Lin, Chien-Liang, Cheng, Yaw-Chung, Lin, Andrew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nuzzolillo, Maria
• Assistant Examiner(s): Martin, Angela J.
• Application Number:
  US08/871,436
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 429/12, 429/19, 429/34, 429/38, 429/39
• US Class Current: 429/450
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/241 with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2457 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised
• 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: H01M 8/2484 characterised by external manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/249 comprising two or more groupings of fuel cells, e.g. modular assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A hydrogen canister fuel cell battery including a base having at least one hydrogen distribution channel communicating with a hydrogen canister for passage of hydrogen to a fuel cell on the base. An air supply is disposed in front of the fuel cell for sending air into the fuel cell, so that oxygen and hydrogen may react electrochemically in the fuel cell to generate electricity. The present invention also provides an arrangement that utilizes fuel cells to have a larger area of contact with the ambient air so as to eliminate use of fans and starting power devices and thus achieve a compact hydrogen canister fuel cell battery for use in products such as notebook computers and cellular phones.

Claims

1. A hydrogen canister fuel cell battery, comprising:

a fuel cell device having at least two fuel cell stacks each having a single or a plurality of fuel cell units arranged in a juxtaposed relationship;

a base for mounting said fuel cells, said base having at least a hydrogen distribution channel, and a hydrogen inlet at one end of said hydrogen distribution channel for uniformly distributing and supplying hydrogen to said fuel cells;

an air supply, provided on said base for sending air into said fuel cells; and

a hydrogen canister, for supplying hydrogen to said fuel cells to react electrochemically with oxygen in the air;

wherein said hydrogen canister fuel cell battery further comprises a sensor element, for detecting the amount of hydrogen in said hydrogen canister for conversion into electric currents.

2. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 1

wherein said hydrogen canister is disposed between said fuel cells.

3. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said hydrogen canister and said fuel cell device are respectively disposed at both sides of said base.

4. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said hydrogen canister is provided in front of said fuel cells.

5. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said hydrogen canister is provided above said fuel cell device, and said fuel cells are longitudinally stacked.

6. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said fuel cells define a cross-shaped passage on said base, said cross-shaped passage including a longitudinal passage and a transverse passage.

7. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said fuel cell device has a plurality of fuel cell stacks which are connected in series by series plates to form positive and negative ends for power output.

8. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said fuel cell comprises, in sequence of stacking,

an anode plate having hydrogen outlets,

a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies and bipolar plates having a plurality of hydrogen outlets and air passages, an auxiliary membrane electrode assembly, and

a cathode plate having a plurality of air passages, whereby hydrogen passes through said anode plate and hydrogen outlets of said bipolar plates to said membrane electrode assemblies, and air passes through said cathode plate and air passages of said bipolar plates to said auxiliary membrane electrode assembly for electrochemical reactions.

9. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said hydrogen canister fuel cell battery further comprises a starting power device for providing said fan with power.

10. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said hydrogen canister is provided above said fuel cell device, and said fuel cells are transversely stacked.

11. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said hydrogen canister and said fuel cell device are detachable connected.

12. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 6,

wherein said longitudinal passage is provided with a retaining seat at a rear end thereof, one end of said retaining seat having a hydrogen connector for communicating with said hydrogen distribution channel so that said retaining seat may be coupled to said hydrogen canister.

13. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 12,

wherein said hydrogen connector is a quick connector.

14. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 12,

wherein said retaining seat has an insert groove thereon for receiving said hydrogen canister which may be coupled to said hydrogen connector.

15. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said hydrogen canister has a filler hole for refill of hydrogen.

16. A hydrogen canister fuel cell battery comprising:

a fuel cell device having at least two fuel cell stacks each having a single or a plurality of fuel cells units arranged in a juxtaposed relationship;

a base for mounting said fuel cells, said base having at least a hydrogen distribution channel, and a hydrogen inlet at one end of said hydrogen distribution channel for uniformly distributing and supplying hydrogen to said fuel cells;

an air supply, provided on said base for sending air into said fuel cells; and

a hydrogen canister, for supplying hydrogen to said fuel cells to react electrochemically with oxygen in the air;

wherein said hydrogen canister is disposed between said fuel cells.

17. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 16, wherein

said hydrogen canister fuel cell battery further comprises a sensor element, for detecting the amount of hydrogen in said hydrogen canister for conversion into electric currents.

18. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 16, wherein

said hydrogen canister and said fuel cell device are respectively disposed at both sides of the base.

19. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 16, wherein

said hydrogen canister is provided in front of said fuel cells.

20. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 16,

wherein said hydrogen canister is provided above said fuel cell device, and said fuel cells are longitudinally stacked.

21. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 16,

wherein said fuel cells define a cross-shaped passage on said base, said cross-shaped passage including a longitudinal passage and a transverse passage.

22. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 16,

wherein said fuel cell device has a plurality of fuel cell stacks which are connected in series by series plates to form positive and negative ends for power output.

23. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 16,

wherein said fuel cell comprises, in sequence of stacking,

an anode plate having hydrogen outlets,

a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies and bipolar plates having a plurality of hydrogen outlets and air passages, an auxiliary membrane electrode assembly, and a cathode plate having a plurality of air passages,

whereby hydrogen passes through said anode plate and hydrogen outlets of said bipolar plates to said membrane electrode assemblies, and air passes through said cathode plate and air passages of said bipolar plates to said auxiliary membrane electrode assembly for electrochemical reactions.

24. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 16,

wherein said hydrogen canister fuel cell battery further comprises a starting power device for providing said fan with power.

25. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 16,

wherein said hydrogen canister is provided above said fuel cell device, and said fuel cells are transversely stacked.

26. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 16,

wherein said hydrogen canister and said fuel cell device are detachably connected.

27. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 21,

wherein said longitudinal passage is provided with a retaining seat at a rear end thereof, one end of said retaining seat having a hydrogen connector for communicating with said hydrogen distribution channel so that said retaining seat may be coupled to said hydrogen canister.

28. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 27,

wherein said hydrogen connector is a quick connector.

29. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 27, wherein said retaining seat has an insert groove thereon for receiving said hydrogen canister which may be coupled to said hydrogen connector.

30. The hydrogen canister fuel cell battery as claimed in claim 16,

wherein said hydrogen canister defines a filler hole for refill of hydrogen.

31. A hydrogen canister fuel cell battery comprising:

an anode plate, having a plate body, a top, a bottom, a plurality of hydrogen outlets distributed on said top, and

a hydrogen inlet for communicating with said hydrogen outlets;

an anode current collector plate for connection with said anode plate;

a first membrane electrode assembly, being disposed next to said top of said anode plate for entrance of hydrogen into said anode;

a first porous material, being adjacent to said membrane electrode assembly for passage of air through said material to said cathode;

a first cathode current collector plate, for connection with said porous material; and

a hydrogen canister, for supplying hydrogen through said anode plate to react electrochemically with oxygen in the air within said membrane electrode assembly for generation of electricity;

wherein said hydrogen canister fuel cell battery further comprises a sensor element for detecting an amount of hydrogen in said hydrogen canister for conversion into electric currents.