Miniaturized fuel cell assembly

• US 6,057,051 A
• Filed: 02/04/1997
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Uchida, Makoto, Fukuoka, Yuko, Sugawara, Yasushi, Eda, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nuzzolillo, Maria
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEINER, LAURA S
• Application Number:
  US08/795,352
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 429/19, 429/27, 429/30, 429/34, 429/59
• US Class Current: 429/414
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/003 of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• 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 8/04119 with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04156 with product water removal
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/065 by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1007 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A miniaturized fuel cell assembly to power portable electronic equipment includes a hydride hydrogen storage unit, a control unit for controlling the flow of hydrogen, a hydrogen supply device interconnecting the hydrogen storage unit and the fuel cell body, and an air feed device to supply oxygen necessary for the generation of electricity. The fuel cell assembly may also have an air feed device to cool the interior of the equipment, including a water retention device for recovering and retaining water formed in the fuel cell body, and a humidifying device using the recovered water to humidify the hydrogen to be supplied to the fuel cell body. The miniaturized fuel cell assembly facilitates the effective transfer of waste heat from the fuel cell to the hydrogen storage unit, and as a result of its ability to be used repeatedly, can be utilized for a greater length of time than a conventional primary or secondary power cell.

Claims

1. A fuel cell assembly for portable equipment, comprising:

a fuel cell body;

a hydride hydrogen storage unit;

a control unit for controlling the flow of hydrogen from said hydrogen storage unit;

hydrogen supply means interconnecting said hydrogen storage unit and said fuel cell body to supply the hydrogen from said hydrogen storage unit to said fuel cell body; and

air feed means for supplying air to said fuel cell body to supply oxygen necessary for generation of electricity performed by said fuel cell, wherein heat generated in said fuel cell body is conducted by an air flow produced by said air feed means to said hydrogen storage unit to heat said hydrogen storage unit, and wherein said air feed means includes a heat-transfer member which contacts said hydrogen storage unit to transmit said generated heat thereto.

2. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 1, in which said heat transfer member is bonded to said hydrogen storage unit by a heat-transfer material.

3. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 1, in which said fuel cell body is constructed to radiate heat generated therein away from said fuel cell body, and is cooled by an air flow produced by said air feed means.

4. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 3, in which said fuel cell body collects electricity from a positive electrode and a negative electrode, and comprises a first flow passage for hydrogen and a second flow passage for air, and separator members to separate said first flow passage and said second flow passage from one another, whereby hydrogen and air are maintained separate from each other.

5. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 4, comprising a frame portion of an electrically-insulating material which encloses peripheral edge portions of said separator members, and wherein a part of said separator members is exposed outside said frame portion so as to radiate generated heat away from said fuel cell body.

6. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 1, in which a dirt-collecting filter is provided at an air intake side of said air feed means.

7. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 1, in which an auxiliary cell or a capacitor is housed in said cell device casing.

8. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 1, further comprising means for indicating an amount of hydrogen remaining in said hydrogen storage unit.

9. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein said fuel cell body comprises a polymer electrolyte fuel cell.

10. A fuel cell assembly for portable equipment, comprising:

a fuel cell body;

a hydride hydrogen storage unit;

a control unit for controlling the flow of hydrogen from said hydrogen storage unit;

hydrogen supply means interconnecting said hydrogen storage unit and said fuel cell body to supply the hydrogen from said hydrogen storage unit to said fuel cell body;

air feed means for supplying air to said fuel cell body to supply oxygen necessary for generation of electricity performed by said fuel cell, wherein heat generated in said fuel cell body is conducted by an air flow produced by said air feed means to said hydrogen storage unit to heat said hydrogen storage unit, and wherein said air feed means includes a heat-transfer member which contacts said hydrogen storage unit to transmit said generated heat thereto;

water retention means for recovering and retaining water formed in said fuel cell body;

humidifying means for humidifying the hydrogen to be supplied to said fuel cell body, using said recovered water; and

a cell assembly casing to house said fuel cell body, said hydrogen storage unit, said control unit, said hydrogen supply means, said air feed means, said water retention means and said humidifying means therein, said cell assembly casing being electrically and mechanically removably connected to said portable equipment fuel cell assembly;

wherein said cell assembly casing has an intake port and an exhaust port of said air feed means, and means for inserting and removing said hydrogen storage unit from said cell assembly casing; and

wherein said hydrogen supply means is detachably connected to said hydrogen storage unit.

11. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 10, in which said humidifying means is constructed such that at least a part of said hydrogen supply means is constituted by a hydrogen-impermeable, water-permeable membrane and water retained in said water retention means is brought through said membrane into contact with the hydrogen passing through said hydrogen supply means.

12. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 11, in which a part of said hydrogen supply means comprises a hydrogen-impermeable, water-permeable pipe enclosed in said water retention means, and the hydrogen flowing through said pipe is humidified by the water retained in said water retention means.

13. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 11, in which said water retention means is held in contact with said fuel cell body so that the water retained in said water retention means is evaporate by heat generated by said fuel cell body.

14. A fuel cell assembly according to claim 10, in which said water retention means is made of a material which absorbs water and swells to retain the water, and the water in said water retention means is evaporated through a surface of said material, thereby reducing an amount of the water retained in said water retention means.

15. A fuel cell assembly for portable equipment having air feed means for cooling the interior of said equipment, comprising:

a fuel cell body;

a hydride hydrogen storage unit necessary for said fuel cell body;

a control unit for controlling a flow of the hydrogen from said hydrogen storage unit;

hydrogen supply means interconnecting said hydrogen storage unit and said fuel cell body to supply the hydrogen from said hydrogen storage unit to said fuel cell body;

water retention means for recovering and retaining water formed in said fuel cell body;

humidifying means for humidifying the hydrogen to be supplied to said fuel cell body, using said recovered water; and

a cell assembly casing to house said fuel cell body, said hydrogen storage unit, said control unit, said hydrogen supply means, said water retention means and said humidifying means therein, said cell assembly casing being electrically and mechanically removably connected to said portable equipment;

wherein said cell assembly casing has an intake port and an exhaust port of said air feed means, and means for inserting and removing said hydrogen storage unit from said cell assembly casing; and

wherein an air flow produced by said air feed means is conducted to said fuel cell body, and oxygen necessary for generation of electricity performed by said fuel cell is provided by said air flow.