Fuel cell power and management system, and technique for controlling and/or operating same

• US 7,271,567 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited (Lb-shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Jadoo Power Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Dunn, Glenn M., Getchel, Paul, MacGregor, Duncan D., MacGregor, Sinclair D., Pearson, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US11/201,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20050271905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 320/101
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0308 Protective caps
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/30 Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04208 Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04373 of auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04388 of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04425 at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a portable fuel cell power and management system (for example, hydrogen and/or methanol based systems), components and/or elements thereof, as well as techniques for controlling and/or operating such systems. The fuel cell power management system (and method of controlling and/or operating same) actively monitors, manages and/or controls one or more operating parameter(s) of the fuel cell system. For example, the system monitors, manages and/or controls the consumption and/or the rate of consumption of fuel by the system, and in response thereto, may provide and/or alert the user to amount of fuel remaining, consumed, the rate of consumption and/or the time (or estimation thereof) remaining until all of the fuel is spent. In this way, the user may schedule or plan accordingly.

Claims

1. A hydrogen-based refill unit for use in a hydrogen-based fuel cell management system wherein the management system includes a (1) hydrogen-based fuel cartridge having (i) a fuel vessel containing a hydrogen-based fuel and (ii) a memory device to store at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, and (2) a power unit, separable from and adapted to Couple to the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, including a hydrogen-based fuel cell, adapted to receive the hydrogen-based fuel from the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge and generate electrical power therefrom, the hydrogen-based refill unit comprising:

a refill unit valve assembly, adapted to couple to the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, to provide exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge; and

control circuitry to determine at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge and to store data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge in the memory device of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.

2. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 1 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining or contained in the fuel vessel.

3. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 2 wherein the control circuitry determines a revised operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge after exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge and thereafter stores the revised operating parameter in the memory device of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.

4. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 2 wherein the control circuitry determines the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel using an amount of time the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge is connected to or receives fuel from the refill unit.

5. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 2 wherein the control circuitry determines the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is in the fuel vessel using (i) a flow rate of the fuel in the refill unit valve assembly, during exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, and (ii) an amount of time the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge is connected to or receives fuel from the refill unit.

6. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 1 further including an electrical interface to receive data which is representative of one or more unique characteristics of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge wherein the one or more unique characteristics of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge includes at least one of a serial number of the fuel cartridge, date of manufacture of the fuel cartridge, date of assembly of the fuel cartridge, and number of refill operations the fuel cartridge has undergone.

7. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 1 further including an electrical interface to receive data from the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge wherein the data is representative of a type of fuel contained in fuel vessel and/or fuel capacity of the fuel cartridge.

8. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 7 further including a thermoelectric device to remove heat from the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge during exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.

9. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 1 further including a cooling unit to remove heat from fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge during exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.

10. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 9 wherein the cooling unit is a fan, heat sink, thermoelectric device or refrigeration unit.

11. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 1 further including a display to visually provide information which is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.

12. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is a microprocessor or microcontroller and wherein the control circuitry determines a revised operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge after exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge and thereafter stores data which is representative of the revised operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge in the memory device of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.

13. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is a microprocessor or microcontroller and wherein the control circuitry, in response to an external input, changes one or more of the operating parameters of the hydrogen-based refill unit.

14. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 13 wherein the one or more of the operating parameters of the hydrogen-based refill unit is (i) an increase or decrease of a flow rate of fuel into the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge during exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, and/or (ii) enabling a cooling unit of the hydrogen-based refill unit to remove heat from the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge during exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.

15. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 1 further including a leak detection sensor to provide data which is representative of a leak in the fuel path.

16. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 15 wherein the control circuitry, in response to the data from the leak detection sensor, terminates the exchange of hydrogen-based fuel by the refill unit with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.

17. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 1 further including a heating unit to apply heat to the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge during the exchange of hydrogen-based fuel by the refill unit with the fuel vessel.

18. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 1 further including an operator interface, coupled to the control circuitry, to adjust one or more operating parameters of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge or the hydrogen-based refill unit.

19. A hydrogen-based refill unit for use in a hydrogen-based fuel cell management system wherein the management system includes (1) a hydrogen-based fuel storage unit having (i) a fuel vessel containing a hydrogen-based fuel and (ii) a memory device to store at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit, and (2) a power unit, separable from and adapted to couple to the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit, including a hydrogen-based fuel cell, adapted to receive the hydrogen-based fuel from the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit and generate electrical power therefrom, the hydrogen-based refill unit comprising:

a refill unit valve assembly, adapted to couple to the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit, to provide exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit; and

a refill unit interface, including an electrical interface to receive first data from the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit, wherein the first data is representative of at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit at a first time; and

control circuitry to determine second data while the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit is coupled to the hydrogen-based refill unit using the first data, wherein the second data is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit at a second time.

20. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 19 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining or contained in the fuel vessel.

21. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 20 wherein the control circuitry determines the second data after exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit and thereafter stores the second data in the memory device of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit.

22. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 20 wherein the control circuitry determines the second data using an amount of time the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit is connected to or receives fuel from the refill unit.

23. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 20 wherein the control circuitry determines the second data using (i) a flow rate of the fuel in the refill unit valve assembly, during exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit, and (ii) an amount of time the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit is connected to or receives fuel from the refill unit.

24. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 19 further including an electrical interface to receive data which is representative of one or more unique characteristics of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit wherein the one or more unique characteristics of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit includes at least one of a serial number of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit, date of manufacture of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit, date of assembly of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit, and number of refill operations the hydrogen-based storage unit fuel has undergone.

25. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 19 further including an electrical interface to receive data which is representative of at least one of a type of fuel contained in fuel vessel and fuel capacity of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit.

26. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 19 further including a cooling unit to remove heat from the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit during exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit.

27. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 26 wherein the cooling unit is a fan, heat sink, thermoelectric device or refrigeration unit.

28. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 19 further including a display to visually provide information which is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining or contained in the fuel vessel.

29. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 19 wherein the control circuitry is a microprocessor or microcontroller and wherein the control circuitry determines the second data after exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit and thereafter stores the second data in the memory device of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit.

30. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 19 wherein the control circuitry is a microprocessor or microcontroller and wherein the control circuitry, in response to an external input, changes one or more of the operating parameters of the hydrogen-based refill unit.

31. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 30 wherein the one or more of the operating parameters of the hydrogen-based refill unit is (i) an increase or decrease of a flow rate of fuel into the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit during exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit, and/or (ii) enabling a cooling unit of the hydrogen-based refill unit to remove heat from the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit during exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit.

32. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 19 further including a leak detection sensor to provide data which is representative of a leak in the fuel path, wherein the control circuitry, in response to the data from the leak detection sensor, terminates the exchange of hydrogen-based fuel by the refill unit with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit.

33. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 19 further including a heating unit to apply heat to the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit during the exchange of hydrogen-based fuel by the refill unit with the fuel vessel.

34. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 19 wherein the control circuitry, using data stored in the memory device of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit, determines a refill time of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit using estimation techniques.

35. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 34 further including an operator interface, coupled to the control circuitry, to adjust one or more operating parameters of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit or the hydrogen-based refill unit to change the refill time of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit.

36. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 19 further including an operator interface, coupled to the control circuitry, to adjust one or more operating parameters of the hydrogen-based fuel storage unit or the hydrogen-based refill unit.

37. A hydrogen-based refill unit for use in a hydrogen-based fuel cell management system wherein the management system includes a plurality of hydrogen-based fuel cartridges, wherein each hydrogen-based fuel cartridge (1) is separable from and adapted to couple to a power unit, which is adapted to receive hydrogen-based fuel and generate electrical power therefrom, and (2) includes (i) a fuel vessel containing a hydrogen-based fuel and (ii) a memory device to store at least one operating parameter of the associated hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, the hydrogen-based refill unit comprising:

a plurality of refill unit valve assemblies, wherein each refill unit valve assembly is adapted to couple to a hydrogen-based fuel cartridge to provide exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, and wherein the plurality of refill unit valve assemblies are capable of providing simultaneous exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with a plurality of hydrogen-based fuel cartridges; and

control circuitry to determine at least one operating parameter of each hydrogen-based fuel cartridge coupled to one of the plurality of refill unit valve assemblies after exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of each hydrogen-based fuel cartridge and to store data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge in the memory device of the associated hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.

38. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 37 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining or contained in the fuel vessel.

39. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 38 wherein the control circuitry determines the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel of an associated hydrogen-based fuel cartridge using an amount of time the associated hydrogen-based fuel cartridge is connected to or exchanges fuel with the refill unit.

40. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 37 further including an electrical interface to receive data which is representative of one or more unique characteristics of each hydrogen-based fuel cartridge wherein the one or more unique characteristics of each hydrogen-based fuel cartridge includes at least one of a serial number of the fuel cartridge, date of manufacture of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, date of assembly of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, and number of refill operations the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge has undergone.

41. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 37 further including a refill unit interface, including an electrical interface, to receive data which is representative of a type of fuel contained in the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge and/or fuel capacity of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.

42. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 37 further including a cooling unit to remove heat from the fuel vessel of each hydrogen-based fuel cartridge while the hydrogen-based refill unit exchanges fuel with the hydrogen-based fuel cartridges.

43. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 42 wherein the cooling unit is a fan, heat sink, thermoelectric device or refrigeration unit.

44. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 37 wherein the control circuitry is a microprocessor or microcontroller and wherein the control circuitry, in response to an input, changes one or more of the operating parameters of the hydrogen-based refill unit.

45. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 44 wherein the one or more of the operating parameters of the hydrogen-based refill unit is (i) an increase or decrease of a flow rate of fuel into the fuel vessel of at least one hydrogen-based fuel cartridge during exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the at least one hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, and/or (ii) enabling a cooling unit of the hydrogen-based refill unit to remove heat from the fuel vessel of at least one hydrogen-based fuel cartridge during exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with the fuel vessel of the at least one hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.

46. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 37 further including a heating unit to apply heat to one or more hydrogen-based fuel cartridge during the exchange of hydrogen-based fuel by the refill unit with the fuel vessel of the one or more hydrogen-based fuel cartridges.

47. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 37 wherein the control circuitry, using data stored in the memory device of each hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, determines a refill time of each hydrogen-based fuel cartridge using estimation techniques.

48. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 47 further including an operator interface, coupled to the control circuitry, to adjust one or more operating parameters of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge or the hydrogen-based refill unit to change the refill time of at least one hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.

49. The hydrogen-based refill unit of claim 37 wherein each refill unit valve assembly is capable of independent exchange, relative to the exchange of fuel by another refill unit valve assembly, of hydrogen-based fuel with an associated fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.