Combined energy storage and fuel generation with reversible fuel cells
First Claim
1. An electrochemical system, comprising:
- a reversible fuel cell system which generates electrical energy and reactant product from fuel and oxidizer in a fuel cell mode, and which generates the fuel and oxidant from the reactant product and the electrical energy in an electrolysis mode;
a first means for providing excess reactant product to the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode from outside the electrochemical system, in addition to or instead of the reactant product generated by the reversible fuel cell system in the fuel cell mode, such that fuel in excess of fuel required to operate the reversible fuel cell system in the fuel cell mode is generated in the electrolysis mode over a predetermined number of operating cycles; and
a second means for removing the excess fuel generated by the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode from the electrochemical system.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrochemical system includes a reversible fuel cell system which generates electrical energy and reactant product from fuel and oxidizer in a fuel cell mode and which generates the fuel and oxidant from the reactant product and the electrical energy in an electrolysis mode. The system also includes a reactant product delivery device which is adapted to supply the reactant product to the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode, in addition to or instead of the reactant product generated by the reversible fuel cell system in the fuel cell mode, and a fuel removal device which is adapted to remove the fuel generated by the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode from the electrochemical system.
-
Citations
51 Claims
-
1. An electrochemical system, comprising:
-
a reversible fuel cell system which generates electrical energy and reactant product from fuel and oxidizer in a fuel cell mode, and which generates the fuel and oxidant from the reactant product and the electrical energy in an electrolysis mode; a first means for providing excess reactant product to the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode from outside the electrochemical system, in addition to or instead of the reactant product generated by the reversible fuel cell system in the fuel cell mode, such that fuel in excess of fuel required to operate the reversible fuel cell system in the fuel cell mode is generated in the electrolysis mode over a predetermined number of operating cycles; and a second means for removing the excess fuel generated by the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode from the electrochemical system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of operating an electrochemical system containing a reversible fuel cell system, comprising:
-
cyclically operating the reversible fuel cell system in a fuel cell mode to generate electrical energy and reactant product from fuel and oxidizer and in an electrolysis mode to generate the fuel and oxidant from the reactant product and the electrical energy; providing excess reactant product to the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode from outside the reversible fuel cell system, in addition to or instead of the reactant product generated by the reversible fuel cell system in the fuel cell mode, such that fuel in excess of fuel required to operate the reversible fuel cell system in the fuel cell mode is generated in the electrolysis mode over a predetermined number of operating cycles; and removing the excess fuel generated by the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode from the electrochemical system. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. An electrochemical system, comprising:
-
a first means for cyclically operating in a fuel cell mode to generate electrical energy and reactant product from fuel and oxidizer and in an electrolysis mode to generate the fuel and oxidant from the reactant product and the electrical energy; a second means for providing excess reactant product to the first means operating in the electrolysis mode from outside the electrochemical system, in addition to or instead of the reactant product generated by the first means in the fuel cell mode, such that fuel in excess of fuel required to operate the first means in the fuel cell mode is generated in the electrolysis mode over a predetermined number of operating cycles; and a third means for removing the excess fuel generated by the first means operating in the electrolysis mode from the electrochemical system. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
Specification