Fuel cell cartridge with reformate filtering
First Claim
1. A method for providing hydrogen to a fuel cell in an electronics device, the method comprising:
- attaching a hydrogen fuel source storage device to the electronics device, such that the storage device is detachably coupled with the electronics device that includes a fuel processor;
transferring a hydrogen fuel source from the storage device to the fuel processor included in the electronics device;
reforming the hydrogen fuel source in the fuel processor to produce reformate;
transferring the reformate from the fuel processor to the storage device;
removing a contaminant from the reformate while the reformate is in the storage device by way of a reformate cleaning system; and
transferring hydrogen in the reformate from the storage device to the fuel cell in the electronics device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein is a portable storage device that stores a hydrogen fuel source. The storage device includes a bladder that contains the hydrogen fuel source and conforms to the volume of the hydrogen fuel source. A housing provides mechanical protection for the bladder. The storage device also includes a connector that interfaces with a mating connector to permit transfer of the fuel source between the bladder and a device that includes the mating connector. The device may be a portable electronics device such as a laptop computer. Refillable hydrogen fuel source storage devices and systems are also described. Hot swappable fuel storage systems described herein allow a portable hydrogen fuel source storage device to be removed from a fuel processor or electronics device it provides the hydrogen fuel source to, without shutting down the receiving device or without compromising hydrogen fuel source provision.
204 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for providing hydrogen to a fuel cell in an electronics device, the method comprising:
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attaching a hydrogen fuel source storage device to the electronics device, such that the storage device is detachably coupled with the electronics device that includes a fuel processor; transferring a hydrogen fuel source from the storage device to the fuel processor included in the electronics device; reforming the hydrogen fuel source in the fuel processor to produce reformate; transferring the reformate from the fuel processor to the storage device; removing a contaminant from the reformate while the reformate is in the storage device by way of a reformate cleaning system; and transferring hydrogen in the reformate from the storage device to the fuel cell in the electronics device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for providing hydrogen to a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell and a fuel processor using a detachable cartridge that is separate from the fuel cell system, the detachable cartridge having a hydrogen fuel source stored therein and including a reformate cleaning system, the method comprising:
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attaching the cartridge to the fuel cell system, such that the cartridge is detachably coupled with the fuel cell system; transferring at least some of the hydrogen fuel source from the cartridge to the fuel processor, wherein the fuel processor is included in the fuel cell system; reforming the hydrogen fuel source within the fuel processor to produce reformate; transferring the reformate from the fuel processor to the cartridge; cleaning the reformate by passing the reformate through the reformate cleaning system within the cartridge to thereby remove contaminants from the reformate while the reformate is in the cartridge; and transferring hydrogen in the cleaned reformate from the cartridge to the fuel cell system to facilitate the production of electricity within the fuel cell system; and wherein the cartridge may be detached from the fuel cell system to facilitate refilling or replacing the cartridge. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification