Hydrogen fuel assist device for an internal combustion engine and method

• US 8,186,315 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rss-H2, LLC
• Original Assignee: Arthur Jeffs, Heber Barlow
• Inventors: Jeffs, Arthur, Barlow, Heber
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Long T
• Application Number:
  US12/263,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20100275858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 123/3, 123/1.A, 123/DIG.12, 123/41.51, 429/410, 429/420, 429/423, 429/424, 429/425, 429/437, 429/480, 180/167
• US Class Current: 123/3
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 43/10 Engines or plants characterised by use of other specific gases, e.g. acetylene, oxyhydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/12 the apparatus having means for generating such gases using rays and simultaneously generating ozone F02M27/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

A hydrogen fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a water reservoir and a fuel cell in fluid communication with the water reservoir. An oxygen line is fluidly coupled to the hydrogen fuel cell and receives and transports oxygen away from the fuel cell. A hydrogen line is fluidly coupled to the fuel cell and receives and transports hydrogen away from the fuel cell. An engine gas interface is fluidly coupled to the oxygen line and the hydrogen line, and operatively coupled to an engine intake. The engine gas interface receives oxygen and hydrogen from the oxygen and hydrogen lines, and introduces the hydrogen and oxygen into the engine intake. A vibration sensor is operatively coupled to the engine gas interface to detect engine vibration of the internal combustion engine, and deactivates the fuel when the sensor does not detect vibration from the engine.

Claims

1. A hydrogen fuel system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a water reservoir;

a fuel cell formed from a plurality of fuel cell stacks in fluid communication with the water reservoir, each fuel cell stack having at least one cathode, at least one anode and a proton exchange membrane for separating water into hydrogen and oxygen when an electrical current is applied across the at least one cathode and at least one anode;

a hydrogen path extending through the fuel cell and fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of fuel cell stacks to receive substantially pure hydrogen from each of the fuel cell stacks and transport the hydrogen to a hydrogen outlet in the fuel cell;

an oxygen path extending through the fuel cell and fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of fuel cell stacks to receive oxygen from each of the fuel cell stacks and transport the oxygen to an oxygen outlet in the fuel cell;

a hydrogen line fluidly coupled to the hydrogen outlet to receive and transport hydrogen away from the fuel cell;

an oxygen line fluidly coupled to the oxygen outlet to receive and transport oxygen away from the fuel cell; and

an engine gas interface fluidly coupled to the oxygen line and the hydrogen line, and operatively coupled to an engine intake, the engine gas interface being operable to receive hydrogen from the hydrogen line and the oxygen from the oxygen line and introduce the hydrogen and oxygen into the engine intake;

wherein

each fuel cell stack further includes at least one gasket disposed between two components of the fuel cell stack, the gasket including;

i) a through hole formed therein for passage of hydrogen or oxygen through the gasket; and

a channel formed in the gasket adjacent the through hole and extending from the through hole to an aperture surrounded by the gasket, the channel being sized and shaped to allow passage of the hydrogen or oxygen to or from the through hole to or from the edge of the gasket.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a vibration sensor operatively coupled to the internal combustion engine and the fuel cell, the vibration sensor being operable to detect engine vibration from the internal combustion engine, and to deactivate the fuel cell when the sensor does not detect vibration from the engine.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a controller operatively coupled to the fuel cell and the vibration sensor to activate the fuel cell to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen when the vibration sensor detects vibration from the engine and to deactivate the fuel cell when the vibration sensor does not detect vibration from the engine.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

an in-vehicle display operatively coupled to the controller and configured to indicate the operational status of the fuel cell including a water level of the reservoir, vibration of the engine, and a temperature of the fuel cell.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an oxygen separator fluidly coupled to the oxygen line between the fuel cell and the engine gas interface to receive oxygenated water from the oxygen line and separate the oxygenated water into water and oxygen.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the fuel cell is electrically coupled to an electrical power source of the internal combustion engine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the fuel cell is a reversible hydrogen fuel cell configured to separate hydrogen and oxygen from water when an electric current is applied to the fuel cell, and to generate an electric current when hydrogen is introduced into the fuel cell.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a water pump fluidly coupled to between the water reservoir and the fuel cell to pump water from the water reservoir to the plurality of fuel cell stacks forming the fuel cell.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an impact sensor operatively coupled to the fuel cell and configured to deactivate the fuel cell when an impact is detected.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the water reservoir and fuel cell are disposed in a common housing with the water reservoir occupying a lower portion of the housing and the fuel cell disposed on top of the water reservoir.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein each fuel cell stack further includes:

a first and second stack of screens;

a proton exchange member disposed between the first and second stack of screens and having a first side and second side;

a first gasket disposed between the first stack of screens and the first side of the proton exchange member; and

a second gasket disposed between the second stack of screens and the second side of the proton exchange member.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first stack of screens forms the cathode and the second stack of screens forms the anode of each of the fuel cell stacks.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first gasket further includes:

an aperture sized and shaped to receive the first stack of screens, the first gasket forming a perimeter around the aperture;

a through hole positioned on the perimeter to align with corresponding through holes in the first stack of screens and the second gasket to form a path for hydrogen generated by the fuel cell stack; and

a channel extending from the aperture to the through hole, the channel being sized and shaped to receive and direct hydrogen from the proton exchange member to the path formed by the through hole.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the second gasket further includes:

an aperture sized and shaped to receive the second stack of screens, the second gasket forming a perimeter around the aperture;

a through hole positioned on the perimeter to align with corresponding through holes in the second stack of screens and the second gasket to form a path for oxygen generated by the fuel cell stack; and

a channel extending from the aperture to the through hole, the channel being sized and shaped to receive and direct oxygen from the proton exchange member to the path formed by the through hole.

15. A hydrogen fuel cell for use in a hydrogen fuel system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a plurality of fuel cell stacks, each fuel cell stack including at least;

a stack of screens;

a proton exchange member disposed adjacent the stack of screens; and

a gasket, disposed adjacent the proton exchange member, the gasket including;

an aperture sized and shaped to receive the stacks of screens, the gasket forming a perimeter around the aperture;

a through hole positioned on the perimeter to form a path through the gasket for hydrogen or oxygen generated by the fuel cell stack; and

a channel, extending from the aperture to the through hole, the channel being sized and shaped to receive and direct hydrogen or oxygen from the aperture to the through hole.

16. The fuel cell of claim 15, wherein the gasket includes a generally planar configuration, and wherein the through hole extends through the plane of the gasket, and wherein the channel extends along a face of the plane of the gasket.

17. The fuel cell of claim 15, wherein the channel of the gasket extends substantially orthogonally to the through hole of the gasket.