Rechargeable fuel cell

• US 9,065,128 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2014
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Eickhoff, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruddock, Ula C
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARKS, JACOB B
• Application Number:
  US14/300,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20140295327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/30 Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/004 Cylindrical, tubular or wound
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0297 Arrangements for joining electrodes, reservoir layers, heat exchange units or bipolar separators to each other H01M8/0271 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04208 Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04216 characterised by the choice for a specific material, e.g. carbon, hydride, absorbent
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/241 with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2465 Details of groupings of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2475 Enclosures, casings or containers of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A device and method of forming a power generator includes a container, a fuel cell stack within the container, a metal hydride hydrogen producing fuel within the container, wherein the fuel cell stack is sandwiched between the container and an anode support surrounding the fuel and in close thermal contact with the fuel. The fuel cell stack has a cathode electrode for exposure to oxygen and an anode electrode for exposure to hydrogen. A cathode is electrically coupled to the cathode electrode of the fuel cell stack and supported by the container such that at least a portion of it is exposed on an outside of the container. An anode is electrically coupled to the anode electrode of the fuel cell stack and supported by the container such that at least a portion of it is exposed on the outside of the container spaced apart from the exposed cathode.

Claims

1. A power generator comprising:

a multiply perforated container;

a fuel cell stack within the container;

a metal hydride hydrogen producing fuel within the container;

the fuel cell stack sandwiched between the container and a multiply perforated anode support surrounding the fuel and in close thermal contact with the fuel;

a cathode electrically coupled to the multiply perforated cathode electrode of the fuel cell stack and supported by the container such that at least a portion of it is exposed on an outside of the container; and

an anode electrically coupled to the anode electrode of the fuel cell stack and supported by the container such that at least a portion of it is exposed on the outside of the container spaced apart from the exposed cathode;

wherein the fuel cell stack comprises;

a multiply perforated anode electrode layer comprising an anode electrode portion for exposure to hydrogen and a non-electrode portion;

an anode double sided adhesive having a non-adhesive anode gas diffusion layer in an opening therein, said double sided adhesive adhered on one side to the anode electrode layer such that a portion of the anode electrode is in contact with the anode gas diffusion layer;

an ion exchange membrane adhered on a first side to the side of the anode double sided adhesive opposite the anode electrode layer;

a cathode double sided adhesive having a non-adhesive cathode gas diffusion layer in an opening therein, said double sided adhesive adhered on one side to a second side of the ion exchange membrane; and

a multiply perforated cathode electrode layer comprising a cathode electrode portion for exposure to oxygen and a non-electrode portion adhered to the cathode double sided adhesive having a non-adhesive cathode gas diffusion layer in an opening therein, on the side opposite the ion exchange membrane such that a portion of the cathode electrode is in contact with the cathode gas diffusion layer, wherein each of the layers combined form a flexible fuel cell stack.

2. The power generator of claim 1, wherein each of the layers combined form a gas tight stack.

3. The power generator of claim 1, wherein the anode electrode layer is formed with fuel cell anodes, each with a tab for facilitating an electrical series connection between two fuel cells in the fuel cell stack.

4. The power generator of claim 3, further comprising a conductive ring at one end of the fuel cell stack to facilitate the series electrical connection between the fuel cells.

5. The power generator of claim 3, wherein the thickness of the stack is approximately 1 mm or less.

6. The power generator of claim 3, wherein the container is cylindrical and the stack is conformed to a cylindrical shape.

7. The power generator of claim 1 wherein the stack is comprised of two series connected fuel cells.

8. The power generator of claim 1 wherein the anode electrode layer and the cathode layer are formed by depositing a titanium or aluminum layer and depositing gold on such layer.

9. The power generator of claim 1 wherein the gas diffusion layers are formed with carbon paper.

10. The power generator of claim 9 wherein the ion exchange membrane is formed with Nafion.

11. The power generator of claim 1, wherein the power generator is self-regulating.