Power supply system, fuel pack constituting the system, and device driven by power generator and power supply system

• US 6,777,118 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2002
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Shioya, Masaharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalafut, Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US10/053,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20020106540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 429/17, 429/19, 429/20, 422/188, 422/189, 422/193, 422/196, 422/197
• US Class Current: 429/410
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0233 the reforming step being a steam reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0283 containing a CO-shift step, i.e. a water gas shift step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/042 Purification by adsorption on solids
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/044 Selective oxidation of carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/047 the impurity being carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0475 the impurity being carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/066 with fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/16 Controlling the process
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/84 Energy production
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/323 Catalytic reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds other than hydrocarbons with gasifying agents
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/003 of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/30 Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/402 Combination of fuel cell with other electric generators combination of fuel cells with other electrochemical generator H01M16/003
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0263 having meandering or serpentine paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04007 related to heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04171 using adsorbents, wicks or hydrophilic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04208 Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04225 during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04228 during shut-down
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04302 : applied during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04303 : applied during shut-down
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04373 : of auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04425 : at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04559 : of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04567 : of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04626 : of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04679 : of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04686 : of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 : of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04776 : at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformer, compressor, burner
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0612 : from carbon-containing material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0668 : Removal of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 : Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells

Abstract

A by-product elimination device used in a power generation system includes a fuel pack provided with a fuel charged portion having a power generation fluid fuel containing hydrogen, and a power generation module which detachably attached to the fuel pack, the module including a reforming portion which transforms the power generation fuel supplied from the charged portion into first gas containing hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide, and a fuel cell which generates an electrical energy by using the hydrogen gas. The device includes an absorbent charged portion which selectively absorbs carbon dioxide contained in the first gas and feeds second gas whose carbon dioxide concentration is lowered by the first gas to the fuel cell.

Claims

1. A by-product elimination device used in a power generation system, comprising:

(a) a fuel pack provided with a fuel charged portion having a power generation fuel comprising a liquid or gas containing hydrogen charged therein;

(b) a power generation module which is attachable/detachable from said fuel pack to receive said power generation fuel from said fuel charged portion, and which includes (i) a reforming portion which transforms said power generation fuel supplied from said fuel charged portion into a first gas containing hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide as main components, and (ii) a fuel cell which generates electrical energy by using the hydrogen gas contained in said first gas; and

(c) an absorbent charged portion in said fuel pack which receives said first gas from said reforming portion, and which selectively absorbs carbon dioxide contained in said first gas fed from said reforming portion and feeds a second gas whose carbon dioxide concentration is lower than a carbon dioxide concentration of said first gas to said fuel cell.

2. The by-product elimination device according to claim 1, wherein a volumetric capacity of said absorbent charged portion is increased as carbon dioxide is absorbed.

3. The by-product elimination device according to claim 1, wherein said absorbent charged portion comprises one of calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide.

4. The by-product elimination device according to claim 1, wherein said absorbent charged portion includes (i) a carbon dioxide absorption portion, and (ii) a calcium carbonate collection portion for containing calcium carbonate generated in said carbon dioxide absorption portion.

5. The by-product elimination device according to claim 4, wherein said carbon dioxide absorption portion supplies to said calcium carbonate collection portion calcium carbonate generated as carbon dioxide is absorbed.

6. The by-product elimination device according to claim 4, wherein said carbon dioxide absorption portion contains one of calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide.

7. The by-product elimination device according to claim 1, wherein said absorbent charged portion includes a carbon dioxide absorption portion, a calcium carbonate collection portion which collects calcium carbonate generated in said carbon dioxide absorption portion, and a water absorption portion which absorbs water generated in said carbon dioxide absorption portion.

8. The by-product elimination device according to claim 7, wherein said water absorption portion supplies to said carbon dioxide absorption portion calcium hydroxide generated as water is absorbed.

9. The by-product elimination device according to claim 8, wherein said carbon dioxide absorption portion supplies to said calcium carbonate collection portion calcium carbonate generated as carbon dioxide is absorbed.

10. The by-product elimination device according to claim 7, wherein said water absorption portion contains calcium oxide.

11. The by-product elimination device according to claim 7, said carbon dioxide absorption portion contains calcium hydroxide.

12. The by-product elimination device according to claim 1, wherein a reforming reaction in said reforming portion includes (i) a first reaction which generates hydrogen gas, and (ii) a second reaction which reforms carbon monoxide generated in said first reaction into carbon dioxide, and

wherein said absorbent charged portion is adapted to absorb carbon dioxide generated by the second reaction.

13. The by-product elimination device according to claim 1, wherein said reforming portion comprises at least one of a vapor reforming reaction portion, an aqueous shift reaction portion, and a selected oxidation reaction portion.

14. The by-product elimination device according to claim 1, wherein said reforming portion comprises a vapor reforming reaction portion and an aqueous shift reaction portion, and said absorbent charged portion is connected to said vapor reforming reaction portion and said aqueous shift reaction portion.

15. The by-product elimination device according to claim 1, further comprising a water collection portion which selectively collects at least water among discharged substances discharged from said fuel cell.

16. The by-product elimination device according to claim 1, wherein said by-product elimination device includes a water collection portion which selectively collects at least water among discharged substances discharged from said fuel cell, and

wherein said fuel charged portion, said absorbent charged portion and said water collection portion are separated from one another.

17. The by-product elimination device according to claim 1, further comprising (i) a path from said power generation module used for feeding the first gas fed from said reforming portion to said fuel pack, and (ii) a path from said fuel pack used for feeding the second gas fed from said absorbent charged portion to said power generation module.

18. The by-product elimination device according to claim 1, wherein said reforming portion generates the first gas from said power generation fuel by an exothermic reaction, and said absorbent charged portion is adapted to supply heat generated by absorbing carbon dioxide to said reforming portion.

19. A fuel pack which can be connected to a power generation module without restraint, comprising:

a fuel charged portion which contains a fuel to be supplied to a reforming portion which generates hydrogen and carbon dioxide from said fuel, and whose volumetric capacity is reduced as carbon dioxide is generated in said reforming portion; and

a carbon dioxide absorption portion which absorbs carbon dioxide generated by said reforming portion and whose volumetric capacity is increased as carbon dioxide is generated in said reforming portion.

20. A fuel pack which can be connected to a power generation module without restraint, comprising:

a fuel charged portion which contains a fuel to be supplied to a reforming portion which generates mixed gas containing hydrogen and a first by-product from said fuel, and whose volumetric capacity is reduced as said first by-product is generated in said reforming portion;

a first by-product absorption portion which generates a second by-product by absorbing said first by-product from said mixed gas, and whose volumetric capacity is increased as said first by-product is generated in said reforming portion; and

a second by-product absorption portion which absorbs said second by-product in a mixture including said hydrogen and said second by-product fed from said first by-product absorption portion.

21. The fuel pack according to claim 20, which further comprises a third by-product absorption portion which absorbs a third by-product from a fuel cell which generates said third by-product as power is generated by using the hydrogen fed from said second by-product absorption portion.

22. The fuel pack according to claim 20, wherein said first by-product absorption portion and said second by-product absorption portion are connected to each other, and said third by-product absorption portion is separated from said first by-product absorption portion and said second by-product absorption portion.

23. A fuel pack which can be connected to a power generation module without restraint, comprising:

a fuel charged portion which contains a fuel to be supplied to a reforming portion which generates mixed gas including hydrogen and a first by-product from said fuel, and whose volumetric capacity is reduced as said first by-product is generated in said reforming portion;

a first by-product absorption portion which absorbs said first by-product from said mixed gas, and whose volumetric capacity is increased as said first by-product is generated in said reforming portion; and

a second by-product absorption portion which collects a second by-product from a fuel cell which generates power by using said hydrogen fed from said first by-product absorption portion, and whose volumetric capacity is increased as power is generated in said fuel cell.

24. A by-product elimination device adapted to be used in a power generation system, comprising:

a fuel pack provided with a fuel charged portion having a power generation fuel comprising a liquid or gas containing hydrogen charged therein;

a power generation module which is attachable/detachable to said fuel pack, and which includes a fuel cell which generates electrical energy using said fuel supplied from said fuel pack; and

an absorbent charged portion in said fuel pack which selectively absorbs carbon dioxide received from said power generation module.