Fuel cell systems
OwnerStephen Voller, Richard Clarkeinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell system wherein system components are arranged to facilitate the transfer of heat from those components which generate heat in operation to those which cool in operation.
Claims51
A fuel cell system wherein system components are arranged to facilitate the transfer of heat from those components which generate heat in operation to those which cool in operation.
A fuel cell system comprising a portable casing, a fuel cell stack mounted in said casing, a mounting for a fuel canister in said casing and a mounting for electrical components in said casing, the arrangement being arranged such that said fuel cell, electrical components and a fuel canister mounted to said fuel canister mounting are in stacked relationship, whereby, in use, heat from said electrical components and fuel stack can rise to heat said fuel canister.
A fuel cell system comprising a connector coupled to a fuel line, and means for guiding a fuel canister into coupling engagement with the connector.
A fuel cell system comprising a fuel supply line connected with a fuel cell stack having a connector at an end thereof for connecting with a connector of a fuel canister and a guide arrangement for guiding a said fuel canister to a mounted position at which said connector of the fuel canister connector connects with said connector of the fuel supply line.
A fuel canister for use with a fuel cell system, the canister comprising means operable to record data relating to the amount of fuel in the canister.
A method for estimating the amount of fuel in a fuel canister of a fuel cell system, the method comprising the steps of:
- reading data from the canister, said data comprising an indication of the power that may be drawn from a fuel cell system using all the fuel in the canister;
- monitoring the power consumed by an external appliance when the fuel cell system is in use with that canister;
- and estimating the amount of fuel remaining in the fuel canister by subtracting the power consumed from the power data read from the canister.
A fuel cell system comprising a controller and a data reader, said data reader being operable to read data from a data storage element carried by a fuel canister connected with the system and said controller being operable to monitor power output from the system and determine an indication of the amount of fuel in said fuel canister based on the data read from said storage element and said power output.
A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack, a hydrogen supply source for supplying hydrogen fuel to the stack, an arrangement for supplying air to the stack, and a controller that is operable—on start-up of the system—to inhibit the supply of hydrogen until air has been supplied to the stack.
A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack, a hydrogen supply source for supplying hydrogen fuel to the stack, an arrangement for supplying air to the stack, and a controller that is operable—on shut-down of the system—to inhibit the supply of hydrogen whilst continuing to supply air to the stack to flush residual hydrogen therefrom before subsequently inhibiting the supply of air to the stack.
A fuel cell system in which a controller is operable to monitor a voltage produced by a fuel cell stack after start-up, and to selectively inhibit the supply of electrical power to one or more other electrical components of the system until the voltage produced is sufficient to power said one or more components.
A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack, means for mixing to a variable extent oxygen-depleted air output from the stack with air having a greater oxygen content to provide an air mix for input as fuel to the stack, and means for supplying said air mix to the stack.
A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack, apparatus for mixing to a variable extent oxygen-depleted air output from the stack with air having a greater oxygen content to provide an air mix for input as fuel to the stack, and apparatus for supplying said air mix to the stack.
A fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell stack having an inlet for receiving fuel air and an exhaust outlet for exhaust air;
- an air mixer having a first inlet connected with said exhaust outlet, a second inlet for receiving a relatively oxygen-rich air supply and an outlet connected with said fuel cell stack inlet for the supply of said fuel air from said air mixer;
- and
- a controller which monitors at least one operating parameter of the fuel system and causes said air mixer to vary a ratio of exhaust air and relatively oxygen rich air in said fuel air in accordance with said at least one operating parameter.
A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack, apparatus for extracting water from a stream of relatively water-rich oxygen-depleted air output from the stack, and means for facilitating the evaporation of said extracted water.
A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack, means for extracting water from a stream of relatively water-rich oxygen-depleted air output from the stack, and means for facilitating the evaporation of said extracted water.
A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack, a device connected with said stack for receiving exhaust air from said stack and extracting water from said exhaust air and a member connected with said device for receiving said extracted water and facilitating evaporation of the received water.
A fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel stack;
- a hydride fuel supply canister connected with said fuel stack and arranged such that, in use, it receives heat from said fuel stack, said hydride fuel canister being provided with a data storage element for storing data concerning the canister;
- a data reader for reading data stored on said storage element;
- and
- a controller connected with said data reader, and operable to determine power output by said fuel system, said controller being operable to determine an indication of the amount of fuel contained in said canister based on data read from said storage element and said power output.
A fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel stack having an inlet for receiving fuel air and an exhaust outlet for exhaust air;
- a hydride fuel supply canister connected with said fuel stack and arranged such that, in use, it receives heat from said fuel stack, said hydride fuel canister being provided with a data storage element for storing data concerning the canister;
- a data reader for reading data stored on said storage element;
- a controller connected with said data reader, and operable to determine power output by said fuel system, said controller being operable to determine an indication of the amount of fuel contained in said canister based on data read from said storage element and said power output;
- and
- an air mixer having a first inlet connected with said exhaust outlet, a second inlet for receiving a relatively oxygen-rich air supply and an outlet connected with said fuel cell stack inlet for supplying said fuel air from said air mixer, wherein said controller monitors at least one operating parameter of the fuel system and causes said air mixer to vary a ratio of exhaust air and relatively oxygen rich air in said fuel air in accordance with said at least one operating parameter.
A fuel system comprising:
- a fuel stack having an inlet for receiving fuel air and an exhaust outlet for exhaust air;
- a hydride fuel supply canister connected with said fuel stack and arranged such that, in use, it receives heat from said fuel stack, said hydride fuel canister being provided with a data storage element for storing data concerning the canister;
- a read/write device for reading data stored on said storage element and writing new data to said storage element;
- a controller connected with said read/write device and operable to determine power output by said fuel system, said controller being operable to determine an indication of the amount of fuel contained in said canister based on data read from said storage element by said read/write device and said power output and to write new data to said storage element based on said indication of the amount of fuel contained in said canister;
- and
- an air mixer having a first inlet connected with said exhaust outlet, a second inlet for receiving a relatively oxygen-rich air supply and an outlet connected with said fuel cell stack inlet for supplying said fuel air from said air mixer, wherein said controller monitors at least one operating parameter of the fuel system and causes said air mixer to vary a ratio of exhaust air and relatively oxygen rich air in said fuel air in accordance with said at least one operating parameter.
A fuel system comprising:
- a fuel stack having an inlet for receiving fuel air and an exhaust outlet for exhaust air;
- a hydride fuel supply canister connected with said fuel stack and arranged such that, in use, it receives heat from said fuel stack, said hydride fuel canister being provided with a data storage element for storing data concerning the canister;
- a read/write device for reading data stored on said storage element and writing new data to said storage element;
- a controller connected with said read/write device and operable to determine power output by said fuel system, said controller being operable to determine an indication of the amount of fuel contained in said canister based on data read from said storage element by said read/write device and said power output and to write new data to said storage element based on said indication of the amount of fuel contained in said canister;
- an air mixer having a first inlet connected with said exhaust outlet, a second inlet for receiving a relatively oxygen-rich air supply and an outlet connected with said fuel cell stack inlet for supplying said fuel air from said air mixer, wherein said controller monitors at least one operating parameter of the fuel system and causes said air mixer to vary a ratio of exhaust air and relatively oxygen rich air in said fuel air in accordance with said at least one operating parameter;
- and
- a humidity detector for detecting the humidity of said fuel air and connected with said controller, wherein said at least one operating parameter includes humidity of said fuel air.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.