Power generation capacity indicator
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsSteven J. Eickhoff, Chunbo Zhang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Improved portable power sources such as batteries, fuel cells, power generators and the like can include structure or apparatus that are adapted to provide an indication of the power capacity remaining within the portable power source. In some cases, these power sources may be configured to accommodate remote communication regarding their remaining power capacity.
Claims20
A fuel gas generator for providing fuel gas to a fuel cell, comprising:
- a housing defining a cavity;
- a solid fuel situated in the cavity of the housing, the solid fuel only filling part of the cavity leaving an open volume within the cavity that is substantially free of solid fuel, wherein a reaction front is disposed between the solid fuel and the open volume;
- an input port and an output port, each of the input port and output port being in fluid communication with the open volume;
- and
- a capacity detection mechanism having a first portion disposed at least partially within the solid fuel and a second portion disposed at least partially within the open volume, with the reaction front situated between the first portion and the second portion of the capacity detection mechanism and moving towards the first portion during use of the fuel gas generator, the capacity detection mechanism providing a measure related to an amount of solid fuel remaining in the cavity of the housing based on a current position of the reaction front relative to the capacity detection mechanism.
A fuel gas generator for providing fuel gas to a fuel cell, comprising:
- a solid fuel;
- an inlet for water vapor;
- an outlet for fuel gas;
- a fuel capacity indicator including a first portion that is disposed at least partially within the solid fuel and a second portion that is disposed at least partially outside of the solid fuel;
- and
- wherein the fuel capacity indicator outputs at least one of a visual representation of remaining solid fuel capacity and an electrical signal representing remaining solid fuel capacity of the fuel gas generator.
A method for providing a measure related to an amount of solid fuel remaining in a fuel gas generator, wherein the fuel gas generator includes a housing defining a cavity, a solid fuel situated in the cavity, where the solid fuel only fills part of the cavity leaving an open volume within the cavity that is substantially free of solid fuel, with a reaction front situated between the solid fuel and the open volume, wherein the reaction front moves as the solid fuel is consumed by the fuel gas generator, the method comprising:
- providing a capacity detection mechanism across the reaction front such that at least part of the capacity detection mechanism is initially buried in the solid fuel;
- exposing at least part of the capacity detection mechanism that is initially buried in the solid fuel to the open volume as the solid fuel is consumed by the fuel gas generator;
- and
- providing a measure that is related to an amount of solid fuel remaining in a fuel gas generator based how much of the capacity detection mechanism has been exposed to the open volume as the solid fuel is consumed by the fuel gas generator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.