Method and apparatus for generating hydrogen inside of a fuel cell
AssigneeHydrogenics Corporation
InventorsXuesong Chen, Ali Rusta-Sallehy, David Frank
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for generating hydrogen inside of a fuel cell is provided. The fuel cell comprises an anode having at least one inlet and optionally one outlet and, a cathode having at least one inlet and optionally one outlet. An electrolyte is disposed between the anode and the cathode, and a catalyst is provided in a chamber for catalyzing a reaction of a solution comprising a solvent and an at least one chemical hydride dissolved therein to generate hydrogen inside of the fuel cell. A method for generating hydrogen inside of a fuel cell is also disclosed.
Claims42
A fuel cell stack capable of internal hydrogen generation, the fuel cell stack comprising:
- at least one fuel cell comprising an anode with a fuel inlet port for a hydrogen containing fuel, a cathode with an oxidant inlet port;
- at least one chamber for a solution comprising a solvent and at least one chemical hydride dissolved therein, and having a chamber inlet and a chamber outlet for the solution and a catalyst within at least one chamber for catalyzing reaction of the solution to generate hydrogen.
An energy generating system, comprising:
- (a) a fuel cell stack capable of generating hydrogen internally and comprising:
- at least one fuel cell having an anode with a hydrogen inlet port, a cathode including an oxidant inlet port, and at least one chamber with a chamber inlet port and a chamber outlet port, and a catalyst in at least one chamber for catalysing reaction of a solution comprising a solvent and an at least one chemical hydride dissolved therein to generate hydrogen;
- (b) a storage means for storing the solution;
- (c) a circulation loop, at least connected to the storage means, each chamber inlet port and each chamber outlet port, for circulating the solution from the storage means through the fuel cell stack;
- (d) a supplying path, connected to the hydrogen inlet port of each fuel cell anode and each chamber outlet port, for supplying hydrogen generated inside the chamber back to the fuel cell;
- wherein the fuel cell stack generates electricity and water from hydrogen and an oxidant.
A method of generating and supplying hydrogen to a fuel cell, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a supply of solution comprising a solvent and an at least one chemical hydride dissolved therein;
- (b) supplying the solution to a catalyst in the fuel cell to catalyze the reaction of the solvent and the at least one chemical hydride to generate hydrogen;
- (c) removing the solution comprising hydrogen, by-products, and unreacted solution from the fuel cell;
- (d) separating the hydrogen from the solution;
- and
- (e) delivering the generated hydrogen to the fuel cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.