Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell with tandem fuel tanks and inertial trigger
AssigneePemery Corp.
InventorDavid J. Pristash
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell apparatus includes tandem storage tanks containing activation devices that release the oxidant gas and fuel gas to the fuel cell membrane when needed. The membrane assemblies surround the storage tanks, overlapping one another in a configuration more suited to use in environments with limited space than the traditional, stacked membrane assemblies. The activation devices are triggered by inertia to puncture membrane valves so that the oxidant gas and fuel gas is kept from the fuel cell membrane prior to inertial triggering and is supplied to the membrane after inertial triggering. The activation devices include spring loaded pivoting arms on supports that swing downward and outward upon subjecting the device to inertial forces.
Claims30
A fuel cell for generating electrical current through an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidant gas, comprising:
- a housing having an axis of rotation;
- at least one membrane electrode assembly in said housing;
- a first compartment in said housing for storing fuel gas, said first compartment being selectively connectable in fluid communication with said at least one membrane electrode assembly, said first compartment extending a full height of said housing along said axis of rotation;
- a second compartment in said housing for storing oxidant gas, said second compartment being selectively connectable in fluid communication with said at least one membrane electrode assembly, said second compartment extending a full height of said housing along said axis of rotation, said first and second compartments being disposed relative to a rotational axis of said housing for rotational symmetry;
- at least one activation device for initiating the electrochemical reaction by providing fluid communication between said at least one membrane electrode assembly and said first and second compartments;
- said at least one activation device including pivoting arms on supports that swing downward and outward upon subjecting the device to inertial forces;
- and
- an electrical connection to said at least one membrane electrode assembly for collecting power produced by fuel cell.
A fuel cell for generating electrical current through an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidant gas, comprising:
- a housing:
- at least one membrane electrode assembly in said housing, said at least one membrane electrode assembly having a corrugated configuration;
- at least one storage container for a fuel cell reactant in said housing, said at least one storage container being selectively connectable in fluid communication with said at least one membrane electrode assembly;
- and
- at least one activation device for initiating the electrochemical reaction by providing fluid communication between said at least one membrane electrode assembly and said first and second compartments;
- said at least one activation device including pivoting arms on supports that swing downward and outward upon subjecting the device to inertial forces;
- and
- an electrical connection to said at least one membrane electrode assembly for collecting power produced by the fuel cell.
A method for operating a fuel cell, comprising the steps of:
- providing a fuel cell with at least one membrane electrode assembly in a housing;
- providing a storage container having first and second compartments for fuel gas and oxidant gas in said housing;
- providing an rotationally operated inertial trigger in said housing;
- supplying reactant gases from said storage container to said at least one membrane electrode assembly upon subjecting said housing to rotational forces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.