Integrated fuel and fuel cell device

Abstract

Described here is a device for generating electrical current via an electrochemical fuel cell that consumes hydrogen. The described device may be entirely or partially self-contained or may be made up of cooperating components. The device comprises at least and fuel and fuel cell components and those components may be integrated. The fuel is selected to produce hydrogen suitable for use in a variety of fuel cell designs that utilize hydrogen to produce electrical current. The fuel cell, in some variations, produces water and that water may be returned to the selected fuel source to create a self-sustaining supply of hydrogen for the fuel cell under load. The fuel cell may also contain a system for controlling the amount of water produced by the fuel cell that gets delivered to the solid fuel.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 671,773, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety below. technical field [0003] Described here is a device for generating electric current from a hydrogen-consuming electrochemical fuel cell. The apparatus may be fully or partially self-contained, or may be constructed of multiple components working together. The device contains fuel source and fuel cell components, which can be integrated together. The fuel is selected to generate hydrogen for use in a variety of fuel cell designs that utilize hydrogen to generate electricity. In some variations, the fuel cell produces water, and this water may be returned to a fuel source of choice to provide the fuel cell on load with hydrogen produced by the device itself. Background technique [0004] In the technical field of devices that store and provide electri...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0004] In the technical field of devices that store and provide electrical energy, many conventional battery chemistries have three disadvantages: 1) They have limited capacity in terms of energy density, whether in terms of watts produced per unit volume of the device Hours are also measured in watt-hours produced per unit mass

Said capacity limitations affect the ability of current battery chemistries to perform under sustained load

Even rechargeable batteries are usually limited to 4-5 hours of continuous use

2) They have a relatively short shelf life, usually less than 3 to 5 years

3) Many modern batteries contain harmful or toxic chemicals that can cause long-term harm to the environment

While such fuel cells are acceptable for powering stationary loads, these configurations are currently considered inappropriate for mobile or portable loads (found in consumer electronics), and , it is the need for an external fuel source that makes them impractical (perhaps, even unsafe) in applications involving remote devices such as security devices or alarm sensors placed in building constructions

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