IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0000249
(2001-10-29)
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§371/§102 date |
20020122
(20020122)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Prasad, Ravi
- Liu, Qin
- Johnson, Loren E.
- Bullock, Michael L.
- Childers, Winthrop D.
- Mann, L. Chris
- Tsang, Joseph W.
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Hewlett-Packard Development Company L.P.
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
51 인용 특허 :
11 |
초록
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The present invention concerns a fuel supply for a fuel cell. The fuel supply includes a fuel storage area configured to hold a fuel solution, a fuel solution outlet configured to pass the fuel solution from the fuel storage area, a waste storage area, a waste inlet configured to pass waste into the
The present invention concerns a fuel supply for a fuel cell. The fuel supply includes a fuel storage area configured to hold a fuel solution, a fuel solution outlet configured to pass the fuel solution from the fuel storage area, a waste storage area, a waste inlet configured to pass waste into the waste storage area, and a movable barrier separating the fuel storage area and the waste storage area. The movable barrier is configured to move as fuel solution is passed from the fuel storage area and waste solution is passed into the waste storage area to simultaneously decrease the volume of the fuel storage area and increase the volume of the waste storage area.
대표청구항
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1. A fuel supply for a fuel cell, the fuel cell having an anode and a cathode, the fuel supply comprising:a fuel storage area, the fuel storage area having a volume; a fuel solution outlet configured to pass a fuel solution from the fuel storage area; a waste storage area, the waste storage area hav
1. A fuel supply for a fuel cell, the fuel cell having an anode and a cathode, the fuel supply comprising:a fuel storage area, the fuel storage area having a volume; a fuel solution outlet configured to pass a fuel solution from the fuel storage area; a waste storage area, the waste storage area having a volume; a waste inlet configured to pass waste into the waste storage area; a movable barrier separating the fuel storage area and the waste storage area, wherein the movable barrier is a first flexible bag that surrounds the fuel storage area, and wherein the movable barrier is configured to move as the fuel solution is passed from the fuel storage area and a waste is passed into the waste storage area to simultaneously decrease the volume of the fuel storage area and increase the volume of the waste storage area; and a second flexible bag surrounding the waste storage area. 2. The fuel supply of claim 1, wherein the first flexible bag is disposed within the second flexible bag such that expansion of the volume of the waste storage area compresses the fuel storage area from a plurality of directions.3. The fuel supply of claim 1, wherein the first flexible bag and the second flexible bag are disposed in a side-by-side arrangement.4. A fuel supply for a fuel cell, the fuel cell having an anode and a cathode, the fuel supply comprising:a fuel storage area, the fuel storage area having a volume; a fuel solution outlet configured to pass a fuel solution from the fuel storage area; a waste storage area, the waste storage area having a volume; a waste inlet configured to pass waste into the waste storage area; and a movable barrier separating the fuel storage area and the waste storage area, wherein the movable barrier is configured to move as the fuel solution is passed from the fuel storage area and a waste is passed into the waste storage area to simultaneously decrease the volume of the fuel storage area and increase the volume of the waste storage area, and wherein the movable barrier includes a metal layer for facilitating heat exchange between the waste storage area and the fuel storage area. 5. A fuel supply for a fuel cell, the fuel cell having an anode and a cathode, the fuel supply comprising:a fuel storage area, the fuel storage area having a volume; a fuel solution outlet configured to pass a fuel solution from the fuel storage area; a waste storage area, the waste storage area having a volume; a waste inlet configured to pass waste into the waste storage area; and a movable barrier separating the fuel storage area and the waste storage area, wherein the movable barrier is configured to move as the fuel solution is passed from the fuel storage area and a waste is passed into the waste storage area to simultaneously decrease the volume of the fuel storage area and increase the volume of the waste storage area, and wherein the movable barrier is a flexible bag with a multi-layer construction, the multi-layer construction including an inner gas barrier layer disposed between layers resistant to the fuel solution. 6. The fuel supply of claim 5, wherein the inner gas barrier layer includes a liquid crystal polymer sheet.7. The fuel supply of claim 5, wherein the fuel cell is a hydrogen fuel cell.8. The fuel supply of claim 7, wherein the fuel solution is a borohydride solution.9. The fuel supply of claim 8, wherein the waste includes borate waste product.10. The fuel supply of claim 7, wherein the waste includes water produced at the cathode.11. The fuel supply of claim 5, wherein the fuel cell is a direct methanol fuel cell.12. The fuel supply of claim 5, wherein the fuel cell is a solid oxide fuel cell.13. The fuel supply of claim 5, wherein the fuel solution includes an alcohol.14. The fuel supply of claim 13, wherein the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of ethanol and methanol.15. The fuel supply of claim 5, wherein the fuel includes a liquid hydrocarbon.16. The fuel supply of claim 15, wherein the liquid hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of gasoline, pentane, kerosene and diesel.17. The fuel supply of claim 5, further comprising a pressurizer configured to apply a positive pressure to the movable barrier to direct the fuel solution to flow out of the fuel storage area.18. The fuel supply of claim 17, wherein the pressurizer is a spring configured to push against the movable barrier.19. The fuel supply of claim 5, wherein the fuel supply is configured to be coupled with an electronic device, and wherein the fuel solution outlet and waste inlet includes self-sealing fluidic couplers configured to couple with complementary fluid couplers of the electronic device.20. The fuel supply of claim 19, wherein the self-sealing fluidic couplers each include a septum configured to couple to a complementary needle on the device.21. The fuel supply of claim 20, wherein the self-sealing fluidic couplers include a sealing ball positioned beneath the septum and biased with a spring toward the septum.22. The fuel supply of claim 5, wherein the outer container includes a keying element configured to direct the fuel supply into a fuel supply receptacle in an electronic device in a correct orientation.23. The fuel supply of claim 22, wherein the keying element includes a tab configured to fit in a complementary slot in the electronic device.24. The fuel supply of claim 22, wherein the keying element is configured to indicate a type of fuel stored in the fuel supply.25. The fuel supply of claim 22, wherein the keying element is configured to indicate a grade of fuel stored in the fuel supply.26. The fuel supply of claim 22, wherein the keying element is configured to indicate a safety aspect of the fuel stored in the fuel supply.27. A fuel supply for a fuel cell, the fuel cell having an anode and a cathode, the fuel supply comprising:a fuel storage area, the fuel storage area having a volume; a fuel solution outlet configured to pass a fuel solution from the fuel storage area; a waste storage area, wherein the waste storage area has a volume that includes a waste-absorbing material; a waste inlet configured to pass waste into the waste storage area; and a movable barrier separating the fuel storage area and the waste storage area, wherein the movable barrier is configured to move as the fuel solution is passed from the fuel storage area and a waste is passed into the waste storage area to simultaneously decrease the volume of the fuel storage area and increase the volume of the waste storage area. 28. The fuel supply of claim 27, wherein the waste-absorbing material is a super-absorbent material.29. The fuel supply of claim 28, wherein the super-absorbent material is selected from the group consisting of cross-linked polyacrylic acid salts, polyvinyl alcohol, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)/poly(ethylene oxide), isobutylene-maleic acid copolymer derivatives, poly(methacrylic acid) salts, poly(acrylamide) and polyvinylpyrrolidone.30. A fuel supply for a fuel cell, the fuel cell having an anode and a cathode, the fuel supply comprising:a fuel storage area, the fuel storage area having a volume; a fuel solution outlet configured to pass a fuel solution from the fuel storage area; a waste storage area, the waste storage area having a volume; a waste inlet configured to pass waste into the waste storage area; a movable barrier separating the fuel storage area and the waste storage area, wherein the movable barrier is configured to move as the fuel solution is passed from the fuel storage area and a waste is passed into the waste storage area to simultaneously decrease the volume of the fuel storage area and increase the volume of the waste storage area; and a catalyst fluidly coupled to the fuel storage area for producing a fuel from the fuel solution. 31. A fuel supply for a fuel cell, comprising:an outer container; a fuel storage area defined within the outer container, the fuel storage area being configured to hold a fuel solution, and the fuel storage area having a fuel volume; a fuel solution outlet configured to pass a fuel solution from the outer container; a waste storage area defined within the outer container, the waste storage area being configured to hold a waste, and the waste storage area having a waste volume; a waste inlet configured to pass the waste into the outlet container; a movable barrier separating the fuel storage area and the waste storage area, wherein the movable barrier is configured to move as the fuel solution is passed from the outer container and the waste is passed into the outer container to simultaneously decrease the volume of the fuel storage area and increase the volume of the waste storage area; and a catalyst in fluid communication with the fuel storage area, wherein the fuel solution flows from the fuel storage area over the catalyst to produce a fuel for passage downstream to the fuel cell. 32. The fuel supply of claim 31, wherein the fuel storage area is defined by a first inner container, and wherein the waste storage area is defined by a second inner container.33. The fuel supply of claim 32, further comprising a third inner container configured to contain a reactant that reacts with the fuel solution at the catalyst to produce the fuel.34. The fuel supply of claim 33, wherein the reactant is water.35. The fuel supply of claim 31, further comprising a pump to transfer fuel solution to the catalyst.36. The fuel supply of claim 35, further comprising a pump control system configured to sense fuel cell performance and to control transfer of the fuel solution to the catalyst based on the fuel cell performance.37. The fuel supply of claim 36, wherein the pump control system includes a pressure sensor configured to detect hydrogen pressure downstream of the catalyst.38. The fuel supply of claim 36, wherein the pump control system includes a voltage meter to detect voltage across the fuel cell.39. A fuel supply for a fuel cell, the fuel cell having an anode and a cathode, the fuel supply comprising:a fuel storage area; a fuel solution outlet configured to pass a fuel solution from the fuel storage area; a waste storage area; a waste inlet configured to pass waste into the waste storage area; and a keying element configured to direct the fuel supply into a fuel supply receptacle in an electronic device in a correct orientation, the keying element having a configuration indicative of at least one of a type of fuel stored in the in the fuel supply, a grade of fuel stored in the fuel supply and a safety aspect of the fuel stored in the fuel supply. 40. The fuel supply of claim 39, wherein the keying element includes a tab configured to fit in a complementary slot in the electronic device.41. The fuel supply of claim 39, wherein at least one of the fuel solution outlet and waste inlet includes a self-sealing coupler.42. The fuel supply of claim 41, wherein the self-sealing coupler includes a ball-and-spring valve.43. The fuel supply of claim 41, wherein the self-sealing coupler includes a septum.44. The fuel supply of claim 39, wherein the keying feature is disposed in an asymmetric relation to the fuel solution outlet and the waste inlet.45. The fuel supply of claim 39, wherein the keying feature includes first and second keying elements disposed in an asymmetric relation to each other.46. The fuel supply of claim 39, the fuel supply being configured to be installed in a complementary receptacle and having a leading end relative to a direction in which the fuel supply is installed in the complementary receptacle, wherein the fuel solution outlet and waste inlet are disposed at the leading end of the fuel supply.47. The fuel supply of claim 46, the fuel supply having a trailing end opposite the leading end, further comprising a handle disposed on the trailing end.48. The fuel supply of claim 46, wherein the keying element is disposed adjacent the leading end of the fuel supply.49. The fuel supply of claim 39, further comprising a movable barrier separating the fuel storage area and the waste storage area, wherein the barrier is configured to move as the fuel solution is passed from the fuel storage area and a waste is passed into the waste storage area.
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