Supply device for use with a hydrogen source

Details Supply device for use with a hydrogen source Supply device for use with a hydrogen source

2001-08-24

2002-07-09

Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)

Electric resistance heating devices

Heating devices

Tank or container type liquid heater

C392S453000, C429S006000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06418275

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a supply device for use with a hydrogen source, in particular to one that is for use with a hydrogen source of a fuel cell, wherein the supply device is equipped with a heating device so as to enable endothermic reaction of metal hydride filled within the hydrogen source for discharging hydrogen from a gas discharge valve device at a constant pressure.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the rapid growth of human civilization the consumption of traditional energy sources, such as coal, oil and natural gas, increases rapidly. This results in serious pollution to the global environment and causes various environmental problems such as global warming and acid rain. It has now been recognized that the existing natural energy sources are limited. Therefore, if the present rate of energy consumption continues, all existing natural energy sources will be exhausted in the near future. Accordingly, many developed countries are dedicated to research and development of new and alternative energy sources. The fuel cell is one of the most important and reasonably priced energy sources. Compared with traditional internal combustion engines, the fuel cell has many advantages such as high energy conversion efficiency, clean exhaust, low noise, and no consumption of traditional gasoline.
In brief, a fuel cell is an electrical power generation device powered by the electro-chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. Basically, the reaction is a reverse reaction of the electrolysis of water, to convert the chemical energy into electrical energy. The basic structure of a fuel cell, for example, a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, comprises a plurality of cell units. Each cell unit comprises a proton exchange membrane (PEM) at the middle, with the two sides thereof provided with a layer of catalyst, each of the two outsides of the catalyst is further provided with a gas diffusion layer (GDL). An anode plate and a cathode plate are further provided at the outermost sides adjacent to the GDL. After combining all the above elements together, a cell unit is formed.
For the practical application of a fuel cell, in order to generate a sufficient amount of electricity, oxygen and hydrogen must be supplied to the fuel cell continuously to continue the electrochemical reaction. Oxygen can usually be acquired from the atmospheric air while a special supply device must be used to supply hydrogen to the fuel cell.
One of the known measures of storing hydrogen is to store pressurized, low temperature hydrogen within a pressurized hydrogen bottle, which hydrogen is then recovered to the required operative conditions prior to releasing.
Another known measure of storing hydrogen is to use the so-called metal hydride. Metal hydride is able to discharge hydrogen at a pressure corresponding to the temperature that it experiences; the process of releasing hydrogen is an endothermic reaction. When the hydrogen stored within the metal hydride has been completely exhausted, pure hydrogen can be re-charged back to the metal hydride; the process of charging hydrogen is an exothermic reaction. The temperature which metal hydride experiences is positively proportional to the pressure of the hydrogen to be discharged from the metal hydride, such a proportional relationship may vary among metal hydrides furnished by different suppliers.
Due to the highly combustive characteristic of hydrogen, an easy and convenient method for pre-storing hydrogen within a specific container, and for releasing hydrogen as required for performing the above electrochemical reaction is needed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary objective of this invention to provide a supply device for use with a fuel cell, in particular to one that is for use with a hydrogen source of a fuel cell, wherein the supply device is equipped with a heating device so as to enable endothermic reaction of metal hydride filled within the hydrogen source for releasing hydrogen from a gas discharge valve device at a constant pressure.
The supply device of this invention is particularly useful in releasing hydrogen stored within metal hydride.
The major technical content of this invention is to implement at least one receiving tank having therein a compartment for receiving a pressurized bottle filled with metal hydride; and a heating device provided around the compartment for heating the pressurized bottle, so as to enable endothermic reaction of the metal hydride within the pressurized bottle for releasing hydrogen from the gas discharge valve device at a constant pressure.
The structures and characteristics of this invention can be realized by referring to the appended drawings and explanations of the preferred embodiments.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3174833 (1965-03-01), Blackmer
patent: 4673528 (1987-06-01), Artz et al.
patent: 4755190 (1988-07-01), Harris
patent: 5512145 (1996-04-01), Hollenberg
patent: 5702491 (1997-12-01), Long et al.

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