Patent · US Expired

Fuel cell system

US5139894A · kind A · utility

45Cited by
5References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 2, 1990
Grant dateAug 18, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 2, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E60/50
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A number of embodiments of fuel cells including a storage battery which can intermittently supply electrical power to a load. In such embodiment, water vapor generated from the operation of the fuel cell is condensed, purified and returned to the storage battery to replace the water consumed from the electrolyte from the battery operation. The water vapor is reclaimed by a series of condensers and is returned to a purifier. In some embodiments the reclaimed water vapor is delivered to the battery by an intermittently operated pump while in other embodiments the water vapor is returned by a continuously operated pump through some form of overflow device to ensure against dilution of the electrolyte in the battery.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.