Hydrocarbon fuelled fuel cell power system
US5527632A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 5, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jun 18, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 5, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A hydrocarbon fuelled fuel cell power system comprises a fuel cell stack, a reformer and a hydrogen store. The reformer is arranged periodically to supply reformate, which contains hydrogen, to the fuel cell stack and to the hydrogen store. The hydrogen store is arranged to store the hydrogen from the reformate during the periods that the reformer operates. The hydrogen store is arranged to supply hydrogen to the fuel cell stack during periods of low load demands on the fuel cell stack and is capable of supplying hydrogen rapidly to the fuel cell stack for high load demands on the fuel cell stack. The hydrogen store also supplies hydrogen to the reformer to light up the reformer. The hydrogen store buffers the fast response of the fuel cell stack and the relatively slower response of the reformer during relatively large rapid demands on the fuel cell stack and enables the reformer to be operated in an on/off mode.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.