WO2005112162A2 - Pompe a inertie pour deplacer des gaz dans une micro cellule électrochimique - Google Patents

Pompe a inertie pour deplacer des gaz dans une micro cellule électrochimique Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2005112162A2
WO2005112162A2 PCT/US2005/010654 US2005010654W WO2005112162A2 WO 2005112162 A2 WO2005112162 A2 WO 2005112162A2 US 2005010654 W US2005010654 W US 2005010654W WO 2005112162 A2 WO2005112162 A2 WO 2005112162A2
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
fuel cell
piston
gas
chamber
floλv
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2005/010654
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English (en)
Other versions
WO2005112162A3 (fr
Inventor
David J. Pristash
Original Assignee
Pemery Corp.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US11/090,365 external-priority patent/US7732085B2/en
Application filed by Pemery Corp. filed Critical Pemery Corp.
Priority to CA002564295A priority Critical patent/CA2564295A1/fr
Priority to EP05766096A priority patent/EP1743394A2/fr
Publication of WO2005112162A2 publication Critical patent/WO2005112162A2/fr
Priority to IL178893A priority patent/IL178893A0/en
Publication of WO2005112162A3 publication Critical patent/WO2005112162A3/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
    • H01M8/04201—Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/24—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells
    • H01M8/241—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/10—Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
    • H01M2008/1095—Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to a fuel cell, and more particularly to a fuel cell having a pump or other gas transfer apparatus for moving gases in the fuel cell, as well as to a method for construction of and operation of a fuel cell.
  • the hydrogen is cleanly, quietly and efficiently converted electrochemically into electrical energy.
  • the hydrogen is oxidized at the anode (negative pole) and the oxygen (or oxygen from the air) is reduced at the cathode (positive pole) of a single cell.
  • the catalyst on the anode promotes the oxidation of hydrogen molecules into hydrogen ions (H+) and electrons: the hydrogen ions migrate through a special membrane to the cathode, where the cathode catalyst causes the combination of the hydrogen ions, electrons and oxygen to produce water.
  • the membrane is a polymer membrane so that the fuel cell is a so-called Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel cell (or PEMFC or PEM). The membrane conducts the hydrogen ions from one side to the other while blocking the free electrons but does so more efficiently when fully hydrated.
  • ⁇ T en connected to an electrical circuit
  • the electrical energy of the fuel cell produces a flow of electrons through the external circuit as electric current, which can be used, for example, to run a direct current (DC) electric motor.
  • DC direct current
  • an inverter provides alternating current (AC) for those kinds of applications.
  • the electrodes may be formed by a thin layer of a catalyst applied to an appropriate backing placed on the opposite surface of the thin polymer membrane. Two bipolar plates are positioned against this backing, one on each side of the membrane. The bipolar plates have two functions: transmission of electrons through the elementary cells and release of heat to the external environment.
  • the side of the bipolar plates facing the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) may be provided with ribs, which allow for the distribution of the gases (hydrogen and air) and the discharge of the resultant product water.
  • the bipolar plates are configured to handle increased voltage requirements.
  • the several types of fuel cells are characterized by means of the electrolyte type.
  • the electrolyte in between the electrodes defines the operating temperature of the fuel cell and a suitable catalyst can be selected for that operating temperature.
  • batteries and in particular lithium batteries are employed in most smart munitions.
  • storage or "shelf life” becomes a critical issue in this application.
  • Batteries that are embedded in such devices must be capable of long term survival, requiring continued reliably for perhaps decades in storage, and generally under the most demanding environmental conditions.
  • the batteries may need to be put into the munitions immediately prior to use of the munitions, not something one would want to do in combat. These batteries are called “reserve” batteries in the military.
  • Thermal reserve batteries are employed in some munitions but more commonly are used in bombs and missiles. The only difference in operating function between lithium batteries and thermal batteries is that thermal batteries are generally used for higher power applications. Beyond that, thermal reserve batteries are generally subject to the same demanding operating conditions as the lithium batteries.
  • U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2003 0152S15 discloses microscopic batteries that are integrated or integratable with and provide internal power to MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) and integrated microcircuits, either on a retrofit or original manufacture basis.
  • MEMS microelectromechanical systems
  • the MEMS involve the fabrication and use of miniature devices, which comprise microscopic moving parts (such as motors, relays, pumps, sensors, accelerometers, etc.).
  • the MEMS devices can be combined with integrated circuits, and can perform numerous functions.
  • military' applications for remote sensors and accelerometers include: safing and arming of fuses; friend or foe identification; embedded sensors for system integrity monitoring; communications systems monitoring, such as with satellites; low power mobile displays; flexible sensing surfaces; and numerous others,
  • the microscopic batteries of Patent Publication Application No. 2003 0152815 do not employ fuel cell technology due to the perceived limitation of providing sufficient power to drive the microdevices.
  • 00S2421 each disclose a fuel cell assembly in which a fuel tank is located separate from the fuel cell and feeds the fuel to the cell via capillary action using a fuel permeating material
  • U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2003 0129464 discloses a fuel cell assembly employing a separate fuel source which is rupturable by a needle for drawing out the fuel which is supplied to the fuel cell.
  • generators could be considered as standby power sources, their large size precludes them from all but the most energy intensive applications, so they are not normally considered where small size is necessary, but may be utilized when size is not a concern. Batteries in all their many t ⁇ pes and sizes fill most short and medium shelf life niches with little problems, It's only where the shelf life requirements go into the decades that traditional batteries start to have failure issues because of their inherent chemical nature.
  • the present invention provides a fuel cell having at least one fuel chamber and a fuel pump mechanism to drive fuel from fuel chamber to the fuel cell.
  • the fuel chamber, fuel pump mechanism and the fuel cell are integrated into a single compact unit.
  • the compact fuel cell may be used in various applications, one of which is for powering munitions,
  • micro fuel cell systems including those utilizing polymer electrolyte membranes
  • the power source is subject to challenging G-forces, spin and shock influences and other impacts commonly encountered in a typical ordnance environment. These factors are best addressed by basic mechanical engineering and packaging design. Setting these aside, two critical issues remain which go to the very heart of developing a successful power source for a munitions product.
  • the first is shelf life, or storage life, of the fuel cell, This speaks to its "readiness" or reliability.
  • the second centers on the storage and operating environment of the munitions. This aspect speaks to the ability to "work” in harsh environments.
  • shelf life of the source of the electrical power last as long as the munitions themselves, perhaps as long as twenty or more years.
  • the present invention provides a fuel cell that will generate electricity after being in a standby mode for a long period of time, for example, man ⁇ ' years, and also provides a method of construction such a fuel cell.
  • the standby mode is also referred to as the shelf life of a device,
  • Figure 1A is a schematic side view of a fuel cell stack
  • Figure IB is a functional block diagram of fuel storage tanks connected to a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Battery fuel cell
  • Figure 1C is a side cross-section view of an inertial switch, according to one aspect of the present invention
  • Figure 2A is a side cross-sectional view of an inertial pump in accordance with the principles of the present invention shown in a storage position
  • Figure 2B is a side cross-sectional view of the inertia] pump of Figure 2 A shown in the fired position
  • Figure 2C is a side cross-sectional view of the inertial pump of Figure 2A shown in the activated position
  • Figure 3A is a side cross-sectional view of a fuel cell assembly of the present invention according to a first embodiment
  • Figure 3B are side and plan views of components of the fuel cell assembly of Figure 3A;
  • Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the present fuel cell assembly
  • Figure 5 is a side cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the present fuel cell assembly
  • Figure 6 is a side cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the present fuel cell assembly.
  • Figure 7 is a side cross-sectional view of a fifth embodiment of the present fuel cell assembly.
  • Figure 8 is a side cross-sectional view of a sixth embodiment of the present fuel cell assembly.
  • Figure 9 is a side cross-sectional view of a seventh embodiment of the present fuel cell assembly.
  • Figure 10 is a side cross-sectional view of an eighth embodiment of the present fuel cell assembly.
  • Figure 11 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the inertial pump.
  • Figure 12 is a side cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the inertial pump.
  • Figures 13A is a schematic view of a first embodiment of external fuel tanks for use with the present fuel cell
  • Figure 13B is schematic view of a second embodiment of external fuel tanks for use with the present fuel cell
  • Figure 14 is a side cross-sectional view of a cylinder portion for an inertial pump for an embodiment of the present fuel cell
  • the micro fuel cell includes three major features or components: (1) a polj ⁇ ner electrolyte membrane, or PEM fuel cell; (2) so- called nanotechnology storage tanks or miniature cells for hydrogen and oxygen to be relied upon by the fuel cell in generating electricity; and (3) a miniature or nanotechnology inertial switch, which are all assembled into a Pohmer Electrolyte Membrane Batten' (PEMERY).
  • a polj ⁇ ner electrolyte membrane, or PEM fuel cell so- called nanotechnology storage tanks or miniature cells for hydrogen and oxygen to be relied upon by the fuel cell in generating electricity
  • a miniature or nanotechnology inertial switch which are all assembled into a Pohmer Electrolyte Membrane Batten' (PEMERY).
  • a device for providing the required components/ingredients such as hydrogen and/or oxygen, or other components to the fuel cell is disclosed.
  • an inertial pump is provided that maintains the active energizing components or ingredients of a micro fuel cell is physically separate compartments, and maintains such separation until such time as power supplied by the fuel cell is needed, and accordingly, must be powered or electrified.
  • a fuel cell system depends upon energizing components or ingredients in the form of gases, namely hydrogen and oxygen, these two gases are maintained apart by the arrangement of the inertial pump of the present invention. This is a very important aspect of this design, as the fuel cell must be kept in a dry or un-hydrated state to prevent damage during long-term storage. This is achieved by blocking any flow of hydrogen or the oxidant to the fuel cell prior to the time of use,
  • Another aspect of the invention is in the design of the inertial pump to avoid "blow-by" of compressed gases upon activation of the inertial pump; while another aspect of the invention is in the design of the gas ports for the hydrogen andy'or oxygen tanks in order to avoid the need for alignment guides for the activating piston.
  • a topless construction of the activating piston enables more gas to be stored in the hydrogen and/or oxygen tank; while a further embodiment of the invention involves improvements to the tank design to utilize a center exhaust port that is sealed to the piston when not activated,
  • the improvements to the tank design also involve the use of various configurations of the hydrogen and oxygen tanks to achieve a balanced configuration while also providing for efficient exhaust of the gases at positions that enable rapid delivery of the hydrogen and oxygen to the fuel cell.
  • the improvements to the tank design also involve providing coatings to the insides of the storage tanks that provide a more effective seal for the hydrogen tank, although it may be possible to provide a coating on the outside as well or in place of the interior coating,
  • Figures 1A, IB and 1C illustrate the component fuel cell stack (Figure 1A), an inertial switch ( Figure IB), and the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Batten,' (PEMERY) system of one aspect of the present invention
  • the micro fuel cell according to one example implementation of the present invention is a new product configured uniquely from several emerging technologies.
  • the micro fuel cell includes three major features or components: (1) a polymer electrolyte membrane, or PEM; (2) so-called nanotechnology or miniature storage tanks or cells for hydrogen and oxygen to be relied upon by the fuel cell in generating electricity which may be acti ⁇ 'ated to release the hydrogen and oxygen; and (3) a miniature or nanotechnology inertial switch, such as a G-force or acceleration force switch or a centrifugal-force switch.
  • PEM polymer electrolyte membrane
  • nanotechnology or miniature storage tanks or cells for hydrogen and oxygen to be relied upon by the fuel cell in generating electricity which may be acti ⁇ 'ated to release the hydrogen and oxygen
  • a miniature or nanotechnology inertial switch such as a G-force or acceleration force switch or a centrifugal-force switch.
  • the first component of interest is the fuel cell.
  • a fuel cell stack 18 is shown in
  • Figure 1A including an anode end plate 20, a membrane electrode assembly 22, a bipolar plate 24. a second membrane electrode assembly 26, a second bipolar plate 28, a third membrane electrode assembly 30 and a cathode end plate 32.
  • the anode 20 is connected through an electrical circuit 34, shown as a simple conductor in the figure, to the cathode 32. by providing hydrogen and oxygen 36 and 38, respectively, to the fuel cell stack 18 an electrical current is generated.
  • fuel cell stacks Many methods of building fuel cell stacks (a series of fuel cells assembled together to achieve the desired voltage and amperage of the design) are possible,
  • the fuel cells are stacked end on end rather than one on top of the other. This allows for a thin but tall profile which fits the design and construction of the present fuel cell better than the more traditional arrangement of one cell on top of the other,
  • the elements of this PEM technology have developed to the point that appropriate and inventive packaging or assembling is all that is required.
  • This invention depicts such a unique assembly and the method of making such an assembly.
  • the second component is storage of the fuel and oxidant required by the fuel cell.
  • All PEM fuel cells no matter how they are made, require a source of hydrogen and oxygen in order to operate. Typically, this supply must be proximate to the cell structure. To accomplish this in a miniaturized environment requires, in one embodiment of the invention, a corresponding miniaturization of conventional storage "tanks" made extremely small.
  • the fuel cell stack 18 is connected to a hydrogen supply 44 and an oxygen supply 46 through a switch 48, which here is an inertial switch, The resulting operation of the fuel cell stack 1 S produces a DC current 50.
  • these "tanks” may be constructed from very small blocks of material, which is honeycombed, or otherwise "tunneled.”
  • such blocks are infiltrated with micro channels, cavities, passages, sinuses or nano- tunnels functioning as one or more storage media.
  • material can be constructed or otherwise provided with micro-cavities or nano tubes or tunnels affording adequate storage capacity for the hydrogen and oxygen required to run the fuel cell for a period of time sufficient to carry out its objectives.
  • the third critical component in the unique fuel cell structure and method is a connecting device 48 placed between the PEM cell assembly 18 and the two gas storage tanks 44 and 46.
  • the purpose of this connecting device is to serve as a means for deliver ⁇ ' of the stored hydrogen and oxygen to the proximity of the power generation portion of the cells such that the voltage generation can take place,
  • Many equivalent variations of this connecting device are possible, for example, chemical, electrical, or mechanical switches are possible, but the preferred embodiment for a munitions application involves a mechanical inertial switch 48.
  • the inertial switch 48 is the preferred embodiment for a munitions application.
  • a mechanical inertial switch 4S includes two miniature sharp hollow probes 54 positioned above and/or adjacent to one or more membranes 56 (not the fuel cell membranes) respectively located so as to separate the fuel cell from each source of oxygen and hydrogen,
  • the probes 54 are connected to a weight 58 that provides the inertial impetus for the probes to pierce the membrane 56.
  • the membrane 56 is supported by a receiver 60 that permits the probes 56 to pierce the membrane where desired.
  • each of the probes 54 is counterbalanced separately or jointly against movement (for example by a biasing force afforded by a spring or spring-like element, a resilient memory material, pneumatic pressure, or other similar and equivalent means) to generally and continuously (for long periods of time) maintain the probes in a first position that is adjacent to yet apart from respective blocking membranes (that are not the fuel cell membranes).
  • a G-force or acceleration force may be experienced by the device during a sudden acceleration of the device, such as when fired by in an artillery round, or during sudden deceleration, such as upon impact by a moving object.
  • the piston due to its weight, tends to resist moving while the body of the device is accelerated.
  • the piston tends to keep moving while the body of the device is stopping, forcing the piston to the lower position.
  • Proper orientation relative to the direction of travel is required to trigger the operation of the device, It is foreseeable to provide more than one of the present devices at different orientations to trigger operation from forces at different directions.
  • the force to trigger operation can be set to different levels by selection of components and construction so that a greater or lesser force is required to initiate operation of the fuel cell.
  • the impact to start operation of the present fuel cell may be a plane crash so as to power an emergency beacon or a locator for the black box.
  • the impact may be an automobile or other vehicle crash, where the fuel cell power is supplied to an emergency alert system,
  • the impact or acceleration tlireshold may be set lower so that a user may trigger operation by striking or shaking the device.
  • a distinguishing feature of embodiments of the present fuel cell and method is that prior to activation (either purposeful or in response to inertial forces) there are no active processes going on as exist with respect to common batteries, Where traditional batteries are involved, such ongoing processes typically act to deplete a battery's capacity to perform when ultimately needed.
  • an inertia switch may be unnecessary.
  • the inertial switch could be replaced with any other on/off device, giving the unit the ability to turn on and run for some period and then turn off again. This would give extended life to essentially any use, whether it is a military application or commercial in nature.
  • a high acceleration or inertial switch designed for military application could be replaced by a low acceleration or inertial force switch that would allow turning on a battery with a shake of the hand prior to use.
  • a replacement is provided for a D size battery that has no limit on the shelf life.
  • switching the power supply on and off may be required, thus necessitating a reset switch incorporated into the present fuel cell.
  • FIG. 2A. 2B and 2C a fuel cell having a compact configuration is provided at 70.
  • the fuel cell 70 of Figure 2A has a polymer electrolyte membrane 72 connected by flow channels 74 and 76 to adjacent storage chambers 78 and SO, respectively, for the fuel and oxygenator.
  • the chambers 78 and SO each have pistons 82 and 84 that include sharp probes S6 and SS at the lower edges thereof.
  • the fuel cell assembly 70 may remain in this configuration for significant periods of time,
  • the fuel cell 70 moves through the state illustrated in Figure 2B. Specifically, the piston S2 is moving downward (relative to the drawing) in the chamber 78 and thereby compressing the gas held therein, Similarly, the piston 84 is moving downward in the chamber SO to compress the gas held in this chamber. The movement of the pistons S2 and 84 brings the sharp probes 86 and 88 toward sealing portions 90 and 92 in the respective storage chambers.
  • Figure 2C shows the fuel cell 70 after the pistons 82 and 84 have reached the end of their travel within the storage chambers 78 and SO.
  • the sharp probes 86 and 88 pierce the sealing portions 90 and 92 and permit the compressed gases in the chambers 7S and SO to enter the channels 74 and 76,
  • the gases reach the polymer electrolyte membrane 72 and initiate the generation of electricity from the fuel cell assembly.
  • Electrical connections are provided from the polymer electrolyte membrane to exterior portions of the fuel cell assembly 70 so that the assembly 70 may be connected to an electrical circuit.
  • the basic principle of operation of embodiments of compact fuel cells is thereby disclosed. Specific embodiments of fuel cells that generally operate according to these principles as presented herein below.
  • Figures 3A to 10 each illustrate an example implementation of an inertial pump for moving gases in a micro fuel cell system in accordance with another aspect of the present invention.
  • the inertial pump shown in these figures operate generally in a similar manner, Thus, their operation is described collectively hereinbelow. But first, the structural components of each will be described with reference to the figures.
  • the fuel cell device 100 has a housing 102 that is configured to be the size and shape of a battery.
  • the battery format may be AA, C or D size or other sizes and shapes but here is a D size battery form factor.
  • the devices are cylindrical in overall shape, although other shapes are possible and are within the scope of this invention,
  • a hydrogen chamber 104 that includes a piston 106 that includes two piston rings 108 and 1 10,
  • the piston 106 is movable within the chamber 1 ⁇ 104 and is shown in the storage position at the top of the chamber 104.
  • the upper ring 108 is engaged in a channel 1 12 in the sidewall of the chamber 104.
  • a second channel 113 is provided in the chamber sidewall at the opposite end of the chamber 104.
  • a plurality of projections 114 extend from the bottom of the piston 106 to serve as a standoff to control the final volume of the gas. In particular, further piston movement is inhibited by the projections 1 14 striking the bottom of the chamber 104,
  • the housing also includes an oxygen chamber 116 at the lower end relative to the view of the figure.
  • the lower chamber 116 is connected to the upper chamber and is mounted so that the chambers are coaxial of one another.
  • the chambers need not be coaxial in every embodiment, but may be located at different locations relative to one another, including offset, side-by-side, or othenvise,
  • the chambers are cylindrical in this embodiment, although they may be other shapes.
  • the lower chamber 116 has a piston 1 18 that is shown in the acti ⁇ 'ated or down position. This position is shown merely for purposes of illustrating the two positions of the pistons, since in operation generally both pistons are either in the upper storage position or both are in the lower activated position.
  • the piston 1 18 In the lower position, the piston 1 18 has an upper piston ring 120 that has been disengaged from an upper channel 122 and has a lower piston ring 124 that has engaged with a lower channel 126.
  • the engagement of the lower piston ring in the lower channel keeps the piston in the activated position even if the pressure of the compressed gas tries to push the piston up, Projections 128 as standoff structures on the bottom of the piston 1 18 abut or nearly abut the bottom of the chamber 1 16,
  • Both of the chambers 104 and 1 16 have gas flow channels 130 at the bottom of the chambers that lead to a compartment 132 in which is provided a PEM fuel cell membrane stack 134.
  • the flow channels 130 from the two chambers 104 and 116 connect to opposite sides of the membrane stack so as to enable the fuel cell to operate.
  • Check valves 136 are provided in each of the channels 130,
  • the check valves 136 are the inertial switches, or flow control switched in this embodiment.
  • the check valves are provided with a spring biased ball bearing seated on a valve seat, although other valve constructions are possible as well.
  • the ball bearing can be replace by any type of valve member that seats on the valve seat.
  • the check valves 136 open at a predetermined gas pressure when the spring force is overcome and the ball bearing moves away from the valve seat, The opening of the check valve 136 permits the gas to pass from the chamber to the fuel cell membrane.
  • Two such check valves 136 and channels 130 are shown in the drawing, although more or fewer may be provided.
  • a preferred embodiment includes four flow channels per chamber.
  • the compartment 132 and the fuel cell stack 134 are wrapped around the gas chambers 104 and 116. A space is provided between the outer wall of the chambers and the fuel cell to collect and store wastewater resulting from the fuel cell process, if necessary.
  • the illustrated fuel cell has a gas storage capacity of 2.9 CC and provides an
  • the chambers are formed of a cylindrical main portion 138 with top and bottom caps 140 and 142 threaded thereon.
  • An O- ring seal 144 is provided between the threaded connections,
  • Figure 3B shows the components in exploded view, including the main portion 13S with the channels 1 12 and 1 13 if provided as the upper chamber, or 122 and 126 if provided as the lower chamber, For the sake of simplicity, only the reference characters for the upper chamber are used for the remainder of the discussion of this figure, although both sets of characters apply.
  • the caps 140 and 142 thread on the main portion 13S and the check valves 136 fit into the lower cap 142.
  • the piston 106 with the projections 1 14 is shown in side view and top view. Grooves 146 for accepting the piston rings are provided at two locations on the sidewall of the piston 106.
  • the piston rings 108 and 1 10 are shown in side view and the ring 10S is shown in top view to reveal the split 148 therein that permits compression of the ring so that the ring can slide on the inside wall of the chamber.
  • the rings 1 OS and 110 the ring 1 OS has a beveled outer edge to permit release from the groove 112,
  • the piston rings and the corresponding channels in the chamber walls are provided as position retaining means for the piston.
  • Other position retaining means may be provided instead,
  • the retaining means for the storage position should have enough resistance to movement of the piston to pre ⁇ 'ent unintentional activation of the device.
  • the retaining means for the activated position of the piston should have enough resistance to movement to hold the piston in place against the force from the compressed gas. Choices of shapes and/or materials of the components will effect these and may be selected for a desired application.
  • FIG. 4 a configuration to provide a 2: 1 volume ratio of hydrogen to oxygen is provided,
  • the upper chamber holds the hydrogen and the lower chamber holds the oxygen.
  • a gas compression ratio of 3:1 is controlled by standoff structures 150 and 152 on the pistons 154 and 156,
  • the piston position is controlled by two rings 158 and 160 fitting into upper or lower grooves 162 and 164 of the chamber wall.
  • the upper ring 158 is beveled and the upper groove 162 is also beveled to release so as to permit movement of the piston.
  • Neither the lower ring 160 nor the lower groove 164 is beveled, so that a positive lock is provided thereby.
  • the gas flow is controlled by check valves 166.
  • the fuel cell membrane stack 168 occupies less than all the space between the outer wall of the device and the gas cylinder so that a space 170 is provided for water accumulation,
  • the fuel cell membrane stack 16S is wrapped around the fuel cylinders.
  • the upper cylinder 154 is shown in the upper or storage position with the upper ring 158 fitted into the upper groove 162 in the chamber wall.
  • the lower piston is shown for purposes of illustration only in the lower position with the lower ring 160 in the non-beveled groove 164.
  • both pistons are in the upper position or both are in the lower position during ordinary operation.
  • the remaining parts of this embodiment are the same or functionally similar to those of Figure 3A.
  • the illustrated fuel cell structure provides 3.6 volts DC at 0,6 amps (2 watts) for at least two minutes run time when constructed in a D size battery form factor.
  • the fuel cell device has the two chambers 1 S2 and 184 each with a piston 186 and 188.
  • the pistons 186 and 1 88 have a single piston ring 190 in a channel in the piston that engages an upper groove 192 when the piston is in the upper or storage position and a lower groove 194 that is engaged by the piston ring 190 when the piston is in the lower position or active position.
  • An O-ring 196 is provided in a second channel in the pistons 186 and 1 SS, respectively, to provide a seal with the sidewall of the chamber.
  • the pistons 186 and 188 have standoff structures 198 that provide a compression ratio of 3: 1 for the gas upon activation.
  • the gas ratio is 2:1 for the hydrogen and oxygen.
  • Check valves 200 provide a threshold for controlling gas flow, four of which are preferably provided.
  • Other structures and functions are similar or identical to the foregoing embodiments,
  • Figure 6 shows an embodiment of the fuel cell device that has the O-ring seal
  • the step 208 can be any change in diameter of the cylinder wall whether in a continuous ring around the cylinder wall or an intermittent structure or stop.
  • the bore diameter may remain at the reduced diameter below the step or may be shaped to a larger diameter after the step.
  • Other shapes of the cylinder wall are also possible in this and other embodiments. All other structures shown in Figure 6 are the same or similar to previous embodiments.
  • the fuel cell device 220 had the gas cylinders or chambers 222 and 224 with pistons 226 as before. Also in the cylinders or chambers is a sleeve 228 and 230 that defines the stop against which the piston 226 or 22S strikes when moving to the activated lower position,
  • the sleeves 230 each have a lower knife edge 232.
  • the knife edge 232 is adjacent to a thin wall portion 234 that provides a barrier between the cylinder and gas flow channels 236.
  • the thin wall portion 234 is formed by leaving that portion un-machined during shaping of the cylinder end cap 238 and 240. It is noted that the end cap 238 forms an end of both chambers 222 and 224 in these embodiment, as well as in several previously mentioned embodiments. ,_schreib, , complicat WO 2005/112162
  • the knife edge 232 pierces the thin wall portion 234 when the sleeve 230 is struck by the piston 226 or 228. This releases the compressed gas into the flow channels and to the fuel cell membrane.
  • the knife edges 232 are preferably shaped to allow the gas to flow through the punctured thin wall portion 234 such as by having gaps, ridges or other shapes.
  • the thin wall portion may be shaped to provide an opening to break away when pierced with the knife portions. The knife edges need not be sharp if such a break away member is provided.
  • the sleeves 228 and 230 are of different lengths to pro ⁇ 'ide for the 3: 1 compression ratio of the gas chambers, which themselves have a ratio of 2:1 for the two gases.
  • Figure 8 has an embodiment of the fuel cell device 240 in which sleeves 242 and 244 in the chambers provide stops for pistons 246 and 24S as before.
  • the sleeves 242 and 244 ha ⁇ 'e teeth 250 instead of the knife edge of the previous embodiment.
  • the teeth 250 penetrate the thin wall portion 252 the sleeve 242 or 244 is struck by the piston 246 or 248, respecti ⁇ -ely.
  • the teeth 250 penetrate the thin walled portion 252 only at the positions where ports are provided for the flow channels 254.
  • Other components and functions are the same or similar to previous embodiments,
  • the embodiment of the fuel cell device 260 has the sleeves 262 and 264 connected to the underside of the pistons 266 and 268.
  • the sleeves 262 and 264 ha ⁇ 'e teeth 270 positioned at the flo ⁇ v channels 272 to pierce thin walled portions 274 to permit the gas flow to reach the fuel cell membrane.
  • the sleeves 262 and 264 are also considered skirts on the pistons 266 and 26S. All other features are as in the foregoing,
  • FIG. 10 sho ⁇ vs a preferred embodiment of the fuel cell device 280. Details are shown in this figure that are also present in the previous embodiments but have been omitted for the sake of clarity.
  • a positive terminal 282 is mounted on the top of the housing 284, separated therefrom by an insulating member 286.
  • a further lead 292 extends from the other end of the fuel cell stack 290 to the housing 284 to provide the ground connection for the circuit.
  • the fuel cell stack 290 is provided with the gases via flow channels 294 and 296 to carry the gases to the fuel cell stack when the thin wall portions 29S are pierced.
  • the thin ⁇ -alled portions 298 are pierced by teeth 300 formed on lo ⁇ ver edges of a skirt or sleeve 302 or 304 that are provided on the pistons 306 and 308.
  • the pistons 306 and 30S have each have a piston ring 310 and an O-ring 312.
  • the piston ring 310 moves from an upper groove 314 to a lower groove 316 upon activation.
  • the lower groove is wider than the piston ring 310 and the upper groove 314 and the piston ring 310 are both beveled.
  • a charging port 320 is pro ⁇ 'ided in a sidewall of the upper chamber 322 and a charging port 324 is pro ⁇ 'ided in the lower chamber 326,
  • a constricted orifice 32S is pro ⁇ 'ided in the gas flo ⁇ ' channels to control the gas flow.
  • Groo ⁇ 'es are provided on the teeth 300 to provide a gas flow path to the flow channels from the chambers.
  • this embodiment stores 1 1 ,6 CCs of hydrogen and 5.8 CCs of oxygen. If provides a 3:1 compression ratio for the gases upon activation (lo ⁇ vering of the pistons). Assuming a close to adiabatic compression and a pre-charge of 75 PSI, the operating pressure is just over 400 PSI and the gas will heat to a temperature of about 200 degrees F in the chambers. This produces a power output of 2 Watts or more, at 3,6 Volts DC and 0.6 Amps for over 2 minutes.
  • the two compartments are constructed and placed in the cell.
  • the two compartments are cylinders both about 7/8 of an inch in diameter and one of which is about 1 Vi inches in height and the other of which is about % inch in height. These cylinders are stacked one on top of the other.
  • One cylinder generally the larger cylinder, is filled with or supplied with hydrogen gas, and the other, smaller cylinder is filled ⁇ 'ith or supplied ⁇ vith oxygen gas. Both gases are preferably under relatively low pressure, as for example, around 1 0 to 500 PSI (pounds per square inch). Higher pressures can be used if the fuel cell is required to give longer running times.
  • the PEM fuel cell stack Around the outside of the two cylinders is wrapped the PEM fuel cell stack, that is either continuous or in indi ⁇ 'idual segments, Around the outside is a protective case.
  • a high mass piston-type device Inside of each of the two cylinders is pro ⁇ 'ided a high mass piston-type device. Two annular rings are fitted into channels in each piston, much like the piston rings found on a con ⁇ 'entional automobile engine, The top ring of the two rings is constructed to pressure fit or frictionally engage the interior container wall to hold the piston at the top of the container. The bottom ring of the t ⁇ vo rings similarly pro ⁇ ides a pressure fit or friction fit to hold the piston at the bottom of the container. Alternatively, one ring is provided and configured to do both functions as a simplification,
  • the present de ⁇ 'ice is preferably formed of a durable, gas impermeable material, such as a metal.
  • the body of the device is formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, ⁇ 'hereas in another example it is formed of steel or a steel alloy.
  • the piston material should ha ⁇ 'e sufficient mass to the frictional forces holding it in the storage position plus any forces resulting from the piston ring or other position retaining means.
  • the piston may be formed of a heavy material, including lead, brass, tungsten, steel, platinum, alloys of any of the foregoing or other like materials or alloys,
  • the inertial pump of the present invention is a means of storing and delivering and processing of the gases to the polymer electrolyte membrane stack,
  • the free floating, relatively dense (high mass) pistons are constructed and placed within a holder/container of the inertial pump in such a way as to be moveable therein under the influence of the acceleration forces involved in the munitions projectile launch. This results in the pistons moving from a first (or stored position) to a second (or pressure-imparting position) such that the piston acts to compress the gases.
  • the first force is the acceleration force, ⁇ vhich forces the piston of the pump down into the pressure imparting, acti ⁇ 'ated position.
  • ⁇ vhich forces the piston of the pump down into the pressure imparting, acti ⁇ 'ated position.
  • the second force is the centripetal force, ⁇ vhich moves the gases to the outside of the structure ⁇ vhere the PEM fuel cell stack is preferably positioned.
  • the inertial pump in accordance with the exemplary embodiments provide several advantageous features.
  • the present device allows the hydrogen and oxygen to be kept isolated from the PEM fuel cell stack, but yet be quickly delivered to the fuel cell stack when desired.
  • this second ring Proper operation of this second ring is particularly important in some embodiments, since otherwise, once the acceleration of the projectile stops, the piston would reverse its rapid movement and slide back to the top of the container thereb reversing the heating and compression of the gas that is desired. Thus, the second ring holds the compression and heating at the ⁇ 'alue achieved by the dowmvard movement of the piston as discussed in further detail below. Further, it doesn't allow the compression and heating to reverse, ⁇ vhich is ⁇ 'hat would happen if the piston were allowed to return to the holding position.
  • the piston On the bottom of the piston may be a series of projections or stand offs that control the extent of the downward o ⁇ 'ement of the piston so as to control the amount of compression given to the gases.
  • lines, passageways and/or check valves that are placed to direct the gas flow.
  • suitable conductors shown in Figure 10, for example
  • a number of strategically placed open chambers to hold the water that is byproduct of the fuel cell process. If required by the design, different voltages could be generated in the fuel cell system by adding taps to the fuel cell stacks at the appropriate points.
  • the inertial S ⁇ vitch described pre ⁇ 'iously is one means of opening the flow so as to pro ⁇ 'ide the required components to the fuel cell, for example, hydrogen and/or oxygen.
  • the inertial switch initially provides a barrier to gas flo ⁇ v to the polymer electrolyte membrane cell and ⁇ vhen the inertial s ⁇ vitch is activated, the barrier no longer blocks the gas movement so that the gas will flo ⁇ v to the fuel cell membrane if the gas is at a pressure higher than the gas in the PEM stack.
  • the piston of the inertial pump compresses the gas to create the pressure differential so that ⁇ 'hen the inertial s ⁇ vitch opens, the gas components are provided to the PEM stack.
  • the PEM fuel cell ⁇ vorks best at approximately 80 degrees C and that temperature ⁇ vould be attainable with the acceleration force generated at launch of the po ⁇ vered projectile.
  • the chemical process of the fuel cell itself also generates heat, which causes the temperature of the device to approach that level. In long-term use fuel cell applications, some cooling may actually be required.
  • An additional advantage of this system is that the gases could be stored at a much lo ⁇ ver pressure, ⁇ vhich ⁇ vould minimize losses due to leakage, especially with respect to leakage of the hydrogen. It ⁇ 'ould also be possible to heat the gases with chemicals if the compression proves not to be sufficient.
  • Figures 2A - 2C generally illustrate the operation of an example of an inertial pump in accordance with the present in ⁇ 'ention, In particular, it sho ⁇ vs the inertial pump functioning as a storage de ⁇ 'ice (Figure 2A) in ⁇ vhich gases are stored in the inertial pump, the inertial pump functioning as a compression pump ( Figure 2B) as the projectile in ⁇ vhich the fuel cell is mounted is fired so as to begin compression of the gases, and the inertial pump functioning as a release s ⁇ vitch ( Figure 2C) in the fully activated configuration ⁇ vhere the inertial pump has been activated and the gases have been compressed by the pistons and are released to the polymer electrolyte membrane of the fuel cell.
  • a check ⁇ 'alve of one embodiment is designed to open at a certain threshold pressure.
  • the storage pressure of the gas is lo ⁇ ver than the threshold pressure so that the ⁇ 'alve is shut during storage.
  • the pressure of the gas goes up to a level exceeding the threshold and the ⁇ 'alve opens.
  • Any number of check valves may be utilized but either two or four check valves are currently considered an optimum number for each chamber.
  • Embodiments having two check valves are shown in Figures 3A through 10.
  • a combination of the two different s ⁇ vitch devices is provided for controlling gas flow, both a membrane s ⁇ vitch and a check valve,
  • Controlling the hydrogen and oxygen gas flow once the device has been activated may be done through ⁇ -arious means such as regulators or flow control orifices,
  • ⁇ -arious means such as regulators or flow control orifices
  • the simplest and presently considered the optimal means is use of flow control orifices as sho ⁇ T in Figures 3 to 10.
  • the fuel cell device of some embodiments further includes a seal at the bottom of the piston skirt.
  • a lower retaining groo ⁇ 'e in the cylinder wall has a bevel or taper machined in the wall as sho ⁇ vn in Figure 5, This taper must be on the side closest to the bottom of the container and is provided to allow the "O" ring contained in the piston skirt to run past the groove ⁇ vithout being damaged, A con ⁇ 'entional rectangular groove is less desirable for this purpose as the edge may cut into the "O" ring thereby destroying the seal.
  • another seal method is employed in lieu of an "O" ring on the piston skirt.
  • a sealing band is built into the bottom of the inside of the cylinder tank wall.
  • the piston skirt moves down and the outside perimeter of the skirt engages the seal band thereby making a positive seal when the skirt reaches the bottom of the cylinder,
  • the seal band may be made of any suitable flexible material and need only seal the gas from escaping for the active time of the fuel cell device, ⁇ tiich in some applications will be well under 5 minutes.
  • the probes on the piston skirt are of a slightly different design to allo ⁇ v the probes to pass by the seal without damaging it. This does not effect the operation of the probes in punching through the bottom seal material.
  • the actual cutting edge of the probe is displaced to ⁇ 'ard the inside a sufficient distance such that it misses the sealing band upon its descent.
  • an adapter ring that fits into a machined groove on the outside of the container.
  • This adapter ring is used to connect the two tanks to the fuel cell assembly.
  • the adapter ring is may be attached by many different methods but laser welding is presently vie ⁇ ved as the quickest and most reliable method to insure a positive gas seal.
  • the adapter ring can be built into the fuel cell manifold assembly.
  • the inertial pump of the invention is essentially identical to the piston skirt design discussed above.
  • the directional ports for conducting gas flow are altered from the illustrated embodiments ⁇ 'hich ⁇ 'ere described as being disposed in the bottom of the hydrogen and oxygen tanks to take the gas to the fuel cell after actuation.
  • all embodiments ⁇ vould be the same except that there is no top to the piston, or at least the piston has an opening therethrough.
  • the piston can be a skirt-only device without a top on the piston. This construction would permit more gas to be stored in the tank and yet the piston skirt ⁇ vould perform essentially as shown in Figure 3A.
  • This piston skirt of this embodiment has a groove in the same location as the earlier piston such that the groove contains a retaining ring, Ho ⁇ vever, no gas sealing "O" ring is required in this design.
  • the gas storage cylinder design is identical for both gases, On actuation the retaining ring collapses into the skirt and the sleeve moves down under the force of acceleration. At the bottom of the movement, the probes break through the seal material, and the gas flo ⁇ vs to the fuel cell through ports or through the groove. In addition, the retaining ring engages the bottom cylinder groove just as in the earlier piston design to permanently lock the skirt in place,
  • the piston When the tank is assembled, the piston is forced into the sharp ring of the port making a seal. As long as the piston is in its raised, storage position, the port of the tank is sealed, Ho ⁇ vever once the projectile in ⁇ vhich the fuel cell device is mounted is launched or fired, the piston is propelled do ⁇ vn ⁇ vardly so that the port is opened in the top of the tank. That port is constructed so as to be vented, for example by suitable machining or tubing directed to the fuel cell compartment.
  • the positions of the sharp ring seal and soft metal insert can be reversed. That is, placement of the soft metal or polymer sealing disk can be in the inside top of the tank top; while the sharp ring seal is placed in the top of the piston. The exhaust port stays in the tank top in the center.
  • t ⁇ vo sealing rings and one sealing disk is provided in either the top of the piston or the inside top of the tank.
  • one port which remains, in the top of the tank.
  • Figure 11 provides two alternatives to the foregoing embodiments, On the left side of the drawing, a bevel 340 is provided on the lo ⁇ ver groo ⁇ 'e 342. A flow channel member 344 is pro ⁇ 'ided on the flo ⁇ v channel 346 to direct the gas flow. On the right side of the figure is a tooth structure 350 ha ⁇ 'ing a portion extending away from the sidewall 352 of the chamber. A lower gasket 354 is pro ⁇ 'ided at the lo ⁇ ver end of the chamber set into the side wall 352, This gasket 354 prevents the gas blow by that occurs with the gas under pressure and is provided in place of the O-ring.
  • Still another alternative construction for the embodiment of Figure 12 involves a two piece top 370 to the storage tank.
  • a machined pin is pro ⁇ 'ided in the center facing into the tank.
  • the machined pin has a flange machined into its top ⁇ 'here it joins the container top ⁇ vith breaka ⁇ vay grooves also machined into it.
  • the pin itself can be threaded on the free end.
  • the pin Prior to assembly, the pin is screwed or othen ⁇ 'ise affixed or fastened into the top of the piston ⁇ 'here a matching female tread or corresponding connection is placed. Other methods of attaching might also be possible for attachment of the pin, such as retaining clips and the like.
  • the remainder of the top is then assembled to the tank using any convention method such as including laser welding.
  • the pin sen'es the same purpose as, but does not eliminate the need for the ring as the ring is still required to lock the piston in the do vn, or lo ⁇ vered, position after being acti ⁇ 'ated.
  • This embodiment ⁇ vhile some ⁇ vhat complex to configure and manufacture, may offer a more effective seal than the soft disk arrangement.
  • an embodiment is pro ⁇ 'ided ha ⁇ 'ing a some ⁇ vhat different o ⁇ 'erall tank configuration.
  • One alternative device (and method for its construction) of this embodiment includes three substantially identical tanks 400 placed in a side-by-side configuration as sho ⁇ vn in Figure 13A thus forming a ring of tanks 400 with their centers on a common radius from their common center.
  • the tanks 400 touch one another at along a portion of the tank peripheries.
  • one tank 402 can be for oxygen and the other t ⁇ vo tanks 404 for hydrogen, This arrangement offers the right gas ratios for operation, but does require a third tank.
  • the alternative construction of Figure 13B pro ⁇ 'ides better space utilization ⁇ tien compared with the three tanks configuration of Figure 13 A, and ⁇ vould also ⁇ vork well as a lo ⁇ v profile design.
  • the tank is di ⁇ 'ided into three compartments 412, 414 and 416,
  • the first compartment 412 is a circular compartment at the center for directing the gas flo ⁇ v to the fuel cell.
  • the balance of the tank structure is outside that first compartment and surrounds the first compartment,
  • the balance of the tank structure is further di ⁇ 'ided into two sections.
  • One section 412 is about 120 degrees and the other section 416 is about 240 degrees in angular dimension, sho ⁇ vn in Figure 13B, This angular configuration of inner and outer compartments offers the proper 2 to 1 gas ratio for fuel cell operation.
  • Figures 3 to 10 are pro ⁇ 'ided in the center compartment. When these two mini-pistons are propelled down ⁇ ardly under acceleration force, each breaks open membranes or other seals, again like those of Figures 3 to 10 to cause the gas to flow to the fuel cell from each of the two tank sections, shown in Figure 13B, in a manner similar to the vertically structured tank designs above,
  • Another embodiment of this invention in ⁇ 'olves the delivery systems for fuel cell gases. That is. h drogen and oxygen manifolds are constructed to bring the gases to the fuel cell for use in generating electricity. Advantageously, these manifolds are also used to support the fuel cell in the fuel cell de ⁇ 'ice and also to protect the fuel cell from the high acceleration forces of projectile firing. Also built into the manifolds is preferably a means of delivering the hydrogen and oxygen to the fuel manifolds from the fuel storage tanks.
  • these manifolds are formed as two hollo ⁇ ' or porous cylinders. That is, an outer hollo ⁇ v or porous cylinder that fits between the outer shell of the fuel cell device and the fuel cell itself and an inner hollo ⁇ v or porous cylinder that fits between the fuel cell and the inertial pump assembly.
  • These hollow or porous cylinders are similar in function to a section of tubing, as they both feed gases to the fuel cell. As such, the hollow or porous cylinder must allo ⁇ v for gas flo ⁇ v though its inner surface to the fuel cell catalyzed area.
  • the actual PEM fuel cell is positioned, see Figure 8, ⁇ vhile on the other side of the fuel cell is the second hollo ⁇ v or porous cylinder,
  • the inner cylinder runs from the fuel cell on its outer wall to the fuel tank assembly on its inner wall.
  • This construction is very similar to the other, second cylinder except the porous side for gas flow is on the outer wall,
  • the other hollo ⁇ ' or porous cylinder i.e., the "outer" one, should therefore be the one with the oxygen.
  • the reason for this difference is that the oxygen reaction with the catalyst is slo ⁇ ver than the reaction of the hydrogen. Therefore, in putting the oxygen gas in the manifold ⁇ vith the larger surface area one compensates slightly for that oxygen deficiency.
  • a first method is to machine the manifold from metal while a second method is to form the manifold by metal stamping.
  • the third method is to use a solid porous material ⁇ vith an appropriate sealant on the outer surface,
  • the stamping method has the advantage of lo ⁇ ver cost, but also requires the highest tooling requirement.
  • the machining method requires minimum tooling, but is more costly to fabricate each unit.
  • the porous material method appears to be the best compromise as it ⁇ 'ould require less tooling than the stamping and each unit is less costly to make than in the machining method.
  • the tanks must be sealed to insure a long storage life, For instance, an objective for some embodiments is to meet the 20-year storage requirement of the US Department of Defense.
  • the various embodiments of the fuel cell device achieve this storage requirement.
  • a final sealing step may include forming a laser ⁇ veld to all the joints.
  • the disclosed construction lends itself to such a sealing step, and laser ⁇ velding of all of the tank joins is preferred in the assembly and joining the ⁇ 'arious components of the present fuel cell device,
  • the inertial pump of the present invention is scalable to the extent that many fuel cell PEM storage sizes are possible, both small and large.
  • an exemplary micro fuel cell is contemplated at the size of a traditional "D" size battery.
  • the PEM fuel cell technology utilized in a package of that size is more than capable of any of the power and duration times required by so-called smart mortars, artillery and tank rounds. Certainly, greater than two watts can be generated for more than two minutes ⁇ vith such a device.
  • the de ⁇ 'ice is configured as a generic D size battery and the case is grounded as the negative terminal.
  • a raised button is provided on the top of the case and is connected to the fuel cell membrane as the positive terminal.
  • the positive terminal is insulated from the case to pre ⁇ 'ent shorts.
  • the po ⁇ ver connections are made by conducting pins or scre ⁇ v terminals to suit the needs of the actual end use configuration.
  • Figure 14 shows a fuel cell structure 430 that fits into the outer housing of the fuel cell de ⁇ 'ice.
  • the fuel cell structure has gas ports 432 and 434 for carrying gas from the chambers to the fuel cell membrane.
  • Positive and negative electrical leads 436 and 438 extend from the fuel cell sub-assemble and run to the appropriate connecting points on the completed device.
  • Figure 10 shows the connections to the case and positive terminal of the completed assembly,
  • the internal connections from the fuel cell anode and cathode terminals may be made by any suitable means, including ⁇ vires, bus bars or flexible strips of conductive material.
  • the connections are of a suitable size and insulated for proper operation. Other types of connections are possible and are ⁇ vithin the scope of this invention as well.
  • APPENDIX A and APPENDIX B list various specifications and performance calculations for the inertial pump and components therefore in accordance with exemplary embodiments.
  • dimensions of the piston and cylinder are provided as well as pressure after compression and temperature of hydrogen and oxygen. These performance calculations show the efficacy of the inertial pump of the present invention.
  • the present fuel cell de ⁇ 'ice has been primarily described as operating to power munitions.
  • the device is far more ⁇ 'ersatile than that, ho ⁇ vever, and can power many different types of devices or provide po ⁇ 'er to many different types of systems.
  • the disclosed de ⁇ 'ice may be used for any number of one-time use applications, including: po ⁇ ver to micro-pumps for delivering medicine to a remotely located patient, or devices not expected to be used on a regular basis such as emergency radio beacons as used in do ⁇ med aircraft, stranded hikers or skiers and the like. Such life and death situations can result in a fatality if an emergency device has a dead battery. A reliable long term storage po ⁇ ver supply is needed.
  • the present de ⁇ 'ice may pro ⁇ 'ide only the fuel in a storage chamber and the oxidizer may be available by exposure to air, for example.
  • the scope of the present invention extends in some embodiments to a de ⁇ 'ice having a single gas storage chamber, a single piston and a flow control s ⁇ vitch to selectively deliver the gas to a fuel cell membrane. The other side of the membrane is exposed to the air or to the environment in ⁇ vhich it is located.
  • the efficiency of such a single chambered device is likely to be lo ⁇ ver than one pro ⁇ 'iding the oxidizer under pressure, but ⁇ 'here a compact size or reduction in parts, cost, weight or materials is important, such a construction may have great value.
  • PEM fuel cell technology is referenced many times throughout this disclosure, the concept described herein is not intended to be limited to that technology only. Indeed, as appropriate to the specific application, any fuel cell technology ⁇ vould work in this configuration. PEM technology, however, is presently the best technology that is adaptable to miniaturization and lo ⁇ ver cost.

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Abstract

Il est prévu un dispositif à cellule électrochimique comprenant au moins une, et de préférence deux chambres de stockage de gaz, les chambres de stockage de gaz étant connectées par le biais de canaux d’écoulement de gaz à une membrane de cellule électrochimique, comme une membrane d’échange protonique. Un piston dans chaque chambre de stockage de gaz se déplace pour comprimer le gaz une fois soumis à une force d’accélération. Un régulateur d’écoulement s’ouvre dans une condition prédéterminée pour injecter les gaz comprimés dans une membrane de cellule électrochimique.
PCT/US2005/010654 2004-04-30 2005-03-29 Pompe a inertie pour deplacer des gaz dans une micro cellule électrochimique WO2005112162A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (3)

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CA002564295A CA2564295A1 (fr) 2004-04-30 2005-03-29 Pompe a inertie pour deplacer des gaz dans une micro cellule electrochimique
EP05766096A EP1743394A2 (fr) 2004-04-30 2005-03-29 Pompe a inertie pour deplacer des gaz dans une micro cellule électrochimique
IL178893A IL178893A0 (en) 2004-04-30 2006-10-26 Inertial pump for moving gases in a micro fuel cell

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US56643804P 2004-04-30 2004-04-30
US60/566,438 2004-04-30
US11/090,365 US7732085B2 (en) 2004-03-26 2005-03-25 Inertial pump for moving gases in a micro fuel cell
US11/090,365 2005-03-25

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN112304159A (zh) * 2020-10-29 2021-02-02 上海空间推进研究所 集成供气装置

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20010045364A1 (en) * 2000-03-30 2001-11-29 Hockaday Robert G. Portable chemical hydrogen hydride system
US20030138679A1 (en) * 2002-01-22 2003-07-24 Ravi Prased Fuel cartridge and reaction chamber
US20040072040A1 (en) * 2002-04-23 2004-04-15 University Of Massachusetts Lowell Electrolyzer pressure equalization system

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20010045364A1 (en) * 2000-03-30 2001-11-29 Hockaday Robert G. Portable chemical hydrogen hydride system
US20030138679A1 (en) * 2002-01-22 2003-07-24 Ravi Prased Fuel cartridge and reaction chamber
US20040072040A1 (en) * 2002-04-23 2004-04-15 University Of Massachusetts Lowell Electrolyzer pressure equalization system

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN112304159A (zh) * 2020-10-29 2021-02-02 上海空间推进研究所 集成供气装置

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