Fuel cell protective containers

Abstract

A protective container for containing a material and protecting against adverse exposure to the material, which is particularly adapted for use with fuel cells, can include a durable outer casing and an inner casing. The inner casing is less durable than the outer casing. At least one layer of a preventative agent is disposed between the inner and outer casings that is configured to disable at least a portion of the material upon failure of the inner casing.

1 . A protective container containing a fuel cell, comprising: 
 a) a durable outer casing;    b) an inner casing coupled within the outer casing, the inner casing being less durable than the outer casing and being operable to provide a non-reactive barrier to a fuel cell reactant material;    c) at least one layer of a preventative agent disposed between the inner and outer casings that is sufficient to disable at least a portion of the fuel cell reactant material upon failure of the inner casing; and    d) at least one fuel cell disposed at least partially within the inner casing.    
   
   
       2 . The protective container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one layer is a plurality of preventative agent layers.  
   
   
       3 . The protective container of  claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the fuel cell reactant material remains functional after a second portion of the fuel cell reactant material has been disabled by the preventative agent.  
   
   
       4 . The protective container of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fuel cells combined in a fuel cell stack, the fuel cell stack being disposed at least partially within the inner casing.  
   
   
       5 . The protective container of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell reactant material is hydrogen or oxygen.  
   
   
       6 . The protective container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fuel cell contains the fuel cell reactant material.  
   
   
       7 . The protective container of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one fuel cell further contains a second fuel cell reactant material.  
   
   
       8 . A protective container containing at least one component of a fuel cell assembly, comprising: 
 a) a durable outer casing;    b) an inner casing coupled within the outer casing, the inner casing being less durable than the outer casing and being operable to provide a non-reactive barrier to a fuel cell reactant material once disposed therein;    c) at least one layer of a preventative agent disposed between the inner and outer casings that is sufficient to disable at least a portion of the fuel cell reactant material upon failure of the inner casing; and    d) at least one component of a fuel cell assembly disposed at least partially within the inner casing.    
   
   
       9 . The protective container of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one component of the fuel cell assembly comprises a reactant storage tank.  
   
   
       10 . The protective container of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one component of the fuel cell assembly comprises a fuel cell stack.  
   
   
       11 . The protective container of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one component of the fuel cell assembly comprises a delivery conduit for a reactant of a fuel cell.  
   
   
       12 . The protective container of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one layer is a plurality of preventative agent layers.  
   
   
       13 . The protective container of  claim 8 , wherein a first portion of the fuel cell reactant material remain functional after a second portion of the fuel cell reactant material has been disabled by the preventative agent.  
   
   
       14 . The protective container of  claim 8 , wherein the fuel cell reactant material is hydrogen or oxygen.  
   
   
       15 . The protective container of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the fuel cell reactant material is present within the at least one component of the fuel cell assembly.  
   
   
       16 . A fuel cell assembly, comprising a fuel cell coupled to at least one fuel cell reactant material storage tank, said reactant storage tank comprising: 
 a) a durable outer casing;    b) an inner casing disposed within the outer casing, the inner casing being less durable than the outer casing and being operable to provide a non-reactive barrier to a fuel cell reactant material when present within the inner casing;    c) at least one layer of a preventative agent disposed between the inner and outer casings that is sufficient to disable at least a portion of the fuel cell reactant material upon failure of the inner casing.    
   
   
       17 . The fuel cell assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one layer is a plurality of preventative agent layers.  
   
   
       18 . The fuel cell assembly of  claim 16 , wherein a first portion of the fuel cell reactant material remain functional after a second portion of the fuel cell reactant material has been disabled by the preventative agent.  
   
   
       19 . The fuel cell assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the fuel cell reactant material is present-within the inner casing.  
   
   
       20 . The fuel cell assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the fuel cell reactant material is hydrogen or oxygen.  
   
   
       21 . The fuel cell assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the fuel cell reactant material is a precursor reactant material.  
   
   
       22 . The protective container of  claim 21 , wherein the precursor reactant material is sodium borohydride or aluminum borohydride.  
   
   
       23 . The fuel cell assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising a second fuel cell reactant material tank operably coupled to the fuel cell stack, said second reactant material tank containing a second fuel cell reactant material that is reactive with the fuel cell reactant material.  
   
   
       24 . The fuel cell assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the second fuel cell reactant material tank includes: 
 a) a second durable outer casing;    b) a second inner casing disposed within the second outer casing, the second inner casing being less durable than the second outer casing and being operable to provide a non-reactive barrier to the second fuel cell reactant material;    c) at least one layer of a second preventative agent disposed between the second inner and second outer casings that is sufficient to disable at least a portion of the second fuel cell reactant material upon failure of the second inner casing.