Low pressure hydrogen fueled vehicle and method of operating same

Abstract

A hydrogen fueled vehicle includes a vehicle body, a hydrocarbon fuel tank, and a low pressure hydrogen gas storage vessel.

1 . A solid oxide electrochemical system for generating hydrogen for a hydrogen fueled vehicle, comprising:
 a solid oxide fuel cell stack;   a hydrocarbon containing fuel source; a hydrogen separator which is adapted to separate at least a portion of hydrogen from a fuel side exhaust stream while the fuel cell generates electricity and operates in the fuel cell mode; and   a hydrogen storage/use subsystem operatively connected to the hydrogen separator which is adapted to:
 (a) store at least a portion of hydrogen received from the hydrogen separator for future use in a hydrogen powered vehicle; or 
 (b) provide at least a portion of hydrogen received from the hydrogen separator to the hydrogen fueled vehicle. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a control unit which is adapted to control a variable ratio of an amount of electricity generated to an amount of hydrogen separated by the hydrogen separator based on predetermined criteria or based on received data. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen storage/use subsystem comprises a hydrogen storage vessel. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the hydrogen storage vessel contains a metal hydride hydrogen storage material. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the solid oxide fuel cell stack is thermally integrated with the hydrogen storage vessel such that in operation, waste heat from the stack is used to desorb hydrogen from the metal hydride hydrogen storage material. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen storage/use subsystem comprises a hydrogen pump which provides hydrogen from the separator to the hydrogen fueled vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the solid oxide fuel cell stack is located in a building or adjacent to a building in a stationary location; and   the separated hydrogen for use in a hydrogen powered vehicle comprises low pressure gaseous hydrogen.   
     
     
         8 . A method, comprising:
 providing a hydrocarbon containing fuel and an oxidizer into a high temperature fuel cell stack;   generating a fuel side exhaust stream from the fuel cell stack while the fuel and the oxidizer are provided into the fuel cell stack operating in an electricity generating fuel cell mode;   separating at least a portion of hydrogen from the fuel side exhaust stream during the fuel cell mode; and   providing at least a portion of the separated hydrogen to a first hydrogen storage vessel and then to a hydrogen fueled vehicle or directly to the hydrogen fueled vehicle.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the fuel cell stack is located in a stationary location and generates electricity for the stationary location when it is operating in the fuel cell mode;   the hydrogen is provided as a low pressure gaseous hydrogen; and   the hydrogen is stored at a pressure below 5000 psi in a second hydrogen storage vessel located in the vehicle.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising adsorbing hydrogen to an adsorbent material in a second hydrogen storage vessel located in the vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising providing a hydrocarbon fuel or a mixture of hydrogen and air to a catalytic converter located in the second hydrogen storage vessel to generate heat to desorb the adsorbed hydrogen from the adsorbent material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of providing at least a portion of the separated hydrogen to a first hydrogen storage vessel comprises:
 adsorbing the separated hydrogen to an adsorbent material located in a hydrogen storage vessel in a stationary location;   using waste heat from the fuel cell stack to desorb the adsorbed hydrogen from the adsorbent material; and   providing the desorbed hydrogen from the hydrogen storage vessel to the vehicle.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising operating the vehicle using the stored hydrogen as a fuel and then operating the vehicle using a stored hydrocarbon fuel or a mixture of the stored hydrocarbon fuel and the stored hydrogen as a fuel. 
     
     
         14 . A hydrogen fueled vehicle, comprising:
 a vehicle body;   a hydrocarbon fuel tank; and   a low pressure hydrogen gas storage vessel.   
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the vehicle contains a combustion engine configured to operate on hydrogen and on a hydrocarbon fuel. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the vehicle contains a combustion engine configured to operate on the hydrocarbon fuel and a low temperature fuel cell stack adapted to operate on a hydrogen fuel. 
     
     
         17 . A hydrogen storage vessel, comprising:
 a hydrogen storage vessel body;   a metal hydride adsorbent material located inside hydrogen storage vessel body; and   a catalytic converter located inside the hydrogen storage vessel body.   
     
     
         18 . The vessel of  claim 17 , wherein the vessel is located in a hydrogen fueled vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . A high temperature fuel cell system for generating hydrogen for a hydrogen fueled vehicle, comprising:
 a first means for generating a fuel side exhaust stream from a hydrocarbon containing fuel inlet stream and an oxidizer inlet stream by oxygen ion conduction;   a second means for separating at least a portion of the hydrogen from the fuel side exhaust stream during generation of electricity by the first means; and   a third means for storing at least a portion of the separated hydrogen and then providing the stored hydrogen to a hydrogen fueled vehicle or for providing at least a portion of the separated hydrogen to the hydrogen fueled vehicle.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the third means is a means for storing at least a portion of the separated hydrogen and then providing the stored hydrogen to the hydrogen fueled vehicle;   the first means is located in a building or adjacent to a building in a stationary location; and   the first means is means for providing heat to the third means to desorb hydrogen from a metal hydride hydrogen storage material located in the third means.