Apparatus for generating electricity from a chemical hydride

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed to generate electric power from a chemical hydride. A fuel cartridge produces hydrogen by reacting a liquid with a chemical hydride. A fuel cell stack generates electric power using an oxygen source and the produced hydrogen. An electric power storage device is coupled with the fuel cell stack. The electric power storage device stores and supplies electric power. One or more liquid sources inject the liquid into the fuel cartridge at a variable rate. A controller calculates a liquid injection rate for the one or more liquid sources based on power demands of an electric load.

1 . An apparatus to generate electric power from a chemical hydride, the apparatus comprising:
 a fuel cartridge configured to produce hydrogen by reacting a liquid reactant with a chemical hydride;   a fuel cell stack configured to generate electric power using an oxygen source and the produced hydrogen;   an electric power storage device coupled with the fuel cell stack, the electric power storage device configured to store and supply electric power;   one or more liquid sources configured to inject the liquid reactant into the fuel cartridge at a liquid injection rate that is adjustable; and   a controller configured to manage the liquid injection rate for the one or more liquid sources based at least in part on power demands of an electric load.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more liquid sources comprise a liquid reservoir and one or more pumps, each of the one or more pumps configured to pump a substantially consistent amount of liquid into the fuel cartridge at the liquid injection rate. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure regulator disposed between the fuel cartridge and the fuel cell stack, the pressure regulator configured to regulate a gas pressure of the hydrogen flowing from the fuel cartridge to the fuel cell stack such that the gas pressure remains at or below a predetermined gas pressure. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more hydrogen pressure sensors in fluid communication with the produced hydrogen, each of the hydrogen pressure sensors configured to report a hydrogen pressure to the controller. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to increase the liquid injection rate in response to the one or more hydrogen pressure sensors reporting a hydrogen pressure below a predetermined gas pressure, and to decrease the liquid injection rate in response to the one or more hydrogen pressure sensors reporting a hydrogen pressure above a predetermined gas pressure. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more pumps configured to provide a variable speed air flow to the fuel cell stack, the speed of the variable speed air flow based at least in part on the power demands of the electric load. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electric power storage device is further configured to store a portion of the generated electric power in response to the power demands of the electric load being less than the electric power generated by the fuel cell stack, and to deliver stored electric power to the electric load in response to the power demands of the electric load being more than the electric power generated by the fuel cell stack. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the electric power storage device is electrically coupled to the fuel cell stack in a parallel configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising one or more electrical sensors coupled to the electric power storage device, the one or more electrical sensors configured to report one of a voltage and a current at one or more electrical poles of the electric power storage device to the controller. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a switching direct current to direct current convertor configured to convert the electric power from one or more first direct current voltages to a second direct current voltage. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an alternating current inverter configured to convert the electric power from a direct current to an alternating current.