Cellex Power Products, Inc.

586925 B.c. Inc.

Kenneth W Kratschmar

Adrian James Corless

Christopher E J Reid

Carolyn A Lawrence

John A Barclay

David LeBoe

This application relates to a hybrid power supply apparatus including a fuel cell and an energy storage device for use in off-road electric vehicles, such as lift trucks. The apparatus is a substitute for conventional lead acid batteries and is sized to fit within a conventional lift truck battery receptacle tray. The fuel cell and fuel processor systems are designed to meet the average load requirements of the vehicle, while the batteries and power control hardware are capable of responding to very high instantaneous load demands. The invention has a similar electrical interface as conventional battery systems and does not require vehicle modification. The apparatus is air-cooled to ensure that the hybrid power components operate within a preferred temperature range and to maintain the external surfaces of the apparatus and exhaust gases within safe temperature limits. Apart from vehicular applications, low power hybrid fuel cell products as exemplified by the present invention may also find application in uninterruptable power supply systems, recreational power, off-grid power generation and other analogous applications.

Hybrid power supply apparatus for battery replacement applications

This application relates to a heat transfer apparatus and method employing an active regenerative cycle. The invention employs a working or &ldquo;active&rdquo; fluid and a heat transfer fluid which are physically separated. The working fluid is contained in an array of refrigeration elements that are distributed over the temperature gradient of a regenerative bed. The work for the refrigeration cycle is provided by alternative compression and expansion of the working fluid in each of the refrigeration elements at a temperature corresponding to the element's location in the temperature gradient. The compression and expansion strokes may be coupled together for optimum work recovery. The heat transfer fluid is circulated relative to the working fluid between a thermal load and a heat sink to enact a refrigeration cycle having improved energy efficiency.

Heat transfer apparatus and method employing active regenerative cycle

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Victoria, Canada

Kenneth W Kratschmar