Eveready Battery Company, Inc.

Intelligent Energy Inc.

Union Carbide Corporation

The Technology Partnership, Plc.

Richard A Langan

Jason L Stimits

Guanghong Zheng

Chad E Law

Thomas J Kmetich

John C Bailey

John Matthew Somerville

James Xixian Wu

Russell H Barton

Allison M Fisher

Olen Richard Vanderleeden

Robert M Janmey

Michael J Brandon, Ii

David Mark Blakey

Mark D Vandayburg

Frank H Feddrix

Oliver W Burstall

Gerald A Zsigo

Craig R Huddleston

Gary R Tucholski

Abdelkader Hilmi

Andrew Webber

Mark A Schubert

Steven D Jones

Jing Zhang

Frank B Tudron

Paul D Griffith, Jr

Jean-Francois Audebert

Andrew Jasin

Nicholas J Smilanich

Akiya Kozawa

Christopher Fred Randell

Martin Scott Goodchild

Richard Janse Van Rensburg

James P Campbell

Gregory W Broburg

Michael Stallard

Jerald D Baldwin, Jr

Jeannine L Martinson

Michael J Mingay

Jr Paul D Griffith

Michael R Stallard

Iii Michael J Brandon

Michael J Ii Brandon

David M Blakey

A packaged fuel unit and a refillable hydrogen generator that uses the fuel unit to produce hydrogen gas are disclosed. The fuel unit includes a reactant that can undergo a thermal decomposition reaction that produces hydrogen gas when heated to at least a minimum initiation temperature. The reactant is contained within a package that includes a poor thermal conductor with one or more thermal conductor sections for conducting heat from outside the package to the reactant. The hydrogen generator includes a holder with a cavity in which the fuel unit can be removably disposed and a heating system for heating the fuel unit when disposed therein. The hydrogen generator can be part of a fuel cell system including a fuel cell battery that is provided with hydrogen gas from the hydrogen generator.

Fuel unit, refillable hydrogen generator and fuel cell system

A method of making a package for a fuel unit, a fuel unit including the package, and a hydrogen generator including one or more of the fuel units are disclosed. The package includes a package strip made by forming apertures in a nonconductive substrate strip, forming conductor sections in a conductor strip, aligning the substrate and conductor strips, bonding the conductor sections to the substrate strip to cover the apertures, and removing non-bonded portions of the conductor strip. A package enclosing a hydrogen generating reactant is formed by securing a segment of the package strip to itself, to one or more other segments and/or to one or more other package components. One or more conductor sections in the package strip are in thermal contact with one or more quantities of reactant composition so heat can be transferred thermally decompose the reactant composition and generate hydrogen gas.

Method of making a packaged fuel unit for a hydrogen generator

A hydrogen generator is provided for generating hydrogen gas for a fuel cell stack. The hydrogen generator includes a container, and a liquid reactant storage area configured to contain a liquid including a first reactant. The hydrogen generator also includes a reaction area within the container, and a solid containing a second reactant within the reaction area and having a concentration gradient that varies along an axis such as length of the solid. The hydrogen generator further includes a liquid delivery member for delivering the liquid to the solid in the reaction area to generate hydrogen. The concentration gradient controls a reaction rate of the first and second reactants.

Hydrogen generator having reactant pellet with concentration gradient

Disclosed is a fuel unit for a gas generator such as a hydrogen gas generator that can supply gas to a gas consuming system such as a fuel cell system. The fuel unit includes a housing containing a solid fuel composition and a heat producing material. The fuel composition contains gas releasing solid material that reacts to release gas when heated. The heat producing material reacts exothermically to produce heat. A plurality of quantities of the heat producing material are in thermal communication with corresponding portions of an unsegregated quantity the fuel composition such that, following initiation of a reaction of each quantity of the heat producing material, the quantity of heat producing material will heat the corresponding portion of the unsegregated quantity of the fuel composition, and the corresponding portion of the unsegregated quantity of the fuel composition will react to release a quantity of the gas.

Fuel unit, gas generator and system

Disclosed are a fuel unit for a hydrogen generator and methods for producing the fuel unit and the hydrogen generator. A fuel sheet () is made by disposing a plurality of fuel pellets (A-J) containing a hydrogen-containing material on a substrate (), and one or more fuel sheets are formed into a non-cylindrical fuel sheet assembly my moving (e.g., bending) a portion of the fuel sheet () to position pellets adjacent to each other such that adjacent sides of the adjacent pellets lie in essentially parallel planes. A non-cylindrical fuel unit is produced from one or more of the fuel sheet assemblies. Fuel units can be replaceably disposed in a hydrogen generator, and fuel pellets can be selectively heated to produce hydrogen gas as needed.

Fuel unit for hydrogen generator

A hydrogen generator and a fuel cell system including a fuel cell battery and the hydrogen generator. The hydrogen generator includes a cartridge, a housing with a cavity to removably contain the cartridge, and an initiation system. The cartridge includes a casing; a plurality of pellets including a hydrogen containing material; a plurality of solid heat transfer members in contact with but not penetrating the casing; a hydrogen outlet in the casing; and a hydrogen flow path from each pellet to the hydrogen outlet. A plurality of heating elements is disposed inside the housing. When the cartridge is in the cavity, each heating element is disposed so heat can be conducted from the heating element and through the casing and corresponding heat transfer member to initiate the release of hydrogen gas. The initiation system can selectively heat one or more pellets to release hydrogen gas as needed.

Hydrogen generator

A fuel cartridge and a hydrogen generator are provided for supplying hydrogen gas to a hydrogen gas device. The fuel cartridge includes a fuel composition disposed in a container and a multi-layer package material, such as a laminate, enclosing the fuel composition therein. The laminate includes a polymer layer distal the fuel composition and a conductor layer proximate the fuel composition and including a preformed portion. The hydrogen generator includes a punch thermally coupled to a heater assembly and is configured to move between a retracted state and a puncture state. When the fuel cartridge is disposed in the hydrogen generating apparatus, the punch is configured to puncture the polymer layer and bring the coined portion into contact with the fuel composition. Heat is applied to a hydrogen containing material in the fuel composition through the punch and preformed portion to release hydrogen gas.

Hydrogen generator and fuel cartridge

Methods for generating hydrogen gas and power and related systems, including a hydrogen generator and a fuel cell system. The hydrogen generator includes a cartridge, a housing with a cavity to removably contain the cartridge, and an initiation system. The cartridge includes a casing; a plurality of pellets including a hydrogen containing material; a plurality of solid heat transfer members in contact with but not penetrating the casing; a hydrogen outlet in the casing; and a hydrogen flow path from each pellet to the hydrogen outlet. A plurality of heating elements is disposed inside the housing. Each heating element is disposed so heat can be conducted from the heating element through the casing to corresponding heat transfer member to initiate the release of hydrogen gas. The initiation system can selectively heat one or more pellets. Hydrogen gas can be provided to a fuel cell battery to generate power.

Methods of generating hydrogen gas and power

A gas consuming battery is provided with an air regulating system for regulating the flow of air into the battery. The air regulating system includes a valve having a moving plate disposed adjacent to another plate. The moving plate and the other plate can both have apertures therethrough that at least partially align in an open valve and are misaligned in a closed valve. The air regulating system can also include an actuator for moving the moving plate to open and close the valve. A sealing medium including a fluid containment layer and a fluid partially contained therein is disposed between the moving and fixed plates to enhance valve operation and sealing effectiveness. The fluid containment layer includes a porous material, and the fluid has a maximum wicking height, that is equal to or greater than a maximum interfacial dimension between the valve plates.

Battery having an air manager with a moving plate valve

An electrochemical cell with a collector assembly for sealing the open end of a cell container. The collector assembly includes a retainer and a contact spring with a peripheral flange, each having a central opening therein. A pressure release vent member disposed between the retainer and the peripheral flange of the contact spring seals the openings in the retainer and contact spring under normal conditions and ruptures to release pressure from within the cell when the internal pressure exceeds a predetermined limit.

Housing for a sealed electrochemical cell

A fluid consuming battery () is provided with a fluid regulating system () for regulating fluid entry into the battery. The battery () includes a fluid consuming cell () having a cell housing with fluid entry ports for the passage of a fluid into the cell housing. A first fluid consuming electrode and a second electrode are disposed within the cell housing. The fluid regulating system () includes a valve having a moving plate () disposed adjacent to a fixed plate (). The moving plate and fixed plate both have fluid entry ports () that align in an open valve position and are misaligned in a closed valve position. The fluid regulating system () also includes an actuator that may include one or more shape memory alloy (SMA) components () for moving the moving plate () relative to the fixed plate () to open and close the valve.

Fluid manager using two shape memory alloy components and a battery including the same

Growing community of inventors

Parma, OH, United States of America

Richard A Langan