Motorola Corporation

Google Inc.

Motorola Mobility LLC

Google Technology Holdings LLC

Robert W Pennisi

Steven Duane Pratt

Sivakumar Muthuswamy

Ronald James Kelley

James L Davis

Glenn F Urbish

Bobby Dean Landreth

Fadia Nounou

Anthony B Suppelsa

William B Mullen, Iii

Robert J Mulligan

Marc V Papageorge

Dale W Dorinski

Frank J Juskey, Jr

David S Fredley

Daniel Roman Gamota

Thomas J Swirbel

Cynthia M Melton

Robert Benjamin Akins

Joaquin Barreto

Richard A Ceraldi

Danny E Ross

Gregory D Jackson

Melanie Williams

Adolph C Naujoks

Glenn E Gold

Steven C Machuga

Robert W Shisler

James R Tobin

Frank Starsky

Glenn W Urbish

Angelita Alarcon

Ileana Isern-Flecha

Stephanie Schauer

Louis D Megleo

Steven D Pratt

A method of and fuel cell system for limiting an amount of a fuel crossing over a membrane in a fuel cell, the method including determining an appropriate molecular ratio of the fuel and water for a fuel-water mixture; and controlling an amount of the fuel-water mixture that is available to an anode side of the membranein the fuel cell according to an amount of the fuel that will be electro-oxidized by the fuel cell. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell membranehaving an anode layer, a cathode layer, and an electrolyte layerwhere the cathode layer is exposed to an oxygen source, and a fuel delivery systemincluding a fuel chamberdisposed around and proximate to the anode layer at a side opposite to the electrolyte layer, the fuel delivery system implementing the method above.

Method and device for limiting crossover in fuel cell systems

A gas pressure regulator () includes a mechanical primary stage (), preferably including a spring valve, and an electronic secondary stage (), preferably including a micromachined pressure regulator, the combination of the mechanical primary stage and the electronic secondary stage suitable for relatively precise low pressure near zero flow rates with reasonable energy consumption rates, such as encountered when supplying fuel to a low power fuel cell system.

Two-stage hybrid gas pressure regulator

A fuel cell power source () for use in electronic systems includes a fuel cell system () and a controller (). The controller () computes net power requirements of a load device from one or more power functional information sources; and determines an operating point of the fuel cell system () by matching the net power requirements with the power characteristics of the fuel cell system ().

Method of operating a fuel cell power source

A direct methanol fuel cell systemuses dissolved catalyst to promote a fuel cell reaction that takes place in an anode sub-chamberof a fuel cellAccording to the preferred embodiment the dissolved catalyst comprises a macro cyclic coordinated compound of platinum. The dissolved catalyst is preferably continuously circulated through the anode sub-chamberand is preferably mixed in a mixing valvewith methanol and water in order to promote its catalytic action.

Fuel cell system

A method for humidifying a fuel stream for a direct methanol fuel cell. An ultrasonic transducer () is used to create a vapor of methanol without heating. Water is also vaporized with an ultrasonic transducer () to create a vapor of water without heating. The water vapor and the methanol vapor are combined () in a certain ratio to form a humidified fuel vapor which is presented to an anode () of the direct methanol fuel cell (). The ratio of water to methanol can be adjusted automatically by a sensor () that monitors the current drawn by the load () on the fuel cell.

Method for humidifying a fuel stream for a direct methanol fuel cell

A fuel cell device has a composite particle electrode () formed using particles () having a combination of ion conductor material, electron conductor material, and catalyst material. Each composite particle () is preferably formed to have a substantially spherical outer layer () of ion conductor material () with conductive and catalyst particles () are dispersed throughout the outer layer (). An array of composite particles () is layered in a substantially structured or ordered manner on a membrane support structure () to form the fuel cell electrode. A fuel cell electrode so formed has interstitial gaps between the composite particles that result in a structure permeable to oxygen and other fluids.

Fuel cell having porous electrodes and method for forming same

Rewritable signs () that include bistable cholesteric liquid crystal layers () are provided. According to one embodiment a rewritable sign () is devoid of circuitry for establishing electric fields in localize regions for writing information to the rewritable sign (), and is consequently inexpensive. In the latter embodiment, a separate information writer () that includes an array of pixel electrodes () that is driven by an active matrix () is used to write information on the rewritable sign. According to another embodiment a rewritable sign () includes three cholesteric liquid layers () each of which reflects a different primary color. The three cholesteric liquid crystal layers () are interleaved with sets of conductive lines () that are used to apply signals to the cholesteric liquid crystal layers () for the purpose of writing information.

Rewritable sign system

A small fuel cell () powers a portable electronic device () and contains a fuel reservoir () and a device () that measures the amount of liquid fuel () that is in the reservoir. The fuel cell operates on hydrogen that is obtained from a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, such as alcohol or other hydrocarbons. The liquid fuel is typically converted into hydrogen by a reforming process. The reservoir that is connected to the fuel cell has an indicia () that is readable by a human user of the portable electronic device, for measuring the amount of liquid hydrocarbon fuel that is present in the reservoir. Typically, the indicia consist of a sight glass, a capacitive element, a resistive element, a transparent portion of the reservoir, a float, or an acoustic transmitter coupled with an acoustic receiver.

Means for measuring the liquid level in a reservoir for a fuel cell

Oxides of carbon and other impurities are removed from a hydrogen fuel supply stream ( ) for a fuel cell ( ). A getter element ( ) sufficient for chemisorbing the oxides of carbon from the hydrogen is removably connected to the fuel cell anode side. The fuel stream is passed through the getter element so as to chemisorb the oxides of carbon onto the getter, thereby providing a purified stream of hydrogen ( ) to the fuel cell anode. The getter is removed from the fuel cell when the getter is spent and replaced with a fresh getter.

Fuel cell system having a replaceable getter element for purifying the fuel supply

An apparatus and method for temperature regulation of a fuel cell using differential heat capacity of the fuel storage media is disclosed. The method of regulating the temperature involves measuring the temperature of one or more fuel cells, comparing the temperature against target values, selecting a control method from a set of available control methods based on the result of comparison and using that control method to initiate and control a regulation cycle, and actuating a flow control means using the selected control method to alter the flow of fuel between one or more fuel storage containers, each containing fuel storage media which exhibit different enthalpies of formation and dissociation. The regulation process starts with measuring temperature ( ) of a fuel cell system ( ). The measured temperature is then compared ( ) to a predetermined set of ideal target values designed to provide peak fuel cell performance. Following the comparison step, a control method ( ) is selected from a list of available control methods. The control method has the necessary parameters and logic to define an fuel flow initiation process ( ) which in turn actuates a flow control means ( ). Actuation of the flow control means changes the temperature of the one or more fuel cells and alters its operating parameters ( ).

Method and apparatus for cold temperature operation of fuel cells utilizing hydrides having different heat capacities

An apparatus and method for measuring the quantity of hydrogen in a hydrogen storage vessel of a hydrogen fuel cell using the Pressure, Composition, Temperature (PCT) relationship of the storage media is disclosed. The method of measuring the quantity of hydrogen involves, measuring the temperature of the hydrogen storage media at one or more points on the hydrogen storage vessel , measuring the mechanical strain at one or more points on the hydrogen storage vessel, computing the pressure inside the vessel based on the strain measurements, referring to a lookup table or an equation representing the discharge PCT curve for the particular composition of the hydrogen storage media at the measured temperature and computing the hydrogen concentration at the measured pressure. The changes in temperature and pressure during hydrogen absorption-desorption which are characteristic of hydride storage media air is used to measure the hydrogen concentration in the storage vessel and the hydrogen to metal hydride.

Method and apparatus for determining the amount of hydrogen in a vessel

A method of diluting reacted fuel gas that is exhausted from a fuel cell. The reacted fuel gas is transferred from the fuel cell ( ) into a hydrogen diluting mechanism ( ) prior to release into the atmosphere, so that when the reacted fuel gas is subsequently released into the atmosphere, the percentage of hydrogen immediately surrounding the fuel cell does not exceed 4 percent by volume.

Method of diluting hydrogen gas exhausted from a fuel cell

A method and apparatus for managing the performance of a fuel cell system ( ) using an agitation means ( ). The method of managing the performance involves, monitoring operational parameters ( ) of individual fuel cells and the overall fuel cell system, comparing performance parameters ( ) of the system against target values, selecting a control method ( ) from a set of available control methods based on the result of comparison of the performance parameters against the target values and using that control method to initiate and control an agitation process, and actuating ( ) an agitation means using the selected control method so as alter the monitored operational parameters ( ).

Method and apparatus for managing fuel cell performance

A method and apparatus for managing thermal performance of a fuel cell system having a fuel cell assembly and a fuel storage container is disclosed. The fuel cell system consists of one or more fuel cells , each having a major surface , and disposed next to each other in a side-by-side adjacent arrangement and a fuel storage container having an exterior wall . The fuel cells are positioned such that distance between the major surfaces and the fuel storage container wall along a direction normal to the major surfaces is substantially the same. In addition, one or more of the fuel cells are in thermal contact with the fuel storage container such that cell waste heat is transferred to the fuel storage container.

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Boca Raton, FL, United States of America

Robert W Pennisi