Patent Application
20080160369
The present invention relates to a fuel cell device, more particularly a kind of fuel cell that uses the power supply unit of an electronic device to activate its internal loading, and takes over the power supply to the electronic device after activation.
Conventional fuel cells uses hydrogen and oxygen to undergo electrochemical reaction and have become an emerging energy alternative that supplies electric power. If a fuel cell has not been used for a considerable period of time, the surroundings of its membrane electrode assembly become less moist. Thus each time a fuel cell is activated, the fuel cell has to be hydrated to moisturize its membrane electrode assembly so fuel cell can undergo normal electrochemical reaction and produce the rated output power. Thus before a fuel cell competes its activation, power is needed for its internal loading, including, for example, the operations of its microprocessor unit and fuel control unit to facilitate the hydration and activation of fuel cell. A fuel cell typically relies on an internal secondary cell to supply the power needed by its internal loading. But adding a secondary cell to a fuel cell will bulk up the system, which is adverse to the portability of the fuel cell and increases its cost.
In light of the drawbacks of conventional fuel cells, the inventor aims to develop a product that meets the current needs.
The primary object of the invention is to provide a Fuel cell device, which, through the working of a microprocessor unit and a power loop device, chooses power input from an external electronic device or power output by the fuel cell.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fuel cell device which uses the power supplied by an external electronic device to carry out its hydration.
In the fuel cell device provided by the invention, the fuel cell supplies the power needed by the internal microprocessor, auxiliary unit and the electronic device after it completes the hydration.
To achieve the aforesaid objects, the present invention provides a fuel cell device applied in an electronic device. The electronic device has a power supply unit to supply power to it. The fuel cell device comprises a fuel cell, a regulator unit, a microprocessor unit, an auxiliary unit and a power loop device. The regulator unit converts the DC voltage of power output by the fuel cell. The microprocessor unit controls the operation of the fuel cell device and carries out computing needed for its operation. The auxiliary unit supports the operation of the fuel cell. The power loop device selects the power output by the fuel cell device to the electronic device, or power input from the electronic device to the fuel cell device.
The objects, features and effects of the invention are described in detail below with embodiments in reference to the accompanying drawings.
The electronic device (6) has a power supply unit (61). The power supply unit (61) contains a secondary cell, an external power source, and a circuit for power switch to supply power to the electronic device (6). The electronic device (6) can choose to use the secondary cell in the electronic device or the external power. In an embodiment, the electronic device (6) is a notebook computer. The secondary cell in its power supply unit (61) is a lithium battery, while its external power source is the city power grid or the fuel cell device of the invention. The electronic device (6) can choose to use the secondary cell or external power, and choose to use the external power for charging the secondary cell. Moreover, the electronic device (6) can, through internal circuit control (not shown in the figure and not a key element of the invention) to combine the power supply unit (61) and the fuel cell device of the invention into a hybrid power application system. In addition, when the fuel cell device chooses to activate the fuel cell (1), the power supply unit (61) can supply power to the microprocessor unit (3) and the auxiliary unit (4) of the fuel cell device to carry out the hydration of fuel cell.
In the fuel cell device of the invention, the fuel cell (1) contains catalyst, and can undergo electrochemical reaction using hydrogen-rich fuel and oxygen fuel and output power. The regulator unit (2) is electrically connected to the fuel cell (I) and comprises a plurality of DC voltage converters to convert the DC voltage of power output by the fuel cell (1). The microprocessor unit (3) contains a microprocessor (31) and is electrically connected to the regulator unit (2), the auxiliary unit (4), and the power loop device (5) such that the microprocessor (31) can control the operation of the fuel cell device and carry out computing needed for its operation. The auxiliary unit (4) supplies fuel and controls the operating conditions of the fuel cell (1) so as to support the operation of the fuel cell (I). The power loop device (5) is a circuit device, which, through the control of the microprocessor (31) in the microprocessor unit (3), chooses the power output by the fuel cell device to the electronic device (6) or choose the power input from the electronic device (6) to the fuel cell device. Thus the fuel cell (1) can convert its output power into a predetermined voltage for output via the regulator unit (2), and then provide the electric signal to the microprocessor unit (3), the auxiliary unit (4), and the electronic device via the power loop device (5). The power loop device (5) can also choose via the microprocessor unit (3) to supply the power from the power supply unit (61) of the electronic device (6) to the microprocessor unit (3) and the auxiliary unit (4).
The respective DC voltage converters in the regulator unit (2) is confined to having the end electrically connected to the fuel cell (1) for power input and the other end for power output.
More specifically, the regulator unit (2) further contains a first DC voltage converter (21) and a second DC voltage converter (22). The first DC voltage converter (21) and the second DC voltage converter (22) respectively convert the voltage produced by the fuel cell (1) into stable voltage V1 and voltage V2 for use respectively by the electronic device (6) and the auxiliary unit (4). The microprocessor unit (3) further contains a third DC voltage converter (32), the third DC voltage converter (32) converting the voltage inputted into the microprocessor unit (3) into a voltage V3 needed by the microprocessor (31) of the microprocessor unit (3). The auxiliary unit (4) further contains a fourth DC voltage converter (41), a pump (42) and a fan (43). The fourth DC voltage converter (4!) converts the voltage inputted into the auxiliary unit (4) into a voltage V4 needed by the elements of the auxiliary unit (4), and the pump (42) and the fan (43) respectively coordinates with the operation of the fuel cell (I) to control the fuel supply or the operating temperature of the fuel cell (1). The loop device (5) further contains a plurality of electric switches, the electric switches being electrically connected to the microprocessor (31) in the microprocessor unit (3) such that the microprocessor (31) can select the on or off-state of those electrical switches so as to control the on-state path of the loop device (5) and the direction of power supply.
The plurality of electric switches in the loop device (5) contains a first electric switch (51) and a second electric switch (52). The first electric switch (51) is electrically connected to the first DC voltage converter (21) and the fourth DC voltage converter (41) at one end, and electrically connected to the power supply unit (61) of the electric device (6) at the other end. The second electric switch (52) is electrically connected to the second DC voltage converter (22) at one end and electrically connected to the third DC voltage converter (32) of the microprocessor unit (3) and the power supply unit (61) of the electronic device (6) at the other end.
The microprocessor unit (3) further contains a low-dropout linear regulator (33) such that the power inputted into the microprocessor unit (3) undergoes DC voltage conversion first by the third DC voltage converter (32) and then by the low-dropout linear regulator (33) to obtain more stable voltage for use by the microprocessor (31).
In the fuel cell device according to the invention, the power from the power supply unit (61) is transmitted to the third DC voltage converter (32) for conversion into a predetermined voltage V3 for use by the microprocessor (31). Upon receiving the command to activate the fuel cell (1), the microprocessor (31) chooses to turn on the first electric switch (51) and turn off the second electric switch (52), and chooses to turn on the fourth DC voltage converter (41). As such, power from the power supply device (61) passes through the fourth DC voltage converter (41) and is converted into a voltage V4 for use by the auxiliary unit (4) and for controlling the operation of the pump (42) and fan (43) via the microprocessor unit (3) to carry out the hydration of fuel cell (I). When the fuel cell (1) is hydrated and begins to produce power under normal operation, the microprocessor (31) of the microprocessor unit (3) chooses to turn off the first electric switch (51) and turn on the second electric switch (52), and chooses to activate the first DC voltage converter (21) and the second DC voltage converter (22). As such, the power from the fuel cell (I) is respectively converted into voltage V1 through the first DC voltage converter (21) and voltage V2 through the second DC voltage converter (22). The power of output voltage V1 from the first DC voltage converter (21) is transmitted to the fourth DC voltage converter (41) where it is converted into output voltage V4 for use by the auxiliary unit (4). The power of output voltage V2 from the second DC voltage converter (22) is transmitted respectively to the microprocessor unit (3) and the power supply unit (61) of the electronic device (6), and the third DC voltage converter (32) again the power into output voltage V3 for use by the microprocessor unit (3). The power supply unit (61) distributes the power to the electronic device (6) or to its secondary cell for charging.
Referring to
The present invention has been disclosed in detail in the examples. However the examples should not be construed as a limitation on the actual applicable scope of the invention, and as such, all modifications and alterations without departing from the spirits of the invention and appended claims shall remain within the protected scope and claims of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 096100192 | Jan 2007 | TW | national |
