Claims
- 1. A variable pressure passive regenerative fuel cell system comprising:
- a) a fuel cell including an anode for receiving hydrogen gas and a cathode for receiving oxygen gas;
- b) an electrolyzer for electrolyzing water to produce pure hydrogen and pure oxygen;
- c) means to store said hydrogen and oxygen from said electrolyzer:.
- d) a water storage tank communicating with said fuel cell and said electrolyzer;
- e) a fiber packed column having a structural housing wrapped with electrical resistance heater wire and wherein said fiber packed column is communicating with said water storage tank for supplying water to an anode cavity of said anode of said fuel cell;
- f) means to supply water to said electrolyzer for producing hydrogen and oxygen;
- g) means for supplying hydrogen gas and oxygen gas to said fuel cell; and
- h) means for controlling the supply of water to said water tank.
- 2. The variable pressure passive regenerative fuel cell system of claim 1 wherein said means to store said hydrogen and oxygen from said electrolyzer comprises a hydrogen storage tank and an oxygen storage tank.
- 3. The variable pressure passive regenerative fuel cell system of claim 1 wherein said means to supply water to said electrolyzer for producing hydrogen and oxygen comprises a water storage tank and a water line communicating with said electrolyzer and said water storage tank.
- 4. The variable pressure passive regenerative fuel cell system of claim 1 wherein said means for supplying hydrogen gas and oxygen gas to said fuel cell comprises an oxygen line leading from said water tank to said fuel cell and a hydrogen line leading from said hydrogen storage tank to said fuel cell.
- 5. The variable pressure passive regenerative fuel cell system 1 wherein said means for controlling the supply of water to said water tank comprises a self-contained liquid coolant subsystem.
- 6. The variable pressure passive regenerative fuel cell system of claim 1 wherein said fiber packed column structural housing includes an opening for admitting liquid water which is pumped by capillary action to the top of a wick contained within said structural housing; and further includes a second opening for admitting gaseous hydrogen from a hydrogen storage tank.
- 7. The variable pressure passive regenerative fuel cell system of claim 1 wherein said fiber packed column structural housing further includes an opening at the top of the structural housing for allowing humidified, saturated, or superheated hydrogen gas to exit the fiber packed column.
- 8. The variable pressure passive regenerative fuel cell system of claim 1 wherein said fiber is selected from the group consisting of cellulose, sintered metal, and cotton configured to develope a 10 psi hydrostatic head within the fiber packed column structural housing.
Parent Case Info
This is a divisional of copending application(s) Ser. No. 07/914,273 filed on Jul. 15, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,577.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
914273 |
Jul 1992 |
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