US3879218A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for controlling the feeding of reactant to a fuel cell
Assignee: Teledyne Isotopes Inc
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Filing: 1973-05-17
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Granted: 1975-04-22
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Expires: 1993-05-17
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for controlling the feeding of reactant to a fuel cell having a valve means for regulating the amount of reactant fed to the fuel cell, means in operative relationship with the fuel cell for sensing concentration of the reactant in the fuel cell, means for controlling operation of the valve means in accordance with the concentration of reactant and means electrically isolating, with respect to at least D.C. energy, the terminals of the fuel cell from the controlling means and the sensing means to eliminate leakage of electrical energy between the fuel cell terminals, the sensing means, and the controlling means so that the voltage read-out from the sensing means is accurate and is not affected by any electrical leakage from the fuel cell.
Inventors
- 👤 Francis J Kellen
- 👤 Scott S Tomter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 13:13
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M8/00; H01M8/22; H01M8/222; H01M8/04; H01M8/04082; H01M8/04186; H01M8/04194; H01M8/04298; H01M8/04313; H01M8/0444; H01M8/04447; H01M8/04694; H01M8/04746; H01M8/04753; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE FEEDING OF REACTANT TO A FUEL CELL, COMPRISING: A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY VALVE MEANS FOR REGULATING THE AMOUNT OF RECTANT FED TO SAID FUEL CELL; SENSING MEANS IN OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID FUEL CELL FOR SENSING CONCENTRATION OF SAID REACTANT IN SAID FUEL CELL; DRIVER MEANS FOR APPLYING TO SAID SENSING MEANS A PULSED DRIVING CURRENT WHOSE DURATION IS ON THE ORDER OF 0.1 SECONDS AND WHOSE PULSES ARE SPACED BY ON THE ORDER OF AT LEAST 4 SECONDS; MEANS IN CIRCUIT WITH SAID VALVE MEANS SAID SENSING MEANS AND WITH SAID ENERGY SOURCE FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION OF SAID VALVE MEANS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONCENTRATION OF REACTANT IN SAIDFUEL CELL; AND MEANS IN OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP FOR SELECTIVELY ISOLATING WITH RESPECT TO AT LEAST D.C. ELECTRICAL ENERGY, THE TERMINALS OF SAID FUEL CELL FROM SAID CONTROLLING MEANS AND SAID SENSING MEANS TO ELIMINATE LEAKAGE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY BETWEEN SAID FUEL CELL TERMINALS SAID SENSING MEANS, AND SAID CONTROLLING MEANS,
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
164 words
APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE FEEDING OF REACTANT TO A FUEL CELL, COMPRISING: A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY VALVE MEANS FOR REGULATING THE AMOUNT OF RECTANT FED TO SAID FUEL CELL; SENSING MEANS IN OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID FUEL CELL FOR SENSING CONCENTRATION OF SAID REACTANT IN SAID FUEL CELL; DRIVER MEANS FOR APPLYING TO SAID SENSING MEANS A PULSED DRIVING CURRENT WHOSE DURATION IS ON THE ORDER OF 0.1 SECONDS AND WHOSE PULSES ARE SPACED BY ON THE ORDER OF AT LEAST 4 SECONDS; MEANS IN CIRCUIT WITH SAID VALVE MEANS SAID SENSING MEANS AND WITH SAID ENERGY SOURCE FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION OF SAID VALVE MEANS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONCENTRATION OF REACTANT IN SAIDFUEL CELL; AND MEANS IN OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP FOR SELECTIVELY ISOLATING WITH RESPECT TO AT LEAST D.C. ELECTRICAL ENERGY, THE TERMINALS OF SAID FUEL CELL FROM SAID CONTROLLING MEANS AND SAID SENSING MEANS TO ELIMINATE LEAKAGE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY BETWEEN SAID FUEL CELL TERMINALS SAID SENSING MEANS, AND SAID CONTROLLING MEANS,
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
165 words
Apparatus for controlling the feeding of reactant to a fuel cell, comprising: a source of electrical energy; valve means for regulating the amount of reactant fed to said fuel cell; sensing means in operative relationship with said fuel cell for sensing concentration of said reactant in said fuel cell; driver means for applying to said sensing means a pulsed driving current whose duration is on the order of 0.1 seconds and whose pulses are spaced by on the order of at least 4 seconds; means in circuit with said valve means, said sensing means and with said energy source for controlling operation of said valve means in accordance with the concentration of reactant in said fuel cell; and means in operative relationship for selectively isolating, with respect to at least D.C. electrical energy, the terminals of said fuel cell from said controlling means and said sensing means to eliminate leakage of electrical energy between said fuel cell terminals, said sensing means, and said controlling means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
165 words
Apparatus for controlling the feeding of reactant to a fuel cell, comprising: a source of electrical energy; valve means for regulating the amount of reactant fed to said fuel cell; sensing means in operative relationship with said fuel cell for sensing concentration of said reactant in said fuel cell; driver means for applying to said sensing means a pulsed driving current whose duration is on the order of 0.1 seconds and whose pulses are spaced by on the order of at least 4 seconds; means in circuit with said valve means, said sensing means and with said energy source for controlling operation of said valve means in accordance with the concentration of reactant in said fuel cell; and means in operative relationship for selectively isolating, with respect to at least D.C. electrical energy, the terminals of said fuel cell from said controlling means and said sensing means to eliminate leakage of electrical energy between said fuel cell terminals, said sensing means, and said controlling means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said energy source includes the fuel cell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said isolating means includes a transformer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
135 words
Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said controlling means include: means in circuit relationship with said isolating means for providing voltage references of predetermined values; means in circuit with said providing means and with said sensing means for establishing the duration and the period between pulses and for selectively passing said pulses through said sensing means to enable determination of the reactant concentration in said fuel cell; and means in circuit relationship with said sensing means and with said valve means for comparing the voltage developed by said sensing means, as a result of said pulses passing through said sensing means, with a predetermined voltage level and for selectively regulating the duration of opening of Said valve means in accordance with the concentration of reactant in the fuel cell as determined by said sensing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said regulating means includes a monostable timing circuit for selectively opening said valve means for predetermined lengths of time to enable measured amounts of reactant to enter said fuel cell.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said passing means include a current limit circuit for regulating the amplitude of said current pulses passed through said sensing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 for feeding hydrazine to said fuel cell and wherein said valve means is opened to permit additional hydrazine to be fed into the fuel cell when the voltage developed by said sensing means is greater than 1.5 volts.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-21 | 1978-10-21 | 1979-04-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-21 | 1982-10-21 | 1983-04-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-21 | 1986-10-21 | 1987-04-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |