Vehicular propulsion system

Claim 1

A propulsion system for a wheeled vehicle comprising electric motor drive means for driving wheels of the vehicle and a source of electric power for energizing said drive means, said power source comprising at least one fuel cell and at least one primary air cell utilizing a liquid electrolyte which is heated during the discharge reaction of the primary cell, said air cell having a consumable replaceable anode and producing hydrogen as a product of the discharge reaction thereof, said fuel cell adapted to produce electrical energy when supplied with hydrogen, means for transmitting the hydrogen so produced by the primary cell to the fuel cell, means in heat-exchange relationship with said fuel cell, means for recirculating the heated electrolyte through the heat-exchange means thereby to cool said primary cell and heat said fuel cell, a radiator through which the heated electrolyte may be recirculated when its temperature exceeds a predetermined level, switching means adapted alternately and selectively to electrically interconnect the fuel cell and primary air cell to the drive means, said switching means being responsive to the power output of the fuel cell whereby upon the power drain of the drive means exceeding that available from the fuel cell power will be supplied from the primary air cell, said switching means including means responsive to the relative output potentials of the fuel and air cells to interconnect the primary air cell to the drive means for only so long as the fuel cell potential remains below a certain level and is responsive to a rise thereabove to disconnect said primary cell and reconnect the fuel cell to the drive means, the switching means comprising a pair of diodes, two like electrodes thereof being commonly connected to the drive means, and the other electrodes thereof being respectively connected to said primary air cell and the fuel cell, means for sensing increasing alkalinity of said electrolyte during operation of the primary air cell, means responsive to said sensing means to supply an acid to said electrolyte to control the pH of the electrolyte to a desired level, and means for varying the amount of electrical power supplied from said power source to said drive means thereby to control the speed of the vehicle.