Regulator and method of regulating fuel flow to a fuel cell by adsorption

1. A fuel flow regulator for a fuel cell comprising:

a fuel cell fuel flow path, said fuel flow path comprising a solid-state material for regulating a flow of fuel along said fuel flow path by adsorption;

wherein said flow path comprises a tubular column and said solid-state material comprises a gas adsorbing layer coated on said tubular column.

2. The fuel cell flow regulator of claim 1 , wherein said solid-state material comprises a carbowax.

3. The fuel cell flow regulator of claim 2 , wherein said solid-state material comprises paraffin.

4. A fuel flow regulator for a fuel cell comprising:

a fuel cell fuel flow path, said fuel flow path comprising a solid-state material for regulating a flow of fuel along said fuel flow path by adsorption;

wherein said solid-state material comprises metal foil lining an interior of a passageway of said fuel flow path between a fuel source and a fuel cell.

5. The fuel flow regulator of claim 4 , wherein said metal foil is disposed so as to selectively adsorb said fuel for a period of time and then release said fuel unchanged back into said fuel flow path.

6. A fuel cell system comprising:

a fuel cell;

a fuel source;

a fuel flow path between said fuel cell and said fuel source; and

a fuel flow regulator disposed in said fuel flow path comprising a solid-state adsorptive material for selectively adsorbing fuel passing from said fuel source to said fuel cell for a period of time after which said adsorptive material releases said fuel so as to regulate fuel flow along said fuel flow path.

7. A fuel cell system comprising:

a fuel cell;

a fuel source;

a fuel flow path between said fuel cell and said fuel source; and

a fuel flow regulator disposed in said fuel flow path comprising a solid-state adsorptive material;

wherein said solid-state material comprises a gas chromatography column disposed in said fuel flow path.

8. The fuel cell system of claim 7 , wherein said gas chromatography column comprises said adsorptive material on a porous support.

9. The fuel cell system of claim 8 , wherein said adsorptive material comprises a carbowax.

10. The fuel cell system of claim 8 , wherein said porous support comprises zeolite.

11. The fuel cell system of claim 6 , wherein said fuel cell comprises a proton exchange membrane (PEM) or solid oxide fuel cell.

12. A fuel cell system comprising:

a fuel cell;

a fuel source;

a fuel flow path between said fuel cell and said fuel source; and

a fuel flow regulator disposed in said fuel flowpath comprising a solid-state adsorptive material for selectively adsorbing fuel passing from said fuel source to said fuel cell;

wherein said solid-state adsorptive material is coated on a packing disposed in said fuel path.

13. A power generating apparatus comprising:

a fuel cell coupled to a chromatography column for regulating a flow of fuel to said fuel cell.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said chromatography column comprises a gas chromatography column.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said chromatography column comprises a gas-solid chromatography column.

16. An electronic device comprising:

a fuel cell providing power to an electrical load;

a fuel source;

a fuel flow path between said fuel cell and said fuel source; and

a fuel flow regulator disposed in said fuel flow path comprising a solid-state adsorptive material for selectively adsorbing fuel passing from said fuel source to said fuel cell for a period of time after which said adsorptive material releases said fuel so as to regulate fuel flow along said fuel flow path.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a fuel cell providing power to an electrical load;

a fuel source;

a fuel flow path between said fuel cell and said fuel source; and

a fuel flow regulator disposed in said fuel flow path comprising a solid-state adsorptive material;

wherein said flow regulator comprises a tubular column and said solid-state adsorptive material comprises a gas-adsorbing layer coated on said tubular column.

18. The electronic device of claim, 17 , wherein said solid-state material comprises a carbowax.

19. An electronic device comprising:

a fuel cell providing power to an electrical load;

a fuel source;

a fuel flow path between said fuel cell and said fuel source; and

a fuel flow regulator disposed in said fuel flow path comprising a solid-state adsorptive material;

wherein said solid-state materiel comprises a gas or gas-solid chromatography column.

20. A method of regulating flow between a fuel cell and a fuel source comprising disposing an adsorptive material in a fuel flow path between said fuel cell and said fuel source, wherein said adsorptive material selectively adsorbs said fuel for a period of time and then releases said fuel so as to minimize pressure or flow spikes occurring along said fuel flow path.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising adsorbing fuel flowing from said fuel source with a solid-state material.

22. A method of regulating flow between a fuel cell and a fuel source comprising disposing an adsorptive material in a fuel flow path between said fuel cell and said fuel source, wherein said adsorptive material comprises a solid-state material that selectively adsorbs said fuel wherein said solid-state material is disposed in a gas or gas-solid chromatography column.

23. A method of passively smoothing fuel flow fluctuations to a fuel cell comprising passing fuel from a fuel source by an adsorbing material, wherein said adsorbing material is housed in a chromatography column.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein said adsorbing material comprises a carbowax.

25. A method of passively smoothing fuel flow fluctuations to a fuel cell comprising passing fuel from a fuel source through a flow path between said fuel source and said fuel cell, said flow path comprising an adsorbing material, wherein said adsorbing material comprises a metal foil or a porous metal matrix and adsorbs said fuel for a period of time and then releases said fuel back into said flow path so as to minimize fuel flow fluctuations to said fuel cell.

26. A method of making a fuel cell fuel flow regulator comprising:

coating a column or a packing material with a gas adsorbing material and inserting said column or packing material into a fuel cell flow path; and

cross-linking the coating to increase the thermal stability of the coating.

27. A method of making a fuel cell fuel flow regulator comprising:

coating a column or a packing material with a gas adsorbing material and inserting said column or packing material into a fuel cell flow path;

wherein said gas adsorbing material further comprises a polysiloxane.

28. A fuel regulation system comprising:

means for generating electricity directly from an electrochemical reaction;

means for holding a supply of fuel;

means for transferring fuel in said means for holding to said means for generating; and

means for chemically regulating fuel flow through said means for transferring;

wherein said means for chemically regulating comprises a solid-state adsorptive material,

wherein said solid-state material is disposed in a gas chromatography column disposed in said means for transferring.

29. The system of claim 28 , wherein said gas chromatography column comprises said solid-state adsorptive material on a porous support.

30. The fuel cell system of claim 29 , wherein said adsorptive material comprises a carbowax.

31. A method of passively decreasing a pressure or flow rate spike in a flow of fuel through a fuel flow path between a fuel cell and a fuel source comprising disposing an adsorptive material in said fuel flow path between said fuel cell and said fuel source, wherein said adsorptive material selectively adsorbs said fuel for a period of time and then releases said fuel so as to decrease a pressure or flow rate spike in said flow of fuel.

32. The method of claim 31 , further comprising adsorbing fuel that is flowing from said fuel source with solid-state material.

33. A method of passively decreasing a pressure or flow rate spike in a flow of fuel between a fuel cell and a fuel source comprising disposing an adsorptive material between said fuel cell and said fuel source, wherein said adsorptive material comprises a solid-state material and selectively adsorbs said fuel to decrease a pressure or flow rate spike in said flow of fuel, wherein said solid-state material is disposed in a gas or gas-soild chromatography column.