Fuel cartridges and apparatus including the same

1. A fuel cartridge, comprising:

a fuel containing substance that releases fuel in response to an application of heat;

a heater, in thermal communication with the fuel containing substance, that heats the fuel containing substance in response to a receipt of energy; and

an information storage device that stores an energy value corresponding to the minimum amount of energy that, when supplied to the heater, will cause the fuel containing substance to release all of the fuel contained therein.

2. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fuel containing substance comprises a sodium borohydride solution.

3. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises a resistor.

4. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the information storage device comprises a non-volatile memory device.

5. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the energy value comprises a power value and a time value.

6. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the fuel containing substance comprises a plurality of individual fuel containing substance quantities;

the heater comprises a plurality of individually actuatable heaters respectively in thermal communication with the plurality of fuel containing substance quantities; and

the information storage device stores an energy value corresponding to each of the fuel containing substance quantities.

7. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the plurality of individual fuel containing substance quantities are respectively stored in a plurality of individual fuel storage areas.

8. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a housing defining an exterior and an interior that stores the fuel containing substance;

wherein the information storage device is located within the interior of the housing, or is carried on the exterior of the housing, or is located within its own housing.

9. A fuel cartridge, comprising:

a fuel containing substance that releases fuel in response to an application of heat;

means for heating the fuel containing substance in response to a receipt of energy; and

means for storing an energy value that corresponds to the minimum amount of energy that, when supplied to the means for heating, will cause the fuel containing substance to release all of the fuel contained therein.

10. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the fuel containing substance comprises a sodium borohydride solution.

11. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the energy value comprises a power value and a time value.

12. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the fuel containing substance comprises a plurality of individual fuel containing substance quantities;

the means for heating comprises means for individually heating the plurality of fuel containing substance quantities; and

the means for storing an energy value comprises means for storing an energy value corresponding to each of the fuel containing substance quantities.

13. A device, comprising:

an electrochemical cell; and

a fuel cartridge, operably connected to the electrochemical cell, including

a fuel containing substance that releases fuel in response to an application of heat,

a heater, in thermal communication with the fuel containing substance, that heats the fuel containing substance in response to a receipt of energy, and

an information storage device that stores an energy value corresponding to the minimum amount of energy that, when supplied to the heater, will cause the fuel containing substance to release all of the fuel contained therein.

14. A device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a PEM fuel cell.

15. A device as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising:

an apparatus that consumes electrical power operably connected to the electrochemical cell.

16. A device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the fuel cartridge includes a fuel cartridge connector, the device further comprising:

a device connector, in fluid communication with the electrochemical cell, configured to be releasably coupled to the fuel cartridge connector.

17. A device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the fuel containing substance comprises a sodium borohydride solution.

18. A device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the heater comprises a resistor.

19. A device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the information storage device comprises a non-volatile memory device.

20. A device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein

the fuel containing substance comprises a plurality of individual fuel containing substance quantities;

the heater comprises a plurality of individually actuatable heaters respectively in thermal communication with the plurality of fuel containing substance quantities; and

the information storage device stores an energy value corresponding to each of the fuel containing substance quantities.

21. A device as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the plurality of individual fuel containing substance quantities are respectively stored in a plurality of individual fuel storage areas.

22. A device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein

the fuel cartridge includes a housing defining an exterior and an interior that stores the fuel containing substance; and

the information storage device is located within the interior of the housing, or is carried on the exterior of the housing, or is located within its own housing.

23. A device as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising:

an energy source; and

a controller adapted to receive the energy value and control the energy source to supply the heater with the amount of energy that corresponds to the energy value.

24. A device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the energy value comprises a power value and a time value.

25. A fuel cartridge as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising:

a housing defining an exterior and an interior that stores the fuel containing substance;

wherein the means for storing an energy value is located within the interior of the housing, or is carried on the exterior of the housing, or is located within its own housing.