Fuel preheat in fuel cells and portable electronics
Described herein are fuel cell systems and methods of increasing fuel cell system efficiency. The systems include a fuel processor that produces hydrogen from a fuel source and a fuel cell that generates electrical energy using the hydrogen. An electronics device that receives the electrical energy may also include the fuel cell system and a heat-generating component. The invention uses heat from the fuel cell and/or heat from the heat-generating electronics component to preheat a liquid fuel source. This reduces or potentially eliminates the need for fuel source heating in the fuel processor.
1 . An electronics device that receives electrical energy from a fuel cell, the electronics device comprising:
an electronics component that produces heat during operation of the electronics device;
a fuel processor that includes a reformer configured to receive a fuel source, configured to output hydrogen, and including a catalyst that facilitates the production of hydrogen;
a fuel cell configured to produce electrical energy using hydrogen output by the fuel processor; and
a heat transfer system configured to receive heat from the electronics component and configured to transfer the heat to the fuel source.
2 . The electronics device of claim 1 wherein the fuel processor includes a burner configured to provide heat to the reformer.
3 . The electronics device of claim 2 wherein the burner receives the fuel source and includes a catalyst that processes the fuel source to produce heat.
4 . The electronics device of claim 3 wherein the heat transfer system is configured to transfer the heat to the fuel source provided to the burner.
5 . The electronics device of claim 1 wherein the heat transfer system is configured to transfer the heat to the fuel source provided to the reformer.
6 . The electronics device of claim 1 wherein the heat from the electronics component vaporizes the fuel source.
7 . The electronics device of claim 1 wherein the heat transfer system comprises a cooling system that is configured to remove heat from the component.
8 . The electronics device of claim 7 wherein the heat transfer system further comprises a heat exchanger configured to receive heat from the cooling system and configured to transfer the heat to the fuel source.
9 . The electronics device of claim 8 wherein the cooling system comprises a recirculating liquid coolant system that is configured to remove heat from the component.
10 . The electronics device of claim 7 wherein the cooling system comprises a heat pipe that is configured to remove heat from the component.
11 . The electronics device of claim 10 wherein the heat pipe comprises a wire.
12 . The electronics device of claim 11 further comprising a tube that permits transport of the fuel source to the fuel processor.
13 . The electronics device of claim 12 wherein the wire is wound around the tube.
14 . The electronics device of claim 7 wherein the cooling system comprises a heat sink which is bonded directly to the component.
15 . The electronics device of claim 1 wherein the electronics component is a CPU or a graphics chip.
16 . The electronics device of claim 1 wherein the electronics device is a laptop computer or a desktop computer.
17 . The electronics device of claim 1 wherein the fuel source comprises methanol.
18 . The electronics device of claim 1 wherein the fuel cell is a PEM fuel cell.
19 . A fuel cell system for producing electrical energy, the fuel cell system comprising:
a fuel processor that includes a reformer configured to receive a fuel source, configured to output hydrogen, and including a catalyst that facilitates the production of hydrogen;
a fuel cell including a fuel cell stack configured to produce electrical energy using hydrogen output by the fuel processor, and including a heat transfer appendage that a) includes a portion arranged external to the fuel cell stack and b) is in conductive thermal communication with an internal portion of the fuel cell stack; and
a heat transfer system configured to receive heat from the fuel cell and configured to transfer the heat to the fuel source.
20 . The fuel cell system of claim 19 wherein the heat transfer system further comprises a heat exchanger configured to receive heat from the fuel cell and configured to transfer the heat to the fuel source.
21 . The fuel cell system of claim 20 further comprising plumbing configured to transport a cooling medium from the fuel cell to the heat exchanger.
22 . The fuel cell system of claim 21 wherein the plumbing is configured to transport the cooling medium from the heat transfer appendage to the heat exchanger.
23 . The fuel cell system of claim 19 wherein the fuel processor includes a burner configured to provide heat to the reformer.
24 . The fuel cell system of claim 23 wherein the burner receives the fuel source and includes a catalyst that processes the fuel source to produce heat.
25 . The fuel cell system of claim 24 wherein the heat transfer system is configured to transfer the heat to the fuel source provided to the burner.
26 . The fuel cell system of claim 25 wherein the heat transfer system is configured to transfer the heat to the fuel source provided to the reformer.
27 . The fuel cell system of claim 19 wherein the heat from the fuel cell vaporizes the fuel source.
28 . The fuel cell system of claim 19 wherein the fuel source comprises methanol.
29 . The fuel cell system of claim 19 wherein the fuel cell is a PEM fuel cell.
30 . A method for heating a fuel source provided to a fuel processor that is configured to supply hydrogen to a fuel cell, the method comprising:
generating heat in an electronics component included in an electronics device that is configured to receive electrical energy from the fuel cell; and
transferring the heat from the electronics component to fuel source.
31 . The method of claim 30 further comprising vaporizing the fuel source.
32 . The method of claim 30 wherein the electronics device is a laptop computer or a desktop computer.
33 . The method of claim 30 wherein the electronics device includes the fuel processor.
34 . The method of claim 30 further comprising circulating a liquid coolant that is configured to receive heat from the component.
35 . The method of claim 30 wherein the fuel source is provided to a reformer in the fuel processor.
36 . The method of claim 30 wherein the fuel source is provided to a burner configured to provide heat to a reformer in the fuel processor.
37 . The method of claim 36 wherein the burner includes a catalyst that processes the fuel source to produce heat.
38 . The method of claim 30 wherein the fuel source comprises methanol.
39 . The method of claim 30 wherein the electronics component is a CPU or a graphics chip.
40 . A method of heating a fuel source provided to a fuel processor that is configured to supply hydrogen to a fuel cell, the method comprising:
generating heat in the fuel cell;
transferring the heat from the fuel cell to the fuel source.
41 . The method of claim 40 further comprising vaporizing the fuel source.
42 . The method of claim 30 wherein the fuel cell includes a fuel cell stack and the heat is generated internal to the stack.
43 . The method of claim 42 further comprising transferring the heat from an internal portion of the stack to a heat transfer appendage that a) includes a portion arranged external to the fuel cell stack and b) is in conductive thermal communication with an internal portion of the fuel cell stack.
44 . The method of claim 40 wherein the fuel source is provided to a reformer in the fuel processor.
45 . The method of claim 40 wherein the fuel source is provided to a burner configured to provide heat to a reformer in the fuel processor.
46 . The method of claim 45 wherein the burner includes a catalyst that processes the fuel source to produce heat.
47 . The method of claim 40 wherein the fuel source comprises methanol.
48 . The method of claim 40 wherein the fuel cell is a PEM fuel cell.
49 . The method of claim 40 wherein the fuel cell and fuel processor are included in an electronics device.
50 . The method of claim 49 wherein the electronics device is a laptop computer or a desktop computer.