Fuel cartridge of a fuel cell with fuel stored outside fuel liner
View Patent ↗A fuel supply connectable to a fuel cell is disclosed. The fuel supply comprises an outer casing and a fuel liner and an effective amount of fuel in the space between the outer casing and the fuel liner to control the pressure inside the fuel liner. In one example, the fuel inside the fuel liner is methanol, and the fuel between the outer casing and the fuel liner is methanol or methanol gel.
1. A fuel supply connectable to a fuel cell comprising:
an outer casing;
a fuel container comprising a first fuel for the fuel cell and a first head space, wherein the first head space comprises an amount of the first fuel in a first vapor state with a first vapor pressure and the first head space has a total pressure P 1 ; and
a second space, between the outer casing and the fuel container, comprising a non-gaseous material, wherein the second space comprises an amount of the non-gaseous material in a second vapor state with a second vapor pressure and the second space has a total pressure P 2 substantially in equilibrium with P 1 as the first fuel is transported from the fuel container.
2. The fuel supply of claim 1 , wherein the non-gaseous material comprises a second fuel.
3. The fuel supply of claim 2 , wherein the first fuel is different from the second fuel.
4. The fuel supply of claim 3 , wherein the first fuel is methanol.
5. The fuel supply of claim 2 , wherein the first fuel and the second fuel are substantially similar.
6. The fuel supply of claim 5 , wherein the first and second fuels comprise methanol.
7. The fuel supply of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the non-gaseous material is contained within an absorbent member.
8. The fuel supply of claim 7 , wherein the absorbent member comprises a porous material.
9. The fuel supply of claim 7 , wherein the absorbent member comprises a filler material.
10. The fuel supply of claim 7 , wherein the absorbent member comprises a foam.
11. The fuel supply of claim 1 , wherein the outer casing comprises a check valve.
12. The fuel supply of claim 11 , wherein the outer casing further comprises a liquid impermeable membrane cooperating with the check valve.
13. The fuel supply of claim 11 , wherein the outer casing further comprises a liquid retainer cooperating with the check valve.
14. The fuel supply of claim 1 , wherein the non-gaseous material comprises a gel.
15. The fuel supply of claim 14 , wherein the gel comprises a methanol gel.
16. The fuel supply of claim 1 , wherein the non-gaseous material comprises a solid.
17. The fuel supply of claim 16 , wherein the solid comprises a subliming solid.
18. The fuel supply of claim 17 , wherein the subliming solid comprises iodine or naphthalene.
19. The fuel supply of claim 1 , wherein the non-gaseous material comprises a liquid.
20. The fuel supply of claim 19 , wherein the liquid comprises water, hydrocarbon or methanol.
21. The fuel supply of claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of the non-gaseous material remains in the liquid phase until substantially all the first fuel has been transported from the fuel container.
22. The fuel supply of claim 19 , wherein the liquid non-gaseous material comprises a hydrocarbon.
23. The fuel supply of claim 22 , wherein the hydrocarbon comprises n-butane, iso-butane or propane.
24. The fuel supply of claim 1 , wherein the outer casing is substantially rigid.
25. The fuel supply of claim 1 , wherein the fuel container is deformable.
26. The fuel supply of claim 1 , wherein the fuel container is elastic.
27. The fuel supply of claim 1 , wherein the fuel container is encased within an outer fuel container.
28. The fuel supply of claim 27 , wherein a second vapor pressure material is contained in the space between the outer fuel container and the fuel container.
29. The fuel supply of claim 28 , wherein the second vapor pressure material comprises a third fuel, which is different from the first fuel.
30. The fuel supply of claim 28 , wherein the second vapor pressure material comprises a third fuel which is substantially similar to the first fuel.
31. The fuel supply of claim 28 , wherein said first non-gaseous material is different from said second vapor pressure material.
32. The fuel supply of claim 28 , wherein said first non-gaseous material is substantially similar to said second vapor pressure material.
33. The fuel supply of claim 28 , wherein the outer fuel container is flexible.
34. The fuel supply of claim 1 further comprising a cushion adapted to soften impacts on the fuel container.
35. The fuel supply of claim 34 , wherein the cushion comprises a porous medium.
36. The fuel supply of claim 35 , wherein at least some of the non-gaseous material is contained within the cushion.
37. A fuel supply connectable to a fuel cell, comprising:
an outer casing; and
a fuel container containing a first fuel for the fuel cell and having a first concentration of fuel, wherein a buffer zone is disposed in a space between the outer casing and the fuel container, wherein the buffer zone comprises a second concentration of a second fuel for the fuel cell that reduces the fuel concentration gradient from inside the fuel container to the atmosphere outside the outer casing.
38. The fuel supply of claim 37 , wherein the at least a portion of the second fuel is in a vapor state.
39. The fuel supply of claim 38 , wherein the first fuel is substantially similar to the second fuel.
40. The fuel supply of claim 38 , wherein the first fuel is different than the second fuel.
41. The fuel supply of claim 37 , wherein the first fuel comprises methanol.
42. A fuel supply connectable to a fuel cell comprising:
an outer casing;
a fuel container comprising a first fuel for the fuel cell and a first head space, wherein the first head space comprises an amount of the first fuel in a first vapor state with a first vapor pressure and the first head space has a total pressure P 1 ; and
a second space, between the outer casing and the fuel container, comprising a second fuel for the fuel cell, wherein the second space comprises an amount of the second fuel in a second vapor state with a second vapor pressure and the second space has a total pressure P 2 substantially in equilibrium with P 1 as the first fuel is transported from the fuel container.
43. The fuel supply of claim 42 , wherein the first fuel is different from the second fuel.
44. The fuel supply of claim 42 , wherein the first fuel and the second fuel are substantially similar.