Methods for utilizing the electrical and non electrical outputs of fuel cell powered vehicles

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for generating electrical power from multiple vehicles powered by fuel cells while the vehicles are parked in a parking lot. A plurality of spaced-apart electrical receptacles are provided for receiving an electric cable for connection to a parked vehicle for electrically connecting the fuel cell in each of the parked vehicles to the plurality of electrical receptacles. An electric power grid is electrically connected to the plurality of electrical receptacles for transferring D.C. electrical power from the fuel cells in the parked vehicles to the electric power grid. At least one electric power collection station is electrically connected to the electric power grid for collecting at a common point the D.C. electric power in the electric power grid. In addition, at least one inverter is electrically connected to the electric power collection station for converting the D.C. electric power to A.C. electric power. Apparatus is provided for supplying the A.C. electric power to a load or a utility grid.

II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention also recognizes that the fundamental unit of future local 
electric power production will be the fuel cell powered vehicle or car. 
Since the car is a ubiquitous part of everyday life and always with its 
driver, the unique characteristics of the fuel cell powered car make it 
the perfect candidate as a clean local power generation source. In the 
above patent, the inventors uniquely recognized that the need for 
electricity literally follows the human around in society. Wherever the 
human goes, his/her demand for electricity follows. The demand for 
electricity does not just change with time of day and season, but is 
literally the movement and location and purpose of humans. And because the 
car is always a part of where a human goes, this invention combines the 
human's constant need to move around (transportation), with the human's 
consequent need for electricity (power production) once the human arrives 
at his/her destination. 
Some new cars contain fuel cell power plants as their prime motive power. 
The electrical energy generated by these fuel cells energize an electric 
motor or motors thus propelling the car. Natural gas, hydrogen, or other 
light gaseous hydrocarbon bearing fuels can be used to provide a fuel 
input to the fuel cells. Propane, digester or biogas as well as gasoline 
or other fuels, such as water, that can be processed through a cracking 
process to produce hydrogen are candidate fuels for the fuel cell. 
This invention claims methods and apparatus and utilizes fuel cell powered 
vehicles or cars to not only generate electrical energy for motion, but 
when at rest or parked in a parking lot, the fuel cells can be energized 
and its energy harnessed and focused through an electric power grid so as 
to provide electrical power for local or distant use. 
Traditional combustion engine power plants in cars can also be used to 
provide extremely limited or nominal amounts of alternating current (A.C.) 
electrical power through an inverter. Still relatively small amounts of 
direct current (D.C.) electrical power are produced by these cars, 
typically utilized to sustain the electrical needs of the car and its 
accessories. However, it is difficult to obtain useful electrical power 
from these engines: their low conversion efficiency, their need for 
cooling by their generated air flow during locomotion, and pollution 
emissions make them not a candidate nor designed for meaningful power 
generation. They are designed to be a device purely for the purpose of 
locomotion. Fuel cells on the other hand have high conversion 
efficiencies, relatively low emissions, and can be run continuously 
without the mechanical problems normally encountered with running 
combustion engines for long periods of time. Fuel cell powered vehicles 
have an unrecognized and untapped potential. 
The prior invention, given the name "Power Park" uniquely capitalizes on 
the fuel cell powered car as a modular, mobile energy source. A unique 
feature of this invention is to transform the car or other vehicle from a 
single use device (i.e. transportation) to a dual use device; one that 
still provides transportation but also and importantly provides electrical 
power. 
Load as utilized in this patent and claims may include but are not limited 
to a building, infrastructure to a building, home, grouping of homes, 
industrial or commercial complex, greenhouse, systems such as the electric 
utility grid, telephone system/s, cable system/s, catenary system for 
electric trains, electric utility grid component, electrical control panel 
or device, energy transforming or inverting device, electric tools such as 
compressor, motor, motor driven compressor for air compression tools, and 
any device to include energy storage devices. Energy storage devices may 
include but are not limited to batteries, capacitors, fly wheels, or 
pumped hydro storage. 
III. SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS 
A. FIG. 1 shows the general power generation mode for the fuel cell 
vehicle. 
B. FIG. 2 illustrates the interfacing of the output of the fuel cell 
powered cars output to the utility electric system. 
C. FIG. 2a shows how the D.C. output (70) of the fuel cell powered car can 
be used. 
D. FIG. 3 shows how the fuel cell powered car would receive natural gas and 
generate electricity while parked in a multi-level parking structure. 
E. FIG. 4 presents a design for parking space islands (89) that would 
support fuel cell powered cars (91). 
F. FIG. 5 shows a plan layout of an outdoor parking lot with both single 
(96) and double car islands (97) in use. 
G. FIG. 6 shows a combination gas and electric hose (100) for fuel cell 
powered vehicles. 
H. FIG. 7 expresses the option of using an on-board gasoline supply (110) 
of a fuel cell powered vehicle to generate electrical power while parked. 
I. FIG. 8 shows the use of a transfer switch (120) for connecting a fuel 
cell powered car to the building electrical system (123). 
J. FIG. 9 shows options for dealing with the exhaust (129) from fuel cell 
powered vehicles, which will contain carbon dioxide. 
K. FIG. 9a illustrates the various output products (138) from a fuel cell 
powered vehicle that could be used in residential, commercial, or 
industrial applications and processes. 
L. FIG. 9b shows a central input/output power takeoff station (140) that 
can be located on-board a fuel cell powered vehicle. 
M. FIG. 10 shows a triple hose/cable design (150) and jack-type connectors 
(153) for a fuel cell powered car interfaced to the electric utility 
system. 
N. FIG. 11 shows a way to limit the electric power output of the fuel cell 
(160) by varying the flow of fuel (162) to the reformer (163) section of 
the fuel cell. 
O. FIG. 12 shows the system for recording information by a parking lot 
owner which is used to compute the value of electricity generated by a 
fuel cell powered car. 
P. FIG. 13 shows the conversion of an existing gasoline powered car to a 
fuel cell powered car. 
Q. FIG. 14 presents a water-natural gas hybrid vehicle for clean long range 
and urban driving. 
R. FIG. 15 shows how the fuel cell powered car (200) can interact with 
other standard and hybrid cars now making their appearance in the 
marketplace. 
S. FIG. 16 shows the use of fuel cell powered cars as the prime motive 
source for automobile ferryboats. 
T. FIG. 17 shows how biogas from a biogas digester (220) could be used to 
supply methane gas (222) to fuel cell powered vehicles (224) which are 
parked around a building (228) for the purpose of generating electrical 
power (226). 
U. FIG. 18 shows a towable, two wheeled, portable, self-contained, fuel 
cell generator, with an on-board fuel supply (140). 
V. FIG. 18a shows this portable fuel cell powered generator (140) being 
used to increase the driving range of an electric/hybrid vehicle. 
W. FIG. 18b illustrates how the towable fuel cell generator (140) can be 
unhooked from the vehicle (162) and left in the garage (175) of a home to 
provide on-site generation of electric power for the grid and home. 
X. FIG. 19 illustrates how this invention and a fuel cell vehicle (231) can 
direct all of its outputs and byproducts to service a greenhouse 230). 
Y. FIG. 20 illustrates how this invention and the utilization of water 
produced from a fuel cell to provide useable and potable water. 
Z. FIG. 21 illustrates how this invention and the utilization of heated 
water produced from a fuel cell to provide domestic hot water and drinking 
water.

IV. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention provides unique and novel methods, apparatus and processes 
to connect fuel cell powered cars to generate significant amounts of 
electrical power. This patent teaches more ways to employ the Power Park 
TM technology and builds on our prior invention. By example, a tandem 
connection is one method of connecting these vehicles. The unique 
viewpoint of a conventional parking lot as a dispersed generation site is 
the key strategic aspect of this invention. 
There are other significant aspects of this invention including but not 
limited to the use of fuel cell powered cars to provide electrical power 
to large commercial/industrial buildings by using their employee parking 
lots as generation sites. Schools, shopping centers, new and used car 
lots, municipal parking lots, airport parking lots, commuter lots, park 
and ride stations, stadiums, movie theaters, hotels, restaurants, and 
hospitals can all become significant dispersed generation sites. This also 
makes it possible to use home garages and driveway parked cars as power 
sources for the residence. Fuel cell powered cars can be used to generate 
significant amounts of electric power wherever there is a parking lot or 
wherever the car is parked. 
Parking for the purpose of this invention is defined as where one or more 
vehicles are parked or stored, such as but not limited to a parking lot, a 
marina, a dock, a driveway, a bus terminal, a garage, a truck terminal, or 
a train yard. The single vehicle being recognized by this invention as a 
novel and practical source of mobile power. 
Although a car is mentioned in this invention, this invention clearly is 
applicable to all vehicles and for the purpose of this invention and 
claims, vehicle is defined as any vehicle, including, but not limited to, 
car, motorcycle, locomotive, motor scooter, bus, truck, locomotive, 
recreation vehicle, golf cart aircraft, submarine, trailer, boat, ship, or 
a train and other forms of tracked, wheeled or non wheeled transportation. 
A vehicle is also defined to include any source of power for a vehicle and 
may include but is not limited to, such as a heat engine, diesel engine, 
jet engine, micro turbine, aero-derivative type engines, a Stirling 
engine, fuel cell, an internal combustion engine, a gas turbine, a therm 
electric generator, a fly wheel, solar or photovoltaic system, a steam or 
vapor based engine, batteries, an electrolyzer, a fuel cell running in 
reverse to produce hydrogen or a vehicle that incorporates any combination 
of the above to include a hybrid vehicle. For the purposes of this 
invention and as used in the claims, vehicle is also defined to include a 
hybrid vehicle that incorporates any combination of the above sources of 
power. For the purpose of this invention, a fuel cell powered car is 
defined and extended to include other fuel cell powered vehicles. 
The fuel cell is the preferred source of power. The process of our 
invention could be incorporated into internal combustion engine powered 
vehicles where emissions and cooling and other limitations discussed 
herein were taken into account in their redesign. The process of this 
invention could also apply to a stationary fuel cell or even a battery 
powered electric vehicle. 
Our prior patent was recognized for the unique use of all byproducts of the 
fuel cell including its reformer, if used. The byproducts include carbon 
dioxide, water, heat and electricity. This patent recognizes and 
incorporates that the methods, processes, and apparatus necessary to 
utilize the fuel cell byproducts from the fuel cell vehicle are the same 
as will be utilized in a structure. Therefore the definition of vehicle as 
utilized in this patent and in the claims must include the fuel cell in a 
basement or other structure. A more near term alternative to the fuel 
cell, although not the most preferred embodiment of our invention, is the 
hybrid vehicle. But as technologies develop, the hybrid vehicle could gain 
an increasingly more important role. 
A solar vehicle or residence could produce electricity to run an 
electrolzer or fuel cell running in reverse to produce hydrogen. Water 
would be fuel of choice and the hydrogen could be stored in a metal 
hydride alloy in the home or vehicle or cylinders or tanks. Solar is not 
near term but with more stress on the environment and technological 
improvements, it could be closer than envisioned. A vehicle, as defined 
herein, is also one that produces a significant amount of energy and 
converts it to a form that can be directed to an off board load or 
structure. It is the preferred embodiment that such energy be in the form 
of electrical energy. 
When applying the present invention to a residential building, it should be 
understood that the electrical receptacles would typically be in the 
garage or adjacent to it. The electric power collection grid would 
typically be the wiring system connected to the electrical receptacles. 
The electric power collection station would typically be a junction box 
which connects all of the electrical receptacles. The investors would be 
inside or outside the building, and typically would have two lines, one 
connected to the building and one to the utility grid. Alternatively, the 
invertors could be in the vehicle and supply A.C. electrical power to the 
electrical receptacles. 
An additional application of the present invention to a residential 
building, could be independent of the utility grid. This application of 
the invention could be in remote locations, suburbia, or areas without an 
electric infrastructure as an example. 
A form of vehicle envisioned by this patent and incorporated in our 
definition herein is the trailer. This patent includes a novel and unique 
self propelled trailer which can also carry its own onboard generator. 
Although, the trailer is depicted in FIGS. 18, 18a, and 18b, as a two 
wheeled trailer, this patent is not limited to the two wheeled Power 
Mule.TM., and this patent envisions and incorporates that future trailers, 
to include the 18 wheeled truck and trailer variety will be Power Park.TM. 
vehicles and some portion or all the trailer wheels may be individually 
powered. This unique invention incorporates the 8 wheeled trailer as 
either a self powered trailer with the trailer carrying a generator and 
powering the vehicle drive motors and or its own drive motors. The trailer 
can user power from the truck or Power Park.TM. vehicle to drive the 
wheels having motor drives. 
By example, campers are now limited by the tongue weight and towing 
capacity of their vehicles. The stress on the towing or pulling vehicles 
is significant. This invention would allow for smaller vehicles to tow 
larger loads, or vehicles with smaller drive engines to pull relatively 
larger loads. However, our invention, our trailer the Power Stream.TM. 
could easily follow behind a Power Park.TM. vehicle with electricity from 
the vehicle powering the load, or drive motors of the campers wheels. 
Additionally, the trailer could also carry its own fuel cell or other form 
of generator as envisioned by our Power Mule.TM.. 
V. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
In the text which follows below, the preferred embodiments are represented 
in a number of diagrams providing a variety of ways to connect and utilize 
the electrical and non electrical output of the vehicles will be 
described. These applications span the gamut from residential to 
commercial and industrial uses. 
A. FIG. 1 shows the general power generation mode for the fuel cell 
vehicle. 
Off board hydrocarbon fuel (5) is supplied to the reformer (10) which 
strips off the hydrogen and uses it as an input to the fuel cell (15). The 
power generated can then be used for either motive power for the vehicle 
or fed back into the utility grid, or load. This choice is facilitated by 
the dual mode switch-a manual switch (20) which directs the power either 
to an internal electrical bus (25) for the purposes of powering the drive 
wheels and accessories of the vehicle itself, or for the stationary 
generation of power (30) and its consequent interface to the utility grid. 
The interface to the grid could involve the use of an on-board D.C. to A.C. 
inverter (35), or the power could be inverted off-board (40), so as to 
match A.C. power with that of the grid. 
The output of the fuel cell could also be used directly as D.C. power 
either to supply a D.C. load or a D.C. grid (45). 
Additionally, the fuel cell (15) can be modular and/or may have a modular 
component that can be removed from the vehicle to power a home, provide 
emergency power, provide sustained power at the modular level, or provide 
power to any load. Quick connectors could be utilized for the modular fuel 
cell, for the port in which it would reside. This patent teaches the hook 
up arrangements for the fuel cell which are applicable both to the 
vehicular and stationary applications. This is whether the stationary 
application is permanent or "plug and play". 
B. FIG. 2 illustrates the interfacing of the output of the fuel cell 
powered car's output to the utility electric system. 
Once the inverted power from the car is ready to interface to the electric 
utility (50), it must pass through a metering arrangement as shown-with 
the standard meter (53) into the customer building recording flow in one 
direction and the meter (55) for the fuel cell powered car registering 
electric power flow in the opposite direction. The net difference between 
these two meters is the bill that the customer would be responsible for. 
It is possible that a single net effect electric meter could be used to 
meter simultaneously both flow into the building and flow out of the fuel 
cell powered car inverter. 
Exiting the meters, the generated power would pass through protective 
electrical relaying (57) that would be required to interface with the 
larger electric utility (60). Such equipment is now in use with alternate 
power generation systems like that for photovoltaic, wind, and micro hydro 
powerplants that have been connected to the national grid over the last 20 
years. This protective relaying working in conjunction with the customer's 
D.C. to A.C. inverter would shut the inverter down when loss of electric 
utility system voltage is detected (or excessive electrical current is 
sensed heading from the utility system into the customer's inverter). With 
loss of utility system voltage, this is especially important since it 
would be undesirable to have the customer feeding power into a utility 
circuit that is out of service due to damage or for maintenance purposes. 
This would backfeed the circuit and be dangerous for utility line 
personnel working on the circuit. The D.C. output of the fuel cell may 
also be used to supply a local D.C. load, or fed into a separate D.C. grid 
(65). 
C. FIG. 2a shows how the D.C. output (70) of the fuel cell powered car can 
be used. 
This diagram presents some possible typical D.C. applications (73), and is 
meant to point out the versatility of the D.C. portion of the vehicle's 
output. The listed D.C. applications below are meant to be representative 
and not an exhaustive list of all possible such applications and include, 
battery charging, remote or camping use, industrial factory sites, 
agriculture, emergency lighting, telephone service, military, locomotives, 
subways, trolleys, electric welding, etc. 
Since telephones are basically D.C. powered devices, fuel cell powered cars 
could become the primary or emergency source of power for a hard-wired 
telephone system. Telephone company employees vehicles parked at their 
place of work could provide power for the telephone service (75) in their 
local area during the day. Then at the end of the day when the telephone 
company employees returned with the telephone companies Power Park.TM. 
vehicles, the power from these telephone company vehicles could be used or 
stored by the telephone companies in the evening when the employees return 
to their homes. At their homes, the telephone company personnel could 
utilize their Power Park.TM. vehicles to power their own homes or even 
sell the power to the telephone company or utility. Similarly, this 
invention can also address the energy needs for the cable companies whose 
failures due to loss of energy (loss of Cable TV) are more visible than 
those failures due to loss of energy of their rival, the telephone 
company. 
D. FIG. 3 shows how the fuel cell powered car would receive natural gas and 
generate electricity while parked in a multi-level parking structure. 
Overhead supplies of piped natural gas (80) accessible from coiled flexible 
hoses (81) would make it possible to snap jack-type connectors (83) into 
recessed fuel access ports (85) located on the top, side, front, rear, or 
bottom of the vehicle. The natural gas connection could make use of 
currently available technology like that embodied in The Sturgis Gas 
Convenience Outlet system which uses a positive disconnect manual shut-off 
valve to start or stop gas flow. The Sturgis system is now used for 
household appliances like clothes dryers, space heaters, water heaters, 
and cooking ranges. 
Overhead supplies of piped natural gas (80) accessible from coiled flexible 
hoses (81) would make it possible to snap jack-type connectors (83) into 
recessed fuel access ports (85) located on the top, side, front, rear, or 
bottom of the vehicle. The natural gas connection could make use of 
currently available technology like that embodied in The Sturgis Gas 
Convenience Outlet system which uses a positive disconnect manual shut-off 
valve to start or stop gas flow to the vehicle. The Sturgis system is now 
available to natural gas consumers for common household appliances like 
grills, clothes dryers, space heaters, water heaters, ranges, garage and 
patio heaters, and portable gas emergency generators. Other commercially 
available, and safety qualified technologies similar in design to The 
Sturgis Gas Convenience Outlet system could also be employed. 
Likewise, the generated electricity from the vehicle could also be 
connected to an overhead electric cable (87) using a jack-type (83) 
connection on the vehicle. 
This patent also envisions the vehicle being automatically docked to ground 
level natural gas and electrical outlets when parked in a parking space, 
thereby automatically engaging natural gas and electrical hook-up. This 
could be accomplished via docking facilities on the front, rear, or bottom 
of the vehicle. 
E. FIG. 4 presents a design for parking space islands (89) that would 
support fuel cell powered cars (91). 
Natural gas and electrical output circuits would be built into the concrete 
structures (90), and fed from underground pipes and cables (92). Hose 
reels (94) at each parking space would provide for the connection (83, 85) 
of the fuel cell powered cars to the parking lot fuel and electrical 
network. Alternate construction materials to concrete could include but 
not be limited to steel, aluminum, recycled structural materials, plastic, 
rubber, wood, etc. These islands can be used in open parking lots or in 
multi-story arrangements, with the islands being built in double or single 
car space containments. 
F. FIG. 5 shows a plan layout of an outdoor parking lot with both single 
(96) and double car islands (97) in use. 
The spatial layout of the cars as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are representative 
of traditional parking lot arrangements. Layouts that envision a central 
dispensing island with cars parked in circular fashion around the island 
is also possible. Or cars may cluster around islands in a grid or angled 
parking arrangement as well or any variation that proves to be 
geometrically advantageous. 
G. FIG. 6 shows a combination gas and electric hose (100) for fuel cell 
powered vehicles. 
This single line or hose would simultaneously supply natural gas (101) to 
the vehicle and return generated power (102) to the utility system. Dual 
jack-type connectors (103) with a dual recessed port (104) on the vehicle 
would facilitate connection to the vehicle. This combination hose could be 
dispensed in one of two ways: 
1) The hose could be kept on a reel in the parking space and extended to 
connect to the vehicle; or, 
2) The hose could be kept on a reel on the vehicle and extended from the 
vehicle to the parking space connection as needed. 
For the purpose of this patent and as used in the claims, hoses and cables 
are lines and lines are also defined as rigid, flexible, hose, cable, 
pipe, arm, insulated (so as to transport heated water), pressurized and 
may include an electric cable as well as a docking port or facilities. 
This patent also envisions and incorporates that energy may be transmitted 
from the vehicles via an atypical line such as microwave or radio 
frequency (RF) and that energy may be transmitted as multiple forms, even 
multiple forms simultaneously. By example, energy could be superimposed or 
carried by or on a laser beam or RF transmission. The laser beam or line 
provides the ionized pathway or line for the energy to be transmitted from 
the vehicle. 
H. FIG. 7 expresses the option of using an on-board gasoline supply (110) 
of a fuel cell powered vehicle to generate electrical power while parked. 
Here the reformer (112) is designed to process gasoline, instead of natural 
gas, and an electric fuel pump (114) feeds the gasoline to the reformer. A 
special "1/4 full" fuel tank cut-off switch would be installed in the 
gasoline tank, so the tank is not accidentally drained dry, thereby 
leaving the vehicle stuck in the parking space. 
The electrical connection (83, 85) of this gasoline powered fuel cell 
vehicle would be similar to that for the natural gas powered vehicle as 
previously discussed and illustrated. 
Fuel cell powered vehicles may also use other gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon 
bearing fuels such as but not limited to natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, 
diesel, methanol, ethanol, alcohol, gasohol, pure hydrogen, propane, 
biogas derived fuels, plant derived fuels vegetable oils, mineral oils, 
water and all other solar derived fuels. 
I. FIG. 8 shows the use of a transfer switch (120) for connecting a fuel 
cell powered car to the building electrical system (123). 
In the event that the utility electric service to the building experiences 
frequent and/or prolonged outages, a manual or automatically initiated 
transfer switch (120) maybe used to disconnect (125) the normal utility 
supply and feed directly into the building load center, breaker panel box, 
or fuse box. 
Transfer switches are commercially available and are for use with small 
emergency portable power generators in places where power is often 
interrupted for extended periods due to sever weather conditions. 
J. FIG. 9 shows options for dealing with the exhaust (129) from fuel cell 
powered vehicles, which will contain carbon dioxide. 
The first option is venting (130) the exhaust through a hose connecting the 
exhaust pipe to a roof vent. This is the likely case for small enclosures 
like a home garage and multiple story parking decks that are not 
adequately ventilated. In this instance, a hose collection system to a 
main roof vent would be necessitated. 
This invention incorporates that the exhaust could be piped to a carbon 
dioxide and oxygen is released, similar regenerative bed (133) where 
carbon is stripped from the to what is done on submarines and in 
re-breathing apparatus. Here again, a hose collection system is needed to 
serve multiple cars. 
This invention incorporates a unique and innovate method of utilizing all 
the output and by products from a vehicle including the use of the 
exhaust. The exhaust could be piped to a water storage system (135) where 
the carbon dioxide is stored under pressure, later to be released, 
cleaned, and used in a commercial or industrial process. 
An example of our invention using the carbon dioxide output of a fuel cell 
powered car for a commercial process would be to locate the fuel cell 
powered cars in parking lots adjacent to a greenhouse complex and 
supplying all the electricity needed to run the facility, providing the 
electricity for lighting and cooling and providing carbon dioxide for 
increased plant growth, and the water for direct irrigation of the crops 
being grown in the greenhouse, with the heated water also providing beat 
to the greenhouse Additionally, biogas from a digester located at the 
greenhouse could utilize residual plant material to make the biogas for a 
unique and environmentally sound closed loop greenhouse system. 
K. FIG. 9a illustrates the various output products (138) from a fuel cell 
powered vehicle that could be used in residential, commercial, or 
industrial applications and processes. 
L. FIG. 9b shows a central input/output power takeoff station (140) that 
can be located on-board a fuel cell powered vehicle. 
This station could be recessed into the body of the vehicle and may be 
equipped with a cover panel to protect it from the elements. Jack-type 
hose connections (83, 85) would be available for the gaseous input and 
outputs of the vehicle. Similar jack-type cable connections for electrical 
outputs would also be available. A control panel (145) with safety 
interlocks and control buttons would be included to control input and 
output to and from the vehicle. 
A 120/240 volt power strip (148) with receptacles and an on/off switch 
(149) capability would be available for the on-site use of power or for 
the operation of portable appliances or emergency power. 
A communications port is provided as shown (146) and may be used to 
remotely monitor and control the status of the vehicle, turn the vehicle 
on and off as needed, dispatch the outputs of the vehicle to meet changing 
conditions, and to send diagnostic and monitoring signals to and from the 
vehicle. 
M. FIG. 10 shows a triple hose/cable design (150) and jack-type connectors 
(153) for a fuel cell powered car interfaced to the electric utility 
system. 
The natural gas hose section would supply fuel to the fuel cell. The 
electric cable would provide for the exit of electricity. And the exhaust 
hose/s would provide for the exit of exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide 
from the reformer plus trace pollutant gases, water and water vapor from 
the fuel cell. 
In cases where the fuel cell is to be operated with-board supplies of 
gasoline, then the triple hose becomes a dual hose for the exit of 
electricity and exhaust gases. 
A safety key lock (155) is envisioned as a way to initiate the intake of 
fuel and outflow of electricity and exhaust products once the triple hose 
(or double hose) is engaged in the port (158). The key can be made of 
plastic or metal like those safety keys in common use for power tools, 
lawn mowers, and other household appliances. This prevents the accidental 
initiation of the appliance, or in this case the fuel cell, without having 
the correct hose hook-up. 
N. FIG. 11 shows a way to limit the electric power output of the fuel cell 
(160) by varying the flow of fuel (162) to the reformer (163) section of 
the fuel cell. 
This would be used when the fuel cell powered car is parked and generating 
electrical power for the utility grid. This control mechanism (167) may be 
installed on the driver's panel inside the car or locally at the fuel 
input port on the outside of the vehicle. It may be necessary to limit the 
full electrical output of the fuel cell, especially in residential 
applications, and this mechanism should provide for that capability. 
O. FIG. 12 shows the system for recording information by a parking lot 
owner which is used to compute the value of electricity generated by a 
fuel cell powered car. 
Each fuel cell powered vehicle can generate valuable electricity which has 
an immediate market value. Also, because of the high conversion efficiency 
of the fuel cell itself, a fuel cell powered car is environmentally clean; 
and this high efficiency can also be expressed as an environmental credit 
which has an implied sale value to offset other low efficiency 
conventional utility generation sources. Thus the final value of a fuel 
cell powered vehicle to its owner (not including transportation) has two 
new components; its raw electricity generated savings and its emissions 
credit savings. Other owners will count water productions. While the most 
astute and environmentally minded owners will utilize all byproducts as 
this patent teaches. 
Two primary segments of input data are used to compute the value of the 
electricity produced. The first piece of input data are the variables 
measured (170) at the parking space where a fuel cell vehicle is parked. 
The three variables are: the amount of methane consumed by the vehicle; 
the amount of carbon dioxide produced; and the amount of electricity 
generated. These variables are measured through metering devices installed 
by the parking lot owner at each parking space, with the information 
gathered and stored in a computer. 
The second segment of input data are the variables (173) which are known by 
the parking lot owner and includes: the cost of natural gas purchased from 
a local natural gas distribution company and provided to each parking 
space; the time of day value of the electricity produced by each vehicle; 
and the discounted market credit value of the carbon dioxide generated 
from each parked car. This information is also stored in the computer. 
As each fuel cell powered car enters and exits the parking lot, the 
computer (175) determines the value of having that car in the lot by an 
algorithm that combines the two pieces of input data discussed above and 
computes a credit or revenue value (176) for the owner when the car leaves 
the lot. The parking lot essentially pays the car owner for having parked 
the car there. The lot owner in turn sells the electricity generated (177) 
by all the cars as well as the total emissions credits (178) generated and 
thereby realizes its gross sales. Both the car owner and the parking lot 
owner become merchants of electric power and emissions credits. 
P. FIG. 13 shows the conversion of an existing gasoline powered car to a 
fuel cell powered car. 
With the popularity of a fuel cell powered car and its ability to generate 
revenue for its owner, it is reasonable to expect a large market for 
converting existing standard cars to Power Park.TM. fuel cell powered 
cars. The simplest way to do this could be to install a small fuel cell 
(180) and reformer (183) in the luggage compartment of the vehicle and let 
that fuel cell be powered from the on-board tank of gasoline (181). While 
the car is parked in a lot it could also be connected to an external 
supply of natural gas (182) at the parking lot. While this retrofitted 
fuel cell is not used to move the vehicle around, it certainly can 
generate electricity while parked with the fuel cell and the car owner can 
produce revenue. 
A variation of this would to be again retrofit a fuel cell into the luggage 
compartment of the standard car and redesign the rear axle of the car to 
include electric drive motors (185) and have the fuel cell capable of 
driving the rear wheels; thus resulting in a hybrid car with traditional 
combustion engine driven front wheel drive (187) and fuel cell driven rear 
wheels (185). The front wheel drive is used for suburban/highway driving, 
and the very clean fuel cell rear wheel drive is used in heavily polluted 
inner city areas. Such a hybrid vehicle would be able to achieve badly 
needed clean air emissions in the city and while parked also achieve very 
clean, environmentally benign electric power generation. 
Q. FIG. 14 presents a water-natural gas hybrid vehicle for clean long range 
and urban driving. 
This fuel cell powered vehicle uses natural gas fuel (190) for long range 
driving and clean hydrogen fuel (191) for inner city operation. On-board 
natural gas fuel stored in tanks (190) propels the vehicle using the 
electricity generated by the fuel cell to drive the wheels of the vehicle 
(193). Some of the electricity (194) produced during driving is used to 
electrolyze (195) on-board supplies of water (196) to make hydrogen and 
oxygen (191, 197) for storage and later use when the car enters urban 
areas and the switch to the cleaner burning hydrogen fuel can be made. 
Once the car is parked, it can be hooked to an off-board supply of natural 
gas (198) and the vehicle can be used to generated clean electricity for 
the utility grid. 
The car can also use its on-board supply of natural gas to generate 
electricity if that is desired. And the on-board storage tanks can also be 
recharged while the vehicle is parked in a parking lot if that is desired 
by the car owner. 
R. FIG. 15 shows how the fuel cell powered car (200) can interact with 
other standard and hybrid cars now making their appearance in the 
marketplace. 
The D.C. electrical output from a fuel cell powered car could be used to 
re-charge the batteries (203) of a typical electric vehicle. Or this 
output could be used to re-charge the car battery of a standard internal 
combustion vehicle or give it a jump-start if needed. 
Hydrogen generated by an on-board fuel reformer in a fuel cell powered 
vehicle could be used to re-fill the hydrogen storage tanks (205) of a 
fuel cell powered vehicle that uses stored hydrogen for its main 
propulsion fuel. 
The A.C. or D.C. power output of a fuel cell powered car can be used to 
re-charge the flywheel (207) of a hybrid electric-flywheel powered car. 
This figure is meant to show the versatility of the outputs from a fuel 
cell powered vehicle with existing and likely new hybrid vehicles 
appearing on the highways. It is representative and not an exhaustive 
review of all the possible ways that fuel cell powered cars can be 
utilized. 
S. FIG. 16 shows the use of fuel cell powered cars as the prime motive 
source for automobile ferryboats. 
Since a ferryboat for automobiles is just a moving or floating parking lot, 
the designs discussed earlier for gathering the electrical output from 
vehicles (210) parked in a parking lot also apply here as well. The 
combined output (212) of all the vehicles could be used to power the ships 
motor or motors (215) which in turns propels (217) the ferryboat through 
the water. 
The ferryboat could be equipped with its own on-board supply of natural gas 
for the parked vehicles to use, or the parked cars could use their own 
on-board supplies of hydrocarbon fuel to power their fuel cells. 
The process described above can also be employed for transoceanic ships 
that import automobiles from foreign countries. These large car freighters 
are typically filled with standard cars that are ready for sale in this 
country or for standard cars shipped by U.S. automakers for sale overseas. 
The cars, if fuel cell powered and Power Park.TM. equipped, could propel 
the freighter from port to port in much the same manner that was described 
above for the automobile ferryboat. 
T. FIG. 17 shows how biogas from a biogas digester (220) could be used to 
supply methane gas (222) to fuel cell powered vehicles (224) which are 
parked around a building (228) for the purpose of generating electrical 
power (226). 
Organic food wastes (229) and sewage (221) from the building can be 
processed in a digester where the generated methane gas could be piped to 
parking lot parking spaces (227) for employee cars to use in their 
on-board fuel cells, thus generating electricity for the building. This 
system could be typically applied at but not limited to: 
Existing office and new office buildings 
Commercial establishments 
Factory or manufacturing facilities 
Industrial sites 
Apartment buildings 
Clustered residential housing 
High volume public facilities such as theaters, shopping malls, churches, 
schools, stadiums, etc. 
Government buildings 
Remote office buildings not currently serviced by natural gas supplies from 
gas distribution companies 
Sewage treatment facilities where large amounts of sewage are routinely 
handled and biogas digesters are already installed or could be installed 
Military barracks 
Airports 
Transportation terminals for trains 
U. FIG. 18 shows a towable, two wheeled, portable, self-contained, fuel 
cell generator, with an on-board fuel supply (140). 
This trailer would contain the entire power plant (142) for a fuel cell 
powered automobile except it would not be connected to the drive wheels 
(146) of the trailer. It would utilize an on-board fuel tank (148) 
containing gasoline to power the fuel cell (150). 
It would also have the capability to be powered by other (160) hydrocarbon 
fuels like compressed natural gas, ethanol, methanol, propane, hydrogen, 
etc. The capability to directly tap generated D.C. or A.C. power (152) 
from the trailer would make it an ideal portable emergency generator, or 
for off road use, camping or for military and industrial applications. 
Included would be fuel input ports for off-board uptake of a variety of 
hydrocarbon fuels. 
V. FIG. 18a shows this portable fuel cell powered generator (140) being 
used to increase the driving range of an electric/hybrid vehicle. 
The device would be actively towed (172) behind the electric/hybrid vehicle 
(162). In this application, as the electric vehicle's batteries run low on 
their charge, the fuel cell generator (140) would be engaged to take over 
the task of supplying electricity to the drive wheels (164) of the 
electric vehicle and also to trickle charge (166) the batteries to restore 
them to full charge. This would greatly increase the range of the vehicle. 
Control cables (168) and electric power cables (170) would link the towed 
two wheeled portable fuel cell generator to the electric/hybrid vehicle 
control and energy circuits. Such a power generating trailer could also be 
used to propel and recharge a battery/flywheel vehicle as well as thus 
serving to both trickle charge the batteries and recharge the spinning 
energy of the flywheel. 
This unique invention captured in FIG. 18a is also valuable for 
contributing to cleaning the air in urban areas. When in the city limits, 
the electric/hybrid vehicle could be run strictly on its own battery power 
for essentially zero emissions. When outside the city limits, the fuel 
cell in the trailer could be energized to drive the wheels for long 
distance travel, and to recharge the batteries. 
W. FIG. 18b illustrates how the towable fuel cell generator (140) can be 
unhooked from the vehicle (162) and left in the garage (175) of a home to 
provide on-site generation of electric power for the grid and home. 
Here in the garage, the trailer would be hooked to an off-board supply of 
fuel (180) such as natural gas and its output (185) connected to the 
electric circuit/s in the garage for feeding back to the utility grid. 
While left in the garage, the trailer could use it's on-board supply of 
fuel to generate electricity if desired such flexibility would make this 
trailer an ideal emergency generator in case of prolonged utility power 
outages. 
The towable fuel cell powered generator described in FIGS. 18, 18a, and 18b 
can be towed behind any vehicle, including internal combustion engine 
vehicles and used for the generation of electrical power wherever it is 
needed. 
The compactness of the portable fuel cell generator discussed in FIGS. 18, 
18a, and 18b can be exploited for the location of such a portable unit 
(minus its wheel and trailer) in trucks and trains for driving electric 
vapor compression refrigeration or air conditioning systems. Compactness 
as discussed here would make it quite useful for remote site operations, 
or for construction site power needs. 
X. FIG. 19 illustrates how this invention and a fuel cell vehicle (231) can 
direct all of its outputs and byproducts to service a greenhouse 230). 
The vehicle (231) produces electricity which is utilized to operate the 
facility. The electricity could run the lights, the pumps, the fans for 
cooling, and provide electricity for supplemental lighting at night. 
Carbon dioxide produced from reforming hydrocarbon bearing fuels could be 
collected in a carbon dioxide tank (232) and provided to assist plants in 
their growing. Water from the fuel cell could be collected in a water or 
water heat tank (233) to provide all or part of the water supply for the 
greenhouse. The heated water from the heat tank (233) could be utilized 
for heat for the greenhouse. The water at approximately 160-180 degrees F. 
could be pumped through lines in the floor or under benches to warm the 
plants. 
Y. FIG. 20 illustrates how this invention and the utilization of water 
produced from a fuel cell to provide useable and potable water. 
Water is a precious and life saving commodity. This figure illustrates a 
fuel cell whether in a vehicle or in building providing water. The water 
from the fuel cell is pure water and fit for many uses. Here the water 
from the fuel cell condensed from water vapor is provided by a line to a 
pure water tank (235) with a pump (236) to provide water to faucet system 
(240). The water would be a useful be a useful byproduct of generation for 
the vehicle owner. While typical "city water" would be provided at a 
charge and usage metered as depicted by meter (237). Although not depicted 
with a meter, water is so precious that in many areas it could be more 
precious than the electricity created and a meter may be envisioned 
between the pump (236) and the faucet (240). 
Z. FIG. 21 illustrates how this invention and the utilization of heated 
water produced from a fuel cell to provide domestic hot water and drinking 
water. 
The fuel cell whether in a vehicle or in the basement of a residence or 
other location produces byproducts in its generation of electricity. This 
invention captures and utilizes these byproducts for the benefit of 
mankind. The byproduct of this illustration is that of hot water. The 
water is typically between 160-180 degrees F. and is captured from the 
fuel cell via a line into a pure water tank (235) and provided to faucet 
(240) via pump (236). The tank (235) could also be used as a hot water 
tank depending upon the electricity generated and the number of vehicles 
that were contributing to the supply. The tank could contain a heat 
exchanger element to heat the water in an adjacent hot water tank (239). 
This figure illustrates that "city water" could supplement if necessary by 
the illustration of the meter shown as (237). As with FIG. 20 a meter 
could be installed anywhere along the fuel cell side between the fuel cell 
and the faucet (240) if this water were to be provided as a pure water 
service. Although not illustrated, but as FIG. 19 brings the heat of water 
to run underneath the benches of the greenhouse, so hot water pumped from 
the tanks illustrated could provide heat to lines buried in a floor to 
provide radiant heating to a home or building. 
VI. SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS INVENTION 
The significance of this invention involves providing and teaching the 
processes, methods, and apparatus to enhance and make Power Park.TM. a 
more workable and commercial system and includes the following: 
A. The Power Park.TM. processes provides innovative supporting and enabling 
infrastructure which further exemplifies the practical utilization of the 
Power Park.TM. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/557,339. 
This patent will provide opportunities for the United States and developing 
countries by removing the need to have a hard wired electric utility 
system in place before true progress can be made. With the use of fuel 
cell powered vehicles for the dual use of transportation and electric 
power generation, a person could avoid the cost of an expensive utility 
infrastructure. One could generate the power cleanly and locally. 
Villages can be powered through fuel cell powered cars, scooters, 
motorbikes, and other forms of transportation. 
B. This invention has developed the various methods and processes for 
utilizing the electric and non-electric outputs of the vehicle. 
As an example the fuel cell powered vehicle can produce other products of 
operation which have value, and these products include: A.C. electric 
power, D.C. electric power, hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, pure water, 
and heat. 
Power Park.TM. by its nature utilizes the invention of combining fuel cell 
powered vehicles in a modular configuration that can serve an electric 
load and in essence be disassembled as needed and moved and reassembled 
from site to site. To physically move electrical generation from site to 
site with the ease of moving an automobile is a new and unique way to 
provide electrical power in a novel and commercially viable way. 
C. This invention has the ability to accommodate a wide variety of fuels 
from liquid to gaseous forms including all hydrocarbon and pure gases such 
as hydrogen. Solar derived fuels, such as biogas from methane digesters, 
can also be used in this invention. 
D. The patent teaches the specific utilization that is unique to Power 
Park.TM. and shows in detail how to connect the electric and nonelectric 
outputs of the vehicle to a residence, commercial building, over head 
cantentery system, or industrial complex. 
Our invention recognizes the fundamental reason why electrical demand 
occurs at all is because of the presence of humans or human controlled 
processes. One of the things that most often accompanies the human is the 
car. Thus, with the fuel cell powered car, with our Power Park invention, 
the power plant is always there with the human, ready to serve the 
electric load created by that human. 
E. This invention not only has direct applications to the fuel cell mobile 
generation market but to the stationary or fixed use of fuel cells in 
residences, commercial buildings or industrial complexes. 
As an example, the recent January 1998 ice storm that hit the upper 
northeast and Canadian border areas with a massive and sustained power 
outage that lasted several months in some cases. Close to 1 million people 
were without power, and without emergency generators. With fuel cell 
powered cars in their driveways or stationary fuel cell located in their 
garages and basements and connected as this patent teaches, those people 
would have had electricity, water, and a source of life saving heat.