Patent Publication Number: US-2007099043-A1

Title: Fuel reaction control device for fuel cell system

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a fuel reaction control device for fuel cell system, more particularly, a device that monitors and operates the entry of outside air into the fuel system by means of automatic control.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Conventional fuel cell is a system that generates direct current resulting from electrical-chemical reaction of outside air and internal fuel, which comprises a catalyst-containing anode, a cathode, and ion-conducting electrolytes. When the load is connected between the anode and the cathode, a power loop is formed where current travels from anode to cathode through the load. Differing from conventional batteries, when fuel is continuously supplied to the fuel cell, the electrical energy is maintained. The final products of such electrical-chemical reaction are water molecules. Hence fuel cells provide a clean energy source that is congruent with the goal of environmental protection. In typical hydrogen fuel cells, free electrons and protons are released from hydrogen molecules when the anode reacts, whereas the cathode consumes the free electrons. Outside air molecules are introduced into the fuel cell system from cathode that oxygen in the air undergoes chemical reaction with the free electrons that travel to cathode through the loop to become a hydroxide, i.e. the final product is water molecule. In prior art, a fan device is added to the air intake to increase airflow so as to effectively control the electrical-chemical reaction of outside air and internal fuel. An opening/closing device is also disposed anterior to the fan to control the on and off of fuel cell. But prior technologies utilize only simple driving element to open and close the air intake structure, and the air intake structure merely controls air intake without letting the user or maintenance people know whether it is activated or not, hence adding uncertainty to the use of fuel cell system and calling for improvement.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The object of the present invention is to provide a fuel reaction control device for fuel cell system, which automatically undergoes or stops electrical-chemical reaction based on power needs, and allows users to have a better grasp of the activities in the fuel cell through a monitoring and display device.  
      In accordance with the aforesaid object, the present invention discloses a fuel reaction control device for fuel cell system, comprising: a fuel cell sandwiched between an air intake device and a partition layer, where the partition layer is a membrane of prior art for preventing the spillage of water vapor; the air intake device contains a roll-up curtain type mechanical linkage member, a fan, a proximity switch, and a photo interrupter. The action of the entire air intake device is to control the entry of outside air. It can regulate the on and off of fan through the fan and photo interrupter, and analyze the turning speed of fan through the photo interrupter to determine the amount of airflow needed. This electronic message is then transmitted to a microprocessor control device via an electron loop, which, following analysis, sends back the decision on the turning speed of fan and provides greater amount of outside air into the fuel cell system to accelerate the reaction of oxygen in the air and hydrogen in the fuel. The proximity switch can convey the on/off state of roll-up curtain type mechanical linkage member to the microprocessor control device via the electron loop. The microprocessor control device transmits the result to the light indicator through its communication with the periphery for the display of result in the form of light signal to let the user read directly the current state of fuel cell. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a diagram showing the control actions of the fuel reaction control device for fuel cell system according to the invention; and  
       FIG. 2  is the flow chart of the control actions of fuel reaction control device for fuel cell system according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       FIG. 1  is a diagram showing the control actions of the fuel reaction control device for fuel cell system according to the invention. As shown, the control device  100  comprises an air intake body  120 , a proximity switch  110 , a roll-up curtain type mechanical linkage member  130 , a fan  170 , a photo interrupter  180 , a microprocessor controller  150 , and a light indicator  160 . The proximity switch  110  and photo interrupter  180  are linked with microprocessor controller  150  via an electron loop  140 . The microprocessor controller  150  sends the analyzed electronic signal to light indicator. It can also transmit the controlled electronic signal to fan  170  through electron loop  140  to control the turning speed of fan. The monitoring of turning speed is carried out by photo interrupter  180 , where the frequency of interruption is analyzed by microprocessor control device  150  to learn the turning speed of fan. The control of air intake body  100  is effected by the opening and closing of roll-up curtain type mechanical linkage member  130  under the control of microprocessor controller  150  and the opening/closing of roll-up curtain type mechanical linkage member  130  is monitored by proximity switch  110  to let the user learn about the current state of the fuel reaction control device  100 . The fuel reaction control device  100  for fuel cell system disclosed herein is suitable for direct integration into the notebook computer, where the microprocessor controller  150  is implemented in an integrated control IC which can communicate with CPU to achieve the object of monitoring and control.  
       FIG. 2  is the flow chart of the control actions of fuel reaction control device for fuel cell system according to the invention. First step S 201  entails the initial state of fuel reaction control device  100 , i.e. the roll-up curtain type mechanical linkage member  130  is not yet opened where the interior of entire fuel cell  190  is closed to the outside. Step S 202  involves the communication between IC and system to determine whether electric power should be turned on; if not, the system keeps its initial state S 201 , or else, power is needed. Step S 203  concerns the opening of roll-up curtain type mechanical linkage member  130  where curtain  130  is rolled up, and step S 204  determines whether curtain  130  is opened normally; if the roll-up curtain  130  is not opened, the message is transmitted to microprocessor controller  150  via the electron loop  140  (step  204 - 1 ), and the microprocessor controller  150  would analyze this message and send the non-opening signal to signal indicator  160  (step  204 - 2 ). Conversely, if the roll-up curtain  130  is opened normally, this message is transmitted to microprocessor controller  150  via electron loop  140 , where the microprocessor controller  150  analyzes and sends the normal opening signal to light indicator  160  to show that roll-up curtain  130  is in open state (step S 205 ). Because of the action in step S 205 , outside air enters the interior of fuel cell  190  through the open curtain  130  and undergoes electrical-chemical reaction to produce the energy needed (step S 206 ). When the inflow of outside air is inadequate that more efficient reaction is desired, fan  170  is turned on (step S 207 ), and photo interrupter  180  is used to check whether the fan is turned on (step S 208 ). If the fan  170  is not turned on normally, this message is transmitted to microprocessor  25  controller  150  via the electron loop  140  (step S 204 - 1 ) and the microprocessor controller  150  would analyze this message and send this electronic signal to light indicator  160  (step  204 - 2 ). Conversely, fan  170  is opened normally. When the air intake is found inadequate, step S 210  determines whether to increase the turning speed of fan  170 ; if the intake flow is normal, the original turning speed of fan  170  is maintained (step S 211 ); if not, current is increased to raise the turning speed of fan  170  so as to increase the air intake (step 2 l 2 ). At this time, monitoring the on/off of power supply continues (step S 202 ). If the fuel cell  190  continues to be in the “on” state, the flow process of S 203 ˜S 201  is maintained. Conversely, power supply is shut off and the system goes back to the initial state S 201 , that is, the interior of fuel cell  190  is closed to the outside without undergoing any electrical-chemical reaction.