Variable pressure passive regenerative fuel cell system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In general, the present invention provides a variable pressure passive regenerative fuel cell system designed to operate under variable pressure conditions (as opposed to constant pressure).
Current state-of-the-art fuel cells have been designed for constant pressure operation primarily because they are usually run as open cycle flow through devices.
The same is true for state-of-the-art electrolyzers.
Current fuel cell systems maintain all the myriad valves, pressure regulators, pumps, and recirculation fans necessary to operate a constant pressure electro-chemical device.
This equipment will severely reduce the reliability, availability, and maintainability of such regenerative fuel cell systems.
The fuel cell system of the present invention overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies by providing in a preferred embodiment: a) a fuel cell including a wicked anode for receiving hydrogen gas and a cathode for receiving oxygen gas; b) an electrolyzer for electrolyzing water to produce pure hydrogen and pure oxygen; c) means to store said hydrogen and oxygen from said electrolyzer; d) a main water storage tank communicating with said fuel cell and said electrolyzer; e) means to supply water to said electrolyzer for producing hydrogen and oxygen; f) means for supplying hydrogen gas and oxygen gas to said fuel cell; g) means for controlling the supply of water to said main water tank and secondary water tank; h) a secondary water storage tank; and i) an orifice or water flow valve communicating with said main water storage tank and said secondary water storage tank.
In a second embodiment discussed in more detail hereinbelow, a fiber packed column is provided to replace the secondary water storage tank and orifice configuration of the preferred embodiment.