Electrically powered vehicle having a fuel cell comprising a sodium chlorate decomposition reactor for supplying the cell with oxygen

摘要

An electrically powered vehicle includes a fuel cell with a decomposition reactor for decomposing sodium chlorate (NaClO3). Reaction products produced by the decomposition reactor include oxygen and sodium chloride (NaCl). Gaseous hydrogen is stored onboard the vehicle, such as in a hydrogen tank at a low pressure, using metal hydrides. The hydrogen from the hydrogen tank and the oxygen produced by the decomposition reactor are consumed by the fuel cell in order to produce electricity. The vehicle further includes a storage tank for storing the NaCl produced by decomposition of the NaClO3.

主权项

1. An electrically powered automobile, comprising:
at least one electric motor structured to act on at least one device for causing forward progression of the automobile; a fuel cell; a hydrogen supply system for supplying hydrogen to the fuel cell; a hydrogen filling conduit for transferring hydrogen received from an external fueling system to the hydrogen supply system; a pure oxygen supply system onboard the automobile, the pure oxygen supply system including a sodium chlorate (NaClO3) tank; a NaClO3 filling conduit for transferring NaClO3 received from the external fueling system to the NaClO3 tank; a decomposition reactor for decomposing NaClO3, the decomposition reactor being in contact in fluid fashion with the sodium chlorate tank and being connected to the fuel cell in order to supply the fuel cell with pure oxygen produced by decomposition of the NaClO3; a storage tank for storing sodium chloride produced by the decomposition of the NaClO3; and a discharge conduit for transferring sodium chloride from the storage tank to the external fueling system.