Method and apparatus for integrated water deionization, electrolytic hydrogen production, and electrochemical power generation

摘要

The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for deionization and hydrogen fuel production in a fuel generation mode, and electricity production in a power generation mode. In one embodiment, a capacitive deionization (CDI) device receives water and electrical energy to produce deionized water that is transferred to a proton electrode membrane electrolysis (PEME) device to produce hydrogen fuel by electrolysis. A storage system receives the hydrogen. The hydrogen is transferred from the storage system to a proton electrode membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) device that produces electrical energy. In another embodiment, the PEME and the PEMFC are functionally combined in a unitary regenerative fuel cell (URFC). In still another embodiment, a humidification unit and the CDI are functionally combined. In yet another embodiment, a CDI, URFC and the humidification unit are combined in a single unitary assembly.