Abstract
A vehicular power system, a vehicle and a method of providing auxiliary power to a vehicle using an auxiliary power unit that uses a molten metal anode solid oxide fuel cell rather than an internal combustion engine. The auxiliary power unit includes a container with numerous fuel cells disposed within it such that when the metal anode is heated, the metal converts to a molten state that can be electrochemically cycled between oxidized and reduced states by oxygen and a fuel present in the molten metal, respectively. The auxiliary power unit further includes a furnace that selectively provides heat to the fuel cells in order to place the anode into its molten metal state. Seals may provide fluid isolation between the molten metal within the container and the ambient environment.
| Original language | English |
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| Patent number | US10661736B2 |
| Filing date | 19/05/16 |
| Publication status | Published - 26 May 2020 |