Vehicle power plant to conserve water

{
  "publication_number": "US11491894B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Vehicle power plant to conserve water",
  "abstract": "A vehicle powered by a fuel cell power plant to conserve water includes a fuel cell to generate electricity and at least one of water or water vapor. The vehicle further includes one or more electric motors operatively coupled to the fuel cell to receive the electricity and propel the vehicle and an auxiliary system operatively coupled to the fuel cell to utilize the at least one of the water or water vapor generated by the fuel cell.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A vehicle powered by a fuel cell power plant to conserve water, comprising: a fuel cell to generate electricity and water; one or more electric motors operatively coupled to the fuel cell to receive the electricity and propel the vehicle; an auxiliary system operatively coupled to the fuel cell to utilize the water generated by the fuel cell; and a water storage operatively coupled to the fuel cell and the auxiliary system, wherein the water storage is configured to receive the water from the fuel cell and to provide the water generated by the fuel cell to the auxiliary system; wherein the auxiliary system comprises a spraying system configured to spray the water from the water storage into an environment outside of the vehicle.",
    "2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a fuel reformer operatively coupled to the fuel cell, the fuel reformer to extract hydrogen fuel from a hydrocarbon fuel and provide the hydrogen fuel to the fuel cell.",
    "3. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a control system comprising a processing device operatively coupled to the fuel cell, the one or more electric motors and the auxiliary system, the control system to control one or more parameters of the vehicle.",
    "4. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a filtration system operatively coupled between the fuel cell and the auxiliary system, the filtration system to filter the water generated by the fuel cell and provide the filtered water to the auxiliary system.",
    "5. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: an ultraviolet (UV) lighting system operatively coupled to the fuel cell, the UV lighting system to receive electricity from the fuel cell and generate UV light to sterilize the water generated by the fuel cell.",
    "6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the fuel cell generates thermal energy and wherein the thermal energy is provided to the auxiliary system.",
    "7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary system comprises an ice resurfacing system and the spraying system is to spray water on ice to fill grooves in the ice.",
    "8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary system comprises a street washing system and the spraying system is to spray water to loosen particles and reduce dust.",
    "9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary system comprises a mixing tank to mix the water generated by the fuel cell with an herbicide, an insecticide, or a pesticide to form a mixture, wherein the spraying system is to spray the mixture.",
    "10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the water generated by the fuel cell is at least partially in the form of a vapor when generated.",
    "11. A method of conserving water in a power plant of a vehicle, the method comprising: generating, by a fuel cell of the vehicle, electricity and water; providing the electricity to one or more electric motors operatively coupled to the fuel cell; providing the water generated by the fuel cell to a water storage operatively coupled to the fuel cell and an auxiliary system; storing the water generated by the fuel cell at the water storage; and providing the water generated by the fuel cell to the auxiliary system; wherein the auxiliary system comprises a spraying system configured to spray the water generated by the fuel cell from the water storage into an environment outside of the vehicle.",
    "12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: receiving, by a fuel reformer of the vehicle, a hydrocarbon fuel source; extracting, by the fuel reformer, hydrogen fuel from the hydrocarbon fuel source; and providing, to the fuel cell, the hydrogen fuel, wherein the fuel cell generates the electricity and the water in response to receiving the hydrogen fuel from the fuel reformer.",
    "13. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the water generated by the fuel cell to the auxiliary system comprises: providing the water generated by the fuel cell to a filtration system; filtering, by the filtration system, the water generated by the fuel cell; and providing the filtered water to the auxiliary system.",
    "14. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the water generated by the fuel cell to the auxiliary system comprises: providing the electricity to an ultraviolet (UV) lighting system operatively coupled to the fuel cell of the vehicle; sterilizing the water generated by the fuel cell using UV light generated by the UV lighting system; and providing the sterilized water to the auxiliary system.",
    "15. The method of claim 11, wherein the fuel cell of the vehicle generates thermal energy, the method further comprising: providing the thermal energy to the auxiliary system operatively coupled to the fuel cell.",
    "16. The method of claim 11, further comprising: receiving, by a control system from one or more sensors of the vehicle, information associated with the vehicle; and adjusting, by the control system, one or more operational parameters associated with the fuel cell, the one or more electric motors or the auxiliary system of the vehicle based on the information.",
    "17. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the water generated by the fuel cell to the auxiliary system comprises providing the water generated by the fuel cell to a mixing tank to mix the water generated by the fuel cell with an herbicide, an insecticide, or a pesticide.",
    "18. The method of claim 11, wherein the auxiliary system comprises an ice resurfacing system, the method further comprising operating the spraying system to spray the water generated by the fuel cell on the ice to fill grooves in the ice.",
    "19. The method of claim 11, wherein the auxiliary system comprises a street washing system, the method further comprising operating the spraying system to spray the water generated by the fuel cell to loosen particles and reduce dust.",
    "20. The method of claim 11, wherein the water generated by the fuel cell is at least partially in the form of a vapor when generated."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Aspects and implementations of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle power plant and, in particular, a vehicle power plant to conserve water.\n\nA vehicle uses a power plant, such as an internal combustion engine, to burn fuel, creating emissions, heat and output rotational power. The output rotational power is provided to a drivetrain and used to propel the vehicle. Vehicles can include other auxiliary systems, such as sprayers and concrete mixers, that require water to operate.\n\nEmbodiments and implementations of the present disclosure will be understood more fully from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of various aspects and implementations of the disclosure, which, however, should not be taken to limit the disclosure to the specific embodiments or implementations, but are for explanation and understanding only.\n\nFIG. 1 is a cross section of a vehicle including a vehicle power plant to conserve water in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure.\n\nFIG. 2 is a top-down view of a vehicle including a fuel cell power plant in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure.\n\nFIG. 3 is an illustration of an example of a vehicle including a fuel cell power plant and sterilization and decontamination systems in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure.\n\nFIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of a method for conserving water by a vehicle including a fuel cell power plant in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure.\n\nAspects and implementations of the present disclosure are directed to a vehicle including a fuel cell power plant to conserve water.",
  "cpc": [
    "B60L 58/33",
    "B60L 1/00",
    "B60L 2220/46",
    "B60L 2260/28",
    "B60L 50/71",
    "B60L 50/72",
    "C02F 1/001",
    "C02F 1/32",
    "C02F 2201/001",
    "C02F 2303/04",
    "H01M 2250/20",
    "H01M 2250/405",
    "H01M 8/04828",
    "H01M 8/0618",
    "Y02B 90/10",
    "Y02E 60/50",
    "Y02T 90/40"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60L 58/33",
    "H01M 8/04828",
    "H01M 8/04291"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Anderson Industries LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Kory Anderson",
    "Daniel Ewert",
    "Joel Jorgenson"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-05-16",
  "publication_date": "2022-11-08",
  "grant_date": "2022-11-08",
  "priority_date": "2018-05-18",
  "application_number": "US-201916414047-A",
  "family_id": "68532725",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
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}