摘要:
A fuel cell component including a body disposed along a plane and having a boundary past which a reactant and water flows is provided. The boundary has a discontinuous edge adapted to militate against a pinning of the water at the edge. The fuel cell component may be a bipolar plate having a port hole with the discontinuous edge. The fuel cell component may be a subgasket for a fuel cell having a boundary with the discontinuous edge. The discontinuous edge facilitates a transportation of water from an upper surface of the fuel cell component to a lower surface of the fuel cell component.
摘要:
A fuel cell stack that includes straight cathode flow channels and straight anode flow channels through a seal area between bipolar plates in the stack. The fuel cell stack includes a seal that extends around the active area of the stack and between the stack headers and the active area. At the locations where the cathode flow channels extend through a seal area to the cathode input header and the cathode outlet header, and the anode flow channels extend through a seal area to the anode input header and the anode output header, the diffusion media layer on one side of the membrane is extended to provide the seal load. Alternately, shims can be used to carry the seal load.
摘要:
A fuel cell assembly is provided that includes a fluid collection member disposed in a fluid inlet for a reactant, wherein the fluid collection member militates against liquid water on an inner surface of the fluid inlet from being received by a fuel cell of the fuel cell assembly.
摘要:
A remedial method for starting a fuel cell system is described. The method includes determining if the remedial method is required; providing air to an exhaust of a fuel cell stack; setting a hydrogen flow rate to an anode side of the fuel cell stack; providing a predetermined volume of hydrogen to the anode side of the fuel cell at the hydrogen flow rate; providing a predetermined volume of air to a cathode side of the fuel cell stack after the predetermined volume of hydrogen has been provided to the anode side while continuing to provide air to the exhaust of the fuel cell stack and hydrogen to the anode side of the fuel cell stack; determining if a stack voltage is stable after the predetermined volume of air has been provided to the cathode side; and closing the anode outlet valve after the stack voltage is stable.
摘要:
A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell with a wet side plate having a plurality of flow channels formed therein and a dry side plate having a plurality of flow channels formed therein, the flow channels of the wet side plate adapted to facilitate a flow of a wet gas therethrough and the flow channels of said dry side plate adapted to facilitate a flow of a dry gas therethrough, wherein a pressure drop in the humidifier is minimized and a humidification of a proton exchange membrane in the fuel cell is optimized.
摘要:
A method of making a reconstructed electrode having a plurality of nanostructured thin catalytic layers is provided. The method includes combining a donor decal comprising at least one nanostructured thin catalytic layer on a substrate with an acceptor decal comprising a porous substrate and at least one nanostructured thin catalytic layer. The donor decal and acceptor decal are bonded together using a temporary adhesive, and the donor substrate is removed. The temporary adhesive is then removed with appropriate solvents. Catalyst coated proton exchange membranes and catalyst coated diffusion media made from the reconstructed electrode decals having a plurality of nanostructured thin catalytic layers are also described.
摘要:
Methods for starting a fuel cell system are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes providing hydrogen to an inlet of an anode of the fuel cell pressurizing the anode to a pressure; determining whether a blocked cell condition exists; if a blocked cell condition exists, if no blocked cell condition exists, initiating a normal start sequence, alternately reducing the pressure of the anode and increasing the pressure of the anode until an exit condition exists, the exit condition selected from a voltage of the fuel cell being stable, or a temperature of the fuel cell being greater than about 0° C., or both, and when the exit condition exists, initiating the normal start sequence.
摘要:
Apparatus for mixing fuel and an oxidant for use in an autothermal reformer that provides hydrogen to a fuel cell. The apparatus includes a mixing vessel (10), a first inlet (4) to the mixing vessel for movement of gaseous fuel or oxidant therethrough, a second inlet for movement of gaseous fuel or oxidant therethrough, and an exit (60) from the vessel adjacent the autothermal reformer. The discharge ends of the inlets are spaced apart from each other and from the exit which is near a POX reactor (61) that combusts the mixture of fuel and oxidant exiting from the mixing vessel. The first inlet is comprised of a plate (26) with a plurality of tubes (24) extending therefrom through which fuel or oxidant passes. The tubes extend into the mixing vessel and towards the exit of the vessel such that the fuel does not come into contact with the oxidant until the gaseous fuel or oxidant discharges from the ends (30) of the tubes thereby mixing the fuel with the oxidant in the gaseous state prior to passing to the POX reactor.
摘要:
The present invention is directed to mitigating overuse of limited membrane regions in electrochemical conversion assemblies, particularly under cold start conditions. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the anode and/or cathode flowfield plates of an electrochemical conversion assembly are configured such that the fluid header region defines an anode fluid header, a cathode fluid header, and a coolant fluid header configured such that a feed region of the plate defines an array of substantially linear fluid channels extending from an acutely angled header/feed interface defined on the plate to a feed/active interface defined across the entire active area of the plate.
摘要:
A fuel cell stack that includes straight cathode flow channels and straight anode flow channels through a seal area between bipolar plates in the stack. The fuel cell stack includes a seal that extends around the active area of the stack and between the stack headers and the active area. At the locations where the cathode flow channels extend through a seal area to the cathode input header and the cathode outlet header, and the anode flow channels extend through a seal area to the anode input header and the anode output header, the diffusion media layer on one side of the membrane is extended to provide the seal load. Alternately, shims can be used to carry the seal load.