摘要:
A direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell is disclosed for producing electrical energy from reducing and process oxidant fluid streams that includes an electrolyte secured between an anode catalyst and a cathode catalyst; a porous anode substrate secured in direct fluid communication with and supporting the anode catalyst; a porous wet proofed cathode substrate secured in direct fluid communication with and supporting the cathode catalyst; a porous water transport plate secured in direct fluid communication with the porous cathode substrate; and, a direct antifreeze solution passing through the porous water transport plate. In operation of the fuel cell, because product water generated electrochemically at the cathode catalyst flows away from the cathode catalyst into the cathode substrate and into the water transport plate and because the cathode substrate is wetproofed, the antifreeze solution passing through the water transport plate remains essentially within this plate. In a preferred embodiment, the antifreeze solution passing through the water transport plate may be directed to flow at a pressure less than that of the oxidant stream passing adjacent the cathode substrate.
摘要:
An electrolyte reservoir plate is formed in a papermaking process. Graphite powder, reinforcing fibers, cellulosic fibers, and a thermosetting resin are mixed with a liquid to form a slurry and showered onto a screen to form a planar sheet which is dried to form paper. The paper is cut into the desired size and is lay-up with main sheets 4 and edge strips 6. The lay-up is laminated with pressure and heat, carbonized, and graphitized to form an electrolyte reservoir plate.
摘要:
A porous substrate of a fuel cell electrode assembly is formed by producing a fibrous carbon precursor web by means of a conventional wet paper-making process. The precursor web is then dried and saturated with a wet resinous binder which will carbonize when heated. Substantially the entirety of all of the carbon fibers in the web are thus coated with the binder, and substantially all of the inter-fiber junctures in the web will also be coated with the binder. The saturated web is then dried, and heat treated to convert the binder to a glassy carbon which exhibits superior resistance to corrosion.
摘要:
A method for making a carbon-graphite component, such as a fuel cell substrate, suited for use in an electrochemical cell includes forming a precursor sheet structure comprising a resin, fibers that are graphitizable, and an inorganic compound containing boron and oxygen. Various details of the method are developed that effect the carbon yield of cellulose fibers used for the precursor sheet and the thermal and the electrical conductivity of the component. In one embodiment, the inorganic compound of boron and oxygen is boric acid.
摘要:
A method for operating a fuel cell power plant to provide end-use electricity, end-use heat and end-use reformate includes the steps of providing a fuel cell power plant that consumes reformate to provide electricity and heat, said fuel cell power plant having a nominal reformate flow rate and including a fuel processor system for generating reformate from a hydrocarbon fuel; operating the fuel processor system so as to provide a reformate flow at a rate greater than the nominal reformate flow rate; operating the fuel cell power plant using a first portion of the reformate flow to generate the electricity and the heat, the first portion being less than or equal to the nominal reformate flow rate; and providing a second portion of the reformate flow as the end-use reformate.
摘要:
An exemplary method of providing an electrolyte for a fuel cell comprises including a electrolyte precursor within a fuel cell. An electrolyte is generated within the fuel cell from the precursor. An exemplary fuel cell system includes a cell stack assembly. A manifold is associated with the cell stack assembly. An electrolyte precursor is within at least one of the cell stack assembly or manifold for generating an electrolyte within a fuel cell.
摘要:
An exemplary method of providing an electrolyte for a fuel cell comprises including a electrolyte precursor within a fuel cell. An electrolyte is generated within the fuel cell from the precursor. An exemplary fuel cell system includes a cell stack assembly. A manifold is associated with the cell stack assembly. An electrolyte precursor is within at least one of the cell stack assembly or manifold for generating an electrolyte within a fuel cell.
摘要:
A method for operating a fuel cell power plant to provide end-use electricity, end-use heat and end-use reformate includes the steps of providing a fuel cell power plant that consumes reformate to provide electricity and heat, said fuel cell power plant having a nominal reformate flow rate and including a fuel processor system for generating reformate from a hydrocarbon fuel; operating the fuel processor system so as to provide a reformate flow at a rate greater than the nominal reformate flow rate; operating the fuel cell power plant using a first portion of the reformate flow to generate the electricity and the heat, the first portion being less than or equal to the nominal reformate flow rate; and providing a second portion of the reformate flow as the end-use reformate.
摘要:
A water transport plate is provided with optimized physical characteristics to greatly improve fuel cell operation. In a preferred method of manufacturing, graphite powder, reinforcing fibers, cellulosic fibers, and a thermosetting resin are mixed with a liquid to form a slurry and showered onto a screen to form a planar sheet which is dried to form paper. The paper is cut into the desired size and is laid-up. The lay-up is laminated with pressure and heat, carbonized, and graphitized to form a water transport plate for later machining as desired. The finished water transport plate exhibits optimal physical characteristics for bubble pressure, water permeability, median pore size, porosity, thru-plane resistivity and compressive yield strength.
摘要:
A direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell is disclosed for producing electrical energy from reducing and process oxidant fluid streams that includes an electrolyte secured between an anode catalyst and a cathode catalyst; a porous anode substrate secured in direct fluid communication with and supporting the anode catalyst; a porous wetproofed cathode substrate secured in direct fluid communication with and supporting the cathode catalyst; a porous water transport or cooler plate secured in direct fluid communication with the porous cathode substrate; and, a direct antifreeze solution passing through the porous water transport plate. A preferred direct antifreeze solution passing through the porous water transport plate remains essentially within the water transport plate and does not poison the catalysts.