摘要:
A method of operating a fuel cell including a fuel electrode, an oxidant electrode, and an electrolyte layer having hydrogen ion conductivity sandwiched between the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, so that the fuel cell generates electricity as a result of an electrochemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant. Each time the fuel cell is started from a non-operating condition, the fuel is supplied to the fuel electrode with the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode electrically interconnected to produce hydrogen at the oxidant electrode by provoking electrochemical reactions expressed by the chemical equations H2→2H++2e− and 2H++2e−→H2 at the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, respectively, reducing oxides on the oxidant electrode, using the hydrogen produced at the oxidant electrode. Then, the oxidant is supplied to the oxidant electrode to begin normal continuing operation of the fuel cell.
摘要:
A method of operating a fuel cell including a fuel electrode, an oxidant electrode, and an electrolyte layer having hydrogen ion conductivity sandwiched between the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, so that the fuel cell generates electricity as a result of an electrochemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant. Each time the fuel cell is started from a non-operating condition, the fuel is supplied to the fuel electrode with the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode electrically interconnected to produce hydrogen at the oxidant electrode by provoking electrochemical reactions expressed by the chemical equations H2→2H++2e− and 2H++2e−→H2 at the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, respectively, reducing oxides on the oxidant electrodes using the hydrogen produced at the oxidant electrode. Then the oxidant is supplied to the oxidant electrode to begin normal continuing operation of the fuel cell.
摘要:
A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode composite body in which a cathode catalyst layer and an anode catalyst layer are joined to central portions of two surfaces of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane and further held from two sides between a fuel electrode substrate having a surface area that is larger than that of the cathode catalyst layer and an oxidizer electrode substrate having a surface area that is larger than that of the anode catalyst layer, wherein: pores of a fuel-sealing support portion surrounding the cathode catalyst layer in the fuel electrode substrate are partially or wholly filled with a resin; pores of an oxidizer-sealing support portion surrounding the anode catalyst layer in the oxidizer electrode substrate are partially or wholly filled with the resin; and the fuel-sealing support portion and the oxidizer-sealing support portion are bonded to the solid polymer electrolyte membrane by the resin.
摘要:
A fuel cell includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane and cathode and anode catalyst layers held between a fuel electrode substrate having a surface area larger than that of the cathode catalyst layer and an oxidizer electrode substrate having a surface area larger than that of the anode catalyst layer. The fuel electrode substrate includes a fuel-sealing support portion surrounding the cathode catalyst layer. The oxidizer electrode substrate includes an oxidizer-sealing support portion surrounding the anode catalyst layer. The fuel-sealing and oxidizer-sealing support portions each include pores partially or wholly filled with a resin. The fuel-sealing support portion is bonded to the membrane by the resin at a position closer to an outer edge of the membrane than is the cathode catalyst. The oxidizer-sealing support portion is bonded to the membrane by the resin at a position closer to the outer edge of the membrane than is the anode catalyst.
摘要:
A fuel cell is obtained, in which oxidation degradation of a catalyst in the cathode can be prevented even if a large volume of air instantaneously penetrates into the cell, and the fuel-cell characteristics also do not deteriorate even though starting-up, shutting-down and pausing operations are repeatedly performed. As a method of controlling a fuel cell system, hydrogen-containing fuel gas is supplied to the anode and oxidant gas is supplied to the cathode, an external load is connected between the anode and the cathode so that the fuel cell generates electric power, the external load is disconnected after the power generation, a resistor is connected between the anode and the cathode, supply of the oxidant gas is stopped, and then supply of the fuel gas is stopped after the potential at the cathode has dropped to equal to or lower than the potential at which hydrogen evolution starts, so as to pause the fuel cell.
摘要:
A fuel cell is obtained, in which oxidation degradation of a catalyst in the cathode can be prevented even if a large volume of air instantaneously penetrates into the cell, and the fuel-cell characteristics also do not deteriorate even though starting-up, shutting-down and pausing operations are repeatedly performed. As a method of controlling a fuel cell system, hydrogen-containing fuel gas is supplied to the anode and oxidant gas is supplied to the cathode, an external load is connected between the anode and the cathode so that the fuel cell generates electric power, the external load is disconnected after the power generation, a resistor is connected between the anode and the cathode, supply of the oxidant gas is stopped, and then supply of the fuel gas is stopped after the potential at the cathode has dropped to equal to or lower than the potential at which hydrogen evolution starts, so as to pause the fuel cell.
摘要:
An intermediate layer is disposed between respective gas diffusing layers and catalyst layers of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. This intermediate layer is mainly an electron-conductive filler and a binder, and has voids that are continuous in a thickness direction inside the intermediate layer, the intermediate layer has a solid volume percentage that is at least 3 percent and no larger than 30 percent, and a volume ratio occupied by voids that have a void diameter that is at least 1 μm and no larger than 30 μm of at least 50 percent of overall intermediate layer volume.
摘要:
A plurality of heat transfer fins are arranged so as to surround straight pipe portions of heat transfer tubes connected through bends in a serpentine arrangement. Heat transfer surfaces for transferring heat between air of the heat transfer tubes and the heat transfer fins have holes each having a radius smaller than the critical radius of a nucleus that occurs upon phase change from water vapor to condensed water droplets such that the holes are filled with the air at all times. Water is allowed to move from the holes filled with the air having low surface energy to metal part having high surface energy, thus improving drainage.
摘要:
A fuel cell including a unit cell and a separator panel alternatingly stacked on one another. The unit cell includes an electrolyte membrane sandwiched between a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode. The separator panel includes parallel fuel flow paths extending from a fluid supply port to a fluid discharge port for supplying fluid fuel to the fuel electrode and parallel oxidant flow paths extending from a fluid supply port to a fluid discharge port for supplying oxidant fluid to the oxidant electrode. At least the oxidant flow paths include groups of parallel flow paths, which extend back and forth within divided regions of the main surface of the separator panel. The oxidant flow paths may include groups of parallel flow paths, positions along the groups of the parallel flow paths at equal distance from the respective fluid supply port being distributed substantially evenly over the main surface of the separator panel. Also, groups of parallel flow paths extend back and forth within a region defined by a projection of the divided regions through which the oxidant flow paths extend. The ridge width of ridges defined between grooves within the parallel flow path group is smaller than the ridge width of the ridges defined between the grooves of the parallel flow path group adjacent to each other.
摘要:
A polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprises a main stack alternately stacked with cells each provided with gas-diffusing electrodes on both sides of an ion-conducting electrolyte membrane and gas separators for supplying fuel to one of the electrodes and oxidant gas to the other electrode on each of the cells, and an auxiliary stack alternately stacked with the cells and the gas separators, the auxiliary stack having a lesser number of cells and gas separators than the main stack and having an independent current path from the main stack, wherein fuel and oxidant gas are supplied to the main stack after passing through the auxiliary stack, and wherein the load on the auxiliary stack is controlled. The load on the auxiliary stack is additionally controlled such that the electric potential of the fuel electrodes of the auxiliary stack exceeds the electric potential of the oxidation of carbon monoxide, whereby the voltage per layer of cell in the auxiliary stack continuously oscillates.