摘要:
A method for removing contaminants in a fuel cell comprises: supplying a hydrogen-based fuel to the anode; supplying a first oxidant to the cathode, wherein the first oxidant comprises at least some sulfur dioxide; drawing a primary load from the fuel cell stack while supplying the hydrogen-based fuel to the anode and the air to the cathode; shutting down the fuel cell when a voltage of the fuel cell is equal to or less than a threshold voltage at which sulfur crosses over from the cathode to the anode, wherein shutting down the fuel cell comprises: performing at least one oxidant starvation while drawing the primary load, removing the primary load after performing the at least one oxidant starvation, and bringing the anode to a high potential after removing the primary load; and thereafter, restarting the fuel cell.
摘要:
A method for removing contaminants in a fuel cell comprises: supplying a hydrogen-based fuel to the anode; supplying a first oxidant to the cathode, wherein the first oxidant comprises at least some sulfur dioxide; drawing a primary load from the fuel cell stack while supplying the hydrogen-based fuel to the anode and the air to the cathode; shutting down the fuel cell when a voltage of the fuel cell is equal to or less than a threshold voltage at which sulfur crosses over from the cathode to the anode, wherein shutting down the fuel cell comprises: performing at least one oxidant starvation while drawing the primary load, removing the primary load after performing the at least one oxidant starvation, and bringing the anode to a high potential after removing the primary load; and thereafter, restarting the fuel cell.
摘要:
The electrochemical performance of an ion-exchange membrane in a fuel cell system may be improved by impregnating therein a perfluoroamine. The amine may be primary, secondary or tertiary. Further, the amine is preferably water insoluble or only slightly water soluble. For example, the amine may be perfluorotriamylamine or perfluorotributylamine. Use of such a membrane system within a fuel cell may allow high or low temperature operation (i.e. at temperatures greater than 100° C. or less than 0° C.) as well as operation at low relative humidity.
摘要:
Power plant systems and processes are described that enable recovery of at least a portion of the fuel storage energy associated with a storage system for supplying fuel to the power plant systems. A first embodiment of an energy-recovery power plant system includes at least one fuel storage container and at least one expander that can receive fuel from the fuel storage container at a first pressure and provide the fuel to the power plant at a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure. A second embodiment of an energy-recovery power plant system includes a first conduit fluidly coupling the fuel storage container and the power plant for delivering fuel from the fuel storage container to the power plant and at least one regenerative thermodynamic cycle engine thermally coupled to the first conduit such that heat may be exchanged between the fuel and a working fluid for the regenerative thermodynamic cycle engine.
摘要:
In a solid polymer fuel cell series, various circumstances can result in a fuel cell being driven into voltage reversal. For instance, cell voltage reversal can occur if that cell receives an inadequate supply of fuel. In order to pass current, reactions other than fuel oxidation may take place at the fuel cell anode, including water electrolysis and oxidation of anode components. The latter may result in significant degradation of the anode, particularly if the anode employs a carbon black supported catalyst. Such fuel cells can be made more tolerant to cell reversal by using higher catalyst loading or coverage on the anode catalyst support or a more oxidation resistant anode catalyst support, such as a more graphitic carbon or Ti4O7.
摘要翻译:在固体聚合物燃料电池系列中,各种情况可导致燃料电池被驱动进入电压反转。 例如,如果该电池接收到不足的燃料供应,则可能发生电池电压反转。 为了通过电流,燃料氧化以外的反应可能发生在燃料电池阳极,包括水电解和阳极组分的氧化。 后者可能导致阳极的显着降解,特别是如果阳极采用负载炭黑的催化剂。 通过使用更高的催化剂负载量或覆盖在阳极催化剂载体上或更耐氧化的阳极催化剂载体,例如更多的石墨碳或Ti 4 O 7,可以使这种燃料电池对电池反转更具有耐受性。
摘要:
A voltage reversal tolerant fuel cell anode structure that includes a gas diffusion layer is prepared by a method that comprises: (a) applying to the gas diffusion layer a first carbon component comprising a sacrificial carbon component having substantially no resistance to corrosion during cell reversal at fuel cell operating temperatures, and (b) applying to the gas diffusion layer a second carbon component. The first carbon material has a BET surface area of at least 350 m2g−1. The second carbon component supports an electrocatalyst material and has substantially more resistance to corrosion during cell reversal at fuel cell operating temperatures than the first carbon component.
摘要:
In a solid polymer fuel cell series, various circumstances can result in a fuel cell being driven into voltage reversal by other cells in the series stack. For instance, cell voltage reversal can occur if that cell receives an inadequate supply of fuel (for example, fuel starvation). In order to pass current during fuel starvation, reactions other than fuel oxidation may take place at the fuel cell anode, including water electrolysis and oxidation of anode components. The latter may result in significant degradation of the anode. Such fuel cells can be made more tolerant to cell reversal by promoting water electrolysis over anode component oxidation at the anode. This can be accomplished by enhancing the presence of water in the anode catalyst layer through modifications to the anode structure or anode composition near or in the catalyst layer. For instance, water electrolysis during voltage reversal is promoted through the use of different or additional ionomer, polytetrafluoroethylene, or graphite in the anode catalyst layer, or through the use of certain sublayers between the anode catalyst layer and the anode substrate.
摘要:
A significant problem in PEM fuel cell durability is in premature failure of the ion-exchange membrane and in particular by the degradation of the ion-exchange membrane by reactive hydrogen peroxide species. Such degradation can be reduced or eliminated by the presence of an additive in the anode, cathode or ion-exchange membrane. The additive may be a radical scavenger, a membrane cross-linker, a hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst and/or a hydrogen peroxide stabilizer. The presence of the additive in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) may however result in reduced performance of the PEM fuel cell. Accordingly, it may be desirable to restrict the location of the additive to locations of increased susceptibility to membrane degradation such as the inlet and/or outlet regions of the MEA.
摘要:
A method detects fluid leaks within a fuel cell assembly. The method comprises (a) introducing a first supply fluid to a first fluid passage within the fuel cell assembly, wherein the first supply fluid comprises a tracer; (b) introducing a second supply fluid to a second fluid passage within the fuel cell assembly, wherein in the absence of a leak in the first fluid passage, the second fluid passage is fluidly isolated from the first fluid passage; and (c) monitoring a second fluid exhaust stream exiting from the second fluid passage and detecting when a concentration of the tracer is present within the second fluid exhaust stream.
摘要:
A solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells, wherein at least one cell of the fuel cell stack has a resistance to corrosion that is greater than a significant portion of the other fuel cells of the stack. In one embodiment, the at least one fuel cell of the fuel cell stack that is more resistant to corrosion is one or both end cells of the stack. Also disclosed is a fuel cell system containing such a stack, as well as methods for reducing degradation of the same during operation.