Operating system for a direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell power plant
    1.
    发明授权
    Operating system for a direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell power plant 失效
    直接防冻冷却燃料电池发电厂的操作系统

    公开(公告)号:US06416891B1

    公开(公告)日:2002-07-09

    申请号:US09443267

    申请日:1999-11-22

    IPC分类号: H01M802

    CPC分类号: H01M8/04029 H01M8/0612

    摘要: An operating system for a direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell power plant is disclosed for producing electrical energy from reducing and process oxidant fluid reactant streams. The system includes at least one fuel cell for producing electrical energy from the reducing and oxidant fluid streams; fuel processing components for processing a hydrocarbon fuel into the reducing fluid; a thermal management system that directs flow of a cooling fluid for controlling heat within the plant including a porous water transport plate adjacent and in fluid communication with a cathode catalyst of the fuel cell; a direct antifreeze solution passing through the water transport plate; and, a split oxidant passage that directs the process oxidant stream into and through the fuel cell.

    摘要翻译: 公开了一种用于直接防冻冷却的燃料电池发电厂的操作系统,用于从减少和处理氧化剂流体反应物流中产生电能。 该系统包括用于从还原和氧化剂流体流产生电能的至少一个燃料电池; 用于将烃燃料加工成还原流体的燃料处理部件; 引导冷却流体流动以控制设备内的热量的热管理系统,包括邻近并与燃料电池的阴极催化剂流体连通的多孔水输送板; 通过水输送板的直接防冻溶液; 以及将过程氧化剂流引导并通过燃料电池的分离氧化剂通道。

    Direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell power plant
    2.
    发明授权
    Direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell power plant 失效
    直接防冻冷却燃料电池发电厂

    公开(公告)号:US06432566B1

    公开(公告)日:2002-08-13

    申请号:US09426357

    申请日:1999-10-25

    IPC分类号: H01M804

    摘要: A direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell power plant is disclosed. The plant includes at least one fuel cell a thermal management system that directs flow of a cooling fluid for controlling heat within the plant, including a direct antifreeze solution passing through the water transport plate. The plant also integrates the direct antifreeze solution with a direct mass and heat transfer device, a water treatment system, and a steam injection system so that the direct antifreeze solution minimizes problems related to operation of the plant in sub-freezing conditions. A preferred antifreeze solution is an alkanetriol selected from the group consisting of glycerol, butanetriol, and pentanetriol. The direct antifreeze solutions minimize movement of the antifreeze as a vapor out of a water transport plate into contact with cathode or anode catalysts, and also minimize direct antifreeze solution loss from other power plant systems.

    摘要翻译: 公开了直接防冻冷却的燃料电池发电厂。 该设备包括至少一个燃料电池,该热管理系统引导用于控制设备内的热量的冷却流体的流动,包括通过水输送板的直接防冻溶液。 该工厂还将直接防冻溶液与直接质量传热装置,水处理系统和蒸汽注入系统相结合,使得直接防冻溶液最大限度地减少了在低温条件下工厂运行的问题。 优选的防冻溶液是选自甘油,丁三醇和戊三醇的烷三醇。 直接防冻溶液使防冻剂的运动最小化为从水输送板中蒸出的与阴极或阳极催化剂接触的蒸气,并且还使来自其它发电厂系统的直接防冻溶液损失最小化。

    Direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell power plant system
    3.
    发明授权
    Direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell power plant system 失效
    直接防冻冷却燃料电池发电厂系统

    公开(公告)号:US06361891B1

    公开(公告)日:2002-03-26

    申请号:US09467810

    申请日:1999-12-20

    IPC分类号: H01M804

    CPC分类号: H01M8/04119 H01M8/04029

    摘要: A direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell power plant system is disclosed for producing electrical energy from reducing and process oxidant fluid reactant streams. The system includes at least one fuel cell for producing electrical energy from the reducing and oxidant fluid streams; a thermal management system that directs flow of a cooling fluid for controlling temperature within the plant including a porous water transport plate adjacent and in direct fluid communication with a cathode catalyst of the fuel cell; a direct antifreeze solution passing through the water transport plate; and, fuel processing components secured in fluid communication with the thermal management system for processing a hydrocarbon fuel into the reducing fluid and for controlling a concentration of a direct antifreeze in the direct antifreeze solution. The fuel processing components may include a boiler that receives a portion of the direct antifreeze solution from the thermal management system; a steam separator that directs separated steam from the boiler to a reformer for reforming the hydrocarbon fuel to the reducing fluid, and that directs separated liquid direct antifreeze solution back to the thermal management system. A preferred direct antifreeze solution is an alkanetriol selected from the group consisting of glycerol, butanetriol, and pentanetriol.

    摘要翻译: 公开了用于从减少和处理氧化剂流体反应物流产生电能的直接防冻冷却的燃料电池发电厂系统。 该系统包括用于从还原和氧化剂流体流产生电能的至少一个燃料电池; 引导用于控制设备内的温度的冷却流体的流动的热管理系统,包括与燃料电池的阴极催化剂相邻并与燃料电池的阴极催化剂直接流体连通的多孔水输送板; 通过水输送板的直接防冻溶液; 以及燃料处理部件与热管理系统保持流体连通,用于将烃燃料加工成还原流体并控制直接防冻溶液中直接防冻剂的浓度。 燃料处理部件可以包括从热管理系统接收直接防冻溶液的一部分的锅炉; 蒸汽分离器,其将分离的蒸汽从锅炉引导到重整器,用于将烃燃料重整为还原流体,并将分离的液体直接防冻溶液引导回热管理系统。 优选的直接防冻溶液是选自甘油,丁三醇和戊三醇的烷三醇。

    Fuel cell with a direct antifreeze impermeable cooler plate
    4.
    发明授权
    Fuel cell with a direct antifreeze impermeable cooler plate 失效
    燃料电池具有直接防冻防渗冷却板

    公开(公告)号:US06461753B1

    公开(公告)日:2002-10-08

    申请号:US09542209

    申请日:2000-04-04

    IPC分类号: H01M804

    CPC分类号: H01M8/04029 H01M8/04074

    摘要: A fuel cell with a direct antifreeze impermeable cooler plate is disclosed for producing electrical energy from reducing fluid and process oxidant reactant streams. The fuel cell includes an electrolyte secured between an anode catalyst and a cathode catalyst; an anode flow field secured adjacent the anode catalyst for directing the reducing fluid to pass adjacent the anode catalyst; a cathode flow field secured adjacent the cathode catalyst for directing the process oxidant stream to pass adjacent the cathode catalyst; a direct antifreeze impermeable cooler plate secured in heat exchange relationship with the cathode flow field; and a direct antifreeze solution passing through the cooler plate for controlling temperature within the fuel cell. The direct antifreeze solution is an organic antifreeze solution that is not volatile at cell operating temperatures. A preferred direct antifreeze solution is an alkanetriol selected from the group consisting of glycerol, butanetriol, and pentanetriol having favorable low volatility and high surface tension characteristics. The direct antifreeze impermeable cooler plate may be constructed of any material that is impermeable to liquid and compatible with a fuel cell operating environment such as plated metals, or in a preferred embodiment, the cooler plate may be a fine pore commercial graphite material.

    摘要翻译: 公开了一种具有直接防冻防渗冷却器板的燃料电池,用于从还原流体和处理氧化剂反应物流产生电能。 燃料电池包括固定在阳极催化剂和阴极催化剂之间的电解质; 邻近阳极催化剂固定的阳极流场,用于引导还原流体邻近阳极催化剂通过; 与阴极催化剂相邻固定的阴极流场,用于引导工艺氧化剂流通过邻近的阴极催化剂; 与阴极流场保持热交换关系的直接防冻防渗冷却板; 以及通过冷却器板的直接防冻溶液,用于控制燃料电池内的温度。 直接防冻溶液是在电池工作温度下不挥发的有机防冻溶液。 优选的直接防冻溶液是选自具有良好的低挥发性和高表面张力特性的甘油,丁三醇和戊三醇的烷三醇。 直接防冻防渗冷却器板可以由对液体不可渗透并且与诸如电镀金属的燃料电池操作环境兼容的任何材料构成,或者在优选实施例中,冷却器板可以是细孔商业石墨材料。

    Direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell
    5.
    发明授权
    Direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell 有权
    直接防冻冷却燃料电池

    公开(公告)号:US06794073B2

    公开(公告)日:2004-09-21

    申请号:US10037195

    申请日:2001-11-09

    IPC分类号: H01M804

    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.

    摘要翻译: 公开了直接防冻冷却的燃料电池,用于通过减少和处理氧化剂流体流产生电能,所述氧化剂流体流包括固定在阳极催化剂和阴极催化剂之间的电解质; 与阳极催化剂直接流体连通并支撑阳极催化剂的多孔阳极基板; 固定成与阴极催化剂直接流体连通并支撑阴极催化剂的多孔耐湿阴极基板; 固定成与多孔阴极基板直接流体连通的多孔水输送或冷却板; 以及通过多孔水输送板的直接防冻溶液。 通过多孔水输送板的优选的直接防冻溶液基本上保持在水输送板内,并且不会使催化剂中毒。

    Shut-down procedure for hydrogen-air fuel cell system

    公开(公告)号:US06635370B2

    公开(公告)日:2003-10-21

    申请号:US09872957

    申请日:2001-06-01

    IPC分类号: H01M800

    摘要: A fuel cell system is shut down by disconnecting the primary load, shutting off the air flow, and controlling the fuel flow into the system (including shutting off the fuel flow) and the gas flow out of the system in a manner that results in the fuel cell gases coming to equilibrium across the cells at a gas composition of at least 0.0001% hydrogen (by volume), and preferably between 1.0% and less than 4.0% hydrogen, by volume, with a balance of nitrogen and possibly other gases inert and harmless to the fuel cell, all the oxygen having been consumed by reacting with the hydrogen within the cell. That gas composition is maintained within the cells throughout shut-down, such as by adding hydrogen to replace any that is consumed by reaction with air leaking into the cells during the period of shut-down. This shut-down procedure causes virtually no cell performance losses.

    Freeze tolerant fuel cell power plant
    7.
    发明授权
    Freeze tolerant fuel cell power plant 失效
    耐冷燃料电池发电厂

    公开(公告)号:US06528194B1

    公开(公告)日:2003-03-04

    申请号:US09935254

    申请日:2001-08-22

    IPC分类号: H01M804

    摘要: The invention is a freeze tolerant fuel cell power plant that includes at least one fuel cell; a coolant loop having a coolant circulating device that directs a water coolant through a water transport plate within the fuel cell; and a water displacement system having a freeze tolerant accumulator that contains a water immiscible fluid and water coolant. The water displacement system also includes a water immiscible fluid pump, heater and displacement valves for directing the water immiscible fluid to flow from the accumulator into the coolant loop; for directing the water coolant in the coolant loop to flow into the accumulator; and, for directing heated water immiscible fluid to flow from the accumulator into the coolant loop and back into the accumulator.

    摘要翻译: 本发明是一种耐冷燃料电池发电厂,其包括至少一个燃料电池; 冷却剂回路,其具有冷却剂循环装置,其引导水冷却剂通过所述燃料电池内的水输送板; 以及具有防冻容器的排水系统,其包含与水不混溶的流体和水冷却剂。 排水系统还包括水不混溶流体泵,加热器和排出阀,用于引导水不混溶流体从蓄能器流入冷却剂回路; 用于引导冷却剂回路中的水冷却剂流入蓄能器; 并且用于引导加热的水不混溶的流体从蓄能器流入冷却剂回路并返回到蓄能器中。

    Direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell
    8.
    发明授权
    Direct antifreeze cooled fuel cell 失效
    直接防冻冷却燃料电池

    公开(公告)号:US06316135B1

    公开(公告)日:2001-11-13

    申请号:US09359475

    申请日:1999-07-22

    IPC分类号: H01M804

    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.

    摘要翻译: 公开了直接防冻冷却的燃料电池,用于通过减少和处理氧化剂流体流产生电能,所述氧化剂流体流包括固定在阳极催化剂和阴极催化剂之间的电解质; 与阳极催化剂直接流体连通并支撑阳极催化剂的多孔阳极基板; 固定成与阴极催化剂直接流体连通并支撑阴极催化剂的多孔湿气阴极基板; 与多孔阴极基板直接流体连通地固定的多孔水输送板; 以及通过多孔水输送板的直接防冻溶液。 在燃料电池的运行中,由于在阴极催化剂上电化学产生的水由阴极催化剂流入阴极基体并进入水输送板,并且由于阴极基板是防水的,所以通过水输送板的防冻溶液保持 基本上在这个板内。 在优选的实施方案中,通过水输送板的防冻液可以以比通过邻近阴极底物的氧化剂流的压力低的流动来引导。