Abstract:
A membrane electrode and seal assembly (40) for an electrochemical fuel cell (10) comprises first and second layers of porous electrically conductive sheet material, such as carbon fiber paper (44, 50). The sheet material layers have a solid polymer ion exchange membrane (43) interposed therebetween. The sheet material layers cover and support the membrane (43) over substantially its entire surface area. The sheet material layers are coated with a catalyst (54) to render them electrochemically active, and are bonded together with the membrane to form a consolidated assembly. Openings (51, 52, 111, 112, 113, 114) are formed in the layers of sheet material and the membrane to accommodate the passage of fluids through the assembly. Channels (60, 61) formed in the layers of sheet material generally circumscribe the openings and the electrochemically active region of the sheet material. Solid preformed gaskets (62, 63) are disposed in the channels. The gasketing technique can also be applied to the membrane and seal assemblies (40) of the humidification portion (30) of fuel cell stacks (10).
Abstract:
A membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell has a segmented membrane including a porous support having a surface area, the surface area divided into a first portion and a second portion. An alkaline segment is formed from the first portion of the porous support imbibed with an alkaline ionomer. An acid segment is formed from the second portion of the porous support imbibed with an acid ionomer. The alkaline segment is sized to provide a humidification amount to a feed gas passing through the acid segment.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a system and method of operating alkaline exchange membrane fuel cells in a bipolar configuration. The system (400) may include a first fuel cell (300A) and a second fuel cell (300B) adjacent to the first fuel cell. Each of the first and second fuel cells may include: a cathode configured to generate hydroxide ions from water, oxygen and electrons, an anode configured to generate water and electrons from the hydroxide ions and hydrogen received from a hydrogen source, and an alkaline exchange membrane configured to transfer the hydroxide ions from the cathode to the anode, and to transfer water from a vicinity of the anode to a vicinity of the cathode. The first fuel cell (300A) and a second fuel cell (300B) are connected by a porous bipolar plate (430A) positioned inbetween. A pressure profile across the first bi-polar plate may drop from higher level near the anode of the first fuel cell (300A) to lower level near the cathode of the second fuel cell (300B) so that water may be transferred from the anode of the first fuel cell (300A) to the cathode of the second fuel cell (300B).
Abstract:
Eine Akkumulator-Anordnung (6) für ein Fahrzeug, mit zumindest einem Metall-Luft-Akkumulator (1), einer Filtereinrichtung (8), die dazu eingerichtet ist, Zuluft (L) des Metall-Luft-Akkumulators (1) derart zu konditionieren, dass die Zuluft (L) eine vorgegebene Luftfeuchtigkeit aufweist, und einem Gehäuse (7), in dem der Metall-Luft-Akkumulator (1) und die Filtereinrichtung (8) aufgenommen ist, wobei die Zuluft (L) mit Hilfe einer Strömungsumlenkeinrichtung (22) in dem Gehäuse (7) so umleitbar ist, dass die Filtereinrichtung (8) mit Hilfe von Abwärme des Metall-Luft-Akkumulators (1) regenerierbar ist.
Abstract:
The present invention discloses a method of manufacturing gas diffusion layers (GDL) with a defined pattern of hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions. The method to produce electrically conductive porous materials with distributed wettability comprises the steps of: a) Coating the external and internal surfaces of a porous base material made of carbon fiber or Titanium with Fluoroethylene-Propylene (FEP) and/or perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) and/or Ethylene-Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) or any other hydrophobic polymer; b) Exposing the coated material to irradiation through a blocking mask such that only parts of the coated porous material are exposed; c) Immersing the previously exposed material in a monomer solution and heating to a temperature higher than 45°C, resulting in the graft co-polymerization of monomers on the FEP layer.