Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090246578 | THERMAL MANAGEMENT IN A FUEL CELL SYSTEM - Embodiments of thermally integrated HT PEM fuel cell systems are disclosed. In one disclosed embodiment, a fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell, a fuel processor configured to form a processed fuel for the fuel cell, and a thermal management system comprising a heat transfer fluid circulation loop that circulates a heat transfer fluid through the fuel cell and through the fuel processing system in a common loop. | 10-01-2009 |
20090253000 | System and method for operating a high temperature fuel cell as a back-up power supply with reduced performance decay - A method is provided for reducing degradation in a fuel cell assembly, including at least one fuel cell with a PBI membrane, during standby, operation. The method may include electrochemically consuming an oxidant from a cathode coupled to the PBI membrane in response to a disconnection of an external load and supplying fuel to remove or electrochemically consume any back-diffused oxidant to the associated fuel cell sufficient to replace or consume the back-diffused oxidant while the external load is removed, and/or also may include controlling a standby temperature of the fuel cell. In this way, it may be possible to avoid increased cell voltage decay associated with degradation of the PBI in a simple and cost effective system. | 10-08-2009 |
20090280367 | Extraction of Energy From Used Cooking Oil - The extraction of energy from used cooking oil is disclosed. In one embodiment, used cooking oil is admitted from a cooking appliance to an interface, and then to a reactor or a series of reactors where it is reformed into a hydrogen-containing, reformed fuel. The hydrogen-containing, reformed fuel is then admitted to a fuel cell which produces electricity. | 11-12-2009 |
20100216041 | Extraction of Energy From Used Cooking Oil - The extraction of energy from used cooking oil is disclosed. In one embodiment, used cooking oil is admitted from a cooking appliance to an interface, and then to a reactor or a series of reactors where it is reformed into a hydrogen-containing, reformed fuel. The hydrogen-containing, reformed fuel is then admitted to a fuel cell which produces electricity. | 08-26-2010 |
20100216044 | Air-Cooled Thermal Management for a Fuel Cell Stack - The air-cooled thermal management of a fuel cell stack is disclosed. One disclosed embodiment comprises a cooling plate apparatus for an air-cooled fuel cell stack, where the cooling plate comprises a body configured to receive heat from one or more fuel cells in thermal communication with the body, and airflow channels formed in the body and configured to allow a flow of a cooling air to pass across the body. An insulating structure is disposed in the airflow channels, wherein the insulating structure has decreasing thickness from a cooling air inlet toward a cooling air outlet. | 08-26-2010 |
20100227250 | Rigidity & Inplane Electrolyte Mobility Enhancement for Fuel Cell Eletrolyte Membranes - Embodiments related to fuel cells and membrane-electrode assemblies for fuel cells are disclosed. In one disclosed embodiment, a membrane-electrode assembly includes a catalyzed anode material and a membrane disposed in face-sharing contact with the catalyzed anode material. The membrane comprises mutually interpenetrating first and second phases, the first phase supporting an ionic conduction through the membrane, and the second phase supporting a dimensional structure of the membrane. The membrane-electrode assembly also includes a catalyzed cathode material disposed in face-sharing contact with the membrane, opposite the catalyzed anode material. Two opposing flow plates are also provided, each flow plate configured to distribute a reactant gas to a catalyzed electrode material of the membrane-electrode assembly. Other embodiments provide variants on the membrane-electrode assembly and methods to make the membrane-electrode assembly. | 09-09-2010 |
20120156581 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A HIGH TEMPERATURE FUEL CELL AS A BACK-UP POWER SUPPLY WITH REDUCED PERFORMANCE DECAY - A method is provided for reducing degradation in a fuel cell assembly, including at least one fuel cell with a PBI membrane, during standby, operation. The method may include electrochemically consuming an oxidant from a cathode coupled to the PBI membrane in response to a disconnection of an external load and supplying fuel to remove or electrochemically consume any back-diffused oxidant to the associated fuel cell sufficient to replace or consume the back-diffused oxidant while the external load is removed, and/or also may include controlling a standby temperature of the fuel cell. In this way, it may be possible to avoid increased cell voltage decay associated with degradation of the PBI in a simple and cost effective system. | 06-21-2012 |
20120164551 | Decreasing Electrolyte Loss in PEM Fuel Cell - Embodiments are disclosed that relate to preventing electrolyte wicking by bipolar plates in a fuel cell system. In one example, a fuel cell system includes a first membrane-electrode assembly and a second membrane-electrode assembly. The fuel cell system further includes a bipolar plate disposed between the first membrane-electrode assembly and the second membrane-electrode assembly, the bipolar plate comprising a graphite layer and a surface energy adjustment layer. | 06-28-2012 |