Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
429014000 | Circulating or feeding electrolyte | 29 |
20080213635 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PURGING FUEL CELL STACKS - A fuel cell stack comprising a fuel inlet and an oxidant inlet for allowing the supply of a fuel and an oxidant to the fuel cell stack, respectively, and a fuel outlet and an oxidant outlet for allowing the removal of an anode exhaust and a cathode exhaust from the fuel cell stack, respectively, wherein the fuel outlet is fluidly connected to a high frequency purge valve. | 09-04-2008 |
20080311440 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME - A fuel cell system includes a power unit that generates power using a fuel; a fuel storage unit that stores the fuel; a fuel supply device that conveys the fuel from the fuel storage unit to the power unit; and a control unit that controls the supply of the fuel and the generation of power. The fuel supply device includes a fuel supply control device that controls the supply of fuel according to a signal generated by the control unit. The control unit includes a fuel control unit that generates the signal according to the information of the fuel storage unit and the state information of the power unit. | 12-18-2008 |
20080318093 | Hydrogen recirculation apparatus for fuel cell vehicle and method thereof - The present invention provides a hydrogen recirculation apparatus for a fuel cell vehicle, a fuel tank storing hydrogen, a high-pressure regulator for regulating pressure of hydrogen, a low-pressure regulator for regulating pressure of hydrogen, and a solenoid valve for opening/closing a passage from the fuel tank to the pressure regulators are provided, the apparatus comprising: a fuel cell stack having an inlet and an outlet; a hydrogen recirculation blower; a hydrogen recirculation line connecting the outlet of the fuel cell stack and the hydrogen recirculation blower for recirculating residual hydrogen discharged from the outlet of the fuel cell; a water separator provided in the hydrogen recirculation line at a position between the hydrogen recirculation blower and the outlet of the fuel cell stack, the water separator serving to separate condensed water generated in the hydrogen recirculation line; and a humidifier/heat exchanger for humidifying and heat-exchanging dry hydrogen flowing through the low-pressure regulator and recirculated hydrogen flowing through the hydrogen recirculation blower, the humidifier/heat exchanger utilizing the condensed water flowing from the water separator as a source of humidity, wherein the water heat-exchanged with hydrogen by the humidifier/heat exchanger is reused for cooling the hydrogen recirculation blower, and the water used in the hydrogen recirculation blower, the temperature of which is increased by the operation of the hydrogen recirculation blower, is mixed with water flowing from the water separator before introduction into humidifier/heat exchanger. | 12-25-2008 |
20090023020 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND OPERATION METHOD FOR FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system ( | 01-22-2009 |
20090061264 | Carbon dioxide recirculation - Carbon dioxide recirculating apparatus ( | 03-05-2009 |
20090068507 | FUEL CARTRIDGE AND DIRECT METHANOL FUEL CELL HAVING THE SAME AND METHOD OF PURGING DIRECT METHANOL FUEL CELL USING THE FUEL CARTRIDGE - A fuel cartridge capable of supplying two fuels to an anode of a fuel cell body without using a pump, a direct methanol fuel cell having the same, and a method of purging a direct methanol fuel cell using the fuel cartridge, fuel cartridge according to one exemplary embodiment comprising a first storage unit having a first port for entrance and exit of a fluid and storing a liquid first fuel; and a second storage unit having a second port for entrance and exit of a fluid and filling a second fuel at a constant pressure, wherein the first fuel is discharged into the first port by the pressure of the second fuel. | 03-12-2009 |
20090081496 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND START-UP METHOD - A fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells is provided. An anode supply manifold and an anode exhaust manifold are in fluid communication with the anodes of the plurality of fuel cells. A first valve is in fluid communication with the anode supply manifold and a second valve is in fluid communication with the anode exhaust manifold. A pressure sensor is adapted to measure an anode pressure. In operation, the first valve and the second valve are controlled in response to the anode pressure, thereby militating against an undesired exhausting of an anode supply stream. | 03-26-2009 |
20090087703 | RECYCLER FOR DIRECT METHANOL FUEL CELL AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME - A recycler for a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) that uses methanol as a direct feed fuel includes: a housing in which a gas-liquid mixture recovered from a stack is accommodated; a rotor rotatably mounted in the housing; and a motor to rotate the rotor, wherein, when the rotor is rotated by the motor, a phase separation occurs such that liquid in the gas-liquid mixture is collected mainly in an outer region of the housing and gas is collected in the center region of the housing due to the centrifugal force. Accordingly, as it is unnecessary to align a liquid outlet port of the housing with a gravitational direction, the recycler can be employed in a mobile apparatus whose orientation occasionally changes. Also, the recycler does not use a membrane whose performance is rapidly reduced over time so that effective performance can be maintained for a long operation time. | 04-02-2009 |
20090123794 | FUEL CELL CIRCULATION SYSTEM AND FLUID MANAGEMENT METHOD AND SHUTDOWN PROCEDURE THEREFOR - A fuel cell circulation system includes a fuel tank, a water tank, a mixing tank, a first pump, a second pump, and an on/off valve. The mixing tank is in fluid communication with the fuel tank and the water tank. The first pump in fluid communication with the fuel tank, the water tank and the mixing tank is for pumping the fuel in the fuel tank and the reaction water in the water tank into the mixing tank to form a mixed fluid. The second pump in fluid communication with the fuel cell and the mixing tank is used for cyclically pumping the mixed fluid to the fuel cell and sending the reacted mixed fluid back to the mixing tank. The on/off valve is provided on the flow path between the fuel tank and the first pump to control the fluid communication between the fuel tank and the mixing tank. | 05-14-2009 |
20090130503 | Fuelling System for Fuel Cell - A fuelling system comprises a hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell having hydrogen and oxygen compartments, and a vessel having first and second chambers, the first chamber connected to the hydrogen compartment and the second chamber connected to the oxygen compartment, via valved ports, wherein the volume of the first chamber is approximately twice the volume of the second chamber. Such a fuelling system is suitable for use in a method of fuelling a hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell having hydrogen and oxygen compartments, which comprises supplying hydrogen from a first chamber of a vessel to the hydrogen compartment, and supplying oxygen from a second chamber of the vessel to the oxygen compartment, wherein the hydrogen and oxygen are supplied in a stoichiometric ratio and at substantially equal pressures. | 05-21-2009 |
20090136796 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ACTIVATING THE FUEL CELL - Fuel cell system including a fuel cell assembly having an anode and a cathode. A fuel/electrolyte module includes a liquid fuel and/or a liquid electrolyte and/or components of the liquid fuel and/or the liquid electrolyte. A housing arrangement houses the fuel cell assembly and the fuel/electrolyte module. A system is used for transferring at least a part of the contents of the fuel/electrolyte module into the fuel cell assembly. A method is also disclosed of generating electrical power using a power system including at least one fuel cell unit having a fuel cell assembly and a fuel/electrolyte module arranged within a housing arrangement. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. | 05-28-2009 |
20090155639 | SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICAL POWER - The present invention relates to a process for generating electricity with a solid oxide fuel cell system with low carbon dioxide emissions. A liquid hydrocarbon feed is cracked in a first reaction zone, and fed as a gaseous feed to a second reaction zone. The feed is steam reformed in the second reaction zone to provide a reformed product gas containing hydrogen. Hydrogen is separated from the reformed product gas and is fed as a fuel to the anode of a solid oxide fuel cell. Electricity is generated in the fuel cell by oxidizing the hydrogen in the fuel. An anode exhaust stream containing hydrogen and steam is fed back into the first reaction zone to provide heat to drive the endothermic reactions in the first and second reaction zones, and to recycle unused hydrogen back to the fuel cell. Carbon dioxide is produced in relatively small quantities in the process due to the thermal and electrical efficiency of the process. | 06-18-2009 |
20090155640 | SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICAL POWER - The present invention relates to a process for generating electricity with a solid oxide fuel cell system with low carbon dioxide production. First and second gas streams containing hydrogen are fed at independently selected rates to an anode of a solid oxide fuel cell. The first and second gas streams are mixed with an oxidant at one or more anode electrodes of the solid oxide fuel cell to generate electricity. An anode exhaust stream comprising hydrogen and water is separated from the anode of the fuel cell, and the second gas stream comprising hydrogen is separated from the anode exhaust stream and fed back to the anode of the fuel cell. The rates that the first and second gas streams are fed to the fuel cell are selected so the fuel cell generates a high electrical power density. Recycle of the hydrogen from the anode exhaust reduces the amount of hydrogen required to be generated to operate the fuel cell, thereby reducing the carbon dioxide produced in the generation of hydrogen required to operate the fuel cell. | 06-18-2009 |
20090214901 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A fuel cell system and a control method thereof; said system comprises a fuel cell generator ( | 08-27-2009 |
20090269627 | HYDROGEN-IMMERSED FUEL CELL STACK AND RELATED OPERATION - A product includes a fuel cell stack, and an enclosure apparatus sealingly enclosing the fuel cell stack to define a hydrogen chamber between the fuel cell stack and the enclosure apparatus. | 10-29-2009 |
20090286114 | ACTIVE METAL FUEL CELLS - Active metal fuel cells are provided. An active metal fuel cell has a renewable active metal (e.g., lithium) anode and a cathode structure that includes an electronically conductive component (e.g., a porous metal or alloy), an ionically conductive component (e.g., an electrolyte), and a fluid oxidant (e.g., air, water or a peroxide or other aqueous solution). The pairing of an active metal anode with a cathode oxidant in a fuel cell is enabled by an ionically conductive protective membrane on the surface of the anode facing the cathode. | 11-19-2009 |
20090291334 | System and Method of Controlling Fluid to a Fluid Consuming Battery - A fluid regulating system is provided for controlling fluid to a fluid consuming battery having a fluid consuming cell. The fluid regulating system includes a valve having a moving plate disposed adjacent to a fixed plate, and both having fluid entry ports to open and close a valve. The fluid regulating system also includes an actuator for moving the moving plate to open and close the valve. The actuator is controlled to open the valve when greater battery electrical output is required to operate a device and maintains the valve in the open position for a minimum required time to minimize battery capacity loss due to operation of the fluid regulating system. | 11-26-2009 |
20100028732 | METHOD AN APPARATUS FOR OPERATING A SOLID-OXIDE FUEL CELL STACK WITH A MIXED IONIC/ELECTRONIC CONDUCTING ELECTROLYTE - A method and apparatus for operating an intermediate-temperature solid-oxide fuel cell stack ( | 02-04-2010 |
20100028733 | Electrochemical Device With A LSGM-Electrolyte - An electrochemical device including an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode, wherein the electrolyte membrane has a material of formula La | 02-04-2010 |
20100040913 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING DETERIORATION OF A FUEL CELL AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING DETERIORATION OF THE SAME - The present invention provides an apparatus and method for determining deterioration of a fuel cell, the method including measuring in real time fluoride ion concentration or pH value of outflow water from a fuel cell stack during operation in a fuel cell vehicle, calculating a fluoride emission rate from the measured value and, if the calculated fluoride emission rate is out of a predetermined normal range, determining deterioration of an electrolyte membrane of the fuel cell stack. | 02-18-2010 |
20100040914 | FUEL-CASCADED FUEL CELL STACKS WITH DECOUPLED POWER OUTPUTS - Fuel exhaust ( | 02-18-2010 |
20100055515 | FUEL SUPPLY CONTROL METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FUEL CELLS - An embodiment of the invention provides a fuel supply control system to control a fuel cell system to work in a predetermined temperature range by controlling a fuel supply rate. The fuel supply control system includes a fuel supply controller and a fuel supply device. The fuel supply controller calculates a temperature variation slope to generate a first fuel supply rate by increasing or decreasing the predetermined fuel supply rate according to the relationship of system temperature and predetermined working temperature, and controls a fuel delivering rate of the fuel supply device according to the first fuel supply rate. | 03-04-2010 |
20100112391 | COUNTER-FLOW MEMBRANELESS FUEL CELL - A method for generating electrical current using a fuel cell includes flowing a first flow that includes a fuel and an electrolyte through a first channel. The fuel is oxidized at an anode to generate electrons for conduction to a load and oxidation products that remain in the first flow. The method includes flowing a second flow that includes an oxidizer and an electrolyte through a second channel that is open to the first channel. A cathode receives electrons from the load and the oxidation products, and the oxidizer is reduced to form reduction products and complete an electrochemical circuit. The plurality of exchange zones are positioned and the flows are oriented within their respective first and second channels such that the first and second flows contact one another intermittently at the exchange zones to enable transport of the reduction and oxidation products to the anode and cathode. | 05-06-2010 |
20100151291 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode; an oxidant gas flowpath supplying the oxidant gas to the fuel cell and discharging the oxidant gas from the fuel cell; a first shut-off valve disposed upstream from the fuel cell and having a first valve body; a second shut-off valve disposed downstream from the fuel cell and having a second valve body; a cathode control unit for sealing the cathode; and a scavenging unit for scavenging the anode by supplying the oxidant gas to the anode, wherein the cathode control unit, before scavenging the anode by using the scavenging unit, unseals the cathode by opening the first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve. The fuel cell system is capable of preventing the valve bodies pressed against seat sections from being frozen even below the freezing temperature, and capable of avoiding a situation unable to restart a turned-off state of the fuel cell system. | 06-17-2010 |
20100167095 | DIRECT METHANOL FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) system including: a separator receiving a gas-liquid mixture discharged from a stack and separating the mixture to gas and a liquid; a methanol cartridge storing high concentration methanol; and a fuel mixer for methanol dilution. The separator and the fuel mixer are separate structures, each including an agitator for stirring a liquid. The agitators can be on the same rotation axis. | 07-01-2010 |
429015000 | Active material in electrolyte | 4 |
20080226953 | Cell for gas generation - A cell for gas generation is provided, particularly for the operation of a lubricant dispenser. The cell has two electrodes to be connected to a circuit containing a power source, and an aqueous electrolyte fluid located between the two electrodes, containing an azide having the formula XN | 09-18-2008 |
20080248343 | MICROFLUIDIC FUEL CELLS - A fuel cell includes an anode, a cathode, a microfluidic channel contiguous with at least one of the anode and the cathode, and a single flowing electrolyte. The flowing electrolyte passes through the microfluidic channel. A method of generating electricity includes flowing the single electrolyte through the microfluidic channel, where a fuel is oxidized at the anode, an oxidant is reduced at the cathode, and the electrolyte comprises the fuel or the oxidant. The flowing electrolyte may pass through the microfluidic channel in a laminar flow. | 10-09-2008 |
20090053565 | FUEL CELL, COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS - Alkali fuel cells, systems, and related methods, and flow-through, high-surface area electrodes, are employed to generate electricity. The electrode can include a porous substrate comprising a first side for fluid ingress, a second side for fluid egress, and a plurality of walls oriented in different directions between the first and second sides. Voids can be defined between the walls. The walls can include surfaces and micro-scale pores. A multi-directional fluid flow path can be defined between the first and second sides. A thin film comprising a catalytic material can be disposed on the surfaces. A fuel/electrolyte mixture can be flowable generally from the first side, through the voids and the pores of the substrate and in contact with the thin film, and to the second side. Additives can be included for refreshing the electrolyte and/or the electrode. A water/thermal/pressure management system includes a permeable membrane from which water can be removed from a fluid while retaining fuel and/or electrolyte in the fluid. The electrolyte can include an additive that cleans the electrodes. A refresh cycle can be implemented in which one or more electrodes are operated in a mode that refreshes catalytic material of the electrode. | 02-26-2009 |
20090130504 | ELECTROCHEMICAL DISCHARGE CELL - An electrochemical cell comprising an electrode and one or more fuel compartments. The fuel compartment includes input and output sidewalls of dimension h and end walls of dimension w. The fuel compartment is arranged between an input flow plate and output flow channel with the input flow plate adjacent to the input side wall and the output flow channel adjacent to the output side wall of the fuel compartment. The input flow plate comprises a porous membrane or a plurality of openings through which electrolyte can flow into the fuel compartment from an electrolyte source. The input flow plate directs the flow of the electrolyte through the fuel compartment in a direction essentially parallel to dimension w and into the output flow channel. | 05-21-2009 |