Claims
- 1. An electrochemical cell system, comprising:
at least one electrochemical cell comprising a membrane electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a membrane disposed between and in intimate contact with the first electrode and the second electrode; and a vessel disposed around the membrane electrode assembly, the vessel defining at least a portion of a first storage area in fluid communication with the first electrode and at least a portion of a second storage area in fluid communication with the second electrode.
- 2. The electrochemical cell system as in claim 1, wherein said first storage area further comprises an area between a first electrochemical cell end plate and a first wall of said vessel;
said second storage area further comprises an area between a second electrochemical cell end plate and a second wall of said vessel.
- 3. The electrochemical cell system as in claim 1, wherein said second storage area comprises an area in a flow field in fluid communication with the second electrode.
- 4. The electrochemical cell system as in claim 1, wherein said first storage area comprises an area in a flow field in fluid communication with the first electrode.
- 5. An electrochemical cell system, comprising:
at least one electrochemical cell comprising a membrane electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, a membrane disposed between and in intimate contact with the first electrode and the second electrode, a first flow field in fluid communication with the first electrode, and a second flow field in fluid communication with the second electrode; and a vessel disposed around the membrane electrode assembly, the vessel defining at least a portion of a first storage area in fluid communication with the first electrode and defining at least a portion of a second storage area in fluid communication with the second electrode, wherein said first storage area comprises an area between a first electrochemical cell endplate and a first wall of said vessel, and said second storage area comprises an area between a second electrochemical cell endplate and a second wall of said vessel.
- 6. The electrochemical cell system of claim 5, further comprising porous material between the second electrode and the portion of the first storage area within the second flow field.
- 7. The electrochemical cell system of claim 6, further wherein said second storage area further comprises at least a portion of the first flow field.
- 8. The electrochemical cell system of claim 7, further comprising porous material between the first electrode and the portion of the first storage area within the first flow field.
- 9. A method for operating an electrochemical cell system including at least one electrochemical cell within a vessel, comprising:
introducing a first fluid from a first storage area within the vessel to a first flow field, the first storage area being within the vessel; reacting said the first fluid on a the first electrode adjacent to and in fluid communication with the first flow field to form ions which migrate across a membrane to a second electrode; forming a second fluid at the second electrode; and passing said second fluid through a second flow field into a second storage area within the vessel.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the Provisional application Ser. No. 60/171,369 filed Dec. 22, 1999, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60171369 |
Dec 1999 |
US |