Claims
- 1. A fuel cell comprising:
at least one hydrogen electrode frame, wherein a hydrogen electrode having a hydrogen interface and an electrolyte interface is overmolded within said hydrogen electrode frame forming a hydrogen electrode assembly having an inner side and an outer side; at least one oxygen electrode frame, wherein an oxygen electrode having an oxygen interface and an electrolyte interface is overmolded within said oxygen electrode frame forming an oxygen electrode assembly having an inner side and an outer side; at least one electrolyte chamber disposed between said hydrogen electrode and said oxygen electrode; and said inner sides of said hydrogen electrode assembly and said oxygen electrode assembly being adhered together forming a series of electrolyte flow channels disposed between said hydrogen electrode assembly and said oxygen electrode assembly, and a plurality of electrolyte flow distributing structures disposed within said electrolyte flow channels, said series of electrolyte flow channels and said electrolyte flow distributing structures being configured to uniformly distribute a high flow rate of an electrolyte solution laterally through said electrolyte chamber at a low pressure.
- 2. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogen electrode assembly and said oxygen electrode assembly have a tongue and groove configuration.
- 3. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogen electrode assembly and said oxygen electrode assembly are adhered together using a vibrational welding process.
- 4. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogen electrode assembly and said oxygen electrode assembly are adhered together using a ultrasonic welding process.
- 5. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogen electrode frame and said oxygen electrode frame each comprise:
60 to 100 weight percent of an alloy of polyphenylene ether and high impact polystyrene; and 0.0 to 40 weight percent glass fiber.
- 6. The fuel cell according to claim 5, wherein said alloy of polyphenylene ether and high impact polystyrene contains 35 to 75 weight percent polyphenylene ether and 25 to 65 weight percent high impact polystyrene.
- 7. The fuel cell according to claim 6, wherein said hydrogen electrode frame and said oxygen electrode frame comprise:
80 weight percent of a 50:50 alloy of polyphenylene ether and high impact polystyrene; and 20 weight percent glass fiber.
- 8. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said flow distributing structures extend from said hydrogen electrode assembly to said oxygen electrode assembly.
- 9. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said flow distributing structures have a polygonal cross section.
- 10. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said flow distributing structures have a circular cross section.
- 11. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said electrolyte chamber provides mechanical support within said fuel cell and provides an uninterrupted pathway for said electrolyte solution to contact said electrolyte interface of said hydrogen electrode and said electrolyte interface of said oxygen electrode.
- 12. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said electrolyte chamber contacts said electrolyte interface of said hydrogen electrode and said electrolyte interface of said oxygen electrode.
- 13. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said electrolyte chamber comprises a porous support structure disposed between a pair of membranes.
- 14. The fuel cell according to claim 13, wherein said membrane prevents excess electrolyte solution from contacting said hydrogen electrode and said oxygen electrode.
- 15. The fuel cell according to claim 13, wherein said membrane prevents said oxygen stream and said hydrogen stream from penetrating into said electrolyte.
- 16. The fuel cell according to claim 13, wherein said porous support structure is comprised of an expanded polymer sheet.
- 17. The fuel cell according to claim 16, wherein said expanded polymer sheet is comprised of a polyolefin.
- 18. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein a compression plate adapted to distribute a hydrogen stream across said hydrogen interface is disposed within said outer side of said hydrogen electrode assembly.
- 19. The fuel cell according to claim 18, wherein said compression plate disposed within said hydrogen electrode frame has a series of flow channels configured to uniformly distribute said hydrogen stream across said hydrogen electrode.
- 20. The fuel cell according to claim 18, wherein said compression plates are adapted to absorb expansion of said hydrogen electrode.
- 21. The fuel cell according to claim 18, wherein said compression plates provide mechanical support within said fuel cell.
- 22. The fuel cell according to claim 18, wherein said compression plate is comprised of rubber.
- 23. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein a compression plate adapted to distribute an oxygen stream across said oxygen interface is disposed within outer side of said oxygen electrode assembly.
- 24. The fuel cell according to claim 23, wherein said compression plate disposed within said oxygen electrode frame has a series of flow channels configured to uniformly distribute said oxygen stream across said oxygen electrode.
- 25. The fuel cell according to claim 23, wherein said compression plates are adapted to absorb expansion of said hydrogen electrode.
- 26. The fuel cell according to claim 23, wherein said compression plates provide mechanical support within said fuel cell.
- 27. The fuel cell according to claim 23, wherein said compression plate is comprised of rubber.
- 28. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogen electrode comprises an anode active material having hydrogen storage capacity.
- 29. The fuel cell according to claim 28, wherein said anode active material is electrically connected to a current collector.
- 30. The fuel cell according to claim 28, wherein the bulk of said anode active material is disposed between said hydrogen interface and said electrolyte interface.
- 31. The fuel cell according to claim 30, wherein said hydrogen interface is adapted to dissociate and absorb gaseous hydrogen.
- 32. The fuel cell according to claim 31, wherein the bulk of said anode active material is adapted to store said absorbed hydrogen.
- 33. The fuel cell according to claim 32, wherein said electrolyte interface is adapted to react said stored hydrogen with said electrolyte solution.
- 34. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogen electrode comprises an anode active material layer, a porous polytetrafluoroethylene layer, and at least one current collector grid.
- 35. The fuel cell according to claim 34, wherein said anode active material layer is disposed between said current collector grid and said polytetrafluoroethylene layer.
- 36. The fuel cell according to claim 34, wherein said anode active material layer is dispersed throughout said current collector grid.
- 37. The fuel cell according to claim 34, wherein said anode active material layer comprises a mixture of Misch metal nickel alloy, Raney nickel, graphite, and polytetrafluoroethylene powder.
- 38. The fuel cell according to claim 37, wherein said anode active material has the following composition:
35 to 40% weight percent Misch metal nickel alloy; 45 to 50% weight percent Raney nickel; 4% weight percent graphite; and 7 to 15% weight percent polytetrafluoroethylene.
- 39. The fuel cell according to claim 38, wherein said anode active material layer has the following preferred composition:
35 weight percent Misch metal nickel alloy, 46 weight percent raney nickel, 4 weight percent graphite, and 15 weight percent polytetrafluoroethylene powder.
- 40. The fuel cell according to claim 34, wherein said current collector grid comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of mesh, grid, matte, expanded metal, foil, foam and plate.
- 41. The fuel cell according to claim 34, wherein said current collector grid comprises 40 wires per inch running horizontally and 20 wires per inch running vertically.
- 42. The fuel cell according to claim 34, wherein said current collector grid is comprised of a conductive metal.
- 43. The fuel cell according to claim 42, wherein said conductive metal is nickel.
- 44. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said oxygen electrode comprises a cathode active material.
- 45. The fuel cell according to claim 44, wherein said current collector is electrically connected to said cathode active material.
- 46. The fuel cell according to claim 44, wherein said oxygen electrode has an oxygen interface, an electrolyte interface, and a bulk of said cathode active material.
- 47. The fuel cell according to claim 46, wherein said bulk of said cathode active material is disposed between said oxygen interface and said electrolyte interface.
- 48. The fuel cell according to claim 46, wherein said oxygen interface is adapted to dissociate and absorb gaseous oxygen.
- 49. The fuel cell according to claim 46, wherein said bulk of said cathode active material is adapted to store said absorbed oxygen.
- 50. The fuel cell according to claim 46, wherein said electrolyte interface is adapted to react said stored oxygen with an electrolyte solution.
- 51. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said oxygen electrode comprises a gas diffusion layer, a catalyst layer, a polytetrafluoroethylene layer, and at least one current collector grid.
- 52. The fuel cell according to claim 51, wherein said catalyst layer is disposed between said gas diffusion layer and said current collector grid.
- 53. The fuel cell according to claim 51, wherein said gas diffusion layer is disposed between said catalyst layer and said polytetrafluoroethylene layer.
- 54. The fuel cell according to claim 51, wherein said polytetrafluoroethylene layer is in intimate contact with said oxygen stream.
- 55. The fuel cell according to claim 51, wherein said catalyst layer is dispersed throughout said current collector grid.
- 56. The fuel cell according to claim 51, wherein said current collector grid is in intimate contact with said electrolyte stream.
- 57. The fuel cell according to claim 51, wherein said current collector comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of mesh, grid, matte, expanded metal, foil, foam and plate.
- 58. The fuel cell according to claim 51, wherein said current collector grid comprises 40 wires per inch running horizontally and 20 wires per inch running vertically.
- 59. The fuel cell according to claim 51, wherein said current collector grid is comprised of a conductive metal.
- 60. The fuel cell according to claim 59, wherein said current collector grid is comprised of nickel.
- 61. The fuel cell according to claim 51, wherein said gas diffusion layer has the following composition:
40 weight percent polytetrafluoroethylene; 60 weight percent carbon black.
- 62. The fuel cell according to claim 51, wherein said catalyst layer has the following composition:
70 to 80 weight percent of a mixture by weight of 20 percent polytetrafluoroethylene and 80 percent carbon black, 20 to 30 weight percent silver oxide.
- 63. The fuel cell according to claim 62, wherein said silver oxide contains a lithium aluminum alloy.
- 64. The fuel cell according to claim 63, wherein said silver oxide contains gallium.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present invention is a continuation-in-part of, and is entitled to the benefit of the earlier filing date and priority of, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/134,756, which is assigned to the same assignee as the current application, entitled “Fuel Cell With Framed Electrodes”, filed Apr. 29, 2002, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10134756 |
Apr 2002 |
US |
Child |
10284817 |
Oct 2002 |
US |