Fuel cell with flow-through porous electrodes
First Claim
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1. A membraneless fuel cell for use with liquid reactants, the fuel cell comprising:
- a first porous electrode and a second porous electrode, whereinthe first porous electrode is a porous, electrically conductive anode having a porosity ranging from 40% to 95% and comprising an interstitial pore network, the porous anode being fluidly coupled to an anodic reactant inlet that flows anodic reactant orthogonally through the porous anode; and
the second porous electrode is a porous, electrically conductive cathode having a porosity ranging from 40% to 95% and comprising an interstitial pore network, the porous cathode being fluidly coupled to a cathodic reactant inlet that flows cathodic reactant orthogonally through the porous cathode in a direction opposite to that of anodic reactant flow through the porous anode;
an electrolyte channel, defined by the anode and cathode, for receiving a parallel co-laminar flow of anodic reactant and product and cathodic reactant and product in liquid electrolyte through the electrolyte channel, wherein the parallel co-laminar flow of anodic reactant and product and cathodic reactant and product is in the same direction; and
one reactant outlet per porous electrode;
whereinat least one of the first porous electrode or the second porous electrode is a hydrophilic porous electrode comprising a catalyst;
the electrolyte and the anodic reactant are mixed as they flow through the anode, and electrolyte and the cathodic reactant are mixed as they flow through the cathode; and
the first and second porous electrodes and outlets are positioned to provide orthogonally arranged flow of liquid reactants towards the outlets, in use.
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Abstract
A microfluidic fuel cell with flow-through architecture is provided. The anode and the cathode are porous electrodes and comprise an interstitial pore network. A virtual insulator is located between the electrodes, in an electrolyte channel. The virtual insulator is comprised of a co-laminar flow of an electrolyte. An inlet directs substantially all the flow of liquid reactant through the porous electrode.
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Citations
4 Claims
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1. A membraneless fuel cell for use with liquid reactants, the fuel cell comprising:
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a first porous electrode and a second porous electrode, wherein the first porous electrode is a porous, electrically conductive anode having a porosity ranging from 40% to 95% and comprising an interstitial pore network, the porous anode being fluidly coupled to an anodic reactant inlet that flows anodic reactant orthogonally through the porous anode; and the second porous electrode is a porous, electrically conductive cathode having a porosity ranging from 40% to 95% and comprising an interstitial pore network, the porous cathode being fluidly coupled to a cathodic reactant inlet that flows cathodic reactant orthogonally through the porous cathode in a direction opposite to that of anodic reactant flow through the porous anode; an electrolyte channel, defined by the anode and cathode, for receiving a parallel co-laminar flow of anodic reactant and product and cathodic reactant and product in liquid electrolyte through the electrolyte channel, wherein the parallel co-laminar flow of anodic reactant and product and cathodic reactant and product is in the same direction; and one reactant outlet per porous electrode; wherein at least one of the first porous electrode or the second porous electrode is a hydrophilic porous electrode comprising a catalyst; the electrolyte and the anodic reactant are mixed as they flow through the anode, and electrolyte and the cathodic reactant are mixed as they flow through the cathode; and the first and second porous electrodes and outlets are positioned to provide orthogonally arranged flow of liquid reactants towards the outlets, in use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification