Methods and composition for cleaning and passivating fuel cell systems

• US 20050245411A1
• Filed: 03/24/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prestone Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Bo Yang, Filipe J. Marinho, Peter M. Woyciesjes
• Inventors: Yang, Bo, Woyciesjes, Peter M., Marinho, Filipe J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,442,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 510/184
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/032 by the mechanical action of a moving fluid, e.g. by flushing B08B9/04 takes precedence ; by fluid jets mounted on cleaning devices B08B9/0433
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/123 derived from carboxylic acids, e.g. sulfosuccinates
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/22 derived from aromatic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/24 containing ester or ether groups directly attached to the nucleus
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/345 Phosphates or phosphites
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/44 Ethers of polyoxyalkylenes with amino alcohols; Condensation products of epoxyalkanes with amines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/72 Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/20 Industrial or commercial equipment, e.g. reactors, tubes or engines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0073 Anticorrosion compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/201 linear
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2044 linear
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2075 Carboxylic acids-salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/36 containing phosphorus C11D3/162, C11D3/164, C11D3/166, C11D3/168 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3765 in liquid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/378 (Co)polymerised monomers containing sulfur, e.g. sulfonate
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/43 Solvents
• CPC Class Codes: C23G 1/14 with alkaline solutions
• CPC Class Codes: C23G 1/24 with neutral solutions
• CPC Class Codes: F28G 9/00 Cleaning by flushing or washing, e.g. with chemical solvents appliances using jets of fluid for removing debris F28G1/16, F28G3/16
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04029 Heat exchange using liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0662 : Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells

Abstract

A cleaner-passivator composition and method for treating a fuel cell cooling system are described. The cleaner-passivator comprises a complexing agent, a surfactant, a corrosion inhibitor, and a solvent. The cleaner-passivator reduces the contaminants circulating in the fuel cell coolant system that contribute to increasing conductivity in the fuel cell coolant. In addition, the passivator reduces the surface corrosion in the fuel cell system.

Claims

1. A cleaner-passivator composition for treatment of a fuel cell coolant system, comprising:

a complexing agent;

a surfactant;

a corrosion inhibitor; and

a solvent;

wherein the cleaner-passivator composition comprises no added non-biodegradable aminocarboxylates.

2. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 1, wherein the cleaner-passivator composition comprises no added aminocarboxylates.

3. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 1, wherein the complexing agent is a hydroxycarboxylate;

a phosphonate;

a phosphinate;

a carboxylate;

a dicarboxylate;

an acrylate-based polymer, copolymer, or terpolymer;

a maleic acid based polymer, copolymer or terpolymer;

a polyaspartic acid;

an aspartic acid based copolymer;

or a combination comprising one or more of the foregoing complexing agents.

4. The cleaner-passivator of claim 3, wherein the complexing agent is citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, glucaric acid, glucoheptonic acid, glycolic acid, HEDP (1-1-hydroxyethylidene-1, 1-diphosphonic acid), PBTC (2-phosphono-butane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid), AMP (amino tri(methylene phosphonic acid)), HPA (hydroxyphosphono acetic acid), HMDTMP (hexamethylenediaminetetra (methylene phosphonic acid)), DTPA (diethylenetriaminepenta (methylenephosphonic acid)), phosphono succinic acid or its mono, bis and oligomeric adducts, phosphino succinic acid or its mono, bis and oligomeric adducts, oxalic acid, benzoic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, sulfamic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, peracetic acid, a polyacrylate, an acrylate-acrylamide copolymer, an acrylate-AMPS (acrylamido methylene sulphonic acid) copolymer, an acrylate-maleate copolymer, an acrylate-hydroxypropolyacrylate copolymer, an acrylate-sulfonate copolymer, an acrylate-acrylamide-sulfonate terpolymer, an amine substituted sulfoalylated acrylamide acrylate terpolymer, a polymaleic acid, a polymaleic anhydride, a polymethacrylic acid, an acrylate-methacrylate copolymer, a styrene sulphonate-maleic acid copolymer, a phosphinate-acrylate copolymer, an acrylate-AMPS-styrene sulphonate terpolymer, an acrylate-AMPS-phosphinate terpolymer, a polyaspartic acid, an aspartic acid based copolymer, an isomer or salt of any of the forgoing complexing agents, or a combination comprising one or more of the foregoing complexing agents.

5. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 4, wherein the complexing agent comprises citric acid.

6. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 1, wherein the corrosion inhibitor is a silicate;

a tetraalkylorthosilicate ester with the alkyl groups containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms;

an organosilane-based compound comprising a silicon-carbon bond;

a carboxylate;

a C₅-C₁₆ dicarboxylate;

a C₅-C₁₆ monocarboxylic acid;

a neoacid;

an alkyl (C₁-C₁₄) cyclohexenoic acid or its salts;

a nitrate salt;

a nitrite salt;

a phosphate salt;

an azole;

a hydrocarbyl triazole;

a thiazole;

an imidazole;

an orthophosphate;

a pyrophosphate;

a hexametaphosphate;

a polyphosphate;

a phosphonate, a phosphinate;

a molybdate;

a vanadate;

a tungstate;

a borate;

a silicate;

a zinc compound;

or a combination comprising one or more of the foregoing corrosion inhibitors.

7. The cleaner-passivator of claim 6, wherein the corrosion inhibitor is a silicate, an organosilane-based compound comprising a silicon-carbon bond, a tetraalkylorthosilicate ester, or a combination thereof;

azole; and

a pyrophosphate.

8. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 1, wherein the surfactant is an ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer, an alkoxylated alcohol, a nonylphenyl ethoxylate, an octaphenyl ethoxylate, a primary ethoxylated alcohol, a secondary ethoxylated alcohol, a polyethylene fatty acid, a polypropylene oxide, a polyethylene glycol, sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate, sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate, sulphonated diphenyl oxide, an ethoxylated ether amine;

an amphoteric surfactant, an amine or imidazoline derivatives of a fatty acid, a sodium alkyl naphthalene sulphonate, a phosphate aromatic or aliphatic ester, a sodium xylene sulphonate, an alcohol surfactant, or a combination comprising one or more of the foregoing surfactants.

9. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 1, further comprising an antifoam agent, a pH adjusting agent, a biocide, a colorant, a dye, or a combination comprising one or more of the foregoing agents.

10. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 1, wherein the solvent is water, ethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, butylene glycol, methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol, furfurol, glycerol, a monoethylether of glycerol, a dimethyl ether of glycerol, 1,2,6-hexanetriol, trimethylolpropane, methoxyethanol, or a combination comprising one or more of the foregoing solvents.

11. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 1, in the form of a one part cleaner-passivator system having a pH of about pH 4 to about pH 13.

12. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 1, in the form of a two-part composition comprising a cleaning composition and a passivator composition, wherein the cleaner composition has a pH of about pH 1 to about pH 13, and the passivator composition has a pH of about pH 6 to about pH 13.

13. A cleaner-passivator composition for treatment of a fuel cell coolant system, comprising:

a complexing agent;

a surfactant;

a silicate, an organosilane-based compound comprising a silicon-carbon bond, a tetraalkylorthosilicate ester, or a combination thereof;

an azole;

a pyrophosphate; and

a solvent.

14. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 13, wherein the complexing agent is a hydroxycarboxylate;

a phosphonate;

a phosphinate;

a carboxylate;

a dicarboxylate;

an acrylate-based polymer, copolymer, or terpolymer;

a maleic acid base polymer, copolymer, or terpolymer;

a polyaspartic acid;

an aspartic acid copolymer;

or a combination comprising one or more of the foregoing complexing agents.

15. The cleaner-passivator of claim 14, wherein the complexing agent is citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, glucaric acid, glucoheptonic acid, glycolic acid, HEDP (1-1-hydroxyethylidene-1, 1-diphosphonic acid), PBTC (2-phosphono-butane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid), AMP (amino tri(methylene phosphonic acid)), HPA (hydroxyphosphono acetic acid), HMDTMP (hexamethylenediaminetetra (methylene phosphonic acid)), DTPA diethylenetriaminepenta (methylenephosphonic acid), phosphono succinic acid or its mono, bis and oligomeric adducts, phosphino succinic acid or its mono, bis and oligomeric adducts, oxalic acid, benzoic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, sulfamic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, peracetic acid, a polyacrylate, an acrylate-acrylamide copolymer, an acrylate-AMPS (acrylamido methylene sulphonic acid) copolymer, an acrylate-maleate copolymer, an acrylate-hydroxypropolyacrylate copolymer, an acrylate-sulfonate copolymer, an acrylate-acrylamide-sulfonate terpolymer, an amine substituted sulfoalylated acrylamide acrylate terpolymer, a polymaleic acid, a polymaleic anhydride, a polymethacrylic acid, an acrylate-methacrylate copolymer, a styrene sulphonate-maleic acid copolymer, a phosphinate-acrylate copolymer, an acrylate-AMPS-styrene sulphonate terpolymer, an acrylate-AMPS-phosphinate terpolymer, a polyaspartic acid, an aspartic acid based copolymer, an isomer or salt of any of the forgoing complexing agents, or a combination comprising one or more of the foregoing complexing agents.

16. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 15, wherein the complexing agent comprises citric acid.

17. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 13, wherein the surfactant is an ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer, an alkoxylated alcohol, a nonylphenyl ethoxylate, an octaphenyl ethoxylate, a primary ethoxylated alcohol, a secondary ethoxylated alcohol, a polyethylene fatty acid, a polypropylene oxide, a polyethylene glycol, sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate, sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate, sulphonated diphenyl oxide, an ethoxylated ether amine;

an amphoteric surfactant, an amine or imidazoline derivatives of a fatty acid, a sodium alkyl naphthalene sulphonate, a phosphate aromatic or aliphatic ester, a sodium xylene sulphonate, an alcohol surfactant, or a combination comprising one or more of the foregoing surfactants.

18. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 13, further comprising an antifoam agent, a pH adjusting agent, a biocide, a colorant, a dye, or a combination comprising one or more of the foregoing agents.

19. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 13, wherein the solvent is water, ethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, and 1,3-propanediol, butylene glycol, methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol, and furfurol and glycerol, monoethylether of glycerol, dimethyl ether of glycerol, 1,2,6-hexanetriol, trimethylolpropane, methoxyethanol, or a combination comprising one or more of the foregoing solvents.

20. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 13, in the form of a one part cleaner-passivator system having a pH of about pH 4 to about pH 13.

21. The cleaner-passivator composition of claim 13, in the form of a two-part composition comprising a cleaning composition and a passivator composition, wherein the cleaner composition has a pH of about pH 1 to about pH 13, and the passivator composition has a pH of about pH 6 to about pH 13.