Hydrocarbon (hydrogen)/air aerogel catalyzed carbon electrode fuel cell system

• US 5,429,886 A
• Filed: 08/30/1993
• Issued: 07/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ralph C. Struthers
• Original Assignee: Ralph C. Struthers
• Inventors: Struthers, Ralph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAFUT, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US08/113,067
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 429/44, 429/46
• US Class Current: 429/411
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/96 Carbon-based electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0612 from carbon-containing material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0662 Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/08 Fuel cells with aqueous electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A hydrocarbon (hydrogen)/air aerogel catalyzed carbon electrode fuel cell system comprising an acid electrolyte filled; steam hydrocarbon catalytic reformer with a heater and operating to receive and reduce hydrocarbons and water into a reformed gas of hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases; a centrifugal gas-separator device receiving reformed gas from the reformer and operating to separate the hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases of the reformed gas and delivering them separately; a fuel cell comprising a micro porous catalyzed-carbon aerogel anode electrode fed with hydrogen gas delivered by the gas separator, a micro porous catalyzed-carbon aerogel cathode electrode fed with oxygen from ambient air, and, a micro porous cation-filled silica hydrogel electrolyte separator between the anode and cathode electrodes; a hydrocarbon fuel supply delivering hydrocarbon fuel to the reformer; a combustion fuel supply selectively delivering hydrocarbon and hydrogen gas to the heater; and, a water supply receiving water produced in the fuel cell by fuel cell reaction and delivering it to the reformer.

Claims

1. A fuel cell system comprising a hydrocarbon fuel supply;

a water supply;

a steam-hydrocarbon fuel catalytic reformer receiving hydrocarbon fuel from the fuel supply and water from the water supply and delivering reformed gas of hydrogen and carbon dioxide;

a reformed gas separator receiving reformed gas from the reformer and operating to separate the hydrogen and carbon dioxide gas thereof and separately delivering hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases;

a hydrogen fuel cell including a micro porous catalyzed carbonized aerogel anode electrode fed with hydrogen gas delivered by the separator, a micro porous catalyzed carbonized aerogel cathode fed with oxygen from ambient air and a acid electrolyte cation filled silica hydrogel separator between the anode and cathode; and

, an external circuit connected with and between the anode and cathode electrodes.

2. The fuel cell system set forth in claim 1 wherein fuel cell reaction within the fuel cell generates water supplied to the reformer.

3. The fuel cell system set forth in claim 1 wherein the reformer includes a burner fueled with hydrocarbon fuel from the fuel supply, a pre-heater heated by the burner and receiving and heating the hydrocarbon fuel and water received by the reformer and a catalyst bed heated by the burner and receiving hydrocarbon fuel and water from the pre-heater and reforming it to said reformed gas for delivery by the reformer.

4. The fuel cell system set forth in claim 1 wherein the reformer includes a burner fueled with reformed gas delivered by the reformer, a pre-heater heated by the burner and receiving hydrocarbon fuel and water delivered to the reformer and a catalyst bed heated by the burner and receiving hydrocarbon fuel and water heated from the pre-heater and generating reformed gas for delivery by the reformer.

5. The fuel cell system set forth in claim 1 wherein the reformer includes a burner selectively receiving hydrocarbon fuel from the fuel supply and reformed gas delivered by the reformer, a pre-heater heated by the burner and receiving hydrocarbon fuel and water delivered to the reformer and a catalyst bed heated by the burner and receiving hydrocarbon fuel and water and reforming it to said reformed gas for delivery by the reformer.

6. The fuel cell system set forth in claim 1 wherein the micro porous catalyzed carbonized aerogel anode and cathode electrodes include micro porous reticulated gas permeable and electrically conductive carbon skeletons with a noble metal catalyst at the surfaces thereof.

7. The fuel cell system set forth in claim 1 wherein the micro porous catalyzed carbonized aerogel anode and cathode electrodes include porous reticulated gas permeable and electrically conductive carbon micro porous skeletons with a noble metal catalyst at the surfaces thereof;

the skeletons of the anode and cathode electrodes are formed in and about metal conductor screens having terminal posts with and between which the external circuit is connected.

8. The fuel cell system set forth in claim 1 wherein the micro porous catalyzed carbonized aerogel anode and cathode electrodes include porous reticulated gas permeable electrically conductive carbon skeletons with a noble metal catalyst at the surfaces thereof and established by super-critically drying and firing an aqueous gel of polymerized organic monomer resorcinol in formaldehyde and an aqueous solution of nobel metal salt together with a sol of sodium carbonate and in which the water in the pores of the skeletons is replaced with liquid carbon dioxide preparatory to and during firing.

9. A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell having spaced apart anode and cathode electrodes established of micro porous reticulated carbon bodies with noble metals at the surfaces thereof;

an electrolyte separator in contacting engagement with and between the anode and cathode electrodes and including an acid electrolyte filled micro porous body of silica hydrogel; and

external electric circuit connected with and between the anode and cathode electrodes;

an oxygen supply delivering oxygen to the cathode electrode; and

, a hydrogen gas supply means delivering hydrogen gas to the anode electrode;

the micro porous reticulated carbon bodies of the anode and cathode and the noble metal at the surfaces thereof are thermally reduced organic aerogels having predetermined pore size and infused with a noble metal salt.

10. The fuel cell system set forth in claim 9 wherein the hydrogen supply means includes a hydrocarbon fuel supply, a water supply means, a steam-hydrocarbon reformer including a heat-generating burner, a pre-heater heated by the burner and through which hydrocarbon fuel and water received from the fuel and water supplies are moved, a catalyst bed heated by the burner and receiving hydrocarbon fuel and water from the pre-heater and delivering a reformed gas of hydrogen and carbon dioxide;

a gas separator receiving reformed gas from the reformer and separating the hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases thereof and delivering the hydrogen gas to the anode electrode of the fuel cell;

the oxygen supply includes means conducting ambient air to the cathode electrode of the fuel cell.