Spiral wrapped cylindrical proton exchange membrane fuel cells and methods of making same
First Claim
1. A pre-spiral bundle for a cylindrical fuel cell comprising:
- an anode having first and second opposed edges and at least one surface in ionic communication with a noble metal catalyst;
a first hydrogen inlet disposed along said first edge of said anode;
a second hydrogen inlet disposed along said second edge of said anode; and
a sleeve comprising a proton exchange membrane having upper and lower substantially planar surfaces abutting and encapsulating said anode, said first hydrogen inlet, said second hydrogen inlet, and defining a hydrogen flow path along said anode and between the upper and lower surfaces of said sleeve.
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Abstract
A pre-spiral bundle for making a spiral wrapped cylindrical fuel cell and cylindrical fuel cells made using the pre-spiral bundle. The pre-spiral bundle comprises a sleeve defining a hydrogen flowpath. The sleeve comprises a proton exchange membrane encapsulating a substantially planar anode in ionic communication with a catalytically effective amount of a noble metal catalyst. A first hydrogen inlet comprises a first edge of the sleeve and a second hydrogen inlet comprises an opposed, substantially parallel edge of the sleeve. The hydrogen flowpath is defined by the anode. A cylindrical fuel cell is made by abutting a flexible, porous cathode to the sleeve in ionic communication with a noble metal catalyst and wrapping the sleeve and the cathode around one of the hydrogen inlets.
36 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A pre-spiral bundle for a cylindrical fuel cell comprising:
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an anode having first and second opposed edges and at least one surface in ionic communication with a noble metal catalyst; a first hydrogen inlet disposed along said first edge of said anode; a second hydrogen inlet disposed along said second edge of said anode; and a sleeve comprising a proton exchange membrane having upper and lower substantially planar surfaces abutting and encapsulating said anode, said first hydrogen inlet, said second hydrogen inlet, and defining a hydrogen flow path along said anode and between the upper and lower surfaces of said sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 14, 22, 23, 24)
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3. A spirally wrapped cylindrical fuel cell comprising:
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a substantially planar anode having first and second opposed edges and at least one surface in ionic communication with a first noble metal catalyst; a first hydrogen inlet disposed along said first edge of said anode; a second hydrogen inlet disposed along said second edge of said anode; a sleeve comprising a proton exchange membrane having upper and lower substantially planar surfaces abutting and encapsulating said anode, said first hydrogen inlet, said second hydrogen inlet, and defining a hydrogen flow path along said anode and between the upper and lower surfaces of said sleeve; and a cathode in fluid communication with a flowpath for a gas comprising oxygen and in ionic communication with said anode and a second noble metal catalyst; wherein said sleeve and said cathode are spirally wrapped around a mandrel comprising one of said first and second hydrogen inlets. - View Dependent Claims (4, 7, 8, 11, 12, 15, 16)
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17. A cylindrical fuel cell comprising:
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a pre-spiral bundle in ionic communication with a cathode, said pre-spiral bundle and said cathode being spirally wrapped around an axis to form a cylinder comprising a top and a bottom and retained by an electrically conductive casing; an anode having first and second opposed edges and at least one surface in ionic communication with a first noble metal catalyst effective to produce an open circuit voltage of at least about 0.5 volts; a first hydrogen inlet disposed along said first edge of said anode; a second hydrogen inlet disposed along said second edge of said anode; a sleeve comprising a proton exchange membrane having upper and lower substantially planar surfaces abutting and encapsulating said anode, said first hydrogen inlet, said second hydrogen inlet, and defining a hydrogen flow path along said anode and between the upper and lower surfaces of said sleeve; and a cathode in fluid communication with a flowpath for a gas comprising oxygen and in ionic communication with said anode and a second noble metal catalyst; wherein said sleeve and said cathode are spirally wrapped around a mandrel comprising one of said first and second hydrogen inlets. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 25)
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Specification