Low gravity electrochemical cell

• US 6,471,850 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Proton Energy Systems, Inc. (NEL ASA)
• Original Assignee: Proton Energy Systems, Inc. (NEL ASA)
• Inventors: Molter, Trent M., Shiepe, Jason K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Bruce F.
• Application Number:
  US09/736,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20020000385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 204/263, 204/252, 204/253, 204/255, 204/256, 204/257, 204/258, 205/628, 205/629, 205/633, 205/634, 205/637, 429/30, 429/34, 429/38, 429/39, 429/13, 429/17
• US Class Current: 205/628
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/00 Operating or servicing cells
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/08 Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04156 with product water removal
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1007 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/186 by electrolytic decomposition of the electrolytic solution or the formed water product
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

An electrochemical cell system includes a hydrogen electrode; an oxygen electrode; a membrane disposed between the hydrogen electrode and the oxygen electrode; and a compartmentalized storage tank. The compartmentalized storage tank has a first fluid storage section and a second fluid storage section separated by a movable divider. The compartmentalized storage tank is in fluid communication with the electrochemical cell. Further, an electrochemical cell includes a hydrogen electrode; an oxygen electrode; an electrolyte membrane disposed between and in intimate contact with the hydrogen electrode and said oxygen electrode; an oxygen flow field disposed adjacent to and in intimate contact with the oxygen electrode; a hydrogen flow field disposed adjacent to and in intimate contact with the hydrogen electrode; a water flow field disposed in fluid communication with the oxygen flow field; and a media divider disposed between the oxygen flow field and the water flow field.

Claims

1. An electrochemical cell system, comprising:

at least one electrochemical cell having a hydrogen electrode and an oxygen electrode with an electrolyte membrane disposed therebetween and in intimate contact therewith; and

a compartmentalized storage tank having a first fluid storage section and a second fluid storage section separated by a movable divider, wherein said compartmentalized storage tank is in fluid communication with said electrochemical cell.

2. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 1, wherein said electrochemical cell further comprises a hydrogen flow field disposed adjacent to and in fluid communication with said hydrogen electrode, an oxygen flow field disposed adjacent to and in fluid communication with said oxygen electrode, and a media divider disposed adjacent to and in fluid and electrical communication with said oxygen flow field.

3. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 2, wherein said media divider is selected from the group of materials consisting carbon, nickel, cobalt, titanium, zirconium, niobium, tungsten, carbon, hafnium, iron, and oxides, mixtures, and alloys comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

4. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 2, wherein said media divider is up to about 0.5 inches thick.

5. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 2, wherein said media divider is about 0.001 inches to about 0.3 inches thick.

6. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 2, wherein said media divider is about 0.001 inches to about 0.05 inches thick.

7. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 2, wherein said media divider is about 0.001 inches to about 0.03 inches thick.

8. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 2, wherein said media divider has a bubble pressure greater than about 0.01 psi.

9. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 8, wherein said media divider has a bubble pressure of about 7.0 psi to about 8.0 psi.

10. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 8, further comprising a mechanical force bias capable of maintaining a gas/liquid pressure differential of up to said bubble pressure.

11. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 2, wherein said movable divider is a bladder, a bellows, a piston, or a diaphragm.

12. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 2, wherein said gas storage section is in fluid communication with said oxygen flow field.

13. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 2, wherein said gas storage section is in fluid communication with said hydrogen flow field.

14. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 1, wherein said electrochemical cell further comprises a hydrogen flow field disposed adjacent to and in fluid communication with said hydrogen electrode, an oxygen flow field disposed adjacent to and in fluid communication with said oxygen electrode, and a media divider disposed adjacent to and fluid and electrical communication with said hydrogen flow field.

15. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 14, wherein said media divider is selected from the group of materials consisting carbon, nickel, cobalt, titanium, zirconium, niobium, tungsten, carbon, hafnium, iron, and oxides, mixtures, and alloys comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

16. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 14, wherein said media divider is up to about 0.5 inches thick.

17. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 14, wherein said media divider is about 0.001 to about 0.3 inches thick.

18. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 14, wherein said media divider has a bubble pressure greater than about 0.01 psi.

19. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 18, further comprising a mechanical force bias capable of maintaining a gas/liquid pressure differential of up to said bubble pressure.

20. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 14, wherein said media divider has a bubble pressure of about 7.0 psi to about 8.0 psi.

21. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 14, wherein said movable divider is a bladder, bellows, piston, or diaphragm.

22. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 14, wherein said gas storage section is in fluid communication with said oxygen flow field.

23. An electrochemical cell system as in claim 14, wherein said gas storage section is in fluid communication with said hydrogen flow field.

24. A method for operating an electrochemical cell system, comprising:

introducing water to an oxygen electrode;

electrolyzing said water to form oxygen, hydrogen ions and electrons, wherein said hydrogen ions migrate through a membrane to a hydrogen electrode;

directing said oxygen to an oxygen storage section of a compartmentalized storage tank, wherein said oxygen increases the pressure in said storage tank and moves a movable divider which forces said water to move from said compartmentalized storage tank to said oxygen electrode;

moving said electrons to said hydrogen electrode; and

reacting said hydrogen ions and said electrons to form hydrogen.

25. A method for operating an electrochemical cell system as in claim 24, further comprising passing said water from said compartmentalized storage tank to a water flow field, through a media divider and an oxygen flow field to said oxygen electrode.

26. A method for operating an electrochemical cell system as in claim 25, wherein said media divider is porous, electrically conductive, and has a bubble pressure greater than about 0.01 psi.

27. A method for operating an electrochemical cell system as in claim 26, further comprising maintaining a gas/liquid pressure differential of up to said bubble pressure.

28. A method for operating an electrochemical cell system as in claim 24, wherein said movable divider is a bladder, bellows, piston, or diaphragm.

29. A method for operating an electrochemical cell system, comprising:

introducing oxygen to an oxygen electrode;

introducing hydrogen to a hydrogen electrode;

ionizing said hydrogen to produce hydrogen ions and electrons, wherein said hydrogen ions migrate across a membrane to said oxygen electrode while said electrons pass through an electrical connection to said oxygen electrode;

combining said oxygen, hydrogen ions and electrons to form water; and

directing said water to a water storage section of a compartmentalized storage tank, wherein said water increases the pressure in said storage tank, moving a movable divider, and forcing said oxygen to move from said compartmentalized storage tank to said oxygen electrode.

30. A method for operating an electrochemical cell system as in claim 29, further comprising passing said water from said oxygen electrode through an oxygen flow field and a media divider, and to said compartmentalized storage tank.

31. A method for operating an electrochemical cell system as in claim 29, wherein said media divider is porous, electrically conductive, and has a bubble pressure greater than about 0.01 psi.

32. A method for operating an electrochemical cell system as in claim 31, further comprising maintaining a gas/liquid pressure differential of up to said bubble pressure.

33. A method for operating an electrochemical cell system as in claim 29, wherein said movable divider is a bladder, bellows, piston, or diaphragm.