Fuel cell system including an ion filter

• US 7,329,348 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2003
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited (Lb-shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Societe BIC
• Inventors: Curello, Andrew J., Fairbanks, Floyd, Reichert, David L
• Primary Examiner(s): Barry, Chester T.
• Application Number:
  US10/725,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20050115882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 210/251, 210/263, 210/282, 210/502.1, 429/13
• US Class Current: 210/251
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0289 Means for holding the electrolyte solid polymer electrolytes H01M8/1018
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04186 of liquid-charged or electrolyte-charged reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1023 having only carbon, e.g. polyarylenes, polystyrenes or polybutadiene-styrenes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1039 halogenated, e.g. sulfonated polyvinylidene fluorides
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a fuel supply and fuel system with an ion filter and an ion gauge. The filter can be made from discrete pieces of polymeric filter material. The polymeric filter material is substantially the same as the proton exchange membrane or polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) in the fuel cell. The ion gauge measures the level of ions in the fuel by measuring a voltage across a section of fuel or a current through the same section. The voltage or current is related to the ion level in the fuel.

Claims

1. A filter for use with a fuel cell comprising:

an inlet, an outlet, and a medium made from perfluorinated sulfonic acid polymer and disposed between the inlet and the outlet, wherein fuel exiting the filter contains less metal ions than fuel entering the filter, wherein the perfluorinated sulfonic acid polymer is substantially similar to a polymer electrolyte membrane in the fuel cell and includes at least one catalyst.

2. The filter of claim 1 being connectable to a fuel supply.

3. The filter of claim 1 being positioned in a fuel supply.

4. The filter of claim 1 being connectable to a fuel cell.

5. The filter of claim 1 being positioned in a fuel cell.

6. The filter of claim 1 being positioned in an electronic device powered by a fuel cell.

7. The filter of claim 1 further comprising a housing encasing the medium.

8. The filter of claim 1, wherein the perfluorinated sulfonic acid polymer medium is shredded.

9. The filter of claim 1, wherein the perfluorinated sulfonic acid polymer medium is in the form of ingots.

10. The filter of claim 1, wherein the perfluorinated sulfonic acid polymer medium is made into a textile web.

11. The filter of claim 10, wherein the textile web is a nonwoven web.

12. The filter of claim 10, wherein the textile web is a woven web.

13. The filter of claim 1, wherein the perfluorinated sulfonic acid polymer medium is made into powder form.

14. The filter of claim 1, wherein the medium is wetted before use.

15. The filter of claim 1 operatively connected to a sensor to measure the electrical conductivity of the fuel.

16. The fuel supply of claim 11, wherein the at least one catalyst is unsupported by a base material.

17. The filter of claim 1, wherein the at least one catalyst comprises platinum or ruthenium.

18. A fuel supply for a fuel cell comprising:

an outer casing containing fuel with a first amount of ions therein, and

an ion filter supported by the casing, said ion filter is in fluid communication with said fuel, said ion filter comprises a filter material made from a perfluorinated sulfonic acid polymer and at least one catalyst and the filter material is substantially similar to a polymer electrolyte membrane in the fuel cell;

wherein upon flowing said fuel through said ion filter, the fuel exiting the ion filter has a second amount of ions less than said first amount of ions.

19. The fuel supply of claim 18, wherein the ion filter includes discrete pieces of the filter material.

20. The fuel supply of claim 18, wherein the filter material is shredded.

21. The fuel supply of claim 18, wherein the filter material is wetted before use.

22. The fuel supply of claim 18 operatively connected to a sensor to measure the electrical conductivity of the fuel.

23. The fuel supply of claim 18, wherein the at least one catalyst is unsupported by a base material.

24. The fuel supply of claim 18, wherein the at least one catalyst comprises platinum or ruthenium.