Direct methanol feed fuel cell and system
First Claim
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a fuel cell stack comprising an anode, a cathode, and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane between said anode and cathode, said anode and cathode being each in contact with fluid, wherein the fluid in contact with said anode includes a methanol fuel which is substantially free of acid electrolyte liquid; and
a turbine, driven by pressure of one of an output fluid from said cathode that includes both liquid and gas, and recycling pressure.
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Abstract
Improvements to non acid methanol fuel cells include new formulations for materials. The platinum and ruthenium are more exactly mixed together. Different materials are substituted for these materials. The backing material for the fuel cell electrode is specially treated to improve its characteristics. A special sputtered electrode is formed which is extremely porous.
182 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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a fuel cell stack comprising an anode, a cathode, and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane between said anode and cathode, said anode and cathode being each in contact with fluid, wherein the fluid in contact with said anode includes a methanol fuel which is substantially free of acid electrolyte liquid; and a turbine, driven by pressure of one of an output fluid from said cathode that includes both liquid and gas, and recycling pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A liquid feed direct oxidation organic fuel cell, comprising:
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a fuel cell stack formed of an anode, including an electrochemical catalyst thereon, a proton conducting solid polymer electrolyte membrane, coupled to said anode, and a cathode, coupled to another side of said proton conducting solid polymer electrolyte membrane, said fuel cell stack capable of oxidizing liquid methanol without free soluble acid or base electrolytes; and a pressure recycling device, operating to recycle pressure from a liquid and gas combination which is in contact with said fuel cell stack. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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a fuel cell stack, including an anode, a cathode, and a proton conducting solid polymer membrane, connected between said anode and cathode, and connected thereto, wherein said anode is formed with an electrochemical catalyst, and a proton conducting material therein, and also being electrically conducting, and said cathode formed of a gas diffusion material which allows diffusion of gas; a fluid feed system including a liquid methanol source, in contact with said fuel cell stack, and providing methanol to said fuel cell stack, which methanol is substantially free of any free acid electrolytes therein, and a gas source, providing gas to said cathode for an electrochemical reaction; and a pressure device, coupled to receive a mix of liquid-gas material from said cathode, and to use pressure from said fluid in said fluid feed system in another system. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 43)
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26. A method, comprising:
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operating a fuel cell which operates with a liquid, organic alcohol containing fuel; receiving an output that includes both liquid and gas and using a pressure from said output to drive a pressure-driven device. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 44)
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33. A method, comprising:
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supplying fluids to a direct fed methanol fuel cell stack, which fluids include at least one liquid which includes an anode, a cathode, and a proton conducting solid polymer electrolyte membrane between said anode and cathode; carrying out an electrochemical reaction using fluids; and receiving an output from said electrochemical reaction that includes both liquids and gas recovering pressure from the output. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 45)
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38. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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a fuel cell stack, including an anode, a cathode, and a proton conducting solid polymer membrane, connected between said anode and cathode, and connected thereto, wherein said anode is formed with an electrochemical catalyst, and a proton conducting material therein, and also electrically conducting, and said cathode is formed of a gas diffusion material which allows diffusion of gas therein; a liquid feed system including a liquid methanol source, in contact with said fuel cell stack, and providing liquid methanol to said fuel cell stack, which methanol is substantially free of any free acid electrolytes therein, and a gas source, providing gas to said cathode for an electrochemical reaction; and a fluid recycling device, coupled to receive a mixed gas-liquid material after reaction with the cathode, and recycling a pressure of said fluid, and a part of said fluid back to the anode. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 46)
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Specification