Fuel cell catalyst regeneration

• US 8,440,357 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Spansion LLC (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Hossain, Tim Z., Posey, Daniel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olsen, Kaj K
• Assistant Examiner(s): WIESE, NOAH S
• Application Number:
  US13/156,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20110236773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 502/20, 502/34, 502/53, 502/54, 502/514, 429/408, 429/479, 429/480, 429/527, 429/49
• US Class Current: 429/408
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/90 Selection of catalytic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/18 Regenerative fuel cells, e.g. redox flow batteries or secondary fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Systems that facilitate operating proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are provided. The systems employ a fuel supply component that supplies fuel to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell; and a regeneration component that provides a reducing agent comprising a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen, or a reducing plasma to a cathode catalyst of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell to reduce the cathode catalyst.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates operating a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, comprising:

a fuel supply component that supplies fuel to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell; and

a regeneration component that provides a reducing agent comprising a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen, or a reducing plasma to a cathode catalyst of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell to reduce the cathode catalyst, wherein the regeneration component is a plasma generator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen comprises about 5 wt. % of hydrogen or more and about 95 wt. % of hydrogen or less and about 5 wt. % of nitrogen or more and about 95 wt. % of nitrogen or less.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen comprises about 20 wt. % of hydrogen or more and about 80 wt. % of hydrogen or less and about 20 wt. % of nitrogen or more and about 80 wt. % of nitrogen or less.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the regeneration component is an argon plasma generator.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the reducing agent comprises at least one reducing gas species selected from a group consisting of a hydrogen containing plasma, a helium containing plasma, a neon containing plasma, an argon containing plasma, a nitrogen containing plasma, ammonia, amines, imines, and C1-C4 hydrocarbons.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the reducing agent comprises less than about 50 volume ppm water and/or hydrocarbon.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the fuel supply component is connected with the regeneration component to facilitate contact between hydrogen and the regeneration component.

8. A hydrogen station comprising the system of claim 1.

9. The hydrogen station of claim 8, wherein the hydrogen station is a hydrogen filling station.

10. A system that facilitates operating a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, comprising:

a fuel supply component that supplies fuel to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell; and

a regeneration component comprising a plasma generator that provides a reducing agent comprising a reducing plasma to a cathode catalyst of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell to reduce the cathode catalyst.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the plasma generator is an argon plasma generator.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the plasma generator is a hydrogen plasma generator.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the reducing agent comprises less than about 50 volume ppm water and/or hydrocarbon.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the fuel supply component is connected with the regeneration component to facilitate contact between provide hydrogen and the regeneration component.

15. A hydrogen station comprising the system of claim 10.

16. The hydrogen station of claim 15, wherein the hydrogen station is a hydrogen filling station, or hydrogen home station.

17. A system that facilitates operating a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, comprising:

a fuel supply component that supplies fuel to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell;

a regeneration component that provides a reducing agent comprising a reducing plasma to a cathode catalyst of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell to reduce the cathode catalyst, wherein the reducing agent comprises at least one reducing gas species selected from a group consisting of a hydrogen containing plasma, a helium containing plasma, a neon containing plasma, an argon containing plasma, a nitrogen containing plasma, ammonia, amines, imines, and C1-C4 hydrocarbons; and

a measuring device for measuring a quantity of hydrogen in the proton exchange membrane fuel cell.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the regeneration component is an argon plasma generator.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the reducing agent comprises an argon containing plasma.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the fuel supply component is connected with the regeneration component to facilitate contact between hydrogen and the regeneration component.