×

Fuel cell with transport flow across gap

  • US 9,780,394 B2
  • Filed: 12/21/2007
  • Issued: 10/03/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. An electrochemical cell for use with an electrode and reactants comprising a fuel and an oxidizer, comprising:

  • electrodes comprising;

    (i) an anode communicated to the fuel source for receiving the fuel and oxidizing the fuel into at least oxidized fuel ions and electrons, and (ii) a cathode communicated to the oxidizer source for accepting electrons and reducing the oxidizer into at least reduced oxidizer ions;

    the anode and the cathode being spaced apart to define a gap between opposing gap facing surfaces thereof and being connectable to a load;

    a first input into the cell for directly delivering a first of the reactants selected from the group consisting of;

    the fuel and the oxidizer to a first of the electrodes to produce a first output;

    a second input into the cell for directly delivering a second of the reactants to a second of the electrodes, the second of the reactants being different from the first reactant, and the second input being separate from the first input to the first of the electrodes and configured for combining with the first output, and wherein the fuel and the oxidizer are each input from a source external to the fuel cell;

    a flow generator for generating a transport flow comprising the electrolyte and the ions formed from the first reactant oxidized or reduced at the first electrode that exits the gap facing surface of the first electrode and into the gap such that the transport flow flows essentially perpendicularly to the opposing gap facing surfaces of the electrodes and transports the ions of the first output formed from the first reactant for reaction with the ions formed from the second reactant oxidized or reduced at the second electrode, to form a second output that exits the second electrode, the second output comprising a mixture which results in a product and the electrolyte exiting the second electrode.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×