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US 10,320,007 B2Granted
Fuel cell having oxygen selective membrane
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsSteven J. Eickhoff, Jeffrey Michael Klein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device includes a container, an oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane supported by the container, a chamber disposed in the container to hold a hydrogen generating fuel, and a proton exchange membrane fuel cell supported within the container between the oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane and the chamber.
Claims20
A device comprising:
- a container;
- an oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane supported within an outer case wall of the container, the oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane including an O2-selective substance applied to a porous substrate;
- a chamber disposed in the container to hold a hydrogen generating fuel;
- and
- a proton exchange membrane fuel cell supported within the container between the oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane and the chamber;
- wherein the oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane is disposed between the proton exchange membrane fuel cell and a plurality of ambient openings in the outer case wall to transport oxygen and restrict water vapor flow between the proton exchange membrane fuel cell and ambient.
3 more elements
A device comprising:
- a container having an oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane and a chamber to hold a hydrogen generating fuel, the container including an outer case wall including a plurality of ambient opening, the oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane supported within the outer case wall and including an O2-selective substance applied to a porous substrate, the oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane and plurality of ambient openings to transport oxygen and restrict water vapor flow between the container and ambient;
- and
- a proton exchange membrane fuel cell supported within the container between the oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane and the chamber positioned to receive oxygen transported across the oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane and hydrogen from the chamber;
- wherein the oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane is disposed between the proton exchange membrane fuel cell and the plurality of ambient openings in the outer case wall.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- exposing the cathode of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell to oxygen that is transported through a plurality of ambient openings in an outer case wall and of a container across an oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane disposed between the proton exchange membrane fuel cell and the plurality of ambient openings in the outer case wall, the oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane including an O2-selective substance applied to a porous substrate such that water vapor transported across the oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane is limited;
- providing hydrogen to an anode of the fuel cell from a chamber containing a chemical hydride;
- reacting the oxygen and hydrogen to produce electricity and water vapor;
- and
- providing the generated water vapor to the chemical hydride to cause the chemical hydride to generate more hydrogen, wherein the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, the oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane, and the chamber are supported within the container.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.