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US 2003/0143444 A1Published application
Fuel cell with fuel droplet fuel supply
OwnerQin Liu, Charles C. Haluzak +3inventors
InventorsQin Liu, Charles C. Haluzak, Marzio Leban, Lawrence R. Plotkin, Kenneth E. Trueba
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Abstract
A fuel cell system in accordance with a present invention includes a fuel cell including at least one anode and a fuel supply apparatus that supplies a plurality of fuel droplets.
Claims81
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a fuel cell including at least one anode;
- and
- a fuel supply apparatus that supplies a plurality of fuel droplets to the at least one anode.
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a fuel cell including at least one anode;
- and
- fuel supply means for supplying a plurality of droplets to the at least one anode.
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a fuel cell including at least one anode;
- and
- fuel supply means for reducing fuel crossover by supplying a plurality of droplets to the at least one anode at a rate corresponding to fuel consumption at the at one anode.
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a fuel cell stack including
- a plurality of anodes pairs arranged such that the anodes within each anode pair face one another and define a fuel passage therebetween, and
- a plurality of cathodes;
- and
- a fuel reservoir;
- a fuel supply apparatus that draws fuel from the fuel reservoir and supplies a plurality of fuel droplets to the fuel passages.
3 more elements
A method of operating a fuel cell having an anode, the method comprising the steps of:
- directing a spray of fuel droplets onto the anode;
- and
- consuming the fuel at the anode.
A fuel supply system for use with a fuel cell including an anode, comprising:
- a fuel reservoir that stores fuel;
- and
- fuel supply means, operably connected to the fuel reservoir, for supplying a plurality of droplets to the at least one anode.
A drop generator, comprising:
- a housing including a liquid reservoir;
- an orifice plate, associated with the housing, including a plurality of orifices;
- and
- a vibrating element, associated with the housing, positioned a predetermined distance from the orifice plate such that the orifice plate and vibrating element define an open region therebetween in fluid communication with the fuel reservoir;
- wherein the predetermined distance is such that a capillary force sufficient to draw liquid from the liquid reservoir is created in the open region.
2 more elements
A drop generator, comprising:
- a housing including a liquid reservoir;
- an orifice plate, associated with the housing, including a plurality of orifices;
- a vibrating element, associated with the housing, positioned adjacent to the orifice plate;
- and
- a vibrating element tray positioned within the housing between the vibrating element and the liquid reservoir.
2 more elements
A drop generator, comprising:
- a housing defining a liquid reservoir;
- an orifice plate, associated with the housing, including a plurality of orifices;
- a vibrating element, associated with the housing, positioned a predetermined distance from the orifice plate such that the orifice plate and vibrating element define an open region therebetween in fluid communication with the fuel reservoir, the predetermined distance being such that a capillary force sufficient to draw liquid from the liquid reservoir is created in the open region;
- and
- a vibrating element tray positioned within the housing between the vibrating element and the liquid reservoir.
2 more elements
A drop ejector, comprising:
- a fluid reservoir;
- a flexible metal membrane defining an orifice associated with the fluid reservoir;
- and
- a layer of conductive material positioned in spaced relation to the flexible metal membrane such that the flexible metal membrane will oscillate in response to the application of an excitation signal between the flexible metal membrane and the layer of conductive material.
1 more element
A method of manufacturing a drop ejector, comprising the steps of:
- forming a fluidic chamber subassembly;
- forming a flextensional orifice plate subassembly;
- and
- attaching the fluidic chamber subassembly and the flextensional orifice plate subassembly to one another.
1 more element
A flextensional drop ejector formed by a process including the steps of:
- forming a fluidic chamber subassembly;
- forming a flextensional orifice plate subassembly;
- and
- attaching the fluidic chamber subassembly and the flextensional orifice plate subassembly to one another.
1 more element
A method of manufacturing a drop ejector, comprising the steps of:
- forming a boundary layer defining an ejection chamber on a substrate;
- forming a sacrificial layer within the ejection chamber;
- forming a flexible membrane having an orifice over the boundary layer and the sacrificial layer;
- and
- removing the sacrificial layer from within the ejection chamber.
2 more elements
A method of manufacturing a drop ejector, comprising the steps of:
- forming an annular boundary layer on a substrate from a predetermined material, the boundary layer defining an ejection chamber;
- forming a sacrificial layer within the ejection chamber and around the annular boundary layer;
- polishing the sacrificial layer until the sacrificial layer and annular boundary layer define a common plane;
- forming a flexible membrane having a nozzle over the common plane;
- forming a bore through substrate to the sacrificial layer;
- and
- removing the sacrificial layer from within the ejection chamber by a process performed through the bore that will not substantially chemically effect the predetermined material that forms the annular boundary layer.
4 more elements
A drop ejector formed by a process, comprising the steps of:
- forming a boundary layer defining an ejection chamber on a substrate;
- forming a sacrificial layer within the ejection chamber;
- forming a flexible membrane having an orifice over the boundary layer and the sacrificial layer;
- and
- removing the sacrificial layer from within the ejection chamber.
2 more elements
A drop ejector, comprising:
- a substrate defining first and second sides;
- an ejection chamber layer, associated with the first side of the substrate, including a boundary portion formed from a first material and having an inner surface defining an ejection chamber and an outer surface, and a second portion associated with the outer surface of the boundary portion formed from a second material, the second material being a different material than the first material;
- and
- a flexible membrane having an orifice over the ejection chamber layer.
1 more element
A method of forming a drop ejector, comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate defining first and second sides;
- forming an ejection chamber on the first side of the substrate;
- forming an aperture, which extends from the first side to the second side of the substrate and is operably connected to the ejection chamber, by one of a mechanical ablation process and a thermal ablation process;
- and
- covering the ejection chamber with a flexible membrane having an orifice.
2 more elements
A drop ejector formed by a method comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate defining first and second sides;
- forming an ejection chamber on the first side of the substrate;
- forming an aperture, which extends from the first side to the second side of the substrate and is operably connected to the ejection chamber, by one of a mechanical ablation process and a thermal ablation process;
- and
- covering the ejection chamber with a flexible membrane having an orifice.
2 more elements
A drop ejector, comprising:
- a substrate defining first and second sides formed from at least one of a glass material and ceramic material;
- an ejection chamber in the first side of the substrate;
- an aperture, extending from the first side to the second side of the substrate, operably connected to the ejection chamber;
- and
- a flexible membrane having an orifice covering the ejection chamber.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.