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US 2006/0134503 A1Published application
Pillared fuel cell electrode system
AssigneeClearEdge Power, Inc.
InventorBrett Vinsant
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell system includes multiple fuel cells. Each fuel cell may be a proton exchange membrane fuel cell that is arranged to optimize the performance of the fuel cell. The fuel cells may include silicon wafer substrates that define flow channels through the fuel cells for hydrogen and oxidant gases. The fuel cells can include obstructions within the flow channels that divert the flow of gases as the gases pass through the fuel cells. The fuel cell system may include multiple fuel cell modules, with each module including multiple stacked fuel cells.
Claims18
A fuel cell comprising:
- a proton exchange membrane;
- an anode substrate adjacent to the membrane on an anode side of the membrane, the anode substrate defining a hydrogen conduit that is adapted to be connected to a hydrogen source;
- a plurality of pillars extending from the anode substrate within the hydrogen conduit and splitting the hydrogen conduit into multiple flow channels;
- a hydrogen catalyst coating at least a portion of the anode substrate within the hydrogen conduit, the hydrogen catalyst being capable of ionizing hydrogen;
- a cathode substrate adjacent to the membrane on a cathode side of the membrane that is opposite the anode side of the membrane, the cathode substrate defining an oxidant conduit that is adapted to be connected to an oxidant source;
- a plurality of pillars extending from the cathode substrate within the oxidant conduit and splitting the oxidant conduit into multiple flow channels;
- and
- an oxidant catalyst coating at least a portion of the cathode substrate within the oxidant conduit, the oxidant catalyst being capable of catalyzing a reaction of oxidant with hydrogen ions.
5 more elements
-93. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.