Co2 separator for direct methanol fuel cell system
AssigneeSamsung SDI Co., Ltd.
InventorsMatthias Bronold, Thorsten Baumann, Marco Gruner, Immanuel Rosenfeld
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Abstract
A CO2 separator for a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) includes a single-layered membrane or a multi-layered membrane. In addition, (i) the membrane has a plurality of diffusion channels extending from an inside of the membrane to an outside of the membrane facing the inside, and mean diameters of the diffusion channels on the outside of the membrane are at least three-times greater than mean diameters of the diffusion channels on the inside of the membrane; and (ii) the inside and the outside of the membrane, and inner surfaces of the diffusion channels are hydrophobic.
Claims20
A CO2 separator for a fuel cell comprising:
- a housing comprising at least one wall defining an interior and an exterior of the housing, an opening through the at least one wall, a mixer inlet, and an outlet;
- and
- a membrane comprising an inside surface and an outside surface, the membrane disposed over the opening,
- wherein
- at least a portion of the inside surface of the membrane faces the interior of the housing,
- the membrane comprises a plurality of diffusion channels extending from the inside surface of the membrane to the outside surface of the membrane,
- mean diameter of the diffusion channels at the outside surface of the membrane are at least about three-times greater than mean diameter of the diffusion channels at the inside surface of the membrane;
- and
- the inside surface of the membrane, the outside surface of the membrane, and inner surfaces of the diffusion channels are hydrophobic.
A method for separating CO2 from water from an anode effluent of a fuel cell stack, the method comprising:
- contacting an anode effluent of a fuel cell stack comprising a CO2/water liquid/gas mixture with an inside surface of a membrane comprising:
- the inside surface, an outside surface, and a plurality of diffusion channels extending from the inside surface of the membrane to the outside surface of the membrane,
- wherein
- mean diameter of the diffusion channels at the outside surface of the membrane are at least about three-times greater than mean diameter of the diffusion channels at the inside surface of the membrane;
- the inside surface of the membrane, the outside surface of the membrane, and inner surfaces of the diffusion channels are hydrophobic;
- CO2 diffuses to through the membrane to the outside surface thereof;
- and
- water condensed within the membrane is transported to the outside surface thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.