Fuel Cell System And Method
OwnerChinbay Q. Faninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell system and method are provided. One or more surfactants are used as a hydrogen carrier and/or coolant for hydrogen fueled proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The surfactant can work as a bubbler to trap hydrogen as fine bubbles with cooling water to feed the fuel cell anode. The water acts as humidification supplier and coolant.
Claims20
A method for providing fuel to a fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one fuel cell having an anode side fluid flow path and a cathode side fluid flow path;
- and
- flowing an anode reactant composition through the anode side fluid flow path, the anode reactant composition comprising a plurality of bubbles containing hydrogen gas, the plurality of bubbles formed from a surfactant.
A fuel cell system comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cells,
- each fuel cell comprising a membrane separating an anode side fluid flow path and a cathode side fluid flow path, the anode side fluid flow path receiving an anode reactant composition, the anode reactant composition comprising a plurality of bubbles containing hydrogen gas, the plurality of bubbles formed from a surfactant.
The system of claim 11 further comprising a separator plate separating adjacent fuel cells, the separator plate includes flow fields for creating the anode side fluid flow path and the cathode side fluid flow path for adjacent fuel cells.
The system of claim 12 wherein the anode side fluid flow path also functions as a coolant flow path whereby at least a portion of the anode reactant composition removes heat from the fuel cell.
The system of claim 13 wherein the fuel cell does not include a separate coolant flow path besides the anode side fluid flow path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.