Non diffusion fuel cell and a process of using the fuel cell
AssigneeRMG Services Pty. Ltd.
InventorRodolfo Mesina Gomez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell having an anode immersed in an electrolyte in an anode tank, and a cathode immersed in the electrolyte in the cathode tank, and the anode and the cathode connected to an external electrical load. Fuel is supplied to the anode tank and an oxidant to the cathode tank. Each electrode is a monolithic electrode, a composite electrode, or an internally coupled electrode having a catalyst surface. There may be an external reaction vessel for processing electrolyte before returning it to the tanks and conditioning and recycling of fuel. The impedance of the fuel cell is reduced substantially over fuel cells having an electrical path through the solution.
Claims49
A fuel cell comprising a separate anode cell and a separate cathode cell,
- the anode cell including an anode tank for containing an electrolyte and having an anode electrode immersed therein, means to supply electrolyte to the anode tank and means to supply fuel to the anode tank,
- the cathode cell including a cathode tank for containing the electrolyte and having an cathode electrode immersed therein, means to supply electrolyte to the cathode tank and means to supply an oxidant to the cathode tank,
- means to withdraw reacted electrolyte from the anode tank and to supply it to the cathode tank,
- means to withdraw reacted electrolyte from the cathode tank and to supply it to the anode tank,
- each of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode having a central current collector and a coating of catalyst thereon,
- each of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode having a first end and a second end,
- means to connect the first end of the anode electrode and the first end of the cathode electrode to a first electrical load outside of the fuel cell, and
- means to connect the second end of the anode electrode and the second end of the cathode electrode to a second electrical load.
A fuel cell having a separate anode cell and a separate cathode cell and a reaction vessel wherein:
- the anode cell comprises an anode tank having an anode electrode immersed therein,
- the anode electrode is selected from a monolithic electrode, a composite electrode, or an internally coupled electrode,
- the fuel cell further comprises means to supply electrolyte to the anode tank from the reaction vessel,
- the fuel cell further comprises means to supply fuel in the form of gas, liquid, or solid mixed with the electrolyte being supplied to the anode tank,
- the cathode cell comprises a cathode tank having a cathode electrode immersed therein,
- the cathode electrode is selected from a monolithic electrode, a composite electrode, or an internally coupled electrode,
- the fuel cell further comprises means to supply electrolyte to the cathode tank from the reaction vessel,
- the fuel cell further comprises means to supply air, oxygen, or oxygen-nitrogen mixtures, mixed with the electrolyte to the cathode tank,
- the fuel cell further comprises means to withdraw reacted electrolyte from the anode tank and deliver to the reaction vessel,
- the fuel cell further comprises means to withdraw reacted electrolyte from the cathode tank and deliver to the reaction vessel,
- each of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode has a first end and a second end,
- the fuel cell further comprises means to connect the first end of the anode electrode and the first end of the cathode electrode to a first electrical load outside of the fuel cell, and
- the fuel cell further comprises means to connect the second end of the anode electrode and the second end of the cathode electrode to a second electrical load.
A continuous process for producing electric power and heat in a fuel cell from reacting a fuel in an anode tank and an oxidant in a cathode tank, the fuel cell having an anode electrode immersed in an electrolyte in the anode tank and a cathode electrode immersed in an electrolyte in the cathode tank, and the anode electrode and the cathode electrode connected to a first electrical load at one end thereof and connected to a second electrical load at another end thereof, the process comprising:
- introducing the fuel with the electrolyte in the anode tank wherein a catalyst on the anode electrode in the anode tank causes a chemical reaction or ionizes the fuel thereby which produces electrons,
- transferring the electrons through an external electrical load to the cathode electrode,
- introducing the oxidant mixed with the electrolyte into the cathode tank wherein a catalyst on the cathode electrode causes a chemical reaction or ionizes the oxidant with the electrons from the anode, and
- connecting the anode electrode and the cathode electrode to a second electrical load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.