Mixed Reactant Fuel Cell Design for Simplified Operation
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Summary
Problems
Conventional fuel cells require separate feeds for fuel and oxidant, leading to increased complexity, cost, and size due to the need for bipolar plates and separate flow fields, which limits their cost-performance metrics.
Innovation solutions
A mixed reactant fuel cell design where a multiphase mixed reactant fluid comprising fuel and oxidant in separate fluid phases is distributed through a porous, electronically conductive distributor, with capillary pressures controlling the hold-up of each phase to suppress transfer to the wrong electrode, allowing for electronic insulation and ionic communication between cell units.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If separate feeds for fuel and oxidant are used in conventional fuel cells, then reliable electrochemical operation is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase due to bipolar plates and separate flow fields
Why choose this principle:
The patent combines separate fuel and oxidant feed streams into a single mixed reactant stream that flows through a porous distributor to both electrodes simultaneously. This merging eliminates the need for separate flow fields and bipolar plates, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable electrochemical operation through controlled phase distribution.
Principle concept:
If separate feeds for fuel and oxidant are used in conventional fuel cells, then reliable electrochemical operation is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase due to bipolar plates and separate flow fields
Why choose this principle:
The porous distributor serves multiple functions: it distributes the mixed reactant stream to both electrodes, provides electronic conduction, and enables phase separation through capillary pressure effects. This multi-functionality replaces the separate functions previously performed by bipolar plates and flow fields, reducing overall system complexity.
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
A mixed reactant fuel cell design where a multiphase mixed reactant fluid comprising fuel and oxidant in separate fluid phases is distributed through a porous, electronically conductive distributor, with capillary pressures controlling the hold-up of each phase to suppress transfer to the wrong electrode, allowing for electronic insulation and ionic communication between cell units.
Abstract
A cell unit of a mixed reactant fuel cell comprises a multiphase mixed reactant fluid distributor, an anode and cathode in fluid and electronic communication with the distributor, and a separator positioned relative to one of the anode and the cathode to provide electronic insulation and ionic communication between the cell unit and another adjacent cell unit. The distributor is electronically conductive and the reactant fluid which flows through the distributor has fuel and oxidant each in separate fluid phases, wherein at least one of the fuel and oxidant fluid phases is a liquid. The capillary pressure at the anode is selected to produce a higher hold up of the fuel fluid phase than the oxidant fluid phase in the pores of the anode when the mixed reactant fluid flows through the distributor thereby suppressing transfer of oxidant to the anode from the distributor, or the capillary pressure at the cathode is selected to produce a higher hold up of the oxidant fluid phase than the fuel fluid phase in the pores of the cathode when the mixed reactant fluid flows through the distributor, thereby suppressing transfer of fuel to the cathode from the distributor; or both. The distributor extends between respective superficial electrode surfaces of the anode and cathode such that the bulk mixed reactant fluid flows through the distributor and by the superficial electrode surfaces under conditions that produce a positive net potential of the fuel cell under load.