Ambient pressure fuel cell system

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000

OSTI ID:873236

Wilson, Mahlon S ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos, NM

An ambient pressure fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell stack formed from a plurality of fuel cells having membrane/electrode assemblies (MEAs) that are hydrated with liquid water and bipolar plates with anode and cathode sides for distributing hydrogen fuel gas and water to a first side of each one of the MEAs and air with reactant oxygen gas to a second side of each one of the MEAs. A pump supplies liquid water to the fuel cells. A recirculating system may be used to return unused hydrogen fuel gas to the stack. A near-ambient pressure blower blows air through the fuel cell stack in excess of reaction stoichiometric amounts to react with the hydrogen fuel gas.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Los Alamos, NM)
• Patent Number(s): US 6117577
• OSTI ID: 873236
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ambient
pressure
fuel
cell
provided
stack
formed
plurality
cells
membrane
electrode
assemblies
meas
hydrated
liquid
water
bipolar
plates
anode
cathode
distributing
hydrogen
gas
air
reactant
oxygen
pump
supplies
recirculating
return
unused
near-ambient
blower
blows
excess
reaction
stoichiometric
amounts
react
fuel cell
bipolar plates
stoichiometric amounts
liquid water
oxygen gas
fuel gas
cell stack
fuel cells
bipolar plate
stoichiometric amount
ambient pressure
pressure fuel
electrode assemblies
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