Apparatus for supplying electrolyte to fuel cell stacks

Patent · Tue Feb 25 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5829866

Spurrier, F R

This patent describes a fuel cell module having at least two fuel cell stacks, each fuel cell stack consists of fuel cells each fuel cell including in a horizaontal orientation an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, a porous matrix sandwiched between the electrodes, a top bipolar plate and a bottom bipolar plate, each fuel cell stack further has a fuel path and an oxidant path each extending in a horizontal direction, and electrolyte passage means for guiding electrolyte through each fuel cell in the fuel cell stack for wetting the porous matrix with electrolyte. The electrolyte supply apparatus for supplying electrolyte to the electrolyte passing means of the fuel cell stack in the fuel cell module as required to keep the matrix-electrode interfaces wetted with electrolyte. The supply apparatus consists of pump for delivering a predetermined pumped volume of electrolyte in periodic pulses of predetermined duration from electrolyte reservoir. The electrolyte distribution means divides the electrolyte pumped volume into as many electrolyte streams as there are fuel cell stacks in the fuel cell module and delivering the electrolyte stream to stack supply means for transporting the electrolyte from the electrolyte stream to the electrolyte passage means of the fuel cell stack. Each periodic pulse of electrolyte provided by the pump means is of a sufficientyly short duration that the electrolyte streams produced within the electrolyte distribution means have ceased before any electrolyte has reached the fuel cell stacks by way of the stack supply means. The apparatus also consists of drainage means for returning electrolyte not absorbed by the porous matrices to the reservoir means.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4572876
• OSTI ID: 5829866
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300503* -- Fuel Cells-- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
ACID ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELLS
ANODES
CATHODES
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL FAULTS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYTES
FUEL CELLS
MATERIALS
OXIDIZERS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POROUS MATERIALS
PULSES
PUMPING
PUMPS