Flowing electrolyte fuel cell with improved performance and stability

Desai, Divyaraj; Vedharathinam, Vedasri; Sheridan, Martin Joseph; Pattekar, Ashish V.; Eldershaw, Craig; Padmarajan, Rajesh Kumar; Iftime, Gabriel

Title: Flowing electrolyte fuel cell with improved performance and stability

Abstract

A flowing electrolyte fuel cell system design (DHCFC-Flow) is provided. The use of a flowing oxygen-saturated electrolyte in a fuel cell offers a significant enhancement in the cell performance characteristics. The mass transfer and reaction kinetics of the superoxide/peroxide/oxide ion (mobile oxygen ion species) in the fuel cell are enhanced by recirculating an oxidizing gas-saturated electrolyte. Recirculating oxygen-saturated electrolyte through a liquid channel enhances the maximal current observed in a fuel cell. The use of a oxygen saturated electrolyte ensures that the reaction kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction are fast and the use of convection ameliorates concentration gradients and the diffusion-limited maximum current density. The superoxide ion is generated in situ by the reduction of the oxygen dissolved in the gaseous electrolyte. Also, a dual porosity membrane allows the uniform flow of fuel (e.g., methane) on the fuel side, without allowing phase mixing. The capillary pressure for liquid intrusion into the gas phase and vice versa is quite large, estimated to be 1-10 psi. This makes it easier to control the fluctuations in gas/liquid velocity which might otherwise lead to phase mixing and the loss of fuel cell performance. In one variation, a dual-porosity membrane structure is incorporated inmore » « less

Inventors:: Desai, Divyaraj; Vedharathinam, Vedasri; Sheridan, Martin Joseph; Pattekar, Ashish V.; Eldershaw, Craig; Padmarajan, Rajesh Kumar; Iftime, Gabriel

Issue Date:: 2019-10-15

Research Org.:: Palo Alto Research Center Inc., Palo Alto, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)

OSTI Identifier:: 1600173

Patent Number(s):: 10446861

Application Number:: 14/981,104

Assignee:: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated (Palo Alto, CA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

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H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
H01M4/8626 - {characterised by the form}
H01M8/023 - Porous and characterised by the material
H01M8/04283 - {Supply means of electrolyte to or in matrix-fuel cells}
H01M8/188 - {by recharging of redox couples containing fluids
H01M8/22 - Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising carbon or oxygen or hydrogen and other elements
H01M8/2455 - with liquid, solid or electrolyte-charged reactants

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
Y02E60/50 - Fuel cells

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DOE Contract Number:: AR0000500

Resource Type:: Patent

Resource Relation:: Patent File Date: 12/28/2015

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Citation Formats


                    Desai, Divyaraj, Vedharathinam, Vedasri, Sheridan, Martin Joseph, Pattekar, Ashish V., Eldershaw, Craig, Padmarajan, Rajesh Kumar, and Iftime, Gabriel. Flowing electrolyte fuel cell with improved performance and stability.  United States: N. p., 2019. 
        Web.

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                    Desai, Divyaraj, Vedharathinam, Vedasri, Sheridan, Martin Joseph, Pattekar, Ashish V., Eldershaw, Craig, Padmarajan, Rajesh Kumar, & Iftime, Gabriel. Flowing electrolyte fuel cell with improved performance and stability.  United States.

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                    Desai, Divyaraj, Vedharathinam, Vedasri, Sheridan, Martin Joseph, Pattekar, Ashish V., Eldershaw, Craig, Padmarajan, Rajesh Kumar, and Iftime, Gabriel. Tue .  
        "Flowing electrolyte fuel cell with improved performance and stability".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1600173.

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@article{osti_1600173,

  title        = {Flowing electrolyte fuel cell with improved performance and stability},

  author       = {Desai, Divyaraj and Vedharathinam, Vedasri and Sheridan, Martin Joseph and Pattekar, Ashish V. and Eldershaw, Craig and Padmarajan, Rajesh Kumar and Iftime, Gabriel},

  abstractNote = {A flowing electrolyte fuel cell system design (DHCFC-Flow) is provided. The use of a flowing oxygen-saturated electrolyte in a fuel cell offers a significant enhancement in the cell performance characteristics. The mass transfer and reaction kinetics of the superoxide/peroxide/oxide ion (mobile oxygen ion species) in the fuel cell are enhanced by recirculating an oxidizing gas-saturated electrolyte. Recirculating oxygen-saturated electrolyte through a liquid channel enhances the maximal current observed in a fuel cell. The use of a oxygen saturated electrolyte ensures that the reaction kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction are fast and the use of convection ameliorates concentration gradients and the diffusion-limited maximum current density. The superoxide ion is generated in situ by the reduction of the oxygen dissolved in the gaseous electrolyte. Also, a dual porosity membrane allows the uniform flow of fuel (e.g., methane) on the fuel side, without allowing phase mixing. The capillary pressure for liquid intrusion into the gas phase and vice versa is quite large, estimated to be 1-10 psi. This makes it easier to control the fluctuations in gas/liquid velocity which might otherwise lead to phase mixing and the loss of fuel cell performance. In one variation, a dual-porosity membrane structure is incorporated in the system to allow uniform flow of fuel and prevent mixing of fuel with a liquid electrolyte.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2019},

  month        = {10}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

Fuel cell with flow-through porous electrodes
patent-application, April 2009

Kjeang, Erik; Sinton, David; Djilali, Nedjib
US Patent Application 11/869277; 20090092882
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/20090092882

Mixed conducting membrane for carbon dioxide separation and partial oxidation reactions
patent, September 2004

Sammells, Anthony F.
US Patent Document 6,793,711
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/6793711

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Title: Flowing electrolyte fuel cell with improved performance and stability

Abstract

Citation Formats

Fuel cell with flow-through porous electrodes patent-application, April 2009

Mixed conducting membrane for carbon dioxide separation and partial oxidation reactions patent, September 2004

Fuel cell with flow-through porous electrodes
patent-application, April 2009

Mixed conducting membrane for carbon dioxide separation and partial oxidation reactions
patent, September 2004