Fuel cell membrane humidification
Abstract
A polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell assembly has an anode side and a cathode side separated by the membrane and generating electrical current by electrochemical reactions between a fuel gas and an oxidant. The anode side comprises a hydrophobic gas diffusion backing contacting one side of the membrane and having hydrophilic areas therein for providing liquid water directly to the one side of the membrane through the hydrophilic areas of the gas diffusion backing. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrophilic areas of the gas diffusion backing are formed by sewing a hydrophilic thread through the backing. Liquid water is distributed over the gas diffusion backing in distribution channels that are separate from the fuel distribution channels.
- Inventors:
-
- Los Alamos, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 872515
- Patent Number(s):
- 5952119
- Assignee:
- Regents of University of California (Los Alamos, NM)
- 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
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- fuel; cell; membrane; humidification; polymer; electrolyte; assembly; anode; cathode; separated; generating; electrical; current; electrochemical; reactions; gas; oxidant; comprises; hydrophobic; diffusion; contacting; hydrophilic; therein; providing; liquid; water; directly; preferred; embodiment; formed; sewing; thread; distributed; distribution; channels; separate; generating electric; fuel cell; liquid water; fuel distribution; gas diffusion; electrolyte membrane; fuel gas; preferred embodiment; chemical reaction; polymer electrolyte; electrical current; cell assembly; chemical reactions; electrochemical reaction; water directly; membrane fuel; electrochemical reactions; generating electrical; cell membrane; /429/
Citation Formats
Wilson, Mahlon S. Fuel cell membrane humidification. United States: N. p., 1999.
Web.
Wilson, Mahlon S. Fuel cell membrane humidification. United States.
Wilson, Mahlon S. Fri .
"Fuel cell membrane humidification". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872515.
@article{osti_872515,
title = {Fuel cell membrane humidification},
author = {Wilson, Mahlon S},
abstractNote = {A polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell assembly has an anode side and a cathode side separated by the membrane and generating electrical current by electrochemical reactions between a fuel gas and an oxidant. The anode side comprises a hydrophobic gas diffusion backing contacting one side of the membrane and having hydrophilic areas therein for providing liquid water directly to the one side of the membrane through the hydrophilic areas of the gas diffusion backing. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrophilic areas of the gas diffusion backing are formed by sewing a hydrophilic thread through the backing. Liquid water is distributed over the gas diffusion backing in distribution channels that are separate from the fuel distribution channels.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999}
}
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Works referenced in this record:
Management of the Water Content in Polymer Electrolyte Membranes with Porous Fiber Wicks
journal, November 1993
- Watanabe, Masahiro; Satoh, Yasutaka; Shimura, Chiyoka
- Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 140, Issue 11