Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – With pressure equalizing means for liquid immersion operation
Patent
1986-10-30
1988-07-19
Hearn, Brian E.
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
With pressure equalizing means for liquid immersion operation
429 34, 429 38, H01M 214
Patent
active
047584815
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fuel cell with improved separation. It relates in particular to a fuel cell which is essentially constituted by a plurality of identical juxtaposed elements which are disposed in electrical contact with one another.
Overall, such a cell structure includes three distribution circuits which are common to all of the cells:
an electrolyte distribution circuit for distributing electrolyte from an external source and including, in particular, a common inlet channel and a common outlet channel;
a fuel distribution circuit for distributing fuel from an external source and including, in particular, at least one fuel inlet channel and at least one outlet channel for removing unburnt fuel and inert gases from the cell structure; and
an oxidant distribution circuit including, in particular, a plurality of oxidant inlet and outlet orifices situated in the bottom and top faces of the cell structure.
In addition, each cell comprises, in outline:
first and second porous electrodes which are preferably plane in shape with parallel faces, one being a cathode and the other an anode, and each including a specific catalyst;
an electrolyte filling the gap situated between the said electrodes; and
first and second impermeable bipolar current collectors comprising respective first and second frames of plastic material having at least one central conductive zone having channels on each of its faces, the first collector coming into electrical contact via the high points of its cathode face with the external surface of the said cathode, and via its anode face with the external surface of the anode of an adjacent cell, and the second collector coming into electrical contact via the high points of its anode face with the external surface of the said anode, and via its cathode face with the cathode of the other adjacent cell; the oxidizing gas from the said common oxidant distribution circuit flowing between the said cathode and the cathode face of the first collector and being supplied to the said cathode, and the fuel gas from the said common fuel distribution circuit flowing between the said anode and the anode face of the second collector and being supplied to the said anode; the first and second frames being provided with orifices to allow the electrolyte and the fuel to flow through the cell structure, the said orifices contributing by their juxtaposition to defining the said common inlet and outlet channels. Means are provided on the anode face of the second collector to enable the fuel from the inlet channels to be conveyed over the surface of the anode and away from said surface to the outlet channels; said means including grooves constituting a plurality of microchannels, which grooves are disposed in the top and bottom portions of the said second frame.
Further, the first electrode is applied against a third frame made of plastic material and having a central orifice in the form of a quadrilateral, the top and bottom portions of the third frame including orifices for conveying fuel and electrolyte through the cell structure, said orifices corresponding to the orifices for conveying fuel and electrolyte through the cell structure, said orifices corresponding to the orifices provided in the frames of the collectors, and likewise contributing to the formation of the said inlet and outlet channels for the fuel and the electrolyte; means being provided on one face of the third frame to enable electrolyte to be conveyed from the inlet channel to an electrolyte compartment situated between the two electrodes, and from the said compartment to an outlet channel; the said means including grooves that open out into set back portions that constitute electrolyte distributing and collecting manifolds disposed on the top and bottom portions of the third frame along two opposite sides of the central orifice and in communication with the electrolyte chamber by means of a plurality of parallel microchannels delimited by ribs.
The second electrode is applied against one of the fac
REFERENCES:
patent: 3690954 (1972-09-01), Warszawski
patent: 3944435 (1976-03-01), Kordesch
patent: 4064321 (1977-12-01), Grehier
patent: 4074020 (1978-02-01), Regnaut
Abstract No. 288, "Engineering Analysis of an NH-3--Air Fuel Cell System for Vehicles", by P. N. Ross, Jr., Extended Abstracts, vol. 82-2, Oct. 17-21, 1982, pp. 467-468.
Hearn Brian E.
Kalafut Stephen J.
Occidental Chemical Corporation
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