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Ion exchange membrane fuel cell power plant with water management pressure differentials

Carl Reiser
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TLDR
In this paper, a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with an internal water management and transfer system includes a plurality of adjacently arranged polygonal assemblies including an exchange membrane component, a pair of porous anode and cathode catalyst layers, and porous plate assemblies interposed between and in contact with each of the adjacent proton-exchange membrane assemblies.
Abstract
A proton exchange membrane fuel cell device with an internal water management and transfer system includes a plurality of adjacently arranged proton exchange membrane assemblies including a proton exchange membrane component; a pair of porous anode and cathode catalyst layers situated on either side of the proton exchange membrane; and porous plate assemblies interposed between and in contact with each of the adjacent proton exchange membrane assemblies. Oxidant gas is supplied to oxidant gas supply channels, and fuel gas to fuel gas supply channels formed in the porous plate assemblies for distribution to the cathode and anode catalyst layers, respectively. A water coolant circulating system is formed in each of the porous plate assemblies and causes each of the porous plate assemblies to become saturated with coolant water. The reactant flow fields are pressurized to a pressure which exceeds the coolant water circulating pressure by a selected ΔP so as to ensure that product water formed on the cathode side of each membrane assembly will be pumped through the porous plates into the coolant water flow field and become entrained in the circulating coolant water stream.

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Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI

Water transport in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

TL;DR: In this article, the state and transport mechanism of water in different components of PEMFC are elaborated in detail, and the experimental techniques have been developed to predict distributions of water, gas species, temperature and other parameters in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC).
Journal ArticleDOI

A critical review of cooling techniques in proton exchange membrane fuel cell stacks

TL;DR: In this paper, the advantages, challenges and progress of various cooling techniques, including cooling with heat spreaders (using high thermal conductivity materials or heat pipes), cooling with separate air flow, cooling with liquid (water or antifreeze coolant), and cooling with phase change (evaporative cooling and cooling through boiling), are systematically reviewed.
Journal ArticleDOI

Characterization of gas crossover and its implications in PEM fuel cells

TL;DR: In this paper, an in-situ electrochemical technique has been applied to determine the magnitude of the hydrogen crossover over a range of relevant fuel cell operating temperatures and pressures, and a mathematical model is developed to predict the extent of nitrogen accumulation along the anode flow fields, and fuel recycle as a mitigation method is simulated by improving hydrogen distribution.
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Integrated hydrocarbon reforming system and controls

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed a reformer system with a first reactor configured to generate hydrogen-rich reformate by carrying out at least one of thermal partial oxidation, a catalytic partial oxidation (COPO), a steam reforming, and any combinations thereof.
References
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Patent

Electrochemical fuel cell system with a regulated vacuum ejector for recirculation of the fluid fuel stream

TL;DR: In this article, a load-following electric power generation system with a regulated vacuum ejector for recirculating the fluid fuel stream is presented, where the ejector suction inlet is fluidly connected to the fuel stream outlet of the fuel cell stack.
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TL;DR: In this paper, an integrated fuel cell power generation system consisting of a fuel cell stack having a humidification section and an electrochemically active section is presented, which includes fuel cells for promoting the electrocatalytic conversion of the humidified fuel and oxidant streams to electric current and product water.
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TL;DR: In this paper, a method and apparatus for removing water accumulated at the cathode of an electrochemical fuel cell incorporating a solid polymer ion exchange membrane was provided, where the partial pressure of water vapor at the inlet of the hydrogen-containing gas supply was maintained at less than the saturation pressure of the water vapor therein.