Patent · US Expired

Method of improving the performance of a direct feed fuel cell

US6884530B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by

5References

21Claims

0Family size

Assignee

SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG · DE

Inventors

Kevin Colbow · North Vancouver, CA
Monica Manmohan Kaila · Surrey, CA
Jiujun Zhang · Richmond, CA
Jens Müller · Regensburg, DE
Gustav Boehm · Helmstedt, DE

Key dates

Filing date	May 31, 2001
Grant date	Apr 26, 2005
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jan 25, 2022

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY02E60/50
WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The performance of a direct feed fuel cell such as, for example, a direct methanol fuel cell, with an anode having a CO-tolerant catalyst, such as a Pt—Ru catalyst, is improved by periodically reducing the output power of the cell to be less than the normal minimum output of the cell. This is effected, for example, by switching the cell at predetermined time intervals to an open circuit or reduced output power condition.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.