Direct oxidation fuel cell system with uniform vapor delivery of fuel
US8735012B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 20, 2008 |
| Grant date | May 27, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 7, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A fuel cell system which includes a fuel distribution structure that uniformly distributes vaporizing fuel to a fuel cell is provided. As the fuel travels in a flow field channel in the fuel distribution structure, it is substantially converted to a vapor by the heat of the fuel cell operation in such a manner that the resulting vapor pressure works to substantially uniformly distribute fuel evenly outwardly across substantially the entire active area of the anode aspect of one or more membrane electrode assemblies in the system, and whereby localized, uneven “hot spots” of fuel at the anode aspects are substantially prevented. A pair of enthalpy exchanger and heat spreader assemblies include a cathode current collector element that also has a heat spreader plate that collects and redirects heat in the fuel cell system, the assembly acting to manage the heat, temperature and condensation in the fuel cell system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.