Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals Corporation

Alfred Stawsky

Arthur Kaufman

Jack J Early

Victor Rosynsky

A fuel cell system is comprised of a fuel cell module including sub-stacks of series-connected fuel cells, the sub-stacks being held together in a stacked arrangement with cold plates of a cooling means located between the sub-stacks to function as electrical terminals. The anode and cathode terminals of the sub-stacks are connected in parallel by means of the coolant manifolds which electrically connect selected cold plates. The system may comprise a plurality of the fuel cell modules connected in series. The sub-stacks are designed to provide a voltage output equivalent to the desired voltage demand of a low voltage, high current DC load such as an electrolytic cell to be driven by the fuel cell system. This arrangement in conjunction with switching means can be used to drive a DC electrical load with a total voltage output selected to match that of the load being driven. This arrangement eliminates the need for expensive voltage regulation equipment.

Fuel cell system

A catalytic, gas treating apparatus in which a unitary ceramic catalytic element having gas flow passages therethrough, is positioned within a metallic casing in a manner providing a space between the casing and the catalytic element. A resilient member which is compressible both radially and longitudinally is positioned around the catalytic element in said space to resiliently hold the catalytic element. A plug member is positioned at least partially in said space, and, for instance, around the catalytic element at opposite end portions of the catalytic element, in a manner which longitudinally compresses said resilient member to a substantial extent to increase the holding force exerted on the catalytic element by the resilient member and thereby inhibit axial movement of the catalytic element during use. The device avoids the necessity of providing end flanges extending from the casing and overlapping the periphery of the end faces of the catalytic element for the purpose of minimizing axial movement of the catalytic element, and, as a result, essentially all of the gas flow passages remain available to the flow of the gas to be treated and there is maximum catalyst utilization.

Catalytic apparatus

A catalytic gas treatment apparatus in which a unitary catalytic element, having gas flow paths therethrough, is positioned within a surrounding casing. At least one, and preferably two, end flanges are provided and are positioned in a direction inwardly with respect to the casing and are adjacent the catalytic element end faces. Expansible and/or resilient retention members are positioned between the end flanges and the catalytic element end faces to expand as differences in thermal expansion rates result in differences in the distance between the end flanges and the catalytic element end faces. Consequently, untreated gas cannot pass between the catalytic element outer surface and the casing inner surface, and damage of the catalytic element end faces by the end flanges is lessened during vibration of the apparatus while operating at a high temperature. In one embodiment, the expansible retention members are bimetallic washers shaped similar to a Belleville spring, while in another embodiment, they are hollow, gas-filled, thin metal shell pleated gaskets.

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Bronx, NY, United States of America

Alfred Stawsky