Eltech Systems Corporation

International Fuel Cells, LLC

Alcan International Limited

Utc Fuel Cells, LLC

Douglas J Wheeler

Leonard J Bonville

Ajit Y Sane

Thomas M Clere

Gerald R Pohto

Marilyn J Niksa

Andrew J Niksa

Thomas J Schue

Gholamreza J Abbaschian

Albert L Barnes

Leslie K Lakatos

Roger R Lesieur

Adam J Gesing

Ernest W Dewing

Thomas F Fuller

Thomas R Turk

Jean-Pierre Derivaz

Charles S Kuivila

Carl Anthony Reiser

Jean-Jacques R Duruz

Ned Emidio Cipollini

Frank Solomon

Donald F Szydlowski

Thomas J Corrigan

Derek W Hildreth

Calvin L Bushnell

William R Bennett

Peter Alexander Wales

Jay Garow

John A Bett

David N Mitchell

Iudita L Adorian

Douglas N Reesor

Yury Genodman

Dan Gagescu

Zebulon D Vance, Jr

Pierre E Debely

Louis J Manfredo

Thomas J Hudson

Daniel P Hagel

Joseph K Walker

Donald L De Respiris

An integrated fuel cell stack assembly ( ) and selective oxidizer bed assembly ( ) is provided. The fuel cell stack assembly ( ) also includes a number of fuel cells. A fuel inlet manifold ( ) and fuel inlet plenum to cell stack ( ) manifold are arranged in fluid communication with the fuel stack assembly ( ) for supplying to and exhausting from, respectively, the fuel supply in the fuel cells in the fuel stack assembly ( ). The bed resides in said fuel inlet manifold. The bed includes a selective oxidation catalyst with a heat exchange fluid conduit routed therethrough. Oxygen-containing gas is supplied into the bed via the input plenum. The temperature of the internal selective oxidizer bed is controlled by the fluid conduit in the bed to reduce carbon monoxide in the fuel.

Selective oxidizer in cell stack manifold

The invention is a reformate fuel treatment system for a fuel cell power plant that includes at least one fuel cell for generating electricity from process oxidant and reducing fluid reactant streams; fuel processing components including a steam supply and a reformer for producing a hydrogen enriched reformate fuel for the fuel cell from a hydrocarbon fuel; and, an ammonia removal apparatus that treats the reformate fuel to make it appropriate for supplying hydrogen to an anode electrode of the fuel cell. The ammonia removal apparatus may be a disposable ammonia scrubber, an ammonia scrubbing cool water bed and an ammonia stripping warm water bed, a pair of first and second regenerable scrubbers, or a single regenerable ammonia scrubber.

Reformate fuel treatment system for a fuel cell power plant

The invention is a hydride bed water recovery system for a fuel cell power plant that has at least one fuel cell having an electrolyte between anode and cathode electrodes for producing an electric current from a reducing fluid and an oxidant stream. A coolant loop directs a coolant fluid from a coolant reservoir through a coolant passage to the fuel cell and back to the reservoir. A process exhaust passage receives a cathode exhaust stream from the fuel cell and directs the stream away from the fuel cell and into a hydride bed cooler that passes the stream in heat exchange relationship with a condensing hydride bed of the cooler so that the bed cools the process exhaust stream to condense water out of the stream. In a preferred embodiment, the hydride bed cooler is a two-pair hydride bed cooler that includes a first pair and a second pair of hydride beds, and each pair includes a high temperature hydride bed, and a low temperature hydride bed so that each pair of hydride beds operates in alternating regeneration and cooling modes.

Hydride bed water recovery system for a fuel cell power plant

An environmental compensation apparatus for an electrochemical fuel cell assembly, wherein a compressible material is dispersed within a coolant flow of the fuel cell assembly and is utilized to compensate for the expansion of the coolant when said fuel cell assembly is subjected to harsh environmental conditions. The compressible material is formed as a plurality of either polymeric or elastomer microspheres, each microsphere having a diameter larger than the pores of an anode or cathode flow field plate, yet smaller than the diameter of a coolant channel.

Environmental compensation method and apparatus for a fuel cell assembly

A proton exchange membrane fuel cell has a noble metal or noble metal alloy catalyst 15 disposed in its air inlet manifold 13. During start up, a fuel cell is warmed to operating temperature by introducing a small amount of hydrogen into a flow of air to the air inlet 12 of the fuel cell where they react with the catalyst to produce heat at subflame temperatures. The adiabatic temperature rise of the gas stream is limited to about 150.degree. F. by limiting the hydrogen to about one volume percent of the fuel/oxidant mixture, thereby to be capable of raising the fuel cell temperature, for instance, from -40.degree. C. (-40.degree. F.) to about +45.degree. C. (+113.degree. F.), without flame, explosion or drying out of the membrane.

Start up of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

During start up, a fuel cell is warmed to operating temperature by introducing a dilute hydrogen/air mixture into the normal process oxidant channels of the fuel cell where it reacts with a noble metal or noble metal alloy catalyst to produce heat at subflame temperatures. In one embodiment, catalyst is provided in a structure between the cathode and the process oxidant channels; if the structure is not sufficiently hydrophobic to allow the hydrogen/fuel mixture to reach it, such structure may be specially produced with hydrophobic regions to assure ice-free passages; in a structure with sufficient hydrophobic regions, only the catalyst need be added. In embodiments with a hydrophobic cathode, no structural modification is required; or a hydrophilic cathode may be provided with hydrophobic regions.

Start up of frozen fuel cell

A proton exchange membrane fuel cell has methanol or ethanol fed into the coolant passages during shut down so as to prevent water trapped therein from freezing in sub-freezing environments. Upon start-up, a controlled amount of air is fed through the cathode reactant flow field so that alcohol diffusing to the cathode catalyst is oxidized, producing heat which will raise the temperature of the fuel cell above freezing, and to a normal operating temperature. A heat exchanger in the coolant water circulating loop may be bypassed during start-up.

Start up of cold fuel cell

Solid polymer membrane fuel cell product water which forms on the oxidant side of the membrane is removed from the active area of the cells in a fuel cell power plant by being absorbed into and wicked away from the active area by a porous carbon body which contacts the membrane. The carbon body may be an oxidant reactant flow field plate. The pores in the carbon body are partially filled with metal oxide granules which impart increased wettability and water absorption capacity to the carbon body.

Porous carbon body with increased wettability by water

A method for manufacturing ceramic/metal or ceramic/ceramic composite articles is disclosed. The articles can be useful for the production of aluminum in fused salt electrolysis cells, as armor plates for the protection against projectiles, cutting tools, or in abrasion resistance applications. The temperature slope of the process if optimized such that one of the reactants in the manufacturing proceeds through peritectic decomposition at a heating rate of low temperature increase for desirably uniform temperature distribution over the reaction mixture. Then the temperature increase is greatly elevated to obtain a reaction sintering condition for avoiding grain growth of undesired reaction products. Elevated temperature reaction sintering conditions can be maintained to decompose undesired components before they are entrapped by the reaction product.

Ceramic/metal or ceramic/ceramic composite article

A method for manufacturing ceramic/metal or ceramic/ceramic composite articles is disclosed. The articles can be useful for the production of aluminum in fused salt electrolysis cells, as armour plates for the protection against projectiles, cutting tools, or in abrasion resistance applications. The temperature slope of the process if optimized such that one of the reactants in the manufacturing proceeds through peritectic decomposition at a heating rate of low temperature increase for desirably uniform temperature distribution over the reaction mixture. Then the temperature increase is greatly elevated to obtain a reaction sintering condition for avoiding grain growth of undesired reaction products. Elevated temperature reaction sintering conditions can be maintained to decompose undesired components before they are entrapped by the reaction product.

Method of manufacturing a ceramic/metal or ceramic/ceramic composite

A composite for protection against armor-piercing projectiles is disclosed. The composite can be a ceramic composite which may be utilized alone or with other materials, e.g., a metallic or plastic base or substrate layer. Composites of AlN with TiB.sub.2, SiC, B.sub.4 C or their mixtures are utilized. These ceramic composites can be prepared by hot pressing, reaction hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing or pressureless sintering. The composite may have well dispersed grains for at least one component, which grains can be interconnected with grains of the second component, and the grains may be of a size less than about five microns. The composite in layer form can have a metallic cover layer.

Composite for protection against armor-piercing projectiles

A battery assembly of the consumable metal anode type has now been constructed for ready assembly as well as disassembly. In a non-conductive and at least substantially inert cell body, space is provided for receiving an open-structured, non-consumable anode cage. The cage has an open top for facilitating insertion of an anode. A modular cathode is used, comprising a peripheral current conductor frame clamped about a grid reinforced air cathode in sheet form. The air cathode may be double gridded. The cathode frame can be sealed, during assembly, with electrolyte-resistant-sealant as well as with adhesive. The resulting cathode module can be assembled outside the cell body and readily inserted therein, or can later be easily removed therefrom.

Method of making a unitized electrode assembly

Battery with modular air cathode and anode cage

In an aluminium reduction cell including a cell lining and embedded therein at least one cathode current collector including a high temperature section comprising an electrically conducting refractory material such as titanium diboride, generally in conjunction with molten aluminium metal, corrosion is a problem. The invention provides a substance to protect the collector section. The substance may be a liquid impermeable layer e.g. particulate material impregnated with a molten fluoride-or chloride-containing salt mixture; for a getter such as particulate aluminium to react chemically with gaseous corrosive species. Combinations of these substances may be used, optionally in conjunction with a solid layer such as an alumina or aluminium metal tube.

Aluminium reduction cell

Growing community of inventors

Cleveland Heights, OH, United States of America

Douglas J Wheeler