Utc Fuel Cells, LLC

United Technologies Corporation

Utc Power Corporation

Frederick Sribnik

Richard D Breault

Carl Anthony Reiser

John W Steele

Harold T Couch

Michael D Harrington

Water transfer means () transfers fuel cell product water from a cathode water transport plate () to an anode water transport plate () of the same or a different fuel cell, wholly within a fuel cell stack (), (disposed within each fuel cell of a fuel cell stack ()). The water transfer means may be a very high permeability proton exchange membrane (), a water transfer band () such as silicon carbide particles, a porous water transfer zone (), with or without a flow restrictor (), internal water manifolds () which extend through an entire fuel cell stack, or internal manifolds () which extend only through groups of cells between solid plates (). As an example, 90% product water may be removed as vapor in oxidant exhaust, 30% may be transferred through the water transfer means () from cathode water transport plates to anode water transport plates, of which 20% may flow from the anode to the cathode, the net result of osmosis and proton drag, and 10% may exit the anode water transport plates as liquid water.

Internal PEM fuel cell water management

A PEM fuel cell system () has a multifunction oxidant manifold () disposed contiguously beneath a fuel cell stack (), serving as coolant accumulator (). An electric heater () is powered by the fuel cell electrical output () during frozen startup. Auxiliary pump () and conduits () forces water () above oxidant pressure in upper coolant manifold (), into the oxidant flow fields to be warmed before flowing from the oxidant exhaust to the accumulator to melt additional ice. Alternatively, melted coolant is forced by oxidant pressure into coolant channels for heating. Conduit () conducts coolant from the coolant flow fields to the accumulator. A condensing heat exchanger () embedded in accumulator coolant receives oxidant exhaust. A condensing heat exchanger () has cold inlet air () and warm moist oxidant exhaust () on opposite sides, condensing liquid into the accumulator. Melting of coolant may be started by a heater () powered by a battery () or by circulating externally heated () glycol.

Fuel cell stack melting of coolant water during frozen startup

A start system for enabling rapid fuel cell power from sub-freezing initial conditions in a fuel cell power plant which comprises heating an antifreeze coolant source and melting ice in the sump of a cell stack assembly with the heated antifreeze to effect start up.

Configuration enabling rapid fuel cell power from sub-freezing initial condition

The combination of a culturing process, bioluminescence mediated by luciferin/luciferase, and a light measuring device allows microbial monitoring in liquids with microbial concentrations as low as 1 CFU/100 ml. All characteristics of this monitor are zero gravity compatible which makes it particularly suitable for applications such as monitoring microbial counts in water in a zero gravity, closed environment.

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Windsor, CT, United States of America

Frederick Sribnik