Commissariat a L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives

Intelligent Energy Inc.

Università Degli Studi Di Bari

Jessica Thery

Vincent Faucheux

Philippe Capron

Antoine Latour

Bruno Valon

Olivier Blanchot

Gerard Francis McLean

Steve Martin

Riccardo D'agostino

Delphine Boutry

Erwan Coz

Antonella Milella

Fabio Palumbo

Gerard Mclean

Antonie Latour

An elementary module including an oxidation unit for generating electrons by oxidizing a fuel with an oxidant, an anode and cathode sandwiching an electrolytic membrane, an anode block including a fuel transporter support for transporting an anode feed flow containing the fuel to an anode chamber and an anode electron collector attached to the fuel transporter support, a cathode block including an oxidant transporter support for transporting a cathode feed flow containing the oxidant to a cathode chamber and a cathode electron collector attached to the oxidant transporter support, the elementary module defining the anode chamber, respectively, the cathode chamber, between the oxidation unit and the fuel transporter support, respectively, the oxidant transporter support, the anode electron collector, respectively, the cathode electron collector and the oxidation unit being attached by bonding and electrically connected by means of an anode conductive bridge, respectively, a cathode conductive bridge, containing an electrically conductive adhesive.

Elementary module for a fuel cell

A fuel cell including a plurality of elementary modules stacked on each other, at least one of the elementary modules including an oxidation unit generating electrons by oxidation of a fuel with an oxidant, an anode block including a fuel transporter support, for transporting an anode feed flow containing the fuel to an anode chamber, onto which is attached an anode electron collector, a cathode block including an oxidant transporter support, for transporting a cathode feed flow containing the oxidant to a cathode chamber, onto which is attached a cathode electron collector, the elementary module defining the anode chamber, respectively, the cathode chamber between the oxidation unit and the fuel transporter support, respectively, the oxidant transporter support, and being such that, prior to the assembly of the elementary module in said plurality, the anode block, respectively, the cathode block and the oxidation unit are attached to each other.

Fuel cell

Fabrication method of a fuel cell comprising the following successive steps:

Fuel cell with integrated water management layer and fabrication method thereof

Described herein are articles, systems, and methods relating to fuel cell systems that include anode chambers with variable volumes. The volume of the anode chamber may be relatively small or essentially zero upon start up to prevent influx of contaminants that would have to be purged from the system. As fuel is directed into the anode chamber, the chamber volume increases to accommodate the flow of fuel.

Anode chambers with variable volumes

The fuel cell includes an anode chamber having a hydrogen inlet emerging into it. A wall separating the inside of the anode chamber from the outside thereof includes a main region having a first thermal conduction resistance between the outside and the inside of the anode chamber, and a region for promoting the condensation of water having a second thermal conduction resistance between the outside and the inside of the anode chamber strictly smaller than the first thermal conduction resistance so as to delimit a water condensation surface within the anode chamber. A channel for removing the condensed water connects the condensation area to the outside of the anode chamber.

Fuel-cell stack comprising an anode chamber comprising in the anode chamber an area for condensing and removing water and method for condensing and removing water formed in said chamber

Adjacent elementary cells are connected in series by connecting elements, each of which is arranged in an interconnection area. The connecting elements are separated from the respective electrolytic membranes of the two adjacent cells to be connected thereby. In this way, they are never in contact with these electrolytic membranes. For one of the two cells, the connecting element is separated from the electrolytic membrane by an empty space, whereas for the other cell, it is separated from the electrolytic membrane by a thin barrier layer designed to act as buffer area for variations in volume of said membrane when the cell is in operation. The thin barrier layer is formed by a polymer material having a lower water absorption capacity than that of the polymer material constituting the electrolytic membrane of the cell.

Fuel cell comprising a plurality of basic cells connected in series, and method for manufacturing same

The catalyst thin layer consists of electronically conductive catalyst nano-particles embedded in a polymeric matrix. The ratio number of catalyst atoms/total number of atoms in the catalyst layer is comprised between 40% and 90%, more preferably between 50% and 60%.

Growing community of inventors

Saint Jean de Moirans, France

Jessica Thery