Fuel cell modules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016351932-A1
Application number	US-201514970045-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2015
Priority date	May 28, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a fuel cell module. The fuel cell module includes a container and a membrane electrode assembly located on the container. The container includes a housing and a nozzle connected to the housing. The container defines a number of through holes located on the housing and covered by the membrane electrode assembly. The membrane electrode assembly includes a proton exchange membrane having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a cathode electrode located on the first surface and an anode electrode located on the second surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel cell module, comprising:
a container, wherein the container comprises a housing and a nozzle, and the housing defines a plurality of through holes; the housing defines a chamber and an opening; the nozzle has a first end connected to the opening and a second end opposite to the first end; and a membrane electrode assembly located on the container and cover the plurality of through holes, wherein the membrane electrode assembly comprises a proton exchange membrane having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a cathode electrode located on the first surface and an anode electrode located on the second surface.

2 . The fuel cell module of claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises a baffle located in both the nozzle and the chamber.

3 . The fuel cell module of claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a first opening and a second opening; and the container comprises a first nozzle in connected to the first opening and a second nozzle in connected to the second opening.

4 . The fuel cell module of claim 3 , wherein the container further comprises a baffle located in the chamber to divide the chamber in to a first space connected to the first nozzle and a second space connected to the second nozzle.

5 . The fuel cell module of claim 1 , wherein a ratio between the maximum diameter of the chamber and the maximum diameter of the nozzle is in a range from about 1.5:1 to about 100:1.

6 . The fuel cell module of claim 1 , wherein the container comprises rigid materials selected from the group consisting of metal, ceramic, glass, quartz, diamond and plastic.

7 . The fuel cell module of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the housing is spherical, hemispherical, cylindrical or bellows shape.

8 . The fuel cell module of claim 1 , wherein the container comprises an outside surface and an inside surface opposite to the outside surface; and the membrane electrode assembly is located on the inside surface.

9 . The fuel cell module of claim 1 , wherein the container comprises an outside surface and an inside surface opposite to the outside surface; and the membrane electrode assembly is located on the outside surface.

10 . The fuel cell module of claim 1 , wherein the container is made of conductive material and used as a first current collector; and further comprises a second current collector so that the membrane electrode assembly is located between the first current collector and the second current collector.

11 . The fuel cell module of claim 1 , wherein the container is made of insulative material; the fuel cell module further comprises a first current collector located between the container and the membrane electrode assembly and a second current collector, and the membrane electrode assembly is located between the first current collector and the second current collector.

12 . The fuel cell module of claim 1 , wherein each of the cathode electrode and the anode electrode comprises a gas diffusion layer and catalyst dispersed on the gas diffusion layer.

13 . The fuel cell module of claim 12 , wherein the gas diffusion layer is a carbon nanotube layer.

14 . A fuel cell module, comprising:
container, wherein wall of the container defines a plurality of through holes on wall of the container; and a membrane electrode assembly located on the container and cover the plurality of through holes, wherein the membrane electrode assembly comprises a proton exchange membrane having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a cathode electrode located on the first surface and an anode electrode located on the second surface.

Assignees

• Hon Hai Prec Ind Co Ltd
• Univ Tsinghua

Inventors

• Zhang Li-Na
• Gao Xin-Yu
• Yang qi-yao
• Jiang Kai-Li
• Liu Chang-Hong
• Fan Shou-Shan

Classifications

• H01M8/16

  Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts · CPC title

• H01M8/1006 Primary

  Corrugated, curved or wave-shaped MEA · CPC title

• H01M8/06

  Combination of fuel cells with means for production of reactants or for treatment of residues (regenerative fuel cells H01M8/18) · CPC title

• H01M8/1007

  with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised (H01M8/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M4/8807

  Gas diffusion layers · CPC title