Molten electrolyte dual-phase membranes for intermediate temperature fuel cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019379063-A1
Application number	US-201916435131-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 7, 2019
Priority date	Jun 8, 2018
Publication date	Dec 12, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one aspect of an inventive concept, a fuel cell system includes a cathode and an anode, a porous ceramic support positioned between the cathode and anode, and a molten electrolyte mixture in pores of the ceramic support. In another aspect of an inventive concept, a method for producing energy includes directing a gas stream through a cathode, where an inner side of the cathode is adjacent to a dual phase membrane including a ceramic support infiltrated with a molten electrolyte mixture, sweeping an outer side of the anode with water, where an inner side of the anode is adjacent to the dual phase membrane, and collecting energy from the anode. The dual phase membrane is sandwiched between the cathode and an anode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel cell system, comprising:
a cathode and an anode; a porous ceramic support positioned between the cathode and anode; and a molten electrolyte mixture in pores of the ceramic support.

2 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell system is operable to generate electricity up to a temperature of 600 degrees Celsius.

3 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell system is operable to generate electricity at temperatures in a range of about 150 degrees Celsius to about 400 degrees Celsius.

4 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the molten electrolyte mixture includes a molten hydroxide mixture, wherein the molten hydroxide mixture includes an alkaline hydroxide having a melting point below 200 degrees Celsius.

5 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the ceramic support with the molten hydroxide mixture therein is a hydroxide ceramic dual phase membrane.

6 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the molten hydroxide mixture includes at least one cation selected from the group consisting of: lithium, sodium, potassium, cesium, and rubidium.

7 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cathode and the anode are porous.

8 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , comprising a water flow system on an outer side of the anode, wherein the outer side of the anode is opposite an inner side of the anode, wherein the inner side of the anode is adjacent to the ceramic support.

9 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cathode is configured to be a catalyst for an oxide reduction reaction, wherein the anode is configured to be a catalyst for a hydrogen oxidation reaction.

10 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , wherein a material of the cathode and a material of the anode include the same material.

11 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , wherein a material of the cathode and a material of the anode include different materials.

12 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cathode and/or anode include at least one metal selected from the group consisting of: platinum group metals, nickel, copper, cobalt, mixed metal oxides, nickel cobalt alloys, and a combination thereof.

13 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cathode and/or anode includes an electrode material selected from the group consisting of: metal mesh, carbon material, metal particles, and a combination thereof.

14 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the molten electrolyte mixture is configured to generate ionic conductivity greater than 0.50 siemens per centimeter at temperatures greater than 150 degrees Celsius.

15 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , comprising a triple phase boundary region, wherein the triple phase boundary region includes an association of the cathode and/or anode, the molten electrolyte mixture, and a gas.

16 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and air.

17 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ceramic support has physical characteristics of formation by an additive manufacturing technique.

18 . A fuel cell system as recited in claim 1 , comprising a power source for applying a voltage differential across the cathode and the anode,
wherein the fuel cell system is configured to synthesize ammonia from water and nitrogen gas.

19 . A method for producing energy, the method comprising:
directing a gas stream through a cathode, wherein an inner side of the cathode is adjacent to a dual phase membrane comprising a ceramic support infiltrated with a molten electrolyte mixture, wherein the dual phase membrane is sandwiched between the cathode and an anode; sweeping an outer side of the anode with water, wherein an inner side of the anode is adjacent to the dual phase membrane; and collecting energy from the anode.

20 . A method as recited in claim 19 , wherein the method is performed with the molten electrolyte mixture at a temperature in a range of 150 degrees Celsius to about 400 degrees Celsius.

21 . A method as recited in claim 19 , wherein the molten electrolyte mixture is a molten hydroxide mixture.

22 . A method as recited in claim 21 , wherein the gas stream comprises air, wherein the air comprises oxygen and carbon dioxide.

23 . A method as recited in claim 22 wherein contacting carbon dioxide and molten hydroxide mixture forms a carbonate, wherein contacting the carbonate and the water at the anode forms carbon dioxide.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Campbell Patrick
• Hernandez Maira Ceron
• Vedharathinam Vedasri

Classifications

• H01M8/146 Primary

  Fuel cells with molten hydroxide · CPC title

• H01M2300/006

  Hydroxides · CPC title

• H01M8/0295

  Matrices for immobilising electrolyte melts · CPC title

• H01M2008/147

  Fuel cells with molten carbonates · CPC title

• H01M8/04089

  of gaseous reactants · CPC title