A direct alcohol fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022052355-A1
Application number	US-201917298706-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 2, 2019
Priority date	Dec 6, 2018
Publication date	Feb 17, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a direct alcohol fuel cell (DAFC) comprising an anode terminal electrically connected to an anode catalyst in fluid communication with a fuel supply; a cathode catalyst in fluid communication with a gaseous oxidant; an electrically conducting cathode plate having a collecting element with evaporation holes, a bendable segment and a terminal site, which collecting element is electrically connected to the cathode catalyst; and a housing containing the collecting element, and a proton exchange membrane (PEM) between the anode catalyst and the cathode catalyst

First claim

1 . A direct alcohol fuel cell (DAFC) comprising:
an anode terminal electrically connected to an anode catalyst in fluid communication with a fuel supply, a cathode catalyst in fluid communication with a gaseous oxidant, an electrically conducting cathode plate having a collecting element with evaporation holes, a bendable segment and a terminal site, which collecting element is electrically connected to the cathode catalyst, and a housing containing the collecting element, and a proton exchange membrane (PEM) between the anode catalyst and the cathode catalyst.

2 . An electrically conducting cathode plate for a DAFC, the electrically conducting cathode plate comprising a bendable segment between a collecting element with evaporation holes and a terminal site.

3 . The DAFC according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conducting cathode plate is made from a single piece of material.

4 . The DAFC according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conducting cathode plate has a thickness in the range of 10 μm to 1 mm.

5 . The DAFC according to claim 1 , wherein the collecting element comprises a guidance hole on either side or guidance holes on both sides of the bendable segment where the bendable segment joins the collecting element.

6 . The DAFC according to claim 1 , wherein the collecting element has a bulk area in the range of 0.05 cm 2 to 10 cm 2 .

7 . The DAFC according to claim 1 , wherein the collecting element is located at a surface of the housing.

8 . The electrically conducting cathode plate according to claim 2 , wherein the electrically conducting cathode plate is made from a single piece of material.

9 . The electrically conducting cathode plate according to claim 2 , wherein the electrically conducting cathode plate has a thickness in the range of 10 μm to 1 mm.

10 . The electrically conducting cathode plate according to claim 2 , wherein the collecting element comprises a guidance hole on either side or guidance holes on both sides of the bendable segment where the bendable segment joins the collecting element.

11 . The electrically conducting cathode plate according to claim 2 , wherein the collecting element has a bulk area in the range of 0.05 cm 2 to 10 cm 2 .

Assignees

• Widex As

Inventors

• Lund-Olesen Torsten
• Valnert Boris
• Larssen Michael Frydendal
• Vestentoft Kasper
• Tynelius Oskar
• Bonde Jacob Lindner
• Hales Jan Harry
• Christensen Leif Hoejslet

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/0247 Primary

  characterised by the form (characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258) · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/1011 Primary

  Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC] · CPC title

• H01M2250/30

  Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title