Fuel Cells
“A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts a source fuel into an electric current. It generates electricity inside a cell through reactions between a fuel and an oxidant, triggered in the presence of an electrolyte. The reactants flow into the cell, and the reaction products flow out of it, while the electrolyte remains within it. Fuel cells can operate continuously as long as the necessary reactant and oxidant flows are maintained.”
“Fuel cells are different from conventional electrochemical cell batteries in that they consume reactant from an external source, which must be replenished, a thermodynamically open system. By contrast, batteries store electrical energy chemically and hence represent a thermodynamically closed system.”
“Many combinations of fuels and oxidants are possible. A hydrogen fuel cell uses hydrogen as its fuel and oxygen (usually from air) as its oxidant. Other fuels include hydrocarbons and alcohols. Other oxidants include chlorine and chlorine dioxide.”
(Wikipedia, Fuel Cells, 12/10/2010)
Applications
Design
Electrical Applications
Electrodes
Electrolytes
Electronic Applications
Enzyme based Fuel Cells
Fuel Cell Applications
Fuel Cell Bodies
Fuel Cell Conductors
Fuel Cell Separators
Fuel Cell Stacks
Fuel Cell Water Removal
High Temperature Fuel Cells
Hydrogen
Manufacturing
Microbial Fuel Cells
Operations
Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PM)
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Recent US Patents
7/6/2010
7,749,419
Method and device for injection molding
Kimura et al of Honda have developed an injection molding method for sealing fuel cells with silicone rubber seals involving multiple injections and multiple dies. (RDC 10/1/20100
Recent Journal Articles
9/28/2010
7,803,476
Electrical contact element for a fuel cell having a conductive monoatomic layer coating
Dadheech et of General Motors have developed an electrically conductive fluid distribution element in a fuel cell having a conductive metal substrate and a layer of conductive non-metallic porous media. The conductive non-metallic porous media has an electrically conductive material deposited along a surface in one or more metallized regions and having an average thickness equal to about the diameter of one atom of the material. These metallized regions improve electrical conductance at contact regions between the metal substrate and the fluid distribution media. (RDC 12/9/2010)