WO2008017155A1 - Contrôle de l'eau dans un empilement de piles à combustible - Google Patents

Contrôle de l'eau dans un empilement de piles à combustible Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2008017155A1
WO2008017155A1 PCT/CA2007/001384 CA2007001384W WO2008017155A1 WO 2008017155 A1 WO2008017155 A1 WO 2008017155A1 CA 2007001384 W CA2007001384 W CA 2007001384W WO 2008017155 A1 WO2008017155 A1 WO 2008017155A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
membrane
cathode
water
anode
varying
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/CA2007/001384
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Hao Tang
Dingrong Bai
David ELKAÏM
Jean-Guy Chouinard
Original Assignee
Hyteon Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hyteon Inc. filed Critical Hyteon Inc.
Publication of WO2008017155A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008017155A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04291—Arrangements for managing water in solid electrolyte fuel cell systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/10—Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
    • H01M8/1016—Fuel cells with solid electrolytes characterised by the electrolyte material
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M2300/00—Electrolytes
    • H01M2300/0088—Composites
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of fuel cells, and more particularly to the design of a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) to optimize water management inside the fuel cell stack.
  • MEA membrane electrode assembly
  • An MEA design is described to enhance the water transfers across the MEA and thus improve both membrane water saturation and water content uniformity over the MEA area 5 during low RH fuel cell operation.
  • the fuel cell stack performance, reliability and lifetime may be improved.
  • a method for facilitating water transfer in a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel0 cell stack comprising: supplying at least one of an anode and a cathode with low relative humidity reactants,- and providing a membrane having a non-uniform capability of water transfer, the non-uniform capability being an intrinsic characteristic of the membrane.
  • a membrane electrode assembly comprising: an anode electrode,- a cathode electrode; and a membrane between the anode and the cathode electrode, the membrane having a non-uniform capability of water transfer,0 the non-uniform capability being an intrinsic characteristic of the membrane.
  • anode side it should be understood that was is meant is the combination of anode flow fields, and/or anode gas diffusion layer (GDL) and anode electrode.
  • GDL gas diffusion layer
  • cathode side is the combination of cathode flow fields, and/or cathode GDL and cathode electrode .
  • Fig. 1 shows the prior art membrane electrode assembly having a cathode side, an anode side, and a uniform 5 membrane ;
  • Fig. 2a shows an embodiment of the present invention having a non-uniform membrane that gets thinner from anode inlet to anode outlet;
  • Fig. 2b shows an embodiment of the present invention having0 a membrane that has an ion exchange capability getting lower from cathode inlet to cathode outlet;
  • Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention having a non-uniform membrane that gets thinner from cathode inlet to cathode outlet; 5 Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention having a non-uniform membrane having alternating thin and thick zones,- and
  • Figs. 5a-5d show membranes having different gradually varying thickness.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates the prior art, where the membrane of an MEA is not equally humidified because of the constant5 width of the membrane.
  • the unit cell 10 comprises an anode side 12 (anode electrode + anode gas diffusion layer + anode flow field) , a cathode side 14 (cathode electrode + cathode gas diffusion layer + cathode flow field) and a proton exchange membrane 16 which is of uniform thickness throughout.
  • the anode reactant enters the anode side 12 following the direction of arrow 18 and exits the anode 5 side 12 following arrow 20 while the cathode reactant enters and exits the cathode side 14 following arrows 24 and 22, respectively.
  • the water contents are higher at the anode 32 and cathode 26 outlet portions and they are lower at the anode 28 and0 cathode 34 inlet portions.
  • the excess water is transferred from the anode outlet to the cathode inlet following arrow 36 and from the cathode outlet to the anode inlet following arrow 30.
  • At least one embodiment of the present invention5 homogenizes the humidification of a membrane and anode/cathode reactants. At least one embodiment of the invention facilitates water transfer in at least a portion of a membrane. This is achieved by providing a membrane having a non-uniform capability of water transfer, the0 capability being an intrinsic characteristic of the membrane. This should be understood to mean that the nonuniform capability of water transfer can be the result of the special shape of the membrane and/or the physical properties of the materials of which the membrane is made.5 It is understood that the membrane can comprise an assembly of membranes having different shapes and/or an assembly of different materials.
  • the amount of water transferred is determined by the membrane's thickness and other physical parameters, as 0 described by the following equation:
  • FIG. 1 illustrates one possible embodiment of the present invention to improve the water management in the fuel cell stack.
  • the embodiment illustrated in figure 2a facilitates water transfer between the anode outlet and the cathode inlet.
  • Figure 2a is a cross-sectional side view of a unit cell 50 comprising an anode side 52, a cathode side 54 and a membrane 56 having a5 non-uniform thickness.
  • the anode reactant enters the anode side 52 following the direction of arrow 62 and exits the anode side 52 following arrow 64 while the cathode reactant enters and exits the cathode side 54 following arrows 68 and 66, respectively.
  • the membrane thickness 60 at the cathode outlet is larger than the membrane thickness 58 at the cathode inlet.
  • the transfer of water from the water-rich anode region 76 to the water-lean cathode region 78, illustrated by arrow 80, is larger than the water transfer from the water-rich cathode region 72 to the water-lean anode region 70, illustrated by arrow 74.
  • a membrane such as membrane 56 enables an enhanced water 5 transfer from the anode outlet side to the cathode inlet side so that the humidification of the membrane as well as the reactants are more homogenous along its length, thereby increasing membrane conductibility and lifetime.
  • FIG. 2b Another embodiment to improve water transfer between anode0 outlet and cathode inlet consists in using higher ion exchange capacity (IEC) materials at the anode outlet side, as illustrated in figure 2b.
  • unit cell 90 comprises an anode side 91, a cathode side 92 and a membrane 93 of uniform thickness therebetween.
  • the membrane5 93 has a higher ion exchange capability at the cathode inlet 94 than that at the cathode outlet 95. This will increase the water transfer from the anode outlet 96 to the cathode inlet 94 with respect to the water transfer between the cathode outlet 95 and the anode inlet 97.
  • Yet another0 embodiment used to achieve the same objective is to use higher water diffusion and/or water solubility materials at the anode outlet side of the membrane.
  • the non-uniform variation of either the ion exchange capacity, the water diffusion, or5 the water solubility can be gradual or discrete along the membrane.
  • a plurality of membranes having different characteristics i.e. different ion exchange capacity and/or water diffusion and/or water solubility
  • other alternative membranes having a non-uniform capability of water transfer are possible while still falling within the scope of the present invention.
  • Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment used to facilitate water transfer between cathode outlet and anode inlet.
  • the 5 membrane shown in figure 2a has been reversed such that the thin side is now at the cathode outlet side, while the thicker side is at the cathode inlet side.
  • Figure 3 presents a unit cell 100 comprising an anode side 102, a cathode side 104 and a membrane 106 of varying thickness0 therebetween.
  • the anode reactant enters the anode side 102 following the direction of arrow 108 and exits the anode side 102 following arrow 110 while the cathode reactant enters and exits the cathode side 104 following arrows 114 and 112, respectively.
  • the membrane thickness 107 at the cathode inlet is larger than the membrane thickness 105 at the cathode outlet.
  • the transfer of water from the water- rich cathode region 118 to the water- lean anode region 116, illustrated by arrow 120 is larger than the water transfer0 from the water-rich anode region 122 to the water-lean cathode region 124, illustrated by arrow 126.
  • higher IEC materials may be used at the cathode outlet side.
  • higher water diffusion and/or solubility materials may be used at the cathode outlet side of the membrane .
  • Figure 4 is a design which facilitates water transfer between anode/cathode outlets and inlets, respectively.0 Figure 4 illustrates a unit cell 150 comprising an anode side 152, a cathode side 154 and a non-uniform membrane 156 therebetween.
  • the thickness of the membrane 156 varies to improve the water transfer.
  • the thickness 158 of the membrane at the cathode outlet and the thickness 162 of the membrane 156 at the cathode inlet is inferior to the thickness 160 at substantially the middle of the membrane 5 156.
  • the non-uniform membrane may be provided in different forms/shapes.
  • the variation may be very abrupt as illustrated 0 by membranes 56, 106, and 156, or gradual as illustrated by the different membranes of figure 5.
  • Figure 5a illustrates a membrane of which the thickness gradually decreases from top and bottom to the middle so that the transfer of water is increased in the middle of the membrane.
  • Figures 5b and5 5c present membranes of which the thickness gradually increases from top and bottom to the middle so that the transfer of water is decreased in the middle of the membrane.
  • Figures 5d illustrates a membrane of which the thickness gradually and linearly decreases from top to 0 bottom so that the water transfer is enhanced at the bottom of the membrane.
  • proton exchange materials including organic materials (such as NafionTM membrane), inorganic materials (such as ceramic materials) or their combinations
  • the membrane and the reactants 0 are saturated via enhanced water transfer between the water-rich side and the water-lean side across the MEA.
  • the membrane conductivity and MEA performance are increased.
  • the membrane/MEA lifetime is also improved.

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Fuel Cell (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un ensemble d'électrodes membranaires comportant: une électrode anodique ; une électrode cathodique ; et une membrane non uniforme entre l'électrode anodique et l'électrode cathodique, la membrane ayant une capacité non uniforme de transfert d'eau, la capacité non uniforme étant une caractéristique intrinsèque de la membrane.
PCT/CA2007/001384 2006-08-07 2007-08-07 Contrôle de l'eau dans un empilement de piles à combustible WO2008017155A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US83590606P 2006-08-07 2006-08-07
US60/835,906 2006-08-07

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2008017155A1 true WO2008017155A1 (fr) 2008-02-14

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/CA2007/001384 WO2008017155A1 (fr) 2006-08-07 2007-08-07 Contrôle de l'eau dans un empilement de piles à combustible

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2008017155A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102008040208A1 (de) * 2008-07-07 2010-01-14 Robert Bosch Gmbh Brennstoffzellensystem mit einem Ausgleichsbereich zum Befeuchten und/oder Temperieren
FR2973580A1 (fr) * 2011-03-31 2012-10-05 Commissariat Energie Atomique Pile a combustible a membrane d'echange de protons presentant une duree de vie accrue

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH07161369A (ja) * 1993-12-10 1995-06-23 Yamaha Motor Co Ltd 燃料電池
US20040209154A1 (en) * 2003-04-15 2004-10-21 Xiaoming Ren Passive water management techniques in direct methanol fuel cells
JP2007018821A (ja) * 2005-07-06 2007-01-25 Toyota Motor Corp 固体高分子電解質型燃料電池で用いる電解質膜とその製造方法、並びに膜電極接合体

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH07161369A (ja) * 1993-12-10 1995-06-23 Yamaha Motor Co Ltd 燃料電池
US20040209154A1 (en) * 2003-04-15 2004-10-21 Xiaoming Ren Passive water management techniques in direct methanol fuel cells
JP2007018821A (ja) * 2005-07-06 2007-01-25 Toyota Motor Corp 固体高分子電解質型燃料電池で用いる電解質膜とその製造方法、並びに膜電極接合体

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
SUI P.C. AND DJILALI N.: "Analysis of water transport in proton exchange membranes using a phenomenological model", JOURNAL OF FUEL CELL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, vol. 2, no. 3, 2005, pages 149 - 155 *
SUI P.C. AND DJILALI N.: "Numerical analysis of water transport in PEM fuel cell membranes using a phenomenological model", FUEL CELL SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY, 2004, pages 7 - 13 *

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102008040208A1 (de) * 2008-07-07 2010-01-14 Robert Bosch Gmbh Brennstoffzellensystem mit einem Ausgleichsbereich zum Befeuchten und/oder Temperieren
US8663854B2 (en) 2008-07-07 2014-03-04 Robert Bosch Gmbh Fuel cell system with a compensation region for moistening and/or tempering
FR2973580A1 (fr) * 2011-03-31 2012-10-05 Commissariat Energie Atomique Pile a combustible a membrane d'echange de protons presentant une duree de vie accrue

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