Direct methanol feed fuel cell and system

Abstract

Improvements to non-acid methanol fuel cells include new formulations for materials. The platinum and ruthenium are more exactly mixed together. Different materials are substituted for these materials. The backing material for the fuel cell electrode is specially treated to improve its characteristics. A special sputtered electrode is formed which is extremely porous.

1 . A methanol consuming system feeding a methanol consumption device, comprising: 
 a methanol consumption device comprising a direct feed methanol fuel cell that produces an electrical output;    a fuel storage tank, having a first container area for containing methanol-containing fuel therein, a water containing area adapted for holding water therein, and a mixer element, connected to both said water containing area and said first containing area, an area associated with said mixer element storing a mixture of methanol and water, said mixer element also including an output orifice which feeds said methanol and water mixture to the methanol consumption device for consumption; and    a concentration sensor, coupled to said mixer element, sensing a concentration of methanol in said area associated with said mixer element, and connected to adjust the concentration of methanol.    
   
   
       2 . A system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a water recycling element, recovering water from an output of said methanol consumption device and feeding said water back toward said mixer element.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein said recovering uses a condenser.  
   
   
       4 . A system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a controller, said controller powered by said electrical output from said methanol fuel cell.  
   
   
       5 . A system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a first valve between said methanol fuel storage tank and said mixer element, and a second valve between said water storage tank and said mixer element, said first and second valves controlled according to an output of said methanol concentration sensor.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus as in  claim 1 , further comprising a first valve between said methanol fuel storage tank and said mixer element, and a second valve between said water storage tank and said mixer element, said first and second valves controlled according to an output of said methanol concentration sensor sensed by said controller.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said direct feed methanol fuel cell has an anode impregnated with a solid electrolyte, proton conducting, material.  
   
   
       8 . A method of operating a methanol consuming system, comprising: 
 operating a direct feed methanol fuel cell to produces an electrical output;    storing liquid materials in a fuel storage tank, having a first container area for containing methanol-containing fuel therein, a water containing area holding water therein, and a mixer element, connected to both said water containing area and said first containing area, an area associated with said mixer element storing a mixture of methanol and water;    feeding an output of said mixer element to the methanol consumption device for consumption; and    sensing a concentration of methanol in said area associated with said mixer element, and adjusting the concentration of methanol based on said sensing.    
   
   
       9 . A method as in  claim 8 , further comprising recovering water from an output of said methanol consumption device and feeding said water back toward said fuel storage tank.  
   
   
       10 . A method as in  claim 8 , further comprising powering said controller using an electrical output from said methanol fuel cell.  
   
   
       11 . A method of operating a fuel cell stack, comprising 
 pressing the material against an anode of the fuel cell stack at least at portions of a surface area of the anode; and using a porous material for said pressing; and    supplying and alcohol containing fuel to said anode while said material is pressed thereagainst.    
   
   
       12 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein said material is formed into a shape which equalizes alcohol supplying to the different parts of the surface area of the anode.  
   
   
       13 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein said porous material is porous carbon.  
   
   
       14 . A fuel cell assembly, comprising: 
 a fuel cell stack, having an anode, a cathode, and a proton-conducting electrolyte layer between said anode and said cathode;    a material pressed against the anode of the fuel cell stack at least at portions of a surface area of the anode, said material formed of a porous material, at least at the area where pressing; and    a connection to a alcohol containing fuel supply, adjacent to said material.    
   
   
       15 . An assembly as in  claim 14 , wherein said material is formed into a shape which equalizes alcohol supplying to the different parts of the surface area of the anode.  
   
   
       16 . An assembly as in  claim 14 , wherein said porous material is porous carbon.  
   
   
       17 . A system, comprising: 
 a direct fed methanol fuel cell ( 10 ) stack, of a type which operates substantially without an acid electrolyte ( 18 ), and which includes a first input portion for methanol fuel, coupled to said fuel to an anode ( 14 ) portion of the fuel cell ( 10 ) stack, and a second input portion for air to be applied to a cathode ( 16 ) portion of the fuel stack, and which includes first and second voltage output terminals; and    an air filter, coupled to said second input portion, and operating to clean the air prior to its introduction into said fuel cell ( 10 ) stack.    
   
   
       18 . A system as in  claim 17 , further comprising an air pressurization part, coupled to deliver pressurized air to said air filter.  
   
   
       19 . A system as in  claim 18 , wherein said air pressurization part uses a pressure driven turbine which recycles pressure.  
   
   
       20 . A system as in  claim 18 , further comprising means to recycle pressure to drive said air pressurization part.  
   
   
       21 . A system as in  claim 17 , further comprising a fuel filter, coupled to said first input portion, and operative to filter methanol fuel.  
   
   
       22 . A system as in  claim 21 , wherein said fuel filter is optimized to filter hydrocarbon impurities.  
   
   
       23 . A system as in  claim 21 , wherein said fuel filter includes zeolite crystals.  
   
   
       24 . A system as in  claim 21 , wherein said fuel filter includes a plurality of different layers of zeolite crystals, each having a different filter characteristic.  
   
   
       25 . A system as in  claim 21 , wherein said fuel filter includes a plurality of different layers of filtering materials, each having a different filtering characteristic.  
   
   
       26 . A system as in  claim 25 , wherein said different filtering characteristic is a different pore size.  
   
   
       27 . A system as in  claim 21 , wherein said filter includes a zeolite which acts as a molecular sieve.  
   
   
       28 . A system as in  claim 21 , wherein said fuel filter removes a specified impurity from the methanol fuel.  
   
   
       29 . A system as in  claim 28 , wherein said fuel filter includes materials acting as a molecular sieve.  
   
   
       30 . A system comprising: 
 a membrane electrode stack, formed of an anode ( 14 ) material, a proton conducting solid electrolyte membrane, and a cathode ( 16 ) material, arranged into a stack, and operative to produce electricity based on applied methanol via an electrochemical reaction;    a cathode ( 16 ) input structure, coupled to an area of said cathode ( 16 ) in said membrane electrode stack, and including an air filtering part coupled to said cathode ( 16 ) input structure, thereby delivering filtered air to an area of said cathode ( 16 ); and    an anode ( 14 ) input structure, coupled to an area of said anode ( 14 ) in said membrane electrode stack, and including a methanol filtering part coupled to said anode ( 14 ) input structure delivering filter methanol to said area of said anode ( 14 ).    
   
   
       31 . A system as in  claim 30 , wherein said methanol filtering part includes materials forming a molecular sieve.  
   
   
       32 . A system as in  claim 30 , wherein said methanol filtering part includes three different portions with three different filtering characteristics.  
   
   
       33 . A system as in  claim 30 , wherein said methanol filtering part includes a zeolite.  
   
   
       34 . A system as in  claim 30 , further comprising an air pressurizing part, providing pressurized air to said air filtering part.  
   
   
       35 . A system as in  claim 34 , wherein said air pressurizing part operates based on recycled pressure within the system.  
   
   
       36 . A system as in  claim 34 , wherein said air pressurizing part includes a pressure driven turbine.  
   
   
       37 . A method, comprising: 
 using a direct fed methanol fuel cell ( 10 ) to extract electricity from an electrochemical reaction of methanol which electrochemical reaction occurs substantially without an acid electrolyte.( 18 );    providing fuel to said direct fed methanol fuel cell ( 10 ); and    filtering air and providing filtered air to said direct fed methanol fuel cell ( 10 ).    
   
   
       38 . A method as in  claim 37 , wherein said providing fuel comprises filtering fuel prior to providing said fuel.  
   
   
       39 . A method as in  claim 37 , wherein said filtering fuel comprises using a molecular sieve to remove particles of specified sizes prior to providing said fuel.  
   
   
       40 . A method as in  claim 37 , wherein said filtering fuel comprises using a zeolite to filter the fuel.  
   
   
       41 . A method as in  claim 37 , wherein said providing filtered air comprises pressurizing air which is provided to said direct fed methanol fuel cell ( 10 ).  
   
   
       42 . A method as in  claim 37 , further comprising recycling pressure used elsewhere in the system to provide said filtered air.