FUEL CELL WITH ELECTROOSMOTIC PUMP

摘要

Water flooding at the cathode of a fuel cell is a common problem in fuel cells. By integrating an electroosmotic (EO) pump (330) to remove product water from the cathode area (308), fuel cell power can be increased. Integration of EO pumps (330) transforms the designs of air channel and air breathing cathodes, reducing air pumping power loads and increasing oxidant transport. Hydration of gas streams, management of liquid reactants, and oxidant delivery can also be accomplished with integrated electroosmotic pumps. Electroosmotic pumps (330) have no moving parts, can be integrated as a layer of the fuel cell, and scale with centimeter to micron scale fuel cells.