| 摘要 |
A passive fluid management component for a direct oxidation fuel cell is provided. It enables the introduction of highly concentrated methanol solutions, including neat methanol, directly into the anode, eliminating the need of mechanical modes of dosing and/or mixing a methanol/water solution to control the local concentration at the anode. The fluid management of the present invention can be based on pores formed in the component of a specific size and spacing to allow anode reactants to flow through the component towards the anode face of the membrane electrolyte of the fuel cell at a controlled rate. The pore size can be adjusted to allow the highest concentrations possible of methanol, including neat methanol, to be introduced in direct contact with the outer face of the component, said component being capable of lowering, under current, the local concentration of methanol at the anode face of the membrane electrolyte to the level required to minimize methanol loss. The pore walls can be made to be hydrophilic to facilitate the flow of water or methanol based fluids. The component of the present invention may also include channels formed therein which will direct the flow of carbon dioxide away from the anode of the fuel cell and to a venting or collection site. The fluid management component of the present invention can also be used to replace the conventional anode diffusion layer in an embodiment in which the component is of a conductive material. It is used in addition to an anode diffusion layer in an embodiment in which the component could be a non-conductive material, or where better surface contact to the anode face of the membrane is enabled by a conventional diffusion layer.
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