| 摘要 |
A liquid feed fuel cell system having a unique fuel container and delivery assembly is provided. The container and delivery assembly allows liquid fuel which, in a preferred embodiment, is in the form of either pure methanol or an aqueous methanol/water mixture, to be placed under pressure so that it is delivered to the cell in a continuous manner. The fuel substance is stored in a flexible bladder that is housed in an outer container. The inner flexible bladder containing the fuel is fitted with a pressure-applying element that exerts a continuous pressure upon the fuel-containing flexible bladder to maintain pressure on the bladder in such a manner that the fuel is expressed through a conduit in the container, to the direct oxidation fuel cell in a continuous manner. The fuel container and delivery system of the present invention delivers fuel simply and inexpensively to the liquid feed fuel cell while it is being used in any orientation. In one embodiment of the invention, the pressure-applying element includes a spring-loaded plate that compresses the flexible bladder to apply pressure to the liquid fuel. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an expandable material such as expandable foam is applied to the plate to exert pressure upon the flexible bladder. A rotating axle and compression spring may also be employed to drive a displacement element along the bladder to compress it. The fuel container, in one embodiment, may be a disposable cartridge. |
