| 摘要 |
An economical and easy to manufacture miniaturized fuel cell (40, 40', 40") having fuel chambers (52, 52a-k) formed from a substrate (62, 62a, 62b), such as a silicon wafer, to define a plurality of elongate fuel chambers (52a-k) in fluid-communication with each other within the substrate (62, 62a, 62b). Elongate electrolytes (42), anodes (50) and cathodes (48) extend along the fuel chambers (52a-k) to maximize the effective electrolyte surface area, thereby increasing the amount of electrical current generated by the fuel cell (40, 40', 40'). The elongate fuel chambers (52, 52a-k) are preferably patterned within the substrate (62, 62a, 62b) in a mirror image configuration such that two thin-film substrates (62a, 62b) my be joined together to define fuel chambers (52, 52a-k) having two elongate electrolytes (42), anodes (50), and cathodes (48) extending therealong. One or more the fuel cells (40, 40', 40") in accordance with the present invention may be stacked within a suitable frame (80) defining alternative layers of fuel and air (or oxygen) chambers, thereby defining a three-dimensional stack of fuel cells having a relatively small profile, but further increasing the current and/or voltage provided. <IMAGE> |
