Fuel cell power installation for direct mass and heat transfer to generate electrical energy from a reducing fluid and an oxidizing fluid, and process to operate the same

摘要

"INSTALLATION OF DIRECT MASS AND HEAT TRANSFER FUEL CELL POWER TO GENERATE ELECTRICAL ENERGY FROM A REDUCING FLUID AND AN OXIDIZING FLUID, AND, PROCESS TO OPERATE THE SAME". A direct mass and heat transfer fuel cell power plant invention includes at least one fuel cell and a direct mass and heat transfer device. The fuel cell includes an electrolyte, anode electrode and cathode electrode supported respectively by a porous anode support layer and a porous cathode support layer in close contact with opposite surfaces of the electrolyte. A reducing fluid stream and an oxidant inlet stream flow at approximately ambient pressure through the support layers. The direct mass and heat transfer device passes the oxidant inlet flow upstream of the fuel cell in relation to mass transfer with a cathode exhaust flow leaving the cell so that mass such as water vapor collected by the flow of cathode exhaust passes directly through a transfer medium from the mass and heat transfer device to the flow of oxidant entering the cell, thereby moistening and adding heat to the flow of oxidant entering the cell. The direct mass transfer device includes a separator housing to support the transfer medium in relation to mass transfer with the cathode exhaust flow and oxidant inlet flow so that the flows contact the transfer medium and the separator housing prevents mixing of volume of flows. The transfer medium can include any of a variety of materials that absorb a fluid substance that consists of polar molecules within a stream including fluid substances that consist of polar and non-polar molecules. An exemplary transfer medium includes a portion of liquid polyphlurosulfonic ionomeric membrane water.