IP Library Granted Patent US 7,435,505
Granted Patent B2
US 7,435,505 · App. 10/486,872 · Granted Oct 14, 2008

Fuel cell combination

Assignee: SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,435,505
App. No.
10/486,872
Granted
Oct 14, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention refers to a fuel cell device comprising an electrolyte device, which comprises an alkaline electrolyte means and an acid electrolyte means, wherein the fuel cell device is formed such that at least part of at last one reaction product produced at the electrolyte means can be supplied to the other electrolyte means. Moreover, the invention comprises a method of operating a fuel cell device, which includes the following steps: providing an alkaline electrolyte means and an acid electrolyte means, supplying at least one fuel and at least one oxidant, discharging reaction products, wherein at least part of at least one reaction product produced at an electrolyte means is supplied to the other electrolyte means.

Claims (19)

1. A fuel cell device, comprising an electrolyte device which comprises an alkaline electrolyte and an acid electrolyte, wherein the fuel cell device is formed such that at least part of at least one reaction product produced at an electrolyte may be supplied to the other electrolyte.

2. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 1 , in which at least one reaction product produced at the one electrolyte may fully be supplied to the other electrolyte.

3. A fuel cell device as claimed in one of the preceding claim 1 , in which the alkaline electrolyte comprises at least one anion-conducting portion, and the acid electrolyte comprises at least one cation-conducting portion.

4. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 1 , in which the acid electrolyte device comprises a plurality of cation-conducting portions.

5. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 1 , in which the alkaline electrolyte comprises a plurality of anion-conducting portions.

6. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 3 , in which anion-conducting portions and cation-conducting portions are arranged alternatingly.

7. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a cathode device which comprises one single cathode chamber, and/or an anode device which comprises one single anode chamber.

8. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 3 , in which the electrolyte device is a coherent structure with locally different chemical composition, wherein portions of different chemical composition form the alkaline and acid portions.

9. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 1 , in which the electrolyte device comprises a membrane.

10. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 2 , comprising a cathode device which comprises one single cathode chamber, and/or an anode device which comprises one single anode chamber.

11. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 3 , comprising a cathode device which comprises one single cathode chamber, and/or an anode device which comprises one single anode chamber.

12. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 6 , comprising a cathode device which comprises one single cathode chamber, and/or an anode device which comprises one single anode chamber.

13. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 6 , in which the electrolyte device is a coherent structure with locally different chemical composition, wherein portions of different chemical composition form the alkaline and acid portions.

14. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 7 , in which the electrolyte device is a coherent structure with locally different chemical composition, wherein portions of different chemical composition form the alkaline and acid portions.

15. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 2 , in which the electrolyte device comprises a membrane.

16. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 3 , in which the electrolyte device comprises a membrane.

17. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 6 , in which the electrolyte device comprises a membrane.

18. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 7 , in which the electrolyte device comprises a membrane.

19. A fuel cell device as claimed in claim 8 , in which the electrolyte device comprises a membrane.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 9, 2018
From: SFC SMART FUEL CELL AG
To: SFC ENERGY AG
Reel/Frame 044573/0126 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 8, 2018
From: SFC SMART FUEL CELL GMBH
To: SFC SMART FUEL CELL AG
Reel/Frame 044559/0160 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2004
From: STEFENER, MANFRED; MULLER, JENS
To: SFC SMART FUEL CELL GMBH
Reel/Frame 015114/0797 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 01119549 · Aug 14, 2001 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20050069757A1 · Mar 31, 2005