In situ fuel cell contamination sampling device
View Patent ↗A filtration device for a fuel cell system is provided. The filtration device includes a filter adapted to receive a reactant for a fuel cell. The filter includes a molecular sieve material adapted to separate a contaminant from the reactant supplied to the fuel cell. A membrane electrode assembly having the filter integrally formed therewith, and a fuel cell stack having the filter disposed adjacent at least one of the end plates of the fuel cell stack, are also provided.
1. A filtration device for a fuel cell system, comprising:
a filter adapted to receive a reactant for a fuel cell, the filter including a molecular sieve material adapted to separate a contaminant from the reactant and a bonding agent in which the molecular sieve material is disposed, wherein the molecular sieve material is in the form of a particulate, the bonding agent binds the particulate, and the bonding agent comprises an ionomeric material.
2. The filtration device of claim 1 , wherein the molecular sieve material is at least one of an aluminosilicate mineral, a clay, a porous glass, a microporous charcoal, a zeolite, an activated carbon, and a combination thereof.
3. The filtration device of claim 1 , further comprising a housing in fluid communication with the fuel cell and a source of the reactant, the filter disposed in the housing.
4. The filtration device of claim 3 , wherein the housing is one of an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit in fluid communication with the fuel cell.
5. The filtration device of claim 1 , wherein the filter is a laminate of a filtration layer with the molecular sieve material and bonding agent disposed on a substrate.
6. The filtration device of claim 5 , wherein the laminate is disposed in a substantially planar configuration in a housing.
7. The filtration device of claim 5 , wherein the laminate is coiled in a housing.
8. The filtration device of claim 5 , wherein the substrate is disposed between a first filtration layer and a second filtration layer.
9. The filtration device of claim 5 , wherein the substrate is one of an ionomer substrate and a diffusion medium substrate.
10. The filtration device of claim 1 , wherein the filter is an activated packed bed including the molecular sieve material.
11. The filtration device of claim 10 , wherein the activated packed bed includes a plurality of polymeric beads having the molecular sieve material disposed thereon.
12. A filtration device for a fuel cell system, comprising:
a filter adapted to receive a reactant for a fuel cell, the filter including a molecular sieve material adapted to separate a contaminant from the reactant and a bonding agent in which the molecular sieve material is disposed, wherein the molecular sieve material is in the form of a particulate, the bonding agent binds the particulate, the filter is a laminate of a filtration layer with the molecular sieve material and bonding agent disposed on a substrate, and the substrate comprises a sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene based fluoropolymer-copolymer.
13. The filtration device of claim 5 , wherein the substrate is a fluid permeable material.
14. The filtration device of claim 5 , wherein the substrate is a fluid impermeable material.
15. The filtration device of claim 5 , wherein the substrate is a graphite or carbon fiber paper.
16. A filtration device for a fuel cell system, comprising:
a filter adapted to receive a reactant for a fuel cell, the filter including a molecular sieve material adapted to separate a contaminant from the reactant and a bonding agent in which the molecular sieve material is disposed, wherein the molecular sieve material is in the form of a particulate, the bonding agent binds the particulate, the bonding agent comprises an ionomeric material and the ionomeric material comprises a sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene based fluoropolymer-copolymer.
17. The filtration device of claim 1 , wherein the ionomeric material is configured to perform as an additional filtration device for ionic membrane contaminants.
18. The filtration device of claim 5 , wherein the laminate comprises the substrate sandwiched between the filtration layer and a second filtration layer.
19. The filtration device of claim 10 , wherein the activated packed bed includes a plurality of polymeric beads comprising a mixture of the molecular sieve material and the bonding agent.
20. The filtration device of claim 1 , wherein the molecular sieve material comprises an aluminosilicate mineral and the bonding agent comprises a sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene based fluoropolymer-copolymer.