Fuel cell catalyst regeneration
Systems that facilitate operating proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are provided. The systems employ a fuel supply component that supplies fuel to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell; and a regeneration component that provides a reducing agent comprising a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen, or a reducing plasma to a cathode catalyst of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell to reduce the cathode catalyst.
1. A system that facilitates operating a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, comprising:
a fuel supply component that supplies fuel to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell; and
a regeneration component that provides a reducing agent comprising a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen, or a reducing plasma to a cathode catalyst of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell to reduce the cathode catalyst, wherein the regeneration component is a plasma generator.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen comprises about 5 wt. % of hydrogen or more and about 95 wt. % of hydrogen or less and about 5 wt. % of nitrogen or more and about 95 wt. % of nitrogen or less.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen comprises about 20 wt. % of hydrogen or more and about 80 wt. % of hydrogen or less and about 20 wt. % of nitrogen or more and about 80 wt. % of nitrogen or less.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the regeneration component is an argon plasma generator.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reducing agent comprises at least one reducing gas species selected from a group consisting of a hydrogen containing plasma, a helium containing plasma, a neon containing plasma, an argon containing plasma, a nitrogen containing plasma, ammonia, amines, imines, and C1-C4 hydrocarbons.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reducing agent comprises less than about 50 volume ppm water and/or hydrocarbon.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel supply component is connected with the regeneration component to facilitate contact between hydrogen and the regeneration component.
8. A hydrogen station comprising the system of claim 1 .
9. The hydrogen station of claim 8 , wherein the hydrogen station is a hydrogen filling station.
10. A system that facilitates operating a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, comprising:
a fuel supply component that supplies fuel to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell; and
a regeneration component comprising a plasma generator that provides a reducing agent comprising a reducing plasma to a cathode catalyst of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell to reduce the cathode catalyst.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plasma generator is an argon plasma generator.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plasma generator is a hydrogen plasma generator.
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the reducing agent comprises less than about 50 volume ppm water and/or hydrocarbon.
14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the fuel supply component is connected with the regeneration component to facilitate contact between provide hydrogen and the regeneration component.
15. A hydrogen station comprising the system of claim 10 .
16. The hydrogen station of claim 15 , wherein the hydrogen station is a hydrogen filling station, or hydrogen home station.
17. A system that facilitates operating a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, comprising:
a fuel supply component that supplies fuel to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell;
a regeneration component that provides a reducing agent comprising a reducing plasma to a cathode catalyst of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell to reduce the cathode catalyst, wherein the reducing agent comprises at least one reducing gas species selected from a group consisting of a hydrogen containing plasma, a helium containing plasma, a neon containing plasma, an argon containing plasma, a nitrogen containing plasma, ammonia, amines, imines, and C1-C4 hydrocarbons; and
a measuring device for measuring a quantity of hydrogen in the proton exchange membrane fuel cell.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the regeneration component is an argon plasma generator.
19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the reducing agent comprises an argon containing plasma.
20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the fuel supply component is connected with the regeneration component to facilitate contact between hydrogen and the regeneration component.