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A mass transfer composite membrane for use with a fuel cell power plant includes a transfer medium core between opposed, rigid, porous support sheets. An inlet surface of the composite membrane is positioned in contact with an oxidant inlet stream of a fuel cell power plant, and an opposed exhaust s

A mass transfer composite membrane for use with a fuel cell power plant includes a transfer medium core between opposed, rigid, porous support sheets. An inlet surface of the composite membrane is positioned in contact with an oxidant inlet stream of a fuel cell power plant, and an opposed exhaust surface of the composite membrane is positioned in contact with an exhaust stream exiting the fuel cell power plant to recover mass such as water from the exhaust stream and transfer it into the oxidant inlet stream entering the fuel cell. The transfer medium core may comprise any of a variety of materials for sorbing a fluid substance consisting of polar molecules such as water molecules from a fluid stream consisting of polar and non-polar molecules. A preferred transfer medium core is an ionomeric membrane such as a water saturated polyfluorosulfonic acid ionomer membrane. The porous support sheets may comprise a reinforcing fiber with a thermoset resin, such as a carbon sheet with a phenolic resin, or a glass fiber with an epoxy resin, wherein the sheets are thermoset into a rigid configuration. The mass transfer composite membrane may be a flat or a mounded layer defining protrusions and depressions. A plurality of the mounded layer membranes may be disposed within a frame in mirror-image association wherein protrusions and depressions formed by the mounds of adjacent membranes contact each other to define serpentine passages for the inlet and exhaust streams.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method of recovering mass from a plant exhaust stream of fluids leaving a fuel cell of a fuel cell power plant and returning the recovered mass into an oxidant inlet stream entering the fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:a. passing the exhaust stream through

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method of recovering mass from a plant exhaust stream of fluids leaving a fuel cell of a fuel cell power plant and returning the recovered mass into an oxidant inlet stream entering the fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:a. passing the exhaust stream through a first rigid, porous, support sheet of a mass transfer composite membrane that rigidly supports a transfer medium core for selectively sorbing a fluid substance consisting of polar molecules from the exhaust stream and for desorbing the fluid substance consisting of polar molecules into the oxidant inlet stream;b. passing the oxidant inlet stream through a second rigid, porous, support sheet opposed to the first support sheet wherein the transfer medium core is disposed between and supported by the first and second support sheets so that polar molecules sorbed from the exhaust stream are desorbed through the second support sheet into the oxidant inlet stream; and,c. then directing the oxidant inlet stream into the fuel cell.