Abstract: User feedback regarding sentiments of social posts is used to improve sentiment assignment for social analysis. The user feedback is used to generate sentiment tuning data, which may include assignments between reference sentiments and reference social posts. Sentiments of new social posts may be determined by applying the sentiment tuning data to an analysis of the new social posts. Sentiments of new social posts may also be determined by applying entries from one or more lexical dictionaries to the new social posts using natural language processing. At least some of the entries can be automatically generated from the user feedback or can be supplied by a user separate from the user feedback.

Abstract: A method for enhance lifetime of fuel cells via a device includes a step of creating a H2 environment for a stack, wherein the H2 environment is composed of H2 confined within a gas-tight enclosure of the device. The device includes an enclosure-H2-inlet port, an enclosure-H2-outlet port, a stack-H2-inlet, a stack-H2-outlet, a stack-air-inlet, a stack-air-outlet, a stack-coolant-inlet, and a stack-coolant-outlet. The device prevents air from getting into the stack when the fuel cell system is in the idling or shutdown state. It solves the problems associated with the electrode damage caused by the open circuit voltage in the entire fuel cell non-operational time period and the electrode damage caused by the formation of an air/hydrogen boundary during either the startup or shutdown process. The device eliminates the damages of the open circuit voltage to either MEAs or stacks during their storage time period.

Abstract: User feedback regarding sentiments of social posts is used to improve sentiment assignment for social analysis. The user feedback is used to generate sentiment tuning data, which may include assignments between reference sentiments and reference social posts. Sentiments of new social posts may be determined by applying the sentiment tuning data to an analysis of the new social posts. Sentiments of new social posts may also be determined by applying entries from one or more lexical dictionaries to the new social posts using natural language processing. At least some of the entries can be automatically generated from the user feedback or can be supplied by a user separate from the user feedback.

Abstract: Fuel feed systems capable of providing substantially consistent flow of fuel to a fuel cell and also capable of tolerating varying pressures from a reservoir (also referred to as fuel supply or fuel cell cartridge) and the fuel cell while maintaining substantially consistent control flow to the fuel cell are disclosed.

Abstract: Fuel feed systems capable of providing substantially consistent flow of fuel to a fuel cell and also capable of tolerating varying pressures from a reservoir (also referred to as fuel supply or fuel cell cartridge) and the fuel cell while maintaining substantially consistent control flow to the fuel cell are disclosed.

Abstract: A technique includes operating an electrochemical cell stack in a power producing mode, including communicating a fuel flow in an anode chamber of the stack and communicating an oxidant flow in a cathode chamber of the stack. The technique includes halting the oxidant flow and monitoring a voltage of the stack while the oxidant flow is halted, and in response to the voltage decreasing below a predefined threshold, transitioning the stack into an electrochemical cell pumping mode.

Abstract: A system and method for managing gas bubbles in a liquid flow system are described. In particular, according to the system and method, novel techniques reduce a volume of cavities in the liquid flow system and limit a cross-sectional area of the liquid flow system to a maximum cross-sectional area of tolerably sized bubbles. In this manner, by reducing the cavity volumes and limiting cross-sectional areas, the formation of intolerably sized bubbles and the aggregation of tolerably sized bubbles into intolerably sized bubbles are each substantially prevented. Also, bubbles may be removed from the system to reduce the quantity of bubbles that are to be managed.

Abstract: Methods for increasing the durability of direct oxidation fuel cells are disclosed. In one instance, the method for increasing durability of a vapor fed direct oxidation fuel cell includes reducing fluctuations in output power, provided by the vapor fed direct oxidation fuel cell, to a load. The reduction of the fluctuations in output power can include, in one instance, utilizing a mass flow controller or an electro-osmotive pump to supply fuel to the vapor fed direct oxidation fuel cell.

Abstract: A system-to-reservoir connector is disclosed in which a system-side-sub-connector and a reservoir-side-sub-connector provide for a fluid connection that is resilient to external forces, is substantially leak-proof upon insertion and retraction, and is orientation independent.

Abstract: Fuel feed systems capable of providing substantially consistent flow of fuel to a fuel cell and also capable of tolerating varying pressures from a reservoir (also referred to as fuel supply or fuel cell cartridge) and the fuel cell while maintaining substantially consistent control flow to the fuel cell are disclosed.

Abstract: Fuel cell catalyst layers, and related systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A technique includes communicating fuel and oxidant to a reactor and/or a steam generator and flowing an exhaust from the reactor and/or steam from the steam generator through a fuel cell to purge various types of fuel cells.

Abstract: A technique to shut down a fuel cell stack includes reducing an oxidant flow through the fuel cell stack, and decreasing the current of the fuel cell stack while maintaining an approximately constant rate of fuel flow to the fuel cell stack. Once the power output of the fuel cell stack reaches zero due to the depletion of oxygen at the cathode, the fuel flow to the fuel cell stack anode is then halted. Then, the stack is either isolated from the reactant streams, or the cathode is briefly purged by the fuel before the stack is isolated from the reactant streams, or both the anode and the cathode are purged in sequence by air before the stack is isolated from the reactant streams.

Abstract: Acidic groups such as those in the sulfonic acid family have been successfully linked onto the surface of carbon used as catalyst support. Electrodes made using such sulfonated catalysts as used in electrochemical cells improve the performance of the cells, more so than cells fabricated from electrodes using an unsulfonated electrode.

Abstract: A fuel cell using a neat alcohol such as neat 2-propanol, as its fuel is described. The fuel that is purposely not mixed with any amount of water is oxidized directly at the fuel cell anode. The fuel cell can support a higher current density than a fuel cell using 1 M 2-propanol aqueous solution. The energy density of a fuel cell using a neat fuel is much higher than that of one using dilute fuel aqueous solutions.

Abstract: Fuel cells and related systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention features a method including sorbing carbon monoxide to a catalyst layer of a fuel cell, and oxidizing the carbon monoxide. The method can be used to pre-condition or activate the catalyst layer.

Abstract: A fuel cell using a secondary alcohol such as 2-propanol as fuel is disclosed. The fuel is oxidized directly at the anode without any reforming. Such a direct secondary alcohol fuel cell (D2AFC) possesses a much higher performance than a direct methanol fuel cell, especially at current densities less than 200 mA/cm2. In addition, fuel loss due to crossover in a direct 2-propanol fuel cell (D2PFC) is less than one-sixth of that in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC).

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention features a method including sorbing carbon monoxide to a catalyst layer of a fuel cell, and oxidizing the carbon monoxide. The method can be used to pre-condition or activate the catalyst layer.

Abstract: Fuel cell plates, and related systems and methods are disclosed.