Patents by Inventor Ku-Yen Kang
Ku-Yen Kang has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20100068584Abstract: A flat fuel cell assembly including a MEA, a cathode porous current collector, an anode porous current collector, a gas barrier material layer, a case, and at least one air baffle is provided. The cathode porous current collector and the anode porous current collector are disposed at two opposite sides of the MEA. The gas barrier material layer is disposed at a side of the cathode porous current collector and has at least one opening for exposing a surface of the cathode porous current collector. The case is disposed at a side of the MEA, the gas barrier material layer is disposed between the case and the MEA, and an air channel is located between the gas barrier material layer and the case. Additionally, the air baffle disposed within the air channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2009Publication date: March 18, 2010Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTEInventors: Ku-Yen Kang, Chun-Ho Tai, Chiou-Chu Lai, Ching-Jung Liu
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Publication number: 20090134879Abstract: A method of measuring concentration of a fuel is provided. First, a fuel cell unit having at least an anode, a cathode, and a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is provided. Next, a fuel is supplied to the anode, while a reactive gas is supplied to the cathode. Then, the amount of the reactive gas supplied to the cathode is adjusted and the concentration of the fuel is estimated in accordance with the consumption rate of the reactive gas in the fuel cell unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2008Publication date: May 28, 2009Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTEInventors: Ku-Yen Kang, Pei-Fang Huang, Chiou-Chu Lai
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Publication number: 20090136792Abstract: A method of measuring concentration of a fuel is provided. First, a fuel cell unit having at least an anode, a cathode, and a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is provided. Next, a fuel is supplied to the anode, while a reactive gas is supplied to the cathode. Then, the amount of the reactive gas supplied to the cathode is adjusted and the concentration of the fuel is estimated in accordance with the consumption rate of the reactive gas in the fuel cell unit, wherein a method of estimating the concentration of the fuel in accordance with a consumption rate of the reactive gas in the cathode includes measuring a concentration of the reactive gas supplied to the cathode and estimating the concentration of the fuel in accordance with a relationship between the concentration of the reactive gas supplied to the cathode and time.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2008Publication date: May 28, 2009Applicant: Industrial Technology Research InstituteInventors: Ku-Yen Kang, Pei-Fang Huang, Chiou-Chu Lai
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Publication number: 20090068518Abstract: A passive fuel cell system including at least one cell unit, an anode fuel supplying unit, a cathode fuel supplying unit, and a heat-conductive material layer is provided. The cell unit includes a cathode current collector, an anode current collector, and a membrane electrode assembly disposed between them. The anode fuel supplying unit is disposed on a side of the anode current collector, and the cathode fuel supplying unit is disposed on a side of the cathode current collector. The heat-conductive material layer is disposed between the cathode current collector and the cathode fuel supplying unit and/or between the anode current collector and the anode fuel supplying unit. And, a portion of the heat-conductive material layer extends to the outside of a cell system reaction area defined by the cell unit, the anode fuel supplying unit, and the cathode fuel supplying unit along a direction parallel to the cell unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2008Publication date: March 12, 2009Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTEInventors: Ku-Yen Kang, Ying-Ying Hsu, Chiou-Chu Lai, Yin-Wen Tsai, Chun-Ho Tai
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Publication number: 20080096092Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided, comprising a cell unit capable of gas exhausting. The cell unit comprises an anode current collector and a cathode current collector. A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is interposed between the anode current collector and the cathode current collector. A frame is formed to surround the MEA, the anode current collector, and the cathode current collector. A hydrophilic gas-blocking layer is disposed adjacent to an anode side of the MEA, underlying the MEA and the frame. A hydrophobic gas-penetrating layer is disposed under the hydrophilic gas-blocking layer. At least one gas exhaust is disposed in the frame, exposing a part of the hydrophilic gas-blocking layer and contacting the area surrounding adjacent to the cell unit for exhausting a gas produced by the MEA from the cell unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2007Publication date: April 24, 2008Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTEInventors: Ku-Yen Kang, Chun-Ho Tai, Chiou-Chu Lai, Yin-Wen Tsai, Ying-Ying Hsu
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Publication number: 20080096091Abstract: A flat fuel cell assembly including a membrane electrode assembly, a cathode porous current collector, an anode porous current collector and a gas barrier material layer is provided. The membrane electrode assembly includes a proton conducting membrane, an anode catalyst layer and a cathode catalyst layer disposed respectively on two sides of the proton conducting membrane, and an anode gas diffusion layer and a cathode gas diffusion layer disposed respectively on the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer. The cathode porous current collector is disposed on one side of the cathode gas diffusion layer. The anode porous current collector is disposed on one side of the anode gas diffusion layer. The gas barrier material layer having at least an opening exposing the surface of the cathode gas diffusion layer is disposed on the cathode gas diffusion layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2007Publication date: April 24, 2008Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTEInventors: Ku-Yen Kang, Chun-Ho Tai, Chiou-Chu Lai, Ying-Ying Hsu, Yin-Wen Tsai
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Publication number: 20080057378Abstract: A fuel cell. A membrane electrode assembly includes a proton exchange membrane, a cathode electrode, and an anode electrode. The proton exchange membrane is disposed between the cathode and anode electrodes. A cathode porous current collector is disposed on the cathode electrode. An anode porous current collector is disposed on the anode electrode and opposite the cathode porous current collector. A cathode water-absorptive layer is disposed on the cathode porous current collector, absorbing or guiding water at the cathode electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2006Publication date: March 6, 2008Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTEInventors: Ku-Yen Kang, Chun-Ho Tai, Chiou-Chu Lai, Ying-Ying Hsu
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Publication number: 20060286421Abstract: The invention provides a fuel supply control system for fuel cells, controlling fuel concentration in a fuel unit. The fuel supply control system comprises a first thermal meter detecting a system temperature of the fuel cell, a fuel supply device comprising a fuel tank storing highly concentrated fuel and a fuel deliver device delivering fuel from the fuel tank to the reaction unit to adjust fuel concentration thereof, and a controller calculating a difference between a predetermined and an environmental temperature, generating a first velocity by adjusting the predetermined fuel supply velocity according to the temperature difference, and setting the delivery velocity of the fuel delivering device according to the first velocity.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2006Publication date: December 21, 2006Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTEInventors: Sheng-Yong Shen, Lan-Feng Chang, Ku-Yen Kang, Chiou-Chu Lai
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Publication number: 20060234104Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell module, at least a cathode gas supply unit in contact with the cathode, at least one gas delivery unit and at least one anode fuel supply unit in contact with the anode. The fuel cell module comprises at least one fuel cell having one anode and one cathode. The cathode gas supply unit comprises at least one gas input port for receiving cathode gas and at least one gas exit for exhausting the cathode gas. The gas delivery unit guides the cathode gas to the gas input port. The anode fuel supply unit having a fuel comprises at least one fuel input port for receiving a resupplied fuel and at least one cathode gas input port for receiving the cathode gas from the gas exit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2006Publication date: October 19, 2006Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTEInventors: Ku-Yen Kang, Pei-Fang Huang, Chiou-Chu Lai
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Publication number: 20040018415Abstract: A flat fuel cell assembly for producing electric power. The flat fuel cell assembly includes an insulation frame, two anodes and two membrane cathode assemblies. The insulation frame has two openings and a connecting portion therebetween. Each of the membrane cathode assemblies consists of a cathode coated with cathode catalyst and a solid electrolyte membrane. The anodes are coated with anode catalyst. The anodes and the membrane cathode assemblies form a fuel cell unit at each opening. The fuel cell units are connected in series by a connecting electrode embedded in the connection portion, forming a flat fuel cell assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2003Publication date: January 29, 2004Inventors: Chiou-Chu Lai, Ku-Yen Kang, Ping-Yuan Hsu, Kan-Lin Hsuch