Abstract: Provided are techniques that include operating a spiral contactor. The techniques include receiving, by a spiral contactor, a first fluid, and receiving a second fluid, wherein the first fluid is different than the second fluid. The techniques also include exchanging the first fluid and the second fluid using the spiral contactor, and outputting a deoxygenated fluid from the spiral contactor, wherein the deoxygenated fluid has a lower oxygen concentration than the first fluid.

Abstract: Provided are techniques that include operating a spiral contactor. The techniques include receiving, by a spiral contactor, a first fluid, and receiving a second fluid, wherein the first fluid is different than the second fluid. The techniques also include exchanging the first fluid and the second fluid using the spiral contactor, and outputting a deoxygenated fluid from the spiral contactor, wherein the deoxygenated fluid has a lower oxygen concentration than the first fluid.

Abstract: A system and method for warming a fuel cell on an aircraft, the system includes at least one fuel cell. The fuel cell includes an anode and a cathode for creating thermal and electrical energy. A temperature sensor measures a first temperature of the fuel cell. A control unit is coupled to the temperature sensor. The control unit increases the first temperature to a second temperature in response to the first temperature being at least equal to a selected temperature threshold. Increasing of the first temperature is indicative of the control unit operating in a warming mode. The second temperature is higher than the selected temperature threshold.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly is provided which includes an anode; a cathode; a membrane between the anode and the cathode; and a protective layer between the membrane and at least one electrode of the anode and the cathode, the protective layer having a layer of ionomer material containing a catalyst, the layer having a porosity of between 0 and 10%, an ionomer content of between 50 and 80% vol., a catalyst content of between 10 and 50% vol., and an electrical connectivity between catalyst particles of between 35 and 75%. A configuration using a precipitation layer to prevent migration of catalyst ions is also provided.

Abstract: A method for preparing dispersing particles in perfluorinated polymer ionomer includes combining particles and a perfluorinated ionomer precursor in a mixture, and converting the perfluorinated ionomer precursor to a perfluorinated proton-conducting ionomer in the presence of the particles.

Abstract: A method of producing an electrolyte membrane includes providing a dispersion solution that has a crosslinked perfluorinated ionomer material and a linear perfluorinated ionomer material dispersed in a carrier fluid or mixture carrier fluids. The crosslinked perfluorinated ionomer material has an equivalent weight of 750 g/mol or less with respect to proton exchange acid groups. The linear perfluorinated ionomer material has an equivalent weight of 750 g/mol or more with respect to proton exchange as acid groups. At least a portion of the carrier fluid or fluids is removed from the dispersion solution to thereby form an electrolyte membrane with the crosslinked perfluorinated ionomer material and the linear perfluorinated ionomer material.

Abstract: A proton exchange material includes a linear perfluorinated carbon backbone chain and a side chain extending off of the linear perfluorinated carbon backbone chain. The side chain includes at least one sulfonimide group, —SO2-NH—SO2-, and a carbon chain link between the at least one sulfonimide group and the linear perfluorinated carbon backbone chain. The carbon chain link has less than three carbon atoms.

Abstract: An example of a stable electrode structure is to use a gradient electrode that employs large platinum particle catalyst in the close proximity to the membrane supported on conventional carbon and small platinum particles in the section of the electrode closer to a GDL supported on a stabilized carbon. Some electrode parameters that contribute to electrode performance stability and reduced change in ECA are platinum-to-carbon ratio, size of platinum particles in various parts of the electrode, use of other stable catalysts instead of large particle size platinum (alloy, etc), depth of each gradient sublayer. Another example of a stable electrode structure is to use a mixture of platinum particle sizes on a carbon support, such as using platinum particles that may be 6 nanometers and 3 nanometers. A conductive support is typically one or more of the carbon blacks.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a proton conducting fuel cell composite membrane includes the step of electrospinning a non-charged polymeric material, such as PVDF and PSF, into fiber mats. The fibers are fused to one another to provide a welded porous mat. The welded porous mat is filled with proton conducting electrolyte, such as PFSA polymer, to generate a proton conducting composite membrane. The resulting proton conducting fuel cell membrane comprises a randomly oriented, three dimensional interlinked fiber lattice structure filled with proton conducting electrolyte, such as PFSA polymer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating low EW, water insoluble electrolyte materials includes providing a perfluorinated polymer resin that includes perfluorinated carbon-carbon backbone chain and sulfonyl fluoride ended perfluorinated side chains, extending from the perfluorinated backbone chains via an ether linkage, exposing the perfluorinated polymer resin to ammonia gas to convert the sulfonyl fluoride groups to sulfonamide groups, —SO2—NH2, which reacts with sulfonyl fluoride containing chemical agent(s) to form sulfonimide groups, and at the same time, generates low EW, 3-dimensional cross-linked, water-insoluble perfluorinated polymer electrolyte materials.

Abstract: A system and method for warming a fuel cell on an aircraft, the system includes at least one fuel cell. The fuel cell includes an anode and a cathode for creating thermal and electrical energy. A temperature sensor measures a first temperature of the fuel cell. A control unit is coupled to the temperature sensor. The control unit increases the first temperature to a second temperature in response to the first temperature being at least equal to a selected temperature threshold. Increasing of the first temperature is indicative of the control unit operating in a warming mode. The second temperature is higher than the selected temperature threshold.

Abstract: A system and method for warming a fuel cell on an aircraft, the system includes at least one fuel cell. The fuel cell includes an anode and a cathode for creating thermal and electrical energy. A temperature sensor measures a first temperature of the fuel cell. A control unit is coupled to the temperature sensor. The control unit increases the first temperature to a second temperature in response to the first temperature being at least equal to a selected temperature threshold. Increasing of the first temperature is indicative of the control unit operating in a warming mode. The second temperature is higher than the selected temperature threshold.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an electrolyte membrane includes providing a reinforcement substrate that has impregnated therein a linear perfluorinated electrolyte polymer resin, and cross-linking the electrolyte polymer resin in-situ in the reinforcement substrate to thereby form a reinforced electrolyte membrane with cross-linked perfluorinated electrolyte polymer material impregnated therein.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly is provided which includes an anode; a cathode; a membrane between the anode and the cathode; and a protective layer between the membrane and at least one electrode of the anode and the cathode, the protective layer having a layer of ionomer material containing a catalyst, the layer having a porosity of between 0 and 10%, an ionomer content of between 50 and 80% vol., a catalyst content of between 10 and 50% vol., and an electrical connectivity between catalyst particles of between 35 and 75%. A configuration using a precipitation layer to prevent migration of catalyst ions is also provided.

Abstract: A method of producing an electrolyte membrane includes providing a dispersion solution that has a crosslinked perfluorinated ionomer material and a linear perfluorinated ionomer material dispersed in a carrier fluid or mixture carrier fluids. The crosslinked perfluorinated ionomer material has an equivalent weight of 750 g/mol or less with respect to proton exchange acid groups. The linear perfluorinated ionomer material has an equivalent weight of 750 g/mol or more with respect to proton exchange as acid groups. At least a portion of the carrier fluid or fluids is removed from the dispersion solution to thereby form an electrolyte membrane with the crosslinked perfluorinated ionomer material and the linear perfluorinated ionomer material.

Abstract: A method of fabricating low EW, water insoluble electrolyte materials includes providing a perfluorinated polymer resin that includes perfluorinated carbon-carbon backbone chain and sulfonyl fluoride ended perfluorinated side chains, extending from the perfluorinated backbone chains via an ether linkage, exposing the perfluorinated polymer resin to ammonia gas to convert the sulfonyl fluoride groups to sulfonamide groups, —SO2—NH2, which reacts with sulfonyl fluoride containing chemical agent(s) to form sulfonimide groups, and at the same time, generates low EW, 3-dimensional cross-linked, water-insoluble perfluorinated polymer electrolyte materials.

Abstract: A proton exchange material includes a linear perfluorinated carbon backbone chain and a side chain extending off of the linear perfluorinated carbon backbone chain. The side chain includes at least one sulfonimide group, —SO2—NH—SO2—, and a carbon chain link between the at least one sulfonimide group and the linear perfluorinated carbon backbone chain. The carbon chain link has less than three carbon atoms.

Abstract: A power system for an aircraft includes a solid oxide fuel cell system which generates electric power for the aircraft and an exhaust stream; and a heat exchanger for transferring heat from the exhaust stream of the solid oxide fuel cell to a heat requiring system or component of the aircraft. The heat can be transferred to fuel for the primary engine of the aircraft. Further, the same fuel can be used to power both the primary engine and the SOFC. A heat exchanger is positioned to cool reformate before feeding to the fuel cell. SOFC exhaust is treated and used as inerting gas. Finally, oxidant to the SOFC can be obtained from the aircraft cabin, or exterior, or both.

Abstract: A fuel cell device includes a plurality of channels that have at least one unrestricted inlet, a conduit for directing a flow having a distribution pattern to the unrestricted inlet, and a gap region between the conduit and the plurality of channels for receiving the flow distribution pattern, the gap region having such dimensions in which the distribution pattern tends to normalize within the gap region so that flow to each of the unrestricted inlets tends to normalize across said gap region.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly is provided which includes an anode; a cathode; a membrane between the anode and the cathode; and a protective layer between the membrane and at least one electrode of the anode and the cathode, the protective layer having a layer of ionomer material containing a catalyst, the layer having a porosity of between 0 and 10%, an ionomer content of between 50 and 80% vol., a catalyst content of between 10 and 50% vol., and an electrical connectivity between catalyst particles of between 35 and 75%. A configuration using a precipitation layer to prevent migration of catalyst ions is also provided.