CA2717880A1 - Open electric circuits optimized in supercritical fluids that coexist with non supercritical fluid thin films to synthesis nano-sclae products and energy production - Google Patents

Abstract

Fuel cell elements: fuel, product, membrane, cathode and anode are operated within supercritical fluids (SCFs) to increase electrical and chemical-reaction efficiencies magnitudes more than prior art operating below the critical point of gas, liquids, and solids. Within vessel (4), cylinder (8) of vessel (3) is a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) dual-function reversible or unitized regenerative fuel cell (URFC) system. Rod (11) and rod (14) are electrically connected to the cathode and anode inside the vessels through separate circuits formed from electrically insulated vacuum seals (1) and (2). SCF has nearly 100 percent solvent penetration into the PEM membrane and acts as a single miscible fluid formed from multiple fluid species (including xenon) improving the rate of water decomposition (process water) when in the electrolyzer mode, and when reversed into the fuel cell mode, a higher rate of electricity is produced, a higher rate of electricity is produced across the membrane during power generation. Injector bores (12) and (15) can inject fuel into the SCF. Xenon gas with a high rate of polarization strings the electrical potential from the PEM circuit elements through the three dimensional suspension of xenon to the product or fuel. PEM membranes and SCFs are phosphorus-doped (N-type) on top of a thicker layer of boron-doped membrane, enabling photovoltaic and thermoelectric functions. Only photons whose energy is equal to or greater than the band gap of solar cell material can kick an electron up into the conduction band. Prior art photovoltaic response of single junction cells is limited to the portion of the sun's spectrum whose energy is above the band gap of the absorbing material, which means lower- energy photons are not used.
Without solar cell circuit gaps, xenon absorbs all of the sun's photon spectrum passing through an outer transparent vessel (4).
Thermoelectric energy is captured by decomposing water suspended in multiple SCFs tuned with co-solvents that are heat reactive.

Claims (11)

1. A fuel cell apparatus that operates fuel cell elements: fuel, product, membrane, cathode and anode within supercritical fluids with bifunctional electrodes (oxidation and reduction electrodes that reverse roles when switching from charge to discharge) and cathode-feed electrolysis (water is fed from the hydrogen side of the fuel cell) in the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a first vessel within a second vessel, the first vessel comprised of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell membrane with a positive and negative electrode connected to the circuit of the outside electrode;

a concentric, non-electrically conductive seal that can be connected to each of the vessels; and an electric power supply connected to each vessel to connect to the anode and cathode of the fuel cell; and an electric load connected to each vessel to connect to the anode and cathode of the fuel cell; and a supercritical fluid within the fuel cell vessels.

2. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein, said supercritical fluid is xenon.

3. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein said supercritical fluid is hydrazine.

4. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein said supercritical fluid is carbon dioxide.

5. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein said supercritical fluid is water.

6. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein said supercritical fluid is oxygen.

7. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein said supercritical fluid is hydrogen.

8. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein said supercritical fluid is methane.

9. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein said electrodes are high thermal capacity carbon graphite.

10. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein said electrodes are ported.

11. The fuel cell of claim 10, wherein said intake and exhaust ports are pressure regulated.