An electrochemical system includes an electrochemical device having a stack of elementary electrochemical cells each including an electrolyte interposed between a cathode and an anode; ducts for supplying the anodes and the cathodes with gas and for collecting the gases generated by the latter; an enclosure having the electrochemical device housed therein and including at least one inlet duct and one outlet duct to circulate an air flow in the enclosure; and a circuit for analyzing the air in the enclosure. The circuit includes a sensor capable of measuring an oxygen content present in the outlet duct of the enclosure; and an analysis unit capable of diagnosing a leak of the device when the measured oxygen content differs from a predetermined oxygen content in the inlet duct of the enclosure.

An electrochemical cell according to one embodiment includes a solid electrolyte layer having insulating property, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The solid electrolyte layer has a first face and a second face, and allows ions to move therethrough. The first electrode is one of an anode and a cathode and provided on the first face. The first electrode includes an inside channel that allows gas to flow, a third face into which a first open end of the channel opens, a fourth face into which a second open end of the channel opens, and an inner wall face that defines the channel. The second electrode is the other of the anode and the cathode and provided on the second face.

A method of sealing a multi-component bipolar plate is disclosed. The method may include inserting a first seal between a first component and a second component, wherein the first seal is aligned with a first plurality of protrusions formed on a surface of at least one of the first component and the second component. The method may also include compressing the first component and the second component to cause the penetration of the first plurality of protrusions into the first seal. The method may further include plastically deforming the first seal in order to create a first sealing surface between the first component and the second component.

A fuel cell system arranged for the conversion of pure hydrogen comprising a) at least one fuel cell comprising an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte, and arranged for an internal reformation of methane, b) a fuel conduit connecting a fuel conduit inlet with an anode inlet, c) an anode exhaust conduit connecting an anode outlet and a methanation unit capable of producing methane from anode exhaust, and d) a methanation unit exhaust conduit connecting a methanation unit exit and the fuel conduit, and e) a water removal and/or water condenser unit coupled to the methanation unit exhaust conduit, wherein the fuel introduced into an inlet of the fuel conduit is pure hydrogen, and the amount of methane produced in the methanation unit is equal to the amount of methane reformed inside of the fuel cell so that the content of methane cycling through the fuel cell system is constant.

The invention relates to a system comprising: a fuel cell able to operate in a first and a second operating mode, such that: in the first mode, the fuel cell consumes energy in order to produce hydrogen, and in the second mode, the fuel cell produces energy by consuming hydrogen; a first storage device for storing hydrogen produced by the fuel cell when the fuel cell is in the first mode, the first storage device being able to absorb hydrogen at a first pressure and to release hydrogen at a second pressure, greater than the first pressure; and, a second storage device able to store hydrogen coming from the first storage device, the second storage device being able to absorb hydrogen by forming, with the hydrogen, a second metal hydride when the hydrogen is at the second pressure.

A rechargeable power system comprising: a drill string configured to operate in a well bore, the drill string comprising: a fuel cell system; a generator in electrical communication with the fuel cell system; a turbine, configured to rotate due to an impingement of drilling mud on one or more turbine blades, the turbine in operable communication with the generator; and where the fuel cell system is configured to provide power at least when drilling mud is not circulating in the well bore, and further configured to be recharged by the generator when drilling mud is circulating in the well bore. A method for operating a rechargeable downhole fuel cell. The method comprises: monitoring a fluid supply pressure; determining whether the fluid supply pressure is below a threshold value; and stopping a fuel cell discharge if the fluid supply pressure is below the threshold value.

The invention relates to a reversible electrochemical system intended to operate alternately in electrolysis cell mode and in fuel cell mode, comprising: a primary device of which: the primary anode (13) is suitable for carrying out an oxidation of the water (OER) originating from a first anode port and an oxidation of the hydrogen (HOR) originating from a second anode port, and the primary cathode (15) is suitable for carrying out a reduction of protons (HER), and a reduction of oxygen (ORR) originating from a second cathode port; a secondary device of which: the secondary anode (23) is suitable for carrying out an oxidation of hydrogen (HOR) originating from the primary anode and an oxidation of hydrogen (HOR) originating from the second anode port; the secondary cathode (25) is suitable for carrying out a reduction of protons (HER) and a reduction of oxygen (ORR) originating from the second cathode port.

An electrode comprises an acid treated, cathodically cycled carbon-comprising film or body. The carbon consists of single walled nanotubes (SWNTs), pyrolytic graphite, microcrystalline graphitic, any carbon that consists of more than 99% sp.sup.2 hybridized carbons, or any combination thereof. The electrode can be used in an electrochemical device functioning as an electrolyzer for evolution of hydrogen or as a fuel cell for oxidation of hydrogen. The electrochemical device can be coupled as a secondary energy generator into a system with a primary energy generator that naturally undergoes generation fluctuations. During periods of high energy output, the primary source can power the electrochemical device to store energy as hydrogen, which can be consumed to generate electricity as the secondary source during low energy output by the primary source. Solar cells, wind turbines and water turbines can act as the primary energy source.

Disclosed are electrochemical cells and methods of use or operation. In one aspect there is disclosed a method for management of an electrochemical cell, the method comprising operating the electrochemical cell at an operational voltage that is below or about the thermoneutral voltage for an electrochemical reaction. In another aspect there is disclosed an electrochemical cell comprising electrodes, an electrolyte between the electrodes, and a catalyst applied to at least one of the electrodes to facilitate an electrochemical reaction at an operational voltage of the electrochemical cell that is below or about the thermoneutral voltage for the electrochemical reaction. Also disclosed are various catalysts for the electrochemical cell comprising mixtures of various catalytic materials and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

The reservoirs 2 and 2 preliminarily contain liquid water, which is utilized as the water to be supplied to the polymer membrane. A vapor pressure of the water is set to a predetermined value in the reservoir by controlling the temperature of the reservoirs 2 and 2 individually. Pressure gauges 6 and 6 may be used for setting a vapor pressure of the water. The water which is gasified based on the set vapor pressure in the respective reservoir is supplied to the stack 10 along with oxygen from the reservoir 2, and with hydrogen from the reservoir 2. This configuration makes it possible to adjust the amount of water contained in the polymer membrane and maintain the moisturization of the polymer membrane without external water supply.