Structures and methods are disclosed for removing water, and particularly for preventing ice blockages, in solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells comprising reactant vias that fluidly connect a reactant transition region to a reactant port. Water can be removed from the reactant via by making its surface superhydrophobic while incorporating at least one additional via with a hydrophilic surface in parallel therewith.

In pore diameter distribution curves of a first stack body formed by stacking a first gas diffusion layer and a first porous layer of an anode, and of a second stack body formed by stacking a second gas diffusion layer and a second porous layer of a cathode, on a region where a pore diameter is smaller than a reference pore diameter at which a pore volume is maximum, both the curves coincide with each other for the most part. On a region where the pore diameter is equal to or larger than the reference pore diameter, the distribution curve of the second stack body lies above that of the first stack body. A pore volume ratio which is a ratio of the total pore volume of the second stack body to the total pore volume of the first stack body is in the range of 1.10 to 1.60.

A humidifier with an integrated water separator for a fuel cell system, including a housing with a first channel for a first gas stream and a second channel for a second gas stream, a humidifier area in which the first channel and the second channel are separated from one another by a water vapor-permeable membrane, and a collection container for collecting the deposited liquid water is provided. It is provided that a water separator for separating liquid water is situated in the humidifier area.

An atmospheric water generator for extracting water droplets from ambient air includes an insulating substrate, a plurality of electrode film units, and a liquid crystal/polymer composite film. Each of surface regions of the liquid crystal/polymer composite film has a plurality of liquid crystal molecules each having a hydrophilic functional group and a hydrophobic moiety. Each of the surface regions normally has one of hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties. When a voltage is applied to one of the electrode film units, the respective surface region is switched to have the other one of hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties, to thereby allow the water droplets condensed from the ambient air to move on the surface regions.

An energy conversion system includes an energy converter, a cold generator, and a liquid water obtainer. The energy converter is configured to convert energy of a source from one form to another form and generate heat and water vapor. The cold generator is configured to generate cold using the heat generated by the energy converter. The liquid water obtainer is configured to condense the water vapor using the cold to obtain liquid water. Accordingly, the water vapor generated from the energy converter can be cooled efficiently. Therefore, efficiency in obtaining the liquid water can be improved compared with a case where the water vapor is cooled by open air.

The invention concerns a fuel cell (100), comprising a stack (1) of alternating bipolar plates (113) and membrane electrode assemblies (114) as well as flow channels (104, 105) that are designed between a bipolar plate (113) and a membrane electrode assembly (114) and flow channels (104, 105) that are designed within a bipolar plate (113) as well as a motor vehicle with such a fuel cell. Provision is made that a surface (101) of at least a part of the flow channels (104, 105) that is overflowable by a fluid has, regarding its direction of extension at least in part a hydrophobic segment (101a) and a hydrophilic segment (101b) with regard to a cross-section of the flow channel (104, 105).

An electrochemical battery including: a battery module comprising at least one electrochemical cell; an air supplier configured to supply air to the battery module and constantly maintain an oxygen concentration in the air that is supplied to the battery module; and an air recirculator configured to recirculate air exhausted from the battery module, wherein the battery module comprises an air inlet port though which air is introduced from the air supplier, and an air outlet port through which air remaining after a reaction in the at least one electrochemical cell is exhausted, and wherein the air recirculator is configured to recirculate the air exhausted through the air outlet port of the battery module to the air inlet port of the battery module.

An electrochemical hydrogen pump includes: an electrolyte membrane; a cathode catalyst layer provided on one principal surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer provided on the other principal surface of the electrolyte membrane; a pair of separators which include gas flow paths and which are provided so as to sandwich the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer; and a voltage application portion applying a voltage between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer. In the electrochemical hydrogen pump, the one principal surface is disposed at an upper side in the gravity direction, and the cathode catalyst layer has a hydrophilic property.

A system and method are provided for increasing efficiency of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system by recapturing water via a condensate extraction system that extracts water from a hot cathode exhaust flow of the SOFC stack. Further, the SOFC system can include a radiant heater which has a fuel inlet, an air intake, and an exhaust outlet independent and separate from the power generating components in the SOFC system. The radiant heater can bring the SOFC stack up to operating temperature quickly and/or maintain near operational mode temperatures of the SOFC stack during a hibernation mode.

A fuel cell stack obtained by stacking a plurality of fuel cells has an internal manifold that extends in a stacking direction of the fuel cells to externally discharge a gas used in the fuel cell, and an extension member that adjoins an inner wall surface of the internal manifold and extends in the stacking direction. The extension member is a bar-shaped member provided in an opposite side to a side where a gas from the fuel cells flows to the inside of the internal manifold and has a sloping surface making an acute angle with an inner-wall lower surface of the internal manifold.