	US 12,230,849 B2
	Direct alcohol fuel cell
Torsten Lund-Olesen, Taastrup (DK); Kasper Vestentoft, Taastrup (DK); Oskar Tynelius, Taastrup (DK); Jacob Lindner Bonde, Taastrup (DK); Jan Harry Hales, Taastrup (DK); and Leif Hojslet Christensen, Taastrup (DK)
Assigned to Widex A/S, Lynge (DK)
Appl. No. 17/299,848
Filed by Widex A/S, Lynge (DK)
PCT Filed Dec. 3, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/083393 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 4, 2021, PCT Pub. No. WO2020/115001, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 11, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/776,095, filed on Dec. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0029186 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. H01M 8/1011 (2016.01); H01M 8/04082 (2016.01); H01M 8/04186 (2016.01); H01M 8/10 (2016.01)

CPC H01M 8/1011 (2013.01) [H01M 8/04186 (2013.01); H01M 8/04201 (2013.01); H01M 2008/1095 (2013.01)]

8 Claims

1. A direct alcohol fuel cell (DAFC) comprising a housing containing a proton exchange membrane (PEM) separating an anode section from a cathode section, which anode section and which cathode section are contained in the housing,

the cathode section comprising a cathode collection element electrically connected to a cathode catalyst, which cathode catalyst is in diffusive communication with a gaseous oxidant, and

the anode section comprising an anode collection element electrically connected to an anode catalyst, and a pervaporation membrane located at a spacing distance from the PEM, which pervaporation membrane provides diffusive communication between the anode catalyst and a fuel supply,

wherein the housing comprises a venting hole providing fluid communication between the anode section and the ambient environment, which venting hole has a largest dimension in the range of 25 μm to 300 μm, the venting hole being located within the spacing distance, and

wherein the DAFC comprises a spacer insert layer between the pervaporation membrane and the PEM, the spacer insert layer having one or more holes with a total area in the range of 5% to 90% of the total area of the spacer insert layer.