DIRECT OXIDATION OF HYDROCARBONS WITH A BIPOLAR METAL HYDRIDE FUEL CELL

A NOVEL METHOD FOR THE DIRECT OXIDATION OF HYDROCARBON FUELS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICAL POWER IN A FUEL CELL IS PRESENTED. THE METHOD DISSOCIATES AND DEHYDROGENATES HYDROCARBON FUELS, SUCH AS METHANOL AND FORMIC ACID. THE SYSTEM USES AN ELECTROSTATIC FIELD ON THE DEHYDROGENATION SIDE TO CONTROL HYDROCARBON ADSORPTION AND THE CHEMICAL DEHYDROGENATION RATE OF METHANOL OR FORMIC ACIDTO ATOMIC HYDROGEN AND CARBON DIOXIDE. THIS APPROACH TO DIRECT HYDROCARBON OXIDATION HAS THE ADVANTAGE OF GREAT SIMPLICITY SINCE THERE IS NO NEED FOR A HIGH TEMPERATURE CATALYTIC REFORMER AND REFORMER GAS PURIFICATION EQUIPMENT, PRESENTLY REQUIRED FOR INDIRECT HYDROCARBON OXIDATION FUEL CELLS. FURTHERMORE, THE SYSTEM ONLY TRANSPORTS ATOMIC HYDROGEN. HENCE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR CARBON OXIDES OR OTHER IMPURITIES TO BUILD-UP OR PRECIPITATE IN THE FUEL CELL SIDE ELECTROLYTE. IF THIS APPROACH IS SUCCESSFUL, IT COULD HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON FUEL CELL POWERED AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER PORTABLE POWER APPLICATIONS.