Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
429038000 | Having support or spacers with fluid distribution means | 28 |
20080305385 | FUEL CELL SEPARATOR PLATE SURFACE TREATMENT BY LASER ABLATION - A composite separator plate for use in an electrochemical fuel cell as well as a method of forming same is disclosed. The plate may be formed of polymeric material and electrically conductive material having a non-conductive polymeric outer layer by compression molding, or alternately of a metallic material having an outer metal oxide layer. Contact regions of the plate surface are subsequently ablated with a laser to remove the outer layer of material from the plate. The removal of the outer layer reduces the contact resistance of the plate when used in an electrochemical fuel cell stack, while offering adequate strength and corrosion resistance for the fuel cell stack environment. | 12-11-2008 |
20090004545 | Solid bonded interconnect system in a lightweight solid oxide fuel cell stack - An interconnect system for connecting adjacent fuel cells in a fuel cell stack. The system comprises five elements: a separator plate to provide an anode gas flow space when joined to a mating cell frame; a first metal interconnect disposed between the separator plate and the anode surface; a nickel oxide paste applied in a pattern over the surface of the anode and adjacent surface of the separator plate which when sintered results in a conductive layer bonded to the anode and to the separator plate; a second metal interconnect disposed between the cathode surface of the cell and the separator plate of the adjacent cell cassette; and a silver-containing paste applied over the surface of the cathode and the separator plate which when sintered results in a conductive layer bonded to the cathode and to the separator plate. | 01-01-2009 |
20090023049 | FUEL CELL - A fuel cell includes electrolyte electrode assembly and separators. An exhaust gas separation member is provided between the separators. The exhaust gas separation member includes an annular portion formed around an outer circumferential portion of the electrolyte electrode assembly, a seal portion fixed to the annular portion and sandwiched between the outer end of the electrolyte electrode assembly and one of the separators, and a stopper provided integrally with the annular portion and fixedly engaged with the other separator. | 01-22-2009 |
20090042087 | Fuel Cell Separator, Electrode Structure for a Fuel Cell, Methods of Manufacturing Both Thereof, and a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Comprising the Same - The degree of freedom in the shape of channels in a separator is increased, enabling an optimum gas channel to be designed, enabling a sufficient supply of gas below gas channel ribs, and improving cell performance through the reduction in diffusion polarization. Drainage property is also improved and flooding is prevented, thereby reducing diffusion polarization and improving cell performance. Cell performance is also improved through the reduction of contact resistance. A fuel cell separator comprises a separator substrate on which gas channel ribs are formed through vapor-phase growth of a carbon-based porous material with a nanosize structure. An electrode structure for a fuel cell, methods of manufacturing the separator and the fuel cell, and a solid polymer fuel cell comprising the electrode structure. | 02-12-2009 |
20090042088 | Fuel Cell - A fuel cell according to the present invention includes a power generation unit. The power generation unit is formed by stacking a first metal separator, a first membrane electrode assembly, a second metal separator, a second membrane electrode assembly, and a third metal separator. The number of flow grooves in a first oxygen-containing gas flow field is different from the number of flow grooves in a second oxygen-containing gas flow field. The first oxygen-containing gas flow field and the second oxygen-containing gas flow field have the same length, and the flow grooves in the first oxygen-containing gas flow field and the flow grooves in the second oxygen-containing gas flow field have the same depth. | 02-12-2009 |
20090061283 | CARTRIDGE FOR FUEL CELL AND FUEL CELL - A cartridge for fuel cell for supplying a fuel to a fuel cell, the cartridge for fuel cell including: a cartridge case | 03-05-2009 |
20090130537 | Fuel cell separator, method of manufacturing fuel cell separator, and fuel cell - A gas-impermeable fuel cell separator including ribs that form a gas flow passage, and a sealing section, wherein at least the gas flow passage has a hydrophilically treated surface, and in which the fuel cell separator base material is exposed within the sealing section. | 05-21-2009 |
20090169973 | Fuel Cell - A fuel cell includes electrolyte electrode assembly and separators. An annular member and a ring foil are provided between the separators. The annular member is provided around an outer circumferential portion of the electrolyte electrode assembly, and includes grooves for discharging a first exhaust gas FGoff which has been consumed at an anode to the outside of the electrolyte electrode assembly. The ring foil is provided adjacent to a cathode, and extends from a position between an outer end of the electrolyte electrode assembly to a position between the annular member and the separator. | 07-02-2009 |
20090197150 | FUEL CELL CARTRIDGE - A fuel cell cartridge for containing fuel for fuel cells, comprising a polyester resin, wherein after the fuel is contained and preserved at 60° C. for one week, a change of density at the bottom portion and the mouth portion is 0.01 g/cm | 08-06-2009 |
20090208813 | FUEL CELL - A fuel cell is characterized by including a cartridge | 08-20-2009 |
20090280392 | ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL COMPONENT - An electroconductive integrated substrate and a process of producing the same, which comprises a porous conductive gas diffusion layer having large number of pores with significant gas permeability, and a gas impermeable electroconductive flow field plate having landing surfaces laminated on the surface of gas diffusion layer and integrally bonded to thereto by the molten composite from the landing surface. There is provided a process for joining the gas diffusion layer to a flow field plate in an electrochemical cell. The process comprises the step of welding the landing surface of the flow field plate to the gas diffusion layer using resistance welding. | 11-12-2009 |
20090325036 | Bipolar Plate and Fuel Cell Unit - The invention relates to a bipolar plate for a fuel cell stack, which comprises at least a an anode-side sub-plate. An interior of the bipolar plate is enclosed by the sub-plates, with a fluid port area arranged having at least one fluid port, over which a fluid can be conveyed to the fluid channels. The fluid channels are arranged on at least one of the flat sides, as well as a manifold zone, over which the fluid can be distributed to its assigned fluid channels and an accumulation zone, over which the fluid can be carried away from the fluid channels to another fluid port area. At least one of the sub-plates has a uniform arrangement of raised support points in the manifold zone and/or accumulation zone. Apart from the peripherally situated support points, a negative support point of the same type is designed adjacent to each raised support point inside the manifold zone and/or the accumulation zone. | 12-31-2009 |
20090325037 | FUEL CELL FLUID DISTRIBUTION PLATES - A fluid flow field plate for use in a fuel cell, the plate comprising a first plurality of channels formed in a first surface thereof and extending across the first surface in a predetermined pattern, the plate having a folded region along a lateral edge, the folded region comprising a plenum and an interface region, the plenum having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to an edge of the plate, the interface region comprising two adjacent and facing portions of the first surface. | 12-31-2009 |
20100015505 | COMPLIANT FEED REGION IN STAMPED METAL FLOWFIELD OF A FUEL CELL PLATE TO ELIMINATE BIAS - A fuel cell plate assembly is disclosed that comprises a first plate having a plurality of protuberances formed in a bottom of flow channels formed thereon, wherein the protuberances abut a bottom of flow channels formed on a second plate when the first plate and the second plate are disposed adjacent one another. | 01-21-2010 |
20100124689 | SYSTEM TO RESERVOIR CONNECTOR - A system-to-reservoir connector is disclosed in which a system-side-sub-connector and a reservoir-side-sub-connector provide for a fluid connection that is resilient to external forces, is substantially leak-proof upon insertion and retraction, and is orientation independent. | 05-20-2010 |
20100159304 | THERMOMECHANICAL SEALING OF INTERCONNECT MANIFOLDS IN FUEL CELL STACKS - A planar fuel cell stack is provided. The planar fuel cell stack comprises an anode interconnect structure comprising a corrugated first internal manifold connected to a first anode flowfield; a cathode interconnect structure comprising a corrugated second internal manifold connected to a first cathode flowfield; and a thermally active, surface insulated metallic seal disposed between the corrugated parts of the anode and cathode interconnects, such that the thermally active metallic seal responds upon the application of heat to provide sealing between the anode interconnect structure and the cathode interconnect structure. | 06-24-2010 |
429039000 | And fluid directing means | 12 |
20080226967 | BIFURCATION OF FLOW CHANNELS IN BIPOLAR PLATE FLOWFIELDS - A bipolar plate for a fuel cell is provided that includes a flowfield having an active surface with an inlet region and an outlet region. The active surface of the flowfield is in communication with the inlet region and the outlet region and has at least one flow channel formed therein. The at least one flow channel further has a cross-sectional area at the outlet region that is less than a cross-sectional area at the inlet region. In particular embodiments, the at least one flow channel is bifurcated. A fuel cell stack including a fuel cell and the bipolar plate is also provided. | 09-18-2008 |
20080241638 | SOFC system producing reduced atmospheric carbon dioxide using a molten carbonated carbon dioxide pump - A solid oxide fuel cell power generation system's entire output is made up of three streams: water, sequestered carbon dioxide provided into a storage tank, and carbon dioxide depleted air. Thus, the system generates electricity from a hydrocarbon fuel, while outputting substantially no pollutants into the atmosphere and cleaning the air by removing carbon dioxide from the air exhaust stream. Thus, the system outputs cleaner air than it takes in without releasing pollutants into the atmosphere, while generating electricity from a readily available hydrocarbon fuel, such as natural gas. | 10-02-2008 |
20080268325 | Sealed Fuel Cell Stack - The invention relates to a fuel cell consisting of a stack of elementary cells and interconnectors ( | 10-30-2008 |
20080311461 | ELECTROCHEMICAL FUEL CELL STACK HAVING STAGGERED FUEL AND OXIDANT PLENUMS - An electrochemical fuel cell stack having staggered fuel and oxidant plenums is disclosed. This construction allows for reduced cell pitch without reducing plenum thickness and hence fluid flow. | 12-18-2008 |
20080318115 | FLOW CHANNEL PLATE - A flow channel plate suitable for use in a fuel cell including a plate body and at least a group of flow guiding blocks is provided. The plate body has a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall. The first side wall has at least an inlet and the second side wall has at least an outlet. The group of flow guiding blocks is disposed in the plate body and is adjacent to the first side wall, and includes a plurality of flow guiding blocks. One of the flow guiding blocks is a first flow guiding block aligned with the inlet. The rest of flow guiding blocks are arranged into m rows between the first flow guiding block and the second side wall and the first row thereof is adjacent to the first flow guiding block. Where m is a nature number. | 12-25-2008 |
20090004547 | Fuel cell stacks and methods - The invention provides a fuel cell stack including a layer of encapsulating material disposed about the separator plate, MEA, and reactant manifold, wherein the reactant manifold is bounded at least in part by the encapsulating material. The fuel cell stack also includes a first opening through the plate body to the first face from the second face, and an open channel in the second face extending from the opening toward a periphery of the plate. The invention also provides a fuel cell stack having a first face including an opening for passage of a reactant therethrough, a first reactant flow field defined thereon, and a first raised surface formed thereon substantially surrounding the opening. The first raised surface is configured and adapted to mate with a second surface on a face of an adjacent plate to create a flow obstruction for encapsulating material. | 01-01-2009 |
20090214931 | FLOW-FIELD PLATE AND FUEL CELL STACK USING THE SAME - Disclosed is a flow-field plate and fuel cell stack using the same. The flow-field plate of the present invention comprises a center hole ( | 08-27-2009 |
20090239129 | METAL SEPARATOR FOR FUEL CELL - A metal separator for a fuel cell includes a plurality of flow passage grooves for flowing a fluid for operating the fuel cell; manifold holes provided on each side of an upper stream and a lower stream of the plurality of flow passage grooves and formed so as to penetrate a separator made of metal for the fuel cell; communication grooves formed on a separator surface of the separator, for connecting inlets/outlets of the plurality of flow passage grooves and the manifold holes to flow the fluid; a fluid flowing structure part made of metal, in which a through hole is formed on the separator surface that forms the communication grooves, formed in the vicinity of the manifold hole so as to traverse the communication groove; and a flat seal surface formed on the fluid flowing structure part, for sealing a surface of a member that shields an opening of the communication grooves in a state of a face contact. | 09-24-2009 |
20100068603 | HOLLOW FIBER MEMBRANE MODULE AND FUEL CELL SYSTEM - In a humidifying membrane module, a humidifying membrane having plural hollow fiber membranes bundled together is housed in a humidifying membrane chassis having a cylindrical outer periphery, and the humidifying membrane chassis is housed in an assembly chassis having a cylindrical inner periphery. The assembly chassis has an inlet port for taking air that is made to flow into hollow parts of the humidifying membrane, an outlet port for discharging the air, an inlet port for taking an off-gas that is made to flow in gaps in the humidifying membrane, and an outlet port for discharging the off-gas. The air and the off-gas flow in flow paths formed by utilizing the humidifying membrane chassis and the assembly chassis, but are not mixed with each other at positions other than the humidifying membrane owing to annular sealing members provided between the humidifying chassis and the assembly chassis. | 03-18-2010 |
20100099009 | VALVES FOR FUEL CARTRIDGES - Valves for connecting fuel supplies are disclosed. The fuel supplies can be a pressurized or non-pressurized cartridge that can be used with any fuel cells. The valves may include valves that vent gas from the cartridge and allow byproducts produced by the fuel cell to be transported to the fuel cartridge, and valves that connect the fuel supplies to the fuel cells | 04-22-2010 |
20100112413 | SEPARATOR FOR HIGH-TEMPERATURE FUEL CELL - Provided is a high-temperature fuel cell separator. The fuel cell separator includes a fuel gas flow path containing hydrogen, an oxidant gas flow path containing mainly an oxygen component being supplied from an oxygen/nitrogen separator of a system and participating in electrochemical reactions, and a cooling gas flow path containing a nitrogen component to remove heat produced upon power generation of a fuel cell. Such a configuration provides a high-temperature fuel cell separator which is capable of improving efficiency of an overall fuel cell system through improved performance of a fuel cell stack due to increased oxygen partial pressure and which is also capable of improving reliability of the fuel cell stack through inhibition of the occurrence of a high-temperature region resulting from heat produced upon power generation of a fuel cell, by means of a flow of cooling gas containing a nitrogen component. | 05-06-2010 |
20100124690 | FUEL CELL FLUID FLOW PLATE WITH SHELL PASSAGEWAY PIECE - A fluid cell fluid flow plate comprises: a fluid flow plate, having one face being a fluid flow face for receiving a reactive fluid and the other face being a non-active surface, provided with a first manifold, a second manifold, and a flow channel disposed on the fluid flow face; and a shell passageway piece, configured with parallel-disposed first face and second face that are connected to each other through a connecting face with at least one through hole provided thereon; wherein the flow channel being respectively connected to the first manifold through a first opening and to the second manifold through a second opening; and when the shell passageway piece and the fluid flow plate are combined, the first face contacts the fluid flow face, the second face contacts the non-active surface, and the first manifold communicates with the first opening by the through hole. | 05-20-2010 |