Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080199750 | UNIT CELL HEADER FLOW ENHANCEMENT - A fluid flow field plate for an electrochemical fuel cell that includes a planar body having a first surface, a second surface. More than one header opening extends between the first surface and the second surface to define a flowpath. At least one open flow field channel with an inlet port and an outlet port is provided in the first surface. Each outlet port is in fluid communication with one of the one header openings. At least one of the outlet port or the inlet port has a baffle extending into the flow path. | 08-21-2008 |
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 |
20090208803 | FLOW FIELD FOR FUEL CELL AND FUEL CELL STACK - A flow field design for fuel cell is disclosed which optimizes water management for local operating conditions where the depth profile of the flow field varies from the reactant inlet to the reactant outlet and also varies across the flow field. | 08-20-2009 |
20110159398 | LOW COMPRESSIVE LOAD SEAL DESIGN FOR SOLID POLYMER ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELL - A low compressive load seal for a solid polymer fuel cell employs two offset peripheral projections, one on each of the anode and cathode separator plates, for compressing a gasket. The design can achieve a seal against a given burst pressure with a lower load normal to the separator plates by creating significant compression parallel to the separator plates in the gap between the offset projections. The design allows for thinner fuel cell constructions while avoiding the issues that arise in prior art designs (e.g., stress on seal material and component crushing) if reasonable tolerances were allowed for variations in component thickness. | 06-30-2011 |
20120189945 | FUEL CELL WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD - Systems and methods for transporting accumulated water in a fuel cell system are disclosed. Briefly described, in one aspect, a system comprises a fuel cell flow field plate with at least one channel disposed on a surface of the fuel cell flow field plate, and at least one water management fin residing on a wall of the channel such that when the accumulated water is transported along the channel the water management fin guides the accumulated water. | 07-26-2012 |
20120295178 | FLOW FIELD PLATE FOR REDUCED PRESSURE DROP IN COOLANT - The pressure drop associated with the coolant flow in the coolant transition regions of a typical high power density, solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack can be significant. This pressure drop can be reduced by enlarging the height of the coolant ducts in this region of the associated flow field plate so that the ducts extend beyond the plane of the plate. The height change can be accommodated by offsetting the ducts in adjacent cells in the stack and by employing non planar MEAs in this region. By reducing the pressure drop, improved coolant flow sharing is obtained. | 11-22-2012 |
20130089809 | ASSEMBLING BIPOLAR PLATES FOR FUEL CELLS USING MICROENCAPSULATED ADHESIVES - The flow field plates in a bipolar plate assembly for a fuel cell can be both bonded and sealed appropriately using microencapsulated adhesives. This offers several advantages over using other adhesives which may have limited pot life and/or require lengthy curing periods at elevated temperature during which time the plates must be stably positioned and under compression. | 04-11-2013 |
20140342264 | FLOW FIELD PLATE FOR IMPROVED COOLANT FLOW - Bipolar plate assemblies are disclosed in which the transition fuel channels are offset from the transition oxidant channels in the transition regions on the active sides of the plates. This configuration allows for a reduced pressure drop in the coolant flow in the transition regions on the inactive, coolant side of the plates and thereby improves coolant flow sharing. The assemblies are suitable for use in high power density solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stacks. | 11-20-2014 |