Fuel cell assembly and method for operating a fuel cell assembly

US10741866B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Torsten Brandt · Forchheim, DE
• Armin Datz · Baiersdorf, DE
• Albert Hammerschmidt · Erlangen, DE
• Silke Latzel · Kleinsendelbach, DE
• Josef Lersch · Heroldsbach, DE
• Arno Mattejat · Bubenreuth, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 28, 2015
• Grant date: Aug 11, 2020
• Expiry date: May 31, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E60/50
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A fuel cell assembly with at least one PEM fuel cell for generating electrical energy from reactant gases includes at least one membrane/electrode having a membrane coated with platinum electrodes and, respectively positioned on each side, a porous gas diffusion layer, or having a membrane and, respectively positioned on each side, a porous gas diffusion layer coated with a platinum electrode, and also includes bipolar plates that lie against the gas diffusion layers and through which, during operation, a coolant flows, wherein at least one of the platinum electrodes has a smaller area than the gas diffusion layer, where the gas diffusion layer protrudes beyond the platinum electrode for a part of an edge region of the membrane/electrode unit, so that the formation of an electrochemical potential in this part of the edge region of the membrane/electrode unit is prevented in order to prevent damage to the membrane.