Solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack water management system
US4769297A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 16, 1987 |
| Grant date | Sep 6, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 16, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Water is fed into the fuel cell stack in the hydrogen reactant stream. Some of the water is evaporated in the cells to cool the stack, and some of the water migrates through the stack from cell to cell. The water migration is the result of the water being dragged from the anode to the cathode through the electrolyte membrane and by the use of porous hydrophilic separator plates being interposed between adjacent cells in the stack. Water is forced through these porous separator plates by means of a reactant pressure differential maintained between the cathode and anode. The anode support plates provide a large surface area from which water is evaporated to perform the cooling function.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.