Plastic platelet fuel cells employing integrated fluid management
US5863671A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 17, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jan 26, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 17, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P70/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Improved fuel cell stacks constructed from a plurality of cells, each comprising a series of interrelated mono and bipolar collector plates (BSPs), which in turn are built up by lamination of a core of related non-conductiveplastic orceramic platelets sandwiched between conductive microscreen platelets of metal or conductive ceramic or plastic, with an electrode membrane (EMA) between adjacent BSPs. The platelets, both metal and plastic of the composite BSPs, are produced from sheet material with through and depth features formed by etching, pressing, stamping, casting, embossing and the like. Adjacent plates, each with correspondingly relieved features form serpentine channels within the resultant monolithic platelet/cell stack for integrated fluid and thermal management. The plastic platelets are particularly useful for PEM fuel cells employing H.sub.2 and Air/O.sub.2 as fuel. The platelets are easily made by printing (embossing) processes, and dies made by photolithographic etching for rapid redesign. Each BSP can be individually tailored to each type of membrane, fuel, and intra-cell location within the stack. As materials are cheap and easy to manufacture and assemble, lightwe…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.