Self-humidifying fuel cell
US6207312A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 18, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 27, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 18, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A self-humidifying polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell assembly has an ion-exchange membrane interposed between hydrogen and oxygen diffusion layers to form a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The MEA is in turn interposed between a pair of current collector plates having flow field channels for flowing the reactants adjacent the respective diffusion layers to produce corresponding anodic and cathodic electrochemical reactions. Various embodiments of the assembly incorporate one or more of the following features: interdigitated flow field channels, countercurrent reactant flows, opposing channel alignment, and uncatalyzed membrane hydration enhancement zones.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.