Differential pressure fluid flow fields for fuel cells

US6586128B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• BALLARD POWER SYSTEMS INC. · US

Inventors

• Mark C. Johnson · Phoenix, US
• David P. Wilkinson · North Vancouver, CA
• John Kenna · Thousand Oaks, US
• Olen Vanderleeden · Port Moody, CA
• Joerg Zimmerman · Freiberg, DE
• Mehrzad Tabatabaian · Port Moody, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: May 9, 2000
• Grant date: Jul 1, 2003
• Expiry date: May 9, 2020

Classification

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

Abstract

Flow fields comprising a set of fluid distribution channels may be employed in fuel cells for purposes of distributing fluid reactants to an electrochemically active area of the fuel cell. Water management and reactant distribution may be improved by increasing pressure gradients between adjacent channels. Such pressure gradients may be increased by engineering the channels such that the resistance to reactant flow differs along the length of adjacent channels.