Patent · US Expired

Cooling rib arrangement for the equalization of the temperature distribution in air cooled stacks

US6663992B2 · kind B2 · utility

16Cited by

4References

5Claims

0Family size

Assignee

General Motors LLC · US

Inventors

Werner Lehnert · Lehrte, DE
Martin Wohr · Groß-Gerau, DE
Stephan Fell · Flörsheim, DE
James Lee · San Diego, US

Key dates

Filing date	Jan 26, 2001
Grant date	Dec 16, 2003
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Aug 6, 2021

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY02E60/50
WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A fuel cell arrangement consisting of several fuel cells, arranged at least essentially in parallel, with cooling gaps formed between neighboring cells extending between an inlet and an outlet and through which a coolant flows, characterized by the fact that the specific surface, i.e. the area of the cooling surfaces emitting heat to the coolant, increases in the direction from the inlet to the outlet and/or that the local heat transfer coefficient of the cooling areas emitting heat to the coolant increases in the direction of flow from the inlet to the outlet and/or that the support materials of the fuel cells, i.e. the membrane-electrode assemblies, exhibit a coefficient of thermal conductivity above 200 W/(m·K). In this way, a uniform temperature in the fuel cells can be assured to that the power density can be increased while avoiding hot spots and/or the service life can be increased.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.