Fuel cell coolant bubble control
US7972740B2 · kind B2 · utility
1Cited by
2References
2Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 13, 2006 |
| Grant date | Jul 5, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 4, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
To mitigate bubble blockage in water passageways (78, 85), in or near reactant gas flow field plates (74, 81) of fuel cells (38), passageways are configured with (a) cross sections having intersecting polygons or other shapes, obtuse angles including triangles and trapezoids, or (b) hydrophobic surfaces (111), or (c) differing adjacent channels (127, 128), or (d) water permeable layers (93, 115, 116, 119) adjacent to water channels or hydrophobic/hydrophilic layers (114, 120), or (e) diverging channels (152).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.