Internally gas regulated fuel cell

US7972748B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Daimler AG · DE

Inventors

• Felix Blank · Eßlingen, DE
• Cosmas Heller · Friedrichshafen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 2, 2003
• Grant date: Jul 5, 2011
• Expiry date: Nov 21, 2026

Classification

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

Abstract

A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and at least one bipolar plate having an anode-side gas distributor structure for distributing anode reactants, a cathode-side gas distributor structure for distributing cathode reactants, and a guide passage structure for distributing a cooling medium. At least one of the anode-side gas distributor structure and the cathode-side gas distributor structure is divided into at least a first field and a second field, each of the first and second fields having an entry port and an exit port for the reactants. In addition, a method for such a fuel cell includes passing a reactant into an entry port of the first field and out of an exit port of the first field, mixing the reactant with a fresh reactant so as to form a mixture, and passing the mixture into the entry port of the second field.