Sealing design for stamped plate fuel cells
US9178224B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 15, 2013 |
| Grant date | Nov 3, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 23, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T90/40
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A fuel cell stack of at least two fuel cells, each fuel cell having a unitized electrode assembly (UEA) including a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), a sub-gasket and gas diffusion media (DM), and positioned between modified stamped field-flow plates. The sub-gasket frames the MEA resulting in an overlap area between the MEA and the inner perimeter of the sub-gasket. The UEA is disposed between a pair of stamped flow-field plates which align in adjacent fuel cells to form a bipolar plate. The bipolar plate has an active region, an overlap region and a seal region. The active region is configured with channel and land features which provide reactant flow channels and coolant passages for the fuel cell. The configuration of features in the overlap region, however, is modified from the configuration in the active region so that the overlap region may sustain sufficient mechanical sealing pressure, and to prevent coolant and reactant bypass without impeding coolant and reactant flow in the active area. Modified channel and land feature configurations for the overlap region are exemplified.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.