# US 12,003,004 B2 · Thermal managing end plate for fuel cell stack assembly

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- Number: US 12,003,004 B2
- Document ID: US12003004B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/695,232
- Filed: 2022-03-15
- Published: 2022-06-30
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-18
- Assignees: Intelligent Energy Limited
- Applicants: Intelligent Energy Limited
- Inventors: Stephen Longley; Jonathan Cole
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003004B2

## CPC

- H01M 8/0267: having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels
- H01M 8/0228: in the form of layered or coated products
- H01M 8/0258: characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant
- H01M 8/0263: having meandering or serpentine paths
- H01M 8/04014: Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants
- H01M 8/04074: {Heat exchange unit structures specially adapted for fuel cell}
- H01M 8/04701: Temperature
- H01M 8/2483: characterised by internal manifolds
- H01M 2008/1293: {Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes}
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Fuel cell stack assemblies having a positive end plate and a negative end plate. The end plates can be formed from a central structural element with an insulating end plate cover and an insulating end plate manifold. A plurality of cathode plates and a plurality of fuel cell assemblies can be arranged in a stack having an alternating pattern of cathode plates and fuel cell assemblies, with the positive end plate and the negative end plate provided on either end of the stack of cathode plates and fuel cell assemblies.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of balancing heat removal from an operational fuel cell stack to increase the operating temperature window, the method comprising:
forming an asymmetrical fuel cell stack assembly having a positive end plate and a negative end plate which have different structural features;
wherein the negative end plate manifold (330) has sinusoidal-wave-shaped air flow channels from a first side edge (331) to an opposing side edge (332);
wherein the positive end plate manifold has airflow formed as straight walls from the first side edge (231) to the opposing side edge (232); and
wherein heat loss from at least one end plate manifold is reduced.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of balancing heat removal from an operational fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein in the heat loss at the negative end plate manifold is reduce at least 20%.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of balancing heat removal from an operational fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein in the heat loss at the negative end plate manifold is reduce at least 25%.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of balancing heat removal from an operational fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein in the heat loss at the negative end plate manifold is reduce about 30%.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of balancing heat removal from an operational fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein in the heat loss at the positive end plate manifold is reduce at least 20%.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of balancing heat removal from an operational fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein in the heat loss at the positive end plate manifold is reduce at least 25%.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of balancing heat removal from an operational fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein in the heat loss at the positive end plate manifold is reduce about 28%.