Fuel cell stack having casting material and method for producing a fuel cell stack
AssigneeAudi AG
InventorsOliver Keitsch, Armin Siebel, Sebastian Voigt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell stack comprises a cell series composed of multiple unit cells, being formed with internal media guides in the cell, and contained between two clamped together end plates in a fuel cell stack housing. The cell series present in the fuel cell stack housing is embedded entirely in an electrically insulating casting material. A method for producing a fuel cell stack is also provided.
Claims12
A fuel cell stack, comprising:
- a cell series composed of multiple unit cells, being formed with internal media guides in the unit cells, and contained between two clamped together end plates in a fuel cell stack housing,
- wherein the cell series present in the fuel cell stack housing is embedded entirely in an electrically insulating casting material that extends completely between the two clamped together end plates and completely around a perimeter of each unit cell such that all sides of the unit cells are covered by the electrically insulating casting material, or wherein, apart from lateral overhangs of the unit cells, the cell series present in the fuel cell stack housing is embedded entirely in an electrically insulating casting material that extends completely between the two clamped together end plates and completely around a perimeter of each unit cell such that, apart from the lateral overhangs, all sides of the unit cells are covered by the electrically insulating casting material.
A method for producing a fuel cell stack including a cell series composed of multiple unit cells, being formed with internal media guides in the unit cells, and contained between two clamped together end plates in a fuel cell stack housing, wherein the cell series present in the fuel cell stack housing is embedded entirely in an electrically insulating casting material that extends completely between the two clamped together end plates and completely around a perimeter of each unit cell such that all sides of the unit cells are covered by the electrically insulating casting material, or wherein, apart from lateral overhangs of the unit cells, the cell series present in the fuel cell stack housing is embedded entirely in an electrically insulating casting material that extends completely between the two clamped together end plates and completely around a perimeter of each unit cell such that, apart from the lateral overhangs, all sides of the unit cells are covered by the electrically insulating casting material, the method comprising:
- stacking of unit cells made from bipolar plates with membrane electrode assemblies situated between the bipolar plates, being provided with internal media guides in the unit cells, to form the cell series;
- clamping the stacked unit cells between the two end plates in the fuel cell stack housing;
- and
- casting the cell series in the electrically insulating casting material, braced against the fuel cell stack housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.