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US 2002/0160244 A1Published application
Fuel cell sealant design
AssigneePlug Power Inc.
InventorsYaobang Wu, Milton H. Nelson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Sealant designs for fuel cells, as well as fuel cell systems and methods using such sealant designs, are disclosed.
Claims56
A fuel cell system having a coolant manifold, comprising:
- a first coolant flow field plate having an orifice defining a first portion of the fluid manifold;
- a second coolant flow field plate having an orifice defining a second portion of the fluid manifold;
- and
- a first electrically insulating material between the first and second coolant flow field plates, the first electrically insulating material extending into the fluid manifold.
1 more element
A fuel cell system having a coolant manifold, comprising:
- a first monopolar flow field plate having an orifice defining a first portion of the coolant manifold, the first monopolar flow field plate having a first side forming a first coolant flow field plate and a second side forming a cathode flow field plate;
- a second monopolar flow field plate having an orifice defining a second portion of the coolant manifold, the second monopolar flow field plate having a first side forming a second coolant flow field plate and a second side forming an anode flow field plate;
- and
- a sealant material between the first and second coolant flow field plates, the sealant material extending into the coolant manifold,
- wherein the first coolant flow field plate contacts the second coolant flow field plate.
2 more elements
A fuel cell system having a coolant manifold, comprising:
- a first monopolar flow field plate having an orifice defining a first portion of the coolant manifold, the first monopolar flow field plate having a first side forming a first coolant flow field plate and a second side forming a cathode flow field plate;
- a second monopolar flow field plate having an orifice defining a second portion of the coolant manifold, the second monopolar flow field plate having a first side forming a second coolant flow field plate and a second side forming an anode flow field plate;
- a third monopolar flow field plate having an orifice defining a portion of the coolant manifold, the third monopolar plate having a first side forming a third coolant flow field plate, the first flow field plate being between the second and third flow field plates;
- and
- a first sealant material between the first and second coolant flow field plates, the sealant material extending into the coolant manifold.
2 more elements
A fuel cell system having a coolant manifold, comprising:
- a first coolant flow field plate having an orifice defining a first portion of the coolant manifold, the orifice of the first coolant flow field plate having an edge with a length along the coolant manifold;
- a second coolant flow field plate having an orifice defining a second portion of the coolant manifold, the orifice of the second coolant flow field plate having an edge with a length along the coolant manifold;
- a fuel cell between the first and second coolant flow field plates, the fuel cell, comprising:
- an anode flow field plate having an orifice defining a third portion of the coolant manifold, the orifice of the anode flow field plate having an edge extending a length along the coolant manifold;
- a cathode flow field plate having an orifice defining a fourth portion of the coolant manifold, the orifice of the cathode flow field plate having an edge extending a length along the coolant manifold;
- and
- a proton exchange membrane between the anode and cathode flow field plates;
- and
- a sealant material disposed within the coolant manifold,
- wherein a fifth length is defined by the lengths of the edges of the orifices of the first coolant flow field plate, the second coolant flow field plate, the anode flow field plate and the cathode flow field plate along the coolant manifold, and the sealant material extends adjacent at least a portion of the fifth length.
7 more elements
A fuel cell having a coolant manifold, the fuel cell comprising:
- a first monopolar plate having a first side defining a first coolant flow field plate and a second side defining an anode flow field plate;
- a second monopolar plate having a first side defining a second coolant flow field plate and a second side defining a cathode flow field plate;
- and
- a membrane electrode assembly between the anode and cathode flow field plates,
- wherein the anode and cathode flow field plates face each other, the membrane electrode assembly contacts the anode flow field plate and the membrane electrode assembly contacts the cathode flow field plate contacts so that a fluid can flow along the coolant manifold from the first coolant flow field plate to the second coolant flow field plate without contacting the anode flow field plate, the cathode flow field plate or the membrane electrode assembly.
2 more elements
A fuel cell having a coolant manifold, the fuel cell comprising:
- a first monopolar plate having a first side defining a first coolant flow field plate and a second side defining an anode flow field plate;
- a second monopolar plate having a first side defining a second coolant flow field plate and a second side defining a cathode flow field plate, the anode and cathode flow field plates facing each other;
- a membrane electrode assembly between the anode and cathode flow field plates, the membrane contacting a surface of the anode flow field plate, and the membrane contacting a surface of the cathode flow field plate;
- and
- sealing means for sealing a flow path along the coolant manifold from the first coolant flow field plate to the second coolant flow field plate.
2 more elements
A method of operating a fuel cell system, the fuel cell system having a coolant manifold, first and second monopolar flow field plates, and a membrane electrode assembly between the first and second monopolar flow field plates, the first monopolar flow field plate having a first side defining a first coolant flow field plate and a second side defining an anode flow field plate, the second monopolar plate having a first side defining a second coolant flow field plate and a second side defining a cathode flow field plate, the anode and cathode flow field plates facing each other so that the membrane contacts a surface of the anode flow field plate, and the membrane contacts a surface of the cathode flow field plate, the method comprising:
- flowing a fluid from along the coolant manifold from the first coolant flow field plate to the second coolant flow field plate without contacting the anode flow field plate, the cathode flow field plate or the membrane electrode assembly.
A fuel cell system having a coolant manifold, comprising:
- a fuel cell, comprising:
- an anode flow field plate;
- a cathode flow field plate;
- and
- a membrane electrode assembly between the anode and cathode flow field plates;
- and
- a first coolant flow field plate having a first electrical potential;
- and
- a second coolant flow field plate having a second electrical potential different than the first electrical potential,
- wherein the fuel cell is between the first and second coolant flow field plates and the fuel cell system has a coolant conductance path greater than a thickness of the membrane electrode assembly.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.