Structural seal for a fuel cell
AssigneeFreudenberg-NOK General Partnership
InventorJeffrey Alan Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell gasket employed to seal around an individual cell of a fuel cell assembly. The gaskets include sealing beads that are compressed against separator plates. Adhesive layers located between the gaskets and separator plates hold the gaskets against the separator plates and maintain a desired pre-load on the sealing beads. These structural seals provide good seals along the surfaces of the separator plates, thus reducing or eliminating the need for bolts to maintain the pre-load on the sealing beads of the gaskets.
Claims20
An apparatus for use in a fuel cell comprising:
- a membrane electrode assembly;
- a first gasket, formed of an elastomeric material, having a first surface and a second surface, with the first surface secured to the membrane electrode assembly, and with the first gasket including a first sealing bead protruding from the second surface;
- a first separator plate mounted to the first gasket in compressing engagement with the first sealing bead;
- and
- a first layer of adhesive located between the first gasket and the first separator plate such that the first separator plate is maintained in compressing engagement with the first sealing bead.
An individual cell adapted for use in a fuel cell assembly comprising:
- a membrane electrode assembly;
- a first gasket, formed of an elastomeric material, having a first surface and a second surface, with the first surface secured to the membrane electrode assembly, and with the first gasket including a first sealing bead protruding from the second surface;
- a first separator plate mounted to the first gasket in compressing engagement with the first sealing bead;
- a first layer of adhesive located between the first gasket and the first separator plate such that the first separator plate is maintained in compressing engagement with the first sealing bead;
- a second gasket, formed of an elastomeric material, having a third surface and a fourth surface, with the third surface secured to the membrane electrode assembly opposite the first gasket, and with the second gasket including a second sealing bead protruding from the fourth surface;
- a second separator plate mounted to the second gasket in compressing engagement with the second sealing bead;
- and
- a second layer of adhesive located between the second gasket and the second separator plate such that the second separator plate is maintained in compressing engagement with the second sealing bead.
A method of forming an individual cell adapted for use in a fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:
- assembling a membrane electrode assembly having a first gas diffusion layer and a second gas diffusion layer;
- securing a first gasket to the first gas diffusion layer on a first surface of the first gasket;
- providing a first sealing bead protruding from a second surface of the first gasket;
- coating the second surface of the first gasket with a first layer of adhesive;
- mounting a first separator plate against the first sealing bead;
- applying a pressure against the first separator plate to thereby compress the first sealing bead;
- and
- maintaining the pressure against the first separator plate until the first layer of adhesive has cured.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.