Modification of membrane electrode assembly
AssigneeHydrogenics Corporation
InventorsDavid Frank, Nathaniel Joos, Mario Dzamarija, Raymond Candido, Rami Abouatallah
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Abstract
A membrane electrode assembly for an electrochemical cell assembly is provided with a modified catalyst layout. The modified catalyst layout improves reactant fluid flow along the membrane electrode assembly, reduces wear on the membrane electrode assembly and improves electrochemical cell efficiency during operation.
Claims36
An electrochemical cell assembly comprising:
- a) first and second flow field plates each including an active surface facing one another, and each having first and second sets of apertures for reactant fluid flow and optionally coolant flow, each set of apertures including an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture, the plates further including a feed structure for enabling reactant fluid flow from one of the inlet apertures along the active surface to the corresponding outlet aperture;
- b) first and second gas diffusion media disposed between the first and second flow field plates;
- and,
- c) a membrane electrode assembly, disposed between the first and second gas diffusion media, including:
- i) a proton exchange membrane;
- and,
- ii) a catalyst layer on each surface of the proton exchange membrane having a catalyst layout being generally disposed in between the first and second sets of apertures, wherein, for at least one surface of the membrane electrode assembly, the spacing between one of the apertures involved with the reactant fluid flow that is provided to the corresponding catalyst layer, and at least one portion of the nearest edge of the corresponding catalyst layout adjacent to the one of the apertures is increased for enabling at least a portion of the reactant fluid flow to first encounter a region of the membrane electrode assembly without the catalyst layout.
An electrochemical cell assembly comprising:
- a) first and second flow field plates each including an active surface facing one another, and each having a first inlet aperture, a first outlet aperture, a reactant fluid flow field structure on the active surface, a first feed structure for providing reactant fluid flow from the inlet aperture to the reactant fluid flow field structure and a second feed structure for providing reactant fluid flow from the reactant fluid flow field structure to the outlet aperture;
- b) first and second gas diffusion media disposed between the first and second flow field plates;
- and,
- c) a membrane electrode assembly, disposed between the first and second gas diffusion media, including:
- i) a proton exchange membrane;
- and,
- ii) a catalyst layout on each surface of the proton exchange membrane having a catalyst layout being generally disposed in between the first inlet and outlet apertures, wherein the spacing between one of the apertures and at least one portion of the nearest edge of the corresponding catalyst layout is increased for enabling at least a portion of the corresponding feed structure to overlie a region of the membrane electrode assembly without the catalyst layout and directly provide the reactant fluid flow to a region of the membrane electrode assembly not having the catalyst layout.
The electrochemical cell assembly of claim 13, wherein the spacing between both the first inlet and outlet apertures and at least one portion of corresponding edges of the corresponding catalyst layout that are adjacent and nearest to the first inlet and outlet apertures is increased for enabling at least a portion of the corresponding feed structures to overlie a region of the membrane electrode assembly without the catalyst layout and directly provide the reactant fluid flow to the region of the membrane electrode assembly not having the catalyst layout.
A membrane electrode assembly for use in an electrochemical cell assembly comprising:
- a) a proton exchange membrane;
- and,
- b) a catalyst layer on each surface of the proton exchange membrane having a catalyst layout being generally disposed in between first and second apertures of the electrochemical cell assembly including an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture, wherein the spacing of at least one portion of the nearest edge of the corresponding catalyst layout adjacent to one of the apertures is increased for enabling at least a portion of reactant fluid flow from the one of the apertures of the electrochemical cell assembly to first encounter a region of the membrane electrode assembly without the catalyst layout.
A membrane electrode assembly for use in an electrochemical cell assembly comprising:
- a) a proton exchange membrane;
- and,
- b) a catalyst layer on a surface of the proton exchange membrane having a catalyst layout being generally disposed in between inlet and outlet apertures of the electrochemical cell assembly, wherein the spacing of at least one portion of the nearest edge of the catalyst layout adjacent to one of the apertures is increased for enabling, in use, at least at least a portion of a feed structure that is associated with the one of the apertures, to overlie a region of the membrane electrode assembly without the catalyst layout to directly provide the reactant fluid flow to a region of the membrane electrode assembly not having the catalyst layout.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.