Manufacture of electrical energy generation equipment
AssigneeUltraCell Corporation
InventorsJennifer Brantley, Ian Kaye, Kenneth Newell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a portable electrical energy generator, its components, and manufacture of the components and generator. The generator includes a bi-polar plate stack, which is well suited for use in a fuel cell. The stack may include at least one spacer that limits compression of a membrane electrode assembly in the fuel cell. The stack may also include a polymer binder that holds the stack together and/or maintains a compression force on the membrane electrode assembly. An open cathode manifold may also provided to ease oxygen movement. High throughput and low cost manufacture of bi-polar plates is also described herein.
Claims29
A stack for use in an electrical energy generator, the stack comprising:
- a first bi-polar plate including a) a substrate, and b) a channel field formed into the substrate and located in a central portion of the bi-polar plate;
- a second bi-polar plate including a) a substrate, and b) a second channel field formed into the second bi-polar plate substrate and located in a central portion of the second bi-polar plate;
- at least one spacer attached to perimeter portion of the first bi-polar plate and attached to perimeter portion of the second bi-polar plate, wherein the at least one spacer is configured to form a socket between the first bi-polar plate and the second bi-polar plate;
- and
- a membrane electrode assembly disposed in the socket.
A stack for use in an electrical energy generator, the stack comprising:
- a first bi-polar plate including a) a substrate, and b) an anode channel field formed into a first face of the substrate and located in a central portion of the bi-polar plate, and c) a cathode channel field formed into a second face of the substrate and located in a central portion of the bi-polar plate;
- a second bi-polar plate including a) a substrate, and b) a an anode channel field formed into the second bi-polar plate substrate and located in a central portion of the second bi-polar plate;
- a third bi-polar plate including a) a substrate, and b) a cathode channel field formed into the third bi-polar plate substrate and located in a central portion of the third bi-polar plate;
- at least one spacer attached to perimeter portion of the second face of the first bi-polar plate and attached to perimeter portion of the second bi-polar plate, wherein the at least one spacer is configured to form a first socket between the first bi-polar plate and the second bi-polar plate;
- and
- at least one spacer attached to perimeter portion of the first face of the first bi-polar plate, and attached to perimeter portion of the third bi-polar plate, wherein the at least one spacer in the between the first bi-polar plate and the third bi-polar plate is configured to form a second socket between the first bi-polar plate and the third bi-polar plate;
- a membrane electrode assembly disposed in the first socket;
- and
- a membrane electrode assembly disposed in the first socket.
A method of manufacturing a stack for use in portable electrical energy generator, the method comprising:
- receiving a first bi-polar plate and a second bi-polar plate;
- attaching at least one spacer to the first bi-polar plate and the second bi-polar plate to form a socket between the first bi-polar plate and the second bi-polar plate
- disposing a membrane electrode assembly within the socket;
- compressing the membrane electrode assembly;
- and
- limiting compression of the membrane electrode assembly using the at least one spacer.
A stack for use in an electrical energy generator, the stack comprising:
- a first bi-polar plate including a) a substrate, and b) a channel field formed into the substrate and located in a central portion of the bi-polar plate;
- a second bi-polar plate including a) a substrate, and b) a second channel field formed into the second bi-polar plate substrate and located in a central portion of the second bi-polar plate;
- a membrane electrode assembly disposed between the first bi-polar plate and the second bi-polar plate;
- and
- at least one polymer element configured to attach the first bi-polar plate to the second bi-polar plate and to maintain a compression force on the membrane electrode assembly.
A stack for use in an electrical energy generator, the stack comprising:
- a first bi-polar plate including a) a substrate, and b) a cathode channel field formed into the substrate and located in a central portion of the bi-polar plate, and c) an open cathode manifold configured to open between the cathode channel field and the environment around the stack;
- a second bi-polar plate including a) a substrate, and b) a second cathode channel field formed into the second bi-polar plate substrate and located in a central portion of the second bi-polar plate, and c) an open cathode manifold configured to open between the second cathode channel field and the environment around the stack;
- and
- a membrane electrode assembly disposed between the first bi-polar plate and the second bi-polar plate.
A stack for use in an electrical energy generator, the stack comprising:
- a first bi-polar plate including a) a first sheet with a first bi-polar plate channel field formed through the first sheet and b) a second sheet attached to the first sheet and including a second channel field formed through the second sheet;
- a second bi-polar plate including a) a third sheet with a third bi-polar plate channel field formed through the third sheet and b) a fourth sheet attached to the fourth sheet and including a fourth channel field formed through the fourth sheet;
- and
- at least one spacer attached to perimeter portion of the first bi-polar plate and attached to perimeter portion of the second bi-polar plate, wherein the at least one spacer is configured to form a socket between the first bi-polar plate and the second bi-polar plate;
- and
- a membrane electrode assembly disposed between the first bi-polar plate and the second bi-polar plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.