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US 2010/0136444 A1Published application
Electrical bridge for fuel cell plates
OwnerDavid A. Nashinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical bridge is provided for a fuel cell plate which allows for electrical signals to pass in and out of the fuel cell without creating an additional leak path. The electrical bridge provides a mechanism for determining internal conditions of a fuel cell stack using external monitoring devices. The electrical bridge may also provide a mechanism for supplying power to internal sensing and control devices.
Claims19
A fuel cell assembly comprising:
- at least one fuel cell plate;
- and
- at least one electrical bridge connected to said fuel cell plate, said electrical bridge including at least one sealed electrical terminal disposed through said fuel cell plate, said sealed electrical terminal having a first portion extending within said fuel cell plate and a second portion external to said fuel cell plate, and an electrically non-conductive and chemically resistant low modulus fluid seal disposed around said sealed electrical terminal along its entire length within said fuel cell plate, wherein said seal electrically and chemically isolates said sealed electrical terminal from thermal conditions, fluids, and coolants within said fuel cell plate.
A fuel cell assembly comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cell plates stacked together;
- and
- at least one electrical bridge integrally connected to at least one fuel cell plate, said at least one electrical bridge including at least one sealed electrical terminal disposed through said fuel cell plate, said sealed electrical terminal having a first portion extending within said fuel cell plate and a second portion external to said fuel cell plate, and an electrically non-conductive and chemically resistant low modulus fluid seal disposed around said sealed electrical terminal along its entire length within said fuel cell plate, wherein said seal electrically and chemically isolates said sealed electrical terminal from thermal conditions, fluids, and coolants within said fuel cell plate.
A fuel cell assembly comprising:
- at least one fuel cell plate configured to receive a conductor disposed through said fuel cell plate, said conductor having an electrically non-conductive and chemically resistant low modulus fluid seal disposed therearound, along the entire length of said conductor within said fuel cell plate, wherein said seal electrically and chemically isolates said conductor from thermal conditions, fluids, and coolants within said fuel cell plate,
- and wherein said conductor provides a fluidly sealed conductive path between internal and external environments of the fuel cell assembly, said conductor is connected to a sensing device disposed internal to the fuel cell assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.