Pem fuel cell stack
AssigneeKingsberry Fuel Cell Power, Inc.
InventorKingsley Joel Berry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell stack comprises two of an interface plate, two or more of an air plate, two or more of a reaction cell, at least one of a fuel-air bipolar plate, and at least one of a fuel-coolant bipolar plate defining a cooling surface. The two of an interface plate, the two or more of an air plate, the two or more of a reaction cell, the at least one of a fuel-air bipolar plate, and the at least one of a fuel-coolant bipolar plate are arranged to provide a reaction cell to cooling surface ratio within the fuel cell stack of from 1:1 to 10:1.
Claims27
A fuel cell stack having an anode side and a cathode side, the fuel cell stack comprises:
- two of an interface plate defining a first interface surface, a second interface surface, and a buss slot;
- two or more of an air plate defining a first air surface and second air, wherein one of the first or second air surface defines a plurality of air channels, and the other, opposite surface is flat;
- two or more of a reaction cell comprising membrane electrode assembly disposed between a cathode seal and an anode seal;
- at least one of a fuel-air bipolar plate having a first fuel-air surface and second fuel-air surface opposite said first fuel-air surface, wherein one of the first or second fuel-air surface defines a plurality of air channels, and the other, opposite surface defines a plurality of fuel channels;
- and
- at least one of a fuel-coolant bipolar plate having a cooling surface defining a plurality of cooling channels and a fuel surface defining a plurality of fuel channels opposite the cooling surface,
- wherein the two of an interface plate, the two or more of an air plate, the two or more of a reaction cell, the at least one of a fuel-air bipolar plate, and the at least one of a fuel-coolant bipolar plate are arranged to provide a reaction cell to cooling surface ratio within the fuel cell stack of from 1:1 to 10:1.
A method of generating power with a fuel cell stack having an anode side and a cathode side and comprising a hydrogen mass flow controller in fluidic communication with a fuel inlet port on the anode side and a digital differential pressure regulator in fluidic communication with the fuel inlet port and a fuel outlet port on the anode side and in electronic communication with the hydrogen mass flow controller, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a hydrogen feed stream to the anode side of the fuel cell stack at a hydrogen flow rate;
- determining a pressure differential between the fuel inlet port and the fuel outlet port with the digital differential pressure regulator;
- and
- adjusting the hydrogen flow rate with the hydrogen mass flow controller to achieve a target pressure differential.
A method of humidifying a hydrogen feed stream while generating power with a fuel cell stack having an anode side and a cathode side and comprising two of an interface plate, two or more of an air plate, two or more of a reaction cell, at least one of a fuel-air bipolar plate, at least one of a fuel-coolant bipolar plate, and a passive water management membrane comprising a sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene-based fluoropolymer-copolymer, the method comprising:
- supplying a hydrogen feed stream to the anode side of the fuel cell stack and oxygen to the cathode side of the fuel cell stack;
- contacting the hydrogen feed stream with the passive water management membrane;
- supplying water to a coolant flow path defined by the fuel cell stack;
- cooling the two or more of a reaction cell with the water flowing in the coolant flow path;
- contacting the passive water management membrane with the water used in the step of cooling and/or exhaust water from the two or more of a reaction cell;
- and
- humidifying the hydrogen feed stream via back diffusion through the passive water management membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.