Fuel cell fluid flow field plate
AssigneeHer Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
InventorsDavid S. Watkins, Kenneth W. Dircks, Danny G. Epp
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Abstract
Novel fluid flow field plates for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell include in a major surface thereof, multiple continuous open-faced fluid flow channels each of which traverses the central area of the plate surface in a serpentine manner. Each of the channels has a fluid inlet at one end and a fluid outlet at the other end which are directly connected to common fluid supply and exhaust openings, respectively, defined in the plate.
Claims36
A fluid flow field plate for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, said plate being made of a suitable electrically conducting material and having in a major surface thereof multiple continuous open-faced fluid flow channels, each channel having its own respective fluid inlet at one end, and a fluid outlet at the other end, wherein said channel traverses a major central area of said surface in a plurality of passes, and wherein said plate further includes a fluid supply opening and a fluid exhaust opening defined in said surface, each said fluid inlet and outlet of said multiple channels being directly connected to said fluid supply opening and to said fluid exhaust opening, respectively.
A solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising:
- an anode;
- a cathode;
- a solid polymer electrolyte sandwiched between said anode and cathode;
- and
- a pair of opposing fluid flow field plates in respective operative association with said anode and cathode, one of said field plates having a first fluid flow field adjacent said anode for supplying fuel thereto and exhausting reaction products therefrom, and the other of said field plates having a second fluid flow field adjacent said cathode for supplying an oxidant thereto and exhausting reaction products therefrom, wherein
- said fluid flow field plates are each made of a suitable electrically conducting material and include in a major surface thereof multiple continuous open-faced fluid flow channels, each channel having its own respective fluid inlet at one end, and a fluid outlet at the other end, wherein
- said channel traverses a major central area of said surface in a plurality of passes, and wherein
- said plate further includes a fluid supply opening and a fluid exhaust opening defined in said surface, each said fluid inlet and outlet of said multiple channels being directly connected to said fluid supply opening and to said fluid exhaust opening, respectively.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.