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US 6,146,780 AGranted
Bipolar separator plates for electrochemical cell stacks
AssigneeLynntech, Inc.
InventorsAlan J. Cisar, Oliver J. Murphy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a separator for electrochemical cells, comprising a gas barrier having an electrically conducting pathway extending therethrough and a porous, electrically conducting member in electrical contact with each side of the electrically conducting pathway. In another aspect of the invention, a separator for electrochemical cells is provided comprising a porous, electrically conducting sheet and a gas impermeable material disposed within a portion of the sheet to form a gas barrier. In yet another aspect of the invention, a separator for electrochemical cells is provided comprising two porous, electrically conducting sheets and an electrically conducting gas barrier disposed in electrical contact between the sheets.
Claims70
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- a gas barrier having an electrically conducting pathway extending therethrough, wherein the gas barrier comprises a polymer;
- a porous, electrically conducting member in electrical contact with each side of the electrically conducting pathway, the member selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof;
- wherein the porous, electrically conducting member forms a fluid flowfield.
bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- a porous, electrically conducting sheet selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof;
- a gas impermeable material disposed within pores of the sheet to form a gas barrier that prevents communication of gas between opposing faces of the sheet;
- and
- wherein the porous, electrically conducting sheet forms a fluid flowfield.
1 more element
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- a porous, electrically conducting sheet selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof;
- a gas impermeable material disposed within the sheet to form a gas barrier, wherein the gas impermeable material is a polymer selected from the group consisting of water permeable polymers, thermoplastic polymers, reactively cured polymers, and combinations thereof;
- and
- wherein the porous, electrically conducting sheet forms a fluid flowfield.
1 more element
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- a porous, electrically conducting sheet selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof;
- a gas impermeable material disposed within a portion of the sheet to form a gas barrier, wherein the gas impermeable material is an epoxy;
- and
- wherein the porous, electrically conducting sheet forms a fluid flowfield.
1 more element
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- a porous, electrically conducting sheet selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof;
- a gas impermeable material disposed within a portion of the sheet to form a gas barrier, wherein the gas impermeable material is a thermoplastic polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethersulfone (PES), nylon, and polycarbonate;
- and
- wherein the porous, electrically conducting sheet forms a fluid flowfield.
1 more element
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- a porous, electrically conducting sheet selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof;
- a gas impermeable material disposed within a portion of the sheet to form a gas barrier, wherein the gas impermeable material is a perfluorinated sulfonate polymer;
- and
- wherein the porous, electrically conducting sheet forms a fluid flowfield.
1 more element
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- a porous, electrically conducting sheet selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof;
- a gas impermeable material disposed within a portion of the sheet to form a gas barrier, wherein the gas impermeable material is disposed within a face of the sheet;
- wherein the porous, electrically conducting sheet forms a fluid flowfield;
- and
- a second porous, electrically conducting sheet selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof, wherein the second porous sheet is in electrical contact with the face of the porous sheet having the gas barrier.
2 more elements
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- two porous, electrically conducting sheets selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof;
- an electrically conducting gas barrier disposed in electrical contact between the sheets, wherein the electrically conducting gas barrier is disposed between opposing faces of each sheet;
- and
- a cooling fluid channel within the electrically conducting gas barrier.
1 more element
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, consisting essentially of:
- a porous, electrically conducting sheet selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof;
- and
- a gas impermeable material disposed within pores of a portion of the sheet to form a gas barrier that prevents communication of gas between opposing faces of the sheet.
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- a gas barrier having an electrically conducting pathway extending therethrough wherein the gas barrier comprises a polymer;
- two porous, electrically conducting members, in electrical contact with each side of the electrically conducting pathway, the member selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof;
- and
- a cooling fluid channel within the gas barrier.
1 more element
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- a porous, electrically conducting sheet selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof;
- and
- a gas impermeable material disposed within a portion of the sheet to form a gas barrier, wherein the gas impermeable material is an epoxy.
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- a porous, electrically conducting sheet selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof;
- a gas impermeable material disposed within a portion of the sheet to form a gas barrier, wherein the gas impermeable material is disposed within a face of the sheet;
- and
- a second porous, electrically conducting sheet selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof, wherein the second porous sheet is in electrical contact with the face of the porous sheet having the gas barrier.
1 more element
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- two porous, electrically conducting sheets selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof, wherein the porous, electrically conducting sheets have interdigitated channels communicating to the edge of the sheets;
- an electrically conducting gas barrier disposed in electrical contact between the sheets, wherein the electrically conducting gas barrier is disposed between opposing faces of each sheet, and
- a cooling fluid channel within the electrically conducting gas barrier.
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- a porous, electrically conducting sheet selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof;
- and
- a gas impermeable material disposed within a first portion of the sheet to form a gas barrier preventing communication of gas between opposing faces of the sheet and leaving a second portion of the sheet to serve as a fluid flowfield.
A bipolar separator plate for electrochemical cells, comprising:
- a thin metal sheet gas barrier;
- and
- first and second porous, electrically conducting flowfields secured in electrical contact with opposing sides of the gas barrier, wherein the electrically conducting flowfields are selected from the group consisting of expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, porous conductive carbon material and combinations thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.