Bonded fuel cell stack assemblies
AssigneeUTC Fuel Cells, LLC
InventorsMyron Krasij, Michael J. Rajpolt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sub-stack assembly 100 of a number of cells 102 bonded together with thermoplastic film 104 is disclosed. Each of the individual cell components are bonded to one another with thermoplastic film 104. A number of sub-stack assemblies 100 are stacked and sealed relative to one another by a soft compliant gasket seal 106, such as a foam rubber or other suitable materials. As a result, only one soft foam rubber seal 106 would be required for each sub-stack assembly 100 rather than for every cell.
Claims36
A proton exchange membrane fuel cell assembly, comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cells stacked upon one another and bonded to one another with bonding material;
- each of said plurality of fuel cells each including a separator plate, a membrane electrode assembly with a first side and a second side bonded and sealed with bonding material on said first side of said membrane electrode assembly to the separator plate and bonded and sealed with bonding material on said second side of said membrane electrode assembly to a second separator plate;
- and
- compliant gasket material disposed on a peripheral edge of said separator plate at one end of said sub-stack assembly.
A proton exchange fuel cell assembly, comprising:
- a first sub-stack assembly, comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cells stacked upon one another and bonded to one another;
- each of said plurality of fuel cells each including a separator plate, a membrane electrode assembly with a first side and a second side bonded and sealed on said first side of said membrane electrode assembly to a separator plate and bonded and sealed on said second side of said membrane electrode assembly to a second separator plate;
- a second sub-stack assembly, comprising:
- a plurality of fuel cells stacked upon one another and bonded to one another;
- each of said plurality of fuel cells each including a separator plate, a membrane electrode assembly with a first side and a second side bonded and sealed on said first side of said membrane electrode assembly to a separator plate and bonded and sealed on said second side of said membrane electrode assembly to a second separator plate;
- compliant gasket material disposed on a peripheral edge of said separator plate at one end of said sub-stack assembly;
- and
- said second sub-stack assembly being stacked on said first sub-stack assembly with said complaint gasket of said first sub-stack assembly residing therebetween.
A PEM fuel cell assembly, comprising:
- a proton exchange membrane having a first side and a second side;
- a cathode catalyst layer disposed on said first side of said proton exchange membrane;
- an anode catalyst layer disposed on said second side of said proton exchange membrane;
- an anode porous substrate disposed on a side of said anode catalyst layers not in contact with said proton exchange membrane;
- a cathode porous substrate disposed on a side of said cathode catalyst layer not in contact with said proton exchange membrane;
- and
- a separator plate having a central area and a peripheral area dispersed between the membrane electrode assembly of adjacent cells;
- bonding and sealing layers of thermoplastic material disposed between said separator plate and said anode and cathode substrates at respective peripheral areas thereof;
- said layers of thermoplastic material bonding and sealing said anode side of said separator plate and said cathode side of said separator plate relative to the respective sides of the anode and cathode substrates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.