Fuel cell collector plates with improved mass transfer channels
AssigneeTeledyne Energy Systems, Inc.
InventorsVladimir Gurau, Frano Barbir, Jay K. Neutzler
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Abstract
A fuel cell collector plate can be provided with one or more various channel constructions for the transport of reactants to the gas diffusion layer and the removal of water therefrom. The outlet channel can be arranged to have a reduced volume compared to the inlet channel, in both interdigitated and discontinuous spiral applications. The land width between an inlet channel and outlet channel can be reduced to improved mass flow rate in regions of deleted reactant concentrations. Additionally or alternatively, the depth of the inlet channel can be reduced in the direction of flow to reduce the diffusion path as the concentration of reactant is reduced.
Claims8
A collector plate for use in a fuel cell system, said fuel cell system having a first diffusion layer and a second diffusion layer disposed between two collector plates, and a membrane electrode assembly having a membrane sandwiched between two electrode layers, said membrane electrode assembly being interposed between said gas diffusion layers, said collector plate comprising:
- a generally planar collector plate body formed at least partially of conductive material and defining two opposed, substantially parallel planar surfaces surrounded along a periphery by a plate edge, said collector plate body having a plurality of inlet channels and a plurality of outlet channels arranged adjacent each other in an interdigitated manner, a distance between any of said inlet channels adjacent any of said outlet channels decreasing toward a terminus of said inlet channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.