Microstructured flow fields
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsKrzysztof A. Lewinski, Raymond Patrick Johnston, Thomas Herdtle, David Adrian Ylitalo
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Abstract
A flow field for an electrochemical cell such as a fuel cell is provided, having micro-flow channels having a width or depth of less than 800 μm, a pitch of less than 800 μm, or a proportion of inter-channel land area of less than 25%. The channels may further comprise micro-features within the channels. A flow field plate comprising the subject flow field is provided.
Claims10
A flow field plate for use in an electrochemical cell comprising a flow field comprising a plurality of channels having a pitch of less than 250 μm.
A flow field plate for use in an electrochemical cell comprising a flow field comprising one or more channels having a depth of less than 800 μm and a width of less than 250 μm, said flow field plate having a thickness of 1 mm or less.
A fuel cell comprising a flow field plate for use in an electrochemical cell comprising a flow field comprising one or more channels having a depth of less than 3 mm and a width of less than 3 mm wherein said channels additionally comprise microfeatures having a depth of less than 80% of the depth of said channels and having a width of less than 80% of the width of said channels.
A diffuser-current collector for use in an electrochemical cell comprising a flow field comprising one or more channels having a depth of less than 3 mm and a width of less than 3 mm wherein said channels additionally comprise microfeatures having a depth of less than 80% of the depth of said channels and having a width of less than 80% of the width of said channels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.