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US 6,656,624 B1Granted
Polarized gas separator and liquid coalescer for fuel cell stack assemblies
AssigneeReliant Energy Power Systems, Inc.
InventorGeorge R. King
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a polarized gas separator useful in the bipolar construction of a fuel cell stack. It comprises a porous conductive substrate and a barrier layer, the barrier layer having a first side and a second side, and laterally extending through the porous conductive substrate so that a first portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the first side of the barrier layer and a second portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the second side of the barrier layer. Effectively, the polarized gas separator is a single component system that not only enhances power performance of fuel cell stacks but also defeats several problems previously unsolvable by conventional bipolar plate assemblies.
Claims36
A polarized gas separator comprising:
- a porous conductive substrate, and
- a barrier layer, the barrier layer having a first side and a second side, and laterally extending through the porous conductive substrate, and with the porous conductive substrate extending through the barrier layer, such that a first portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the first side of the barrier layer and a second portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the second side of the barrier layer.
A polarized gas separator comprising:
- a porous conductive substrate, and
- a barrier layer, the barrier layer having a first side and a second side, and laterally extending through the porous conductive substrate such that a first portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the first side of the barrier layer and a second portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the second side of the barrier layer;
- wherein the porous conductive substrate is plated with gold.
A polarized gas separator comprising:
- a porous conductive substrate, and
- a barrier layer, the barrier layer having a first side and a second side, and laterally extending through the porous conductive substrate such that a first portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the first side of the barrier layer and a second portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the second side of the barrier layer;
- wherein the porous conductive substrate is a three-dimensional open-cell foamed structure having corrugations, the corrugations having a pitch and a run.
A polarized gas separator comprising:
- a porous conductive substrate, and
- a barrier layer, the barrier layer having a first side and a second side, and laterally extending through the porous conductive substrate such that a first portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the first side of the barrier layer and a second portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the second side of the barrier layer;
- wherein the barrier layer consists essentially of epoxy.
A polarized gas separator comprising:
- a porous conductive substrate, the porous conductive substrate being a continuously-folded porous conductive substrate, and
- a barrier layer, the barrier layer having a first side and a second side and laterally extending through the porous conductive substrate such that a first portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the first side of the barrier layer and a second portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the second side of the barrier layer.
A PEM fuel cell stack assembly comprising:
- (a) at least two polarized gas separators, each polarized gas separator having an anode side and a cathode side, and comprising:
- (i) a porous conductive substrate;
- and
- (ii) a barrier layer, the barrier layer having a first side and a second side, and laterally extending through the porous conductive substrate such that a first portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the first side of the barrier layer and a second portion of the porous metal substrate extends from the second side of the barrier layer;
- (b) at least one anode side coalescer, the anode side coalescer juxtaposed to the anode side of one of the polarized gas separators;
- (c) at least one cathode side coalescer, the cathode side coalescer juxtaposed to the cathode side of another polarized gas separator;
- and
- (d) at least one MEA, the MEA having an anode side that is juxtaposed to the anode side coalescer and a cathode side that is juxtaposed to the cathode side coalescer.
5 more elements
A PEM fuel cell stack assembly comprising:
- (a) at least two polarized gas separators, each polarized gas separator having an anode side and a cathode side, and comprising:
- (i) a porous conductive substrate;
- and
- (ii) a barrier layer, the barrier layer having a first side and a second side, and laterally extending through the porous conductive substrate such that a first portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the first side of the barrier layer and a second portion of the porous metal substrate extends from the second side of the barrier layer;
- (b) a distribution frame having:
- (i) an anode side, a cathode side, and a central cavity suitable for housing an MEA;
- (ii) at least two fuel inlet apertures, the fuel inlet apertures extending completely through the distribution frame and each fuel inlet aperture being located 180° from the other, and each fuel inlet aperture having an interior side;
- (iii) an air inlet aperture, the air inlet aperture extending completely through the distribution frame and the air inlet aperture being located 90° from each fuel inlet aperture and 180° from an air and water outlet aperture, the air and water outlet aperture extending completely through the distribution frame, the air inlet aperture and the air and water outlet aperture further having interior sides;
- (iv) a plurality of fuel supply channels, the fuel supply channels located on the anode side of the distribution frame and extending from the interior side of each fuel inlet aperture to the central cavity and being integral to each fuel inlet aperture;
- (v) a plurality of air supply channels, the air supply channels located on the cathode side of the distribution frame and extending from the interior side of the air inlet aperture to the central cavity and being integral to the air inlet aperture;
- and
- (vi) a plurality of air and water outlet channels, the air and water outlet channels located on the cathode side of the distribution frame, the air and water outlet channels extending from the interior side of the air and water outlet aperture to the central cavity, and being integral to the air and water outlet aperture;
- and
- (c) an MEA, the MEA having an anode catalytic active layer and a cathode catalytic active layer, the anode catalytic active layer being juxtaposed to the anode side of one of the polarized gas separators and the cathode catalytic active layer being juxtaposed to the cathode side of another polarized gas separator.
11 more elements
A PEM fuel cell stack assembly comprising:
- (a) at least two polarized gas separators, each polarized gas separator having an anode side and a cathode side, and comprising:
- (i) a porous conductive substrate;
- and
- (ii) a barrier layer, the barrier layer having a first side and a second side, and laterally extending through the porous conductive substrate such that a first portion of the porous conductive substrate extends from the first side of the barrier layer and a second portion of the porous metal substrate extends from the second side of the barrier layer;
- (b) a coalescer;
- and
- (c) at least one MEA, the MEA having an anode side that is juxtaposed the anode side coalescer or a cathode side that is juxtaposed to the cathode side coalescer.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.