# US 7,611,791 B2 · Spirally-wound fuel cell assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,611,791 B2 - Document ID: US7611791B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/281,215 - Filed: 2005-11-16 - Published: 2007-05-17 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2005-11-16 - Assignees: Ford Motor Company - Inventors: Ron Brost; William Schank; James Waldecker; Bruce Blakemore - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7611791B2 ## CPC - H01M 8/2475: Enclosures, casings or containers of fuel cell stacks - H01M 8/0254: corrugated or undulated - H01M 8/04089: of gaseous reactants - H01M 8/1007: with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised (H01M8/12 takes precedence) - H01M 8/2484: characterised by external manifolds - H01M 8/249: comprising two or more groupings of fuel cells, e.g. modular assemblies - H01M 2008/1095: {Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes} - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A spirally-wound fuel cell assembly is disclosed. The spirally-wound fuel cell assembly includes an enclosure. Multiple cell assemblies are disposed in electrical contact with each other and provided in the enclosure. Each of the cell assemblies has at least one membrane electrode assembly including a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a proton conductive membrane sandwiched between the negative electrode and the positive electrode. An oxidant channel is provided in each of the cell assemblies for receiving an oxidant gas. A fuel gas pathway is defined around the cell assemblies for receiving a fuel gas. A method of fabricating a fuel cell assembly is also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel cell assembly comprising: an enclosure; a plurality of cell assemblies disposed in physical and electrical contact with each other and provided in said enclosure, each of said cell assemblies having at least one membrane electrode assembly including a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a proton conductive membrane disposed between said negative electrode and said positive electrode, each of said cell assemblies comprising an inner portion comprising facing and spaced apart portions of said positive electrode and an outer portion comprising said negative electrode, said inner portion fluidly isolated from said outer portion; an oxidant channel provided in fluid communication with said inner portion in each of said plurality of cell assemblies for receiving an oxidant gas; and a fuel gas pathway defined around said outer portion of said plurality of cell assemblies for receiving a fuel gas. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fuel cell assembly of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of oxidant exhaust openings provided in said enclosure and in fluid communication with said oxidant channel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fuel cell assembly of claim 1 further comprising an oxidizer delivery tube carried by said enclosure and provided in fluid communication with said oxidant channel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fuel cell assembly of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of seals provided between said cell assemblies. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fuel cell assembly of claim 1 further comprising a mandrel tube provided in fluid communication with said fuel gas pathway for receiving the fuel gas and wherein said cell assemblies are wound around said mandrel tube in a generally cylindrical configuration. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The fuel cell assembly of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of vent openings provided in said mandrel tube and establishing fluid communication between said mandrel tube and said fuel gas pathway. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fuel cell assembly of claim 1 further comprising a flexible tube carried by said enclosure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The fuel cell assembly of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of fuel vents provided in said enclosure adjacent to said flexible tube. ### Claim 9 A fuel cell assembly comprising: a generally cylindrical enclosure; a plurality of cell assemblies disposed in physical and electrical contact with each other and disposed in a generally cylindrical configuration in said enclosure, each of said cell assemblies having pairs of connected membrane electrode assemblies each including a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a proton conductive membrane disposed between said negative electrode and said positive electrode, each of said cell assemblies comprising an inner portion comprising facing and spaced apart positive electrode portions and an outer portion comprising said negative electrode, said inner portion fluidly isolated from said outer portion; an oxidant channel provided in fluid communication with said inner portion in each of said plurality of cell assemblies for receiving an oxidant gas; and a fuel gas pathway defined around said outer portion of said plurality of cell assemblies for receiving a fuel gas. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The fuel cell assembly of claim 9 wherein said positive electrode of each of said pair of connected membrane electrode assemblies faces said oxidant channel and said negative electrode of each of said pair of connected membrane electrode assemblies faces said fuel gas pathway. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The fuel cell assembly of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of trough surfaces and a plurality of depressions provided in each of said cell assemblies. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The fuel cell assembly of claim 11 wherein said cell assemblies are physically and electrically connected to each other at said plurality of trough surfaces. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The fuel cell assembly of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of oxidant exhaust openings provided in said enclosure and in fluid communication with said oxidant channel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The fuel cell assembly of claim 9 further comprising an oxidizer delivery tube carried by said enclosure and provided in fluid communication with said oxidant channel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The fuel cell assembly of claim 9 further comprising a mandrel tube provided in fluid communication with said fuel gas pathway for receiving the fuel gas and wherein said cell assemblies are wound around said mandrel tube in a generally cylindrical configuration. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The fuel cell assembly of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of vent openings provided in said mandrel tube and establishing fluid communication between said mandrel tube and said fuel gas pathway. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The fuel cell assembly of claim 1, wherein said plurality of cell assemblies are physically connected to one another through the negative electrode. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The fuel cell assembly of claim 9, wherein said plurality of cell assemblies are physically connected to one another through the negative electrode.