Fuel cell stack including buffer protrusion system in connection channel

A fuel cell stack, comprising:

• a plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies, wherein each of the plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies comprises an electrolyte membrane, an anode formed on a first surface of the electrolyte membrane, and a cathode formed on a second surface of the electrolyte membrane;
• and
• a plurality of separators positioned between the membrane-electrode assemblies, each of the plurality of separators including:
• an anode separator facing the anode and a cathode separator facing the cathode,
• at least two manifolds, a channel separated from the manifolds and facing at least one of the anode and the cathode,
• a connection channel in fluid communication with one of the at least two manifolds and the channel, and
• a buffer protrusion system formed within the connection channel and configured to disperse the flow of the fuel or the oxidant,
• the one of the at least two manifolds including a fuel manifold, the channel including an fuel channel, and the anode separator including the fuel manifold and the fuel channel, the connection channel including a third flow path formed on an inner surface of the anode separator from the fuel manifold toward the fuel channel and a fourth flow path in fluid communication with both an end portion of the third flow path and the fuel channel in a thickness direction of the anode separator, and the buffer protrusion system including a plurality of buffer protrusions alternately formed on opposite sides of the third flow path and the fourth flow path.

A fuel cell stack, comprising:

• a plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies, wherein each of the plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies comprises an electrolyte membrane, an anode formed on a first surface of the electrolyte membrane, and a cathode formed on a second surface of the electrolyte membrane;
• and
• a plurality of separators positioned between the membrane-electrode assemblies, each of the plurality of separators including an anode separator facing the anode and a cathode separator facing the cathode,
• wherein the cathode separator comprises an oxidant manifold, an oxidant channel separated from the oxidant manifold and facing the cathode, and a first connection channel in fluid communication with the oxidant manifold and the oxidant channel, and a first buffer protrusion system formed in the first connection channel,
• wherein the anode separator comprises a fuel manifold, a fuel channel separated from the fuel manifold and facing the anode, and a second connection channel fluidly connecting the fuel manifold and the fuel channel are formed in the anode separator;
• and a second buffer protrusion system formed in the second connection channel, and
• wherein the first buffer protrusion system is formed in the first connection channel having a first flow path formed on an inner surface of the cathode separator from the oxidant manifold toward the oxidant channel and a second flow path in fluid communication with both an end portion of the first flow path and the oxidant channel includes a plurality of oxidant buffer protrusions alternately formed on opposite sides of the first flow path and the second flow path, or the second buffer protrusion system is formed in the second connection channel having a third flow path formed on an inner surface of the anode separator from the fuel manifold toward the fuel channel and a fourth flow path in fluid communication with both an end portion of the third flow path and the fuel channel includes a plurality of fuel buffer protrusions alternately formed on opposite sides of the third flow path and the fourth flow path.