# US 8,785,063 B2 · Fuel cell stack with water drainage structure

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- Number: US 8,785,063 B2
- Document ID: US8785063B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/080,406
- Filed: 2011-04-05
- Published: 2012-05-17
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2010-11-17
- Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation
- Applicants: Yoo Chang Yang; Jong Sung Kim; Sae Hoon Kim; Sang Mun Jin; Suk Min Baeck; Seong Il Heo
- Inventors: Yoo Chang Yang; Jong Sung Kim; Sae Hoon Kim; Sang Mun Jin; Suk Min Baeck; Seong Il Heo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785063B2

## CPC

- H01M 8/04156: {with product water removal}
- H01M 8/2465: Details of groupings of fuel cells
- H01M 8/2483: characterised by internal manifolds
- H01M 2008/1095: {Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes}
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- 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

## Abstract

The present invention provides a fuel cell stack with a water drainage structure, which can effectively drain condensed water and prevent water from flowing into unit cells by combining an end anode plate (EAP) and an end cathode plate (ECP), which are formed by modifying an anode plate (AP) and cathode plate (CP) respectively. In doing so, the modified anode plate (AP) and cathode plate (CP) are converted into a dummy cell which is positioned at the end portions of the fuel cell stack.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fuel cell stack having a water drainage structure, the fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of unit cells disposed between end plates at both ends of the fuel cell stack respectively, wherein at least one cathode dummy cell and at least one anode dummy cell are included in the fuel cell stack, the at least one cathode dummy cell and the at least one anode dummy cell provided for draining water from the fuel cell stack and are disposed between end cells of a power generation unit and the end plates at both ends of the fuel cell stack.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the cathode dummy cell comprises a cathode plate and an end anode plate and the anode dummy cell comprises an anode plate and an end cathode plate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The fuel cell stack of claim 2, wherein the end anode plate is formed without hydrogen inlet/outlet apertures and the end cathode plate is formed without air inlet/outlet apertures.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The fuel cell stack of claim 2, further comprising a gas diffusion layer disposed between the cathode plate and the end anode plate of the cathode dummy cell and between the anode plate and the end cathode plate of the anode dummy cell.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The fuel cell stack of claim 4, wherein each of the cathode dummy cells and the anode dummy cells comprise only a gas diffusion layer assembly in which two gas diffusion layers are bonded to each other.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein an end cathode plate or an end anode plate as a dummy end plate is further disposed on end cells or on the dummy cells, which are in contact with the end plates at both ends of the fuel cell stack.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The fuel cell stack of claim 6, further comprising a gas diffusion layer disposed between the end plates at both ends of the fuel cell stack and the dummy end plates.