US 8,940,457 B2Granted

Flexible graphite/metal distribution plate for a fuel cell assembly

AssigneesCompagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.

InventorsAntonio Delfino, David Olsommer, Felix Buchi

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Abstract

Fluid distribution plate (1) for a fuel cell assembly, comprising a first plate (11) made of an electrically conductive material impermeable to all the fluids used in a fuel cell assembly, said distribution plate having a useful section (S) which is the surface over which the gases used by the electrochemical reaction are distributed, said useful section (S) being bordered all around by a peripheral section (P), said first plate having a given thickness e1 in the peripheral section and a smaller thickness e2 in the useful section so as to form a recess from the side facing the outer face and so as to have a flat inner surface, a flexible graphite foil (11C) being applied against said first plate (11) over the entire surface of the recess, the visible face of the flexible graphite foil having a distribution channel (111) for one of the fluids, said network being formed completely in the graphite foil.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A fluid distribution plate for a fuel cell assembly, comprising:

a first plate made of a metal impermeable to fuel fluids used in the fuel cell assembly, the first plate including:
a useful section, and
a peripheral section that borders the useful section,
wherein the first plate has a given thickness in the peripheral section and a smaller thickness in the useful section so as to define a recess;
and
a flexible graphite foil applied against the first plate over the recess,
wherein a visible face of the flexible graphite foil has a distribution channel including fluid inlet and outlet orifices, the distribution channel being formed of indentations in the flexible graphite foil and positioned within the recess, and the distribution channel being in contact with and distributing the fuel fluids used in the fuel cell assembly, and
wherein the flexible graphite foil is a single, nonporous layer of graphite that is present between the distribution channel and a surface of the useful section of the first plate to isolate the fuel fluids in the distribution channel from the first plate, with the flexible graphite foil being sufficiently flexible such that the distribution channel is formable by pressing using a stamp.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.