Energy conversion apparatus, in particular fuel cell stack or electrolyzer

An apparatus for converting chemical energy into electrical energy or electrical energy into chemical energy, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing having at least one open side and forming a pressure chamber;
• at least one electrochemically active cell for converting energy and extending from the open side of the housing into the housing;
• a plate closing the open side and holding the cell or supplying electrical or chemical energy to the cell, or both holding and supplying electrical or chemical energy to the cell;
• a closure between the housing and the plate, made of a molded part that is substantially dimensionally stable closing the open side of the housing in a fluid- or gas-tight manner to form therein the pressure chamber and at least partially made of an elastic material;
• and
• at least one pocket in the closure, extending into the pressure chamber, and in which the cell is positioned, the pocket having a wall that is flexible due to the elastic material so that the pocket wall bears against the cell in the case of overpressure in the pressure chamber.

A chemical/electrical energy-converting apparatus comprising:

• a housing having an open side and two opposite side walls each having at least one elongated cutout that opens toward the open side of the housing;
• at least one electrochemically active cell for converting energy and extending from the open side of the housing into the housing;
• a plate closing the open side and holding the cell or supplying electrical or chemical energy to the cell or both holding and supplying electrical or chemical energy to the cell;
• a closure between the housing and the plate for securing the plate on the housing in a position closing the open side of the housing in a fluid- or gas-tight manner to form therein the pressure chamber and at least partially made of an elastic textile sheet extending in a loop in the cutouts;
• and
• at least one pocket formed in the closure by the loop of the textile sheet, extending into the pressure chamber, and in which the cell is positioned, the pocket having a wall that is flexible due to the elastic material so that the pocket wall bears against the cell in the case of overpressure in the pressure chamber.

A chemical/electrical energy-converting apparatus comprising:

• a housing having an open side;
• an elastically flexible closure sealingly engaged over the open side and formed with at least one outwardly open pocket projecting into the housing;
• a rigid cover plate removably engaged over the closure, the closure forming with the housing a substantially closed pressurizable chamber;
• a respective fuel cell fitted to and removable from the pocket and having a pair of pole plates and an electrolyte membrane or gas diffusion layer between the pole plates;
• connectors on the open side of the cell outside the housing for supplying an active reactant fluid to and exhausting a spent reactant fluid from the cell;
• and
• means for pressurizing the chamber and thereby pressing sides of the pocket against the pole plate and the pole plates against the membrane or layer therebetween.

An apparatus for converting chemical energy into electrical energy or electrical energy into chemical energy, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing having two oppositely open sides and forming a pressure chamber;
• at least two respective electrochemically active cells for converting energy and extending from the open side of the housing into the housing;
• a plate closing the open side and carrying the cells or supplying electrical or chemical energy to the cells or both carrying and supplying electrical or chemical energy to the cells;
• respective closures between the housing and the plate closing the open sides of the housing in a fluid- or gas-tight manner to form therein the pressure chamber and each at least partially made of an elastic material;
• and
• at least one pocket in each closure, extending into the pressure chamber, parallel and next to each other, and in which a respective one of the cells is positioned, the pockets each having a wall that is flexible due to the elastic material so that the pocket walls bear against the respective cell in the case of overpressure in the pressure chamber.

An apparatus for converting chemical energy into electrical energy or electrical energy into chemical energy, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing having at least one open side and forming a pressure chamber;
• a plurality of electrochemically active cells for converting energy and extending from the open side of the housing into the housing;
• a plate closing the open side and holding the cells or supplying electrical or chemical energy to the cells or both holding and supplying electrical or chemical energy to the cells;
• a closure between the housing and the plate closing the open side of the housing in a fluid- or gas-tight manner to form therein the pressure chamber and at least partially made of an elastic material;
• and
• respective pockets in the closure, extending into the pressure chamber, and in each of which a respective one of the cells is positioned, the pockets each having a wall that is flexible due to the elastic material so that the pocket wall bears against the respective cell in the case of overpressure in the pressure chamber.