Fuel cell stack with novel cooling and gas distribution systems

Details Fuel cell stack with novel cooling and gas distribution systems Fuel cell stack with novel cooling and gas distribution systems

1998-11-13

2000-09-26

Bell, Bruce F.

Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and

With pressure equalizing means for liquid immersion operation

429 27, 429 32, 429 34, 429 35, 429 37, 429 38, 429 39, H01M 824

Patent

active

061240516

ABSTRACT:
An electrochemical fuel cell stack is provided for converting a fuel reactant stream and an oxidant stream to a reaction product, heat, and electrical energy. The fuel cell stack includes manifolding endplates with a plurality of unit cells therebetween, each unit cell incorporating a smooth conductive cooling layer, and anode and cathode layers incorporating gas distribution layers formed of a central, porous, sheet material and a peripheral gasket material. The cooling layer conducts heat from distant regions of the unit cell to longitudinal cooling passages which run through the length of the stack defining a serial path through turnaround grooves in the faceplate and endplate. There is further provided a method for introducing reactant gases to the gas distribution layers. Longitudinal passages carry reactants the length of the stack and distribute gas through porous bridges to a lateral distribution channels formed along sides of the gas distribution layers, and through the gas distribution layers to exhaust. The layers of the unit cell are all relatively smooth and devoid of cooling channels.

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