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Title: Annular feed air breathing fuel cell stack

Abstract

A stack of polymer electrolyte fuel cells is formed from a plurality of unit cells where each unit cell includes fuel cell components defining a periphery and distributed along a common axis, where the fuel cell components include a polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode and a cathode contacting opposite sides of the membrane, and fuel and oxygen flow fields contacting the anode and the cathode, respectively, wherein the components define an annular region therethrough along the axis. A fuel distribution manifold within the annular region is connected to deliver fuel to the fuel flow field in each of the unit cells. In a particular embodiment, a single bolt through the annular region clamps the unit cells together. In another embodiment, separator plates between individual unit cells have an extended radial dimension to function as cooling fins for maintaining the operating temperature of the fuel cell stack.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Los Alamos, NM
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
870404
Patent Number(s):
US 5514486
Assignee:
Regents of University of California, Office of Technology (Alameda, CA)
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
annular; feed; air; breathing; fuel; cell; stack; polymer; electrolyte; cells; formed; plurality; unit; components; defining; periphery; distributed; common; axis; membrane; anode; cathode; contacting; opposite; oxygen; flow; fields; respectively; define; region; therethrough; distribution; manifold; connected; deliver; field; particular; embodiment; single; bolt; clamps; separator; plates; individual; extended; radial; dimension; function; cooling; fins; maintaining; operating; temperature; cell component; distribution manifold; cooling fins; fuel cell; fuel distribution; particular embodiment; cell components; unit cells; electrolyte membrane; electrolyte fuel; flow field; cell stack; fuel cells; polymer electrolyte; operating temperature; annular region; separator plate; fuel flow; unit cell; common axis; separator plates; components define; flow fields; components defining; radial dimension; feed air; breathing fuel; air breathing; annular feed; /429/

Citation Formats

Wilson, Mahlon S. Annular feed air breathing fuel cell stack. United States: N. p., 1996. Web.
Wilson, Mahlon S. Annular feed air breathing fuel cell stack. United States.
Wilson, Mahlon S. 1996. "Annular feed air breathing fuel cell stack". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870404.
@article{osti_870404,
title = {Annular feed air breathing fuel cell stack},
author = {Wilson, Mahlon S},
abstractNote = {A stack of polymer electrolyte fuel cells is formed from a plurality of unit cells where each unit cell includes fuel cell components defining a periphery and distributed along a common axis, where the fuel cell components include a polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode and a cathode contacting opposite sides of the membrane, and fuel and oxygen flow fields contacting the anode and the cathode, respectively, wherein the components define an annular region therethrough along the axis. A fuel distribution manifold within the annular region is connected to deliver fuel to the fuel flow field in each of the unit cells. In a particular embodiment, a single bolt through the annular region clamps the unit cells together. In another embodiment, separator plates between individual unit cells have an extended radial dimension to function as cooling fins for maintaining the operating temperature of the fuel cell stack.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/870404}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1996},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1996}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Solid polymer fuel cell developments at ballard
journal, January 1992