Fuel cell separator with compressible sealing flanges

Patent · Tue Apr 30 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5231425

Mientek, A P

A separator for separating adjacent fuel cells in a stack of such cells includes a flat, rectangular, gas-impermeable plate disposed between adjacent cells and having two opposite side margins thereof folded back over one side of the plate to form two first seal flanges and having the other side margins thereof folded back over the opposite side of the plate to form two second seal flanges, each of the seal flanges cooperating with the plate to define a channel in which is disposed a resiliently compressible stack of thin metal sheets. The two first seal flanges cooperate with the electrolyte matrix of one of the cells to form a gas-impermeable seal between an electrode of the one cell and one of two reactant gas manifolds. The second seal flanges cooperate with the electrolyte matrix of the other cell for forming a gas-impermeable seal between an electrode of the other cell and the other of the two reactant gas manifolds. The seal flanges cooperate with the associated compressible stacks of sheets for maintaining a spacing between the plate and the electrolyte matrices while accommodating variation of that spacing.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy
• Patent Number(s): US 4514475
• OSTI ID: 5231425
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300503* -- Fuel Cells-- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
BATTERY SEPARATORS
CATHODES
DESIGN
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRODES
FUEL CELLS
HIGH-TEMPERATURE FUEL CELLS
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MOLTEN CARBONATE FUEL CELLS
PLATES
SEALS
SUPPORTS