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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Fully internal manifolded and internal reformed fuel cell stack

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5454928

This patent describes improvement in a generally rectangular fuel cell stack comprising fuel cell units, each the fuel cell unit comprising an anode and a cathode, an electrolyte in contact with one face of the anode and an electrolyte in contact with an opposite facing face of the cathode, and a separator plate separating the cell unit between the anode and cathode forming an anode chamber between one face of the separator plate and the anode and a cathode chamber between the opposite face of the separator plate and the cathode, the anode chamber in gas communication with fuel gas supply and outlet and the cathode chamber in gas communication with oxidant gas supply and outlet. The improvement comprises the electrolytes and the separator plates having a flattened peripheral wet seal structure extending to contact the electrolytes on each face of the separator plates completely around their periphery forming a separator plate/electrolyte wet seal under cell operating conditions.

Assignee:
Inst. of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (United States)
Patent Number(s):
A; US 5077148
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-517227
OSTI ID:
5454928
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English