Fuel cell battery with improved membrane cooling

Patent · Tue Jul 07 00:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6044291

Mc Elroy, J F

This patent describes a fuel cell battery comprising at least two adjoining fuel cells of the type including a membrane having anodes and cathodes in intimate electrical contact: (a) means to supply fuel and oxygen gases to the anode and cathode electrode of each cell, (b) means to maintain the anode side of the membrane cooler than the cathode side, and cooler than it would be normally be to minimize anode side drying of the membrane, consisting of electrically conductive bipolar separators positioned between electrodes of adjacent cells opposite sides of the separator. These have projections contacting the electrodes, the bipolar separators including means for differentially cooling opposite sides of the separators, the cooler side of the bipolar nonperforated separator contacting the anode in contact with the membrane of one cell. The other side contacts cathode of the adjacent cell whereby an increased temperature differential is established across each membrane.

• Assignee: United Technologies Corp., Hartford, CT
• Patent Number(s): US 4678724
• OSTI ID: 6044291
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 19 Apr 1984
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
FUEL CELLS
ANODES
CATHODES
MEMBRANES
BATTERY SEPARATORS
DRYING
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
FUEL SYSTEMS
OXYGEN
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
CONTROL
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRODES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
NONMETALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
300503* - Fuel Cells- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries