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

Fuel cell plates with skewed process channels for uniform distribution of stack compression load

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6146327

An electrochemical fuel cell is described including an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, an electrolyte matrix sandwiched between the electrodes and a pair of plates above and below the electrodes. The plate above the electrodes has a lower surface with a first group of process gas flow channels formed and the plate below the electrodes has an upper surface with a second group of process gas flow channels. The channels of each group extend generally parallel to one another. The improvement comprises; the process gas flow channels on the lower surface of the plate above the anode electrode and the process gas flow channels on the upper surface of the plate below the cathode electrode are skewed in opposite directions such that contract areas of the surfaces of the plates through the electrodes are formed in crisscross arrangements.

Assignee:
Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC
Patent Number(s):
US 4684582
OSTI ID:
6146327
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English