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Title: Solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack water management system

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6560490

This patent describes solid polymer furl cell stack power assembly comprising: (a) fuel cells stacked on atop another, each of the fuel cells comprising: (i) a solid polymer electrolyte membrane; (ii) means forming an anode on one face of the electrolyte membranes, and means forming a cathode of an opposite face of the electrolyte membrane; (iii) a porous anode flow field plate disposed adjacent to the anode. The anode flow field plate having a contoured surface facing the anode with grooves forming a hydrogen reactant flow field, and intervening projections disposed in contact with the anode; (iv) a porous cathode flow field plate disposed adjacent to the cathode. The cathode flow field plate having a contoured surface facing the cathode with groves forming an oxygen reactant flow field, and a plurality of intervening projections disposed in contact with the cathode; (b) with the exception of an initial cell in the stack, each of the cells in the stack having its anode flow field plate disposed back-to-back with the cathode flow field plate of an adjacent cell; (c) porous hydrophilic separator plates interposed between each of the back-to-back anode and cathode flow field plates; (d) means for admitting hydrogen into the hydrogen reactant flow fields.

Assignee:
International Fuel Cells Corp., South Windsor, CT
Patent Number(s):
US 4769297
OSTI ID:
6560490
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: Filed date 16 Nov 1987
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English