Method for producing a fuel cell manifold seal

Patent · Tue Jul 06 00:00:00 EDT 1982

OSTI ID:6737989

Grevstad, P E; Johnson, C K; Mientek, A P

A manifold-to-stack seal and sealing method for fuel cell stacks. This seal system solves the problem of maintaining a low leak rate manifold seal as the fuel cell stack undergoes compressive creep. The seal system eliminates the problem of the manifold-to-stack seal sliding against the rough stack surface as the stack becomes shorter because of cell creep, which relative motion destroys the seal. The seal system described herein utilizes a polymer seal frame firmly clamped between the manifold and the stack such that the seal frame moves with the stack. Thus , as the stack creeps, the seal frame creeps with it, and there is no sliding at the rough, tough to seal, stack-to-seal frame interface. Here the sliding is on a smooth easy to seal location between the seal frame and the manifold.

• Assignee: Dept. Of Energy
• Patent Number(s): US 4337571
• OSTI ID: 6737989
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 6 Nov 1979; Other Information: PAT-APPL-091843
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
FUEL CELLS
SEALS
DESIGN
COMPRESSION
CREEP
FUEL CELL POWER PLANTS
LEAKS
LUBRICATION
POLYMERS
STACKS
SUPPORTS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
POWER PLANTS
300503* - Fuel Cells- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries