Fuel cell collector plates with improved mass transfer channels

Patent · Tue Apr 22 00:00:00 EDT 2003

OSTI ID:921318

Gurau, Vladimir ^[1]; Barbir, Frano ^[2]; Neutzler, Jay K ^[2]

---

1. Miami, FL
2. Palm Beach Gardens, FL

A fuel cell collector plate can be provided with one or more various channel constructions for the transport of reactants to the gas diffusion layer and the removal of water therefrom. The outlet channel can be arranged to have a reduced volume compared to the inlet channel, in both interdigitated and discontinuous spiral applications. The land width between an inlet channel and outlet channel can be reduced to improved mass flow rate in regions of deleted reactant concentrations. Additionally or alternatively, the depth of the inlet channel can be reduced in the direction of flow to reduce the diffusion path as the concentration of reactant is reduced.

• Research Organization: Energy Partners
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: FC02-97EE50476
• Assignee: Teledyne Energy Systems, Inc. (Hunt Valley, MD)
• Patent Number(s): 6,551,736
• Application Number: 09/702,126
• OSTI ID: 921318
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English