Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies

Title: Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies

Full Record
Other Related Research

Abstract

A porous gas distribution plate assembly for a fuel cell, such as a bipolar assembly, includes an inner impervious region wherein the bipolar assembly has good surface porosity but no through-plane porosity and wherein electrical conductivity through the impervious region is maintained. A hot-pressing process for forming the bipolar assembly includes placing a layer of thermoplastic sealant material between a pair of porous, electrically conductive plates, applying pressure to the assembly at elevated temperature, and allowing the assembly to cool before removing the pressure whereby the layer of sealant material is melted and diffused into the porous plates to form an impervious bond along a common interface between the plates holding the porous plates together. The distribution of sealant within the pores along the surface of the plates provides an effective barrier at their common interface against through-plane transmission of gas.

Inventors:

Dettling, Charles J ^[1]; Terry, Peter L ^[2]

E. Hanover, NJ
Chathum, NJ

Issue Date:: 1988-03-22

Research Org.:: ENGELHARD CORP

OSTI Identifier:: 866537

Patent Number(s):: 4732637

Application Number:: 06/848,840

Assignee:: Engelhard Corporation (Menlo Park, NJ)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10T - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

Show more

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
H01M8/0271 - Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes
H01M8/0258 - characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant
H01M8/0286 - Processes for forming seals
H01M8/2457 - with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised
H01M8/0267 - having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels
H01M8/0276 - Sealing means characterised by their form

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10T - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
Y10T428/249992 - Linear or thermoplastic

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
H01M8/2415 - {External manifolded battery stock}

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
Y02E60/50 - Fuel cells

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10T - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
Y10T428/249955 - Void-containing component partially impregnated with adjacent component
Y10T428/30 - Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
H01M8/0284 - Organic resins
H01M8/2484 - characterised by external manifolds

Show less

DOE Contract Number:: AC01-78ET15366

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: method; fabricating; integral; gas; seal; fuel; cell; distribution; assemblies; porous; plate; assembly; bipolar; inner; impervious; region; surface; porosity; through-plane; electrical; conductivity; maintained; hot-pressing; process; forming; placing; layer; thermoplastic; sealant; material; pair; electrically; conductive; plates; applying; pressure; elevated; temperature; allowing; cool; removing; whereby; melted; diffused; form; bond; common; interface; holding; pores; provides; effective; barrier; transmission; sealant material; bipolar assembly; porous plates; fuel cell; electrically conductive; elevated temperature; electrical conductivity; plate assembly; cell gas; distribution plate; applying pressure; gas distribution; gas seal; conductive plates; impervious region; porous gas; effective barrier; conductive plate; inner impervious; integral gas; distribution assemblies; /156/428/429/

Citation Formats


                    Dettling, Charles J, and Terry, Peter L. Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies.  United States: N. p., 1988. 
        Web.

Copy to clipboard


                    Dettling, Charles J, & Terry, Peter L. Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies.  United States.

Copy to clipboard


                    Dettling, Charles J, and Terry, Peter L. Tue .  
        "Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/866537.

Copy to clipboard


                    
@article{osti_866537,

  title        = {Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies},

  author       = {Dettling, Charles J and Terry, Peter L},

  abstractNote = {A porous gas distribution plate assembly for a fuel cell, such as a bipolar assembly, includes an inner impervious region wherein the bipolar assembly has good surface porosity but no through-plane porosity and wherein electrical conductivity through the impervious region is maintained. A hot-pressing process for forming the bipolar assembly includes placing a layer of thermoplastic sealant material between a pair of porous, electrically conductive plates, applying pressure to the assembly at elevated temperature, and allowing the assembly to cool before removing the pressure whereby the layer of sealant material is melted and diffused into the porous plates to form an impervious bond along a common interface between the plates holding the porous plates together. The distribution of sealant within the pores along the surface of the plates provides an effective barrier at their common interface against through-plane transmission of gas.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1988},

  month        = {3}

}

Copy to clipboard

Patent:

View Patent

Save / Share:

Export Metadata

Save to My Library

Similar Records in DOE Patents and OSTI.GOV collections:

Integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies and method of fabrication

Patent Dettling, Charles J [E. Hanover, NJ]; Terry, Peter L [Chatham Township, Morris County, NJ]

A porous gas distribution plate assembly for a fuel cell, such as a bipolar assembly, includes an inner impervious region wherein the bipolar assembly has good surface porosity but no through-plane porosity and wherein electrical conductivity through the impervious region is maintained. A hot-pressing process for forming the bipolar assembly includes placing a layer of thermoplastic sealant material between a pair of porous, electrically conductive plates, applying pressure to the assembly at elevated temperature, and allowing the assembly to cool before removing the pressure whereby the layer of sealant material is melted and diffused into the porous plates to formmore »« less
Full Text Available
Fabrication of gas impervious edge seal for a bipolar gas distribution assembly for use in a fuel cell

Patent Kaufman, Arthur [West Orange, NJ]; Werth, John [Princeton, NJ]

A bipolar gas reactant distribution assembly for use in a fuel cell is disclosed, the assembly having a solid edge seal to prevent leakage of gaseous reactants wherein a pair of porous plates are provided with peripheral slits generally parallel to, and spaced apart from two edges of the plate, the slit being filled with a solid, fusible, gas impervious edge sealing compound. The plates are assembled with opposite faces adjacent one another with a layer of a fusible sealant material therebetween the slits in the individual plates being approximately perpendicular to one another. The plates are bonded to eachmore »« less
Full Text Available
Fuel cell integral bundle assembly including ceramic open end seal and vertical and horizontal thermal expansion control

Patent Zafred, Paolo R [Murrysville, PA]; Gillett, James E [Greensburg, PA]

A plurality of integral bundle assemblies contain a top portion with an inlet fuel plenum and a bottom portion containing a base support, the base supports a dense, ceramic air exhaust manifold having four supporting legs, the manifold is below and connects to air feed tubes located in a recuperator zone, the air feed tubes passing into the center of inverted, tubular, elongated, hollow electrically connected solid oxide fuel cells having an open end above a combustion zone into which the air feed tubes pass and a closed end near the inlet fuel plenum, where the open end of themore »« less
Full Text Available
Edge seal for a porous gas distribution plate of a fuel cell

Patent Feigenbaum, Haim [Highland Park, NJ]; Pudick, Sheldon [Sayreville, NJ]; Singh, Rajindar [Ridgewood, NJ]

In an improved seal for a gas distribution plate of a fuel cell, a groove is provided extending along an edge of the plate. A member of resinous material is arranged within the groove and a paste comprising an immobilized acid is arranged surrounding the member and substantially filling the groove. The seal, which is impervious to the gas being distributed, is resistant to deterioration by the electrolyte of the cell.
Full Text Available
Manifold seal for fuel cell stack assembly

Patent Schmitten, Phillip F [N. Huntingdon, PA]; Wright, Maynard K [Bethel Park, PA]

An assembly for sealing a manifold to a stack of fuel cells includes a first resilient member for providing a first sealing barrier between the manifold and the stack. A second resilient member provides a second sealing barrier between the manifold and the stack. The first and second resilient members are retained in such a manner as to define an area therebetween adapted for retaining a sealing composition.
Full Text Available

Similar Records