Integrated fuel cell stack shunt current prevention arrangement
Abstract
A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cells juxtaposed with one another in the stack and each including a pair of plate-shaped anode and cathode electrodes that face one another, and a quantity of liquid electrolyte present at least between the electrodes. A separator plate is interposed between each two successive electrodes of adjacent ones of the fuel cells and is unified therewith into an integral separator plate. Each integral separator plate is provided with a circumferentially complete barrier that prevents flow of shunt currents onto and on an outer peripheral surface of the separator plate. This barrier consists of electrolyte-nonwettable barrier members that are accommodated, prior to the formation of the integral separator plate, in corresponding edge recesses situated at the interfaces between the electrodes and the separator plate proper. Each barrier member extends over the entire length of the associated marginal portion and is flush with the outer periphery of the integral separator plate. This barrier also prevents cell-to-cell migration of any electrolyte that may be present at the outer periphery of the integral separator plate while the latter is incorporated in the fuel cell stack.
- Inventors:
-
- Cheshire, CT
- Bolton, CT
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- INTERNATIONAL FUEL CELLS CORP
- OSTI Identifier:
- 868117
- Patent Number(s):
- 5079104
- Assignee:
- International Fuel Cells (South Windsor, CT)
- 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 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
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC21-88MC24221
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- integrated; fuel; cell; stack; shunt; current; prevention; arrangement; plurality; cells; juxtaposed; including; pair; plate-shaped; anode; cathode; electrodes; quantity; liquid; electrolyte; separator; plate; interposed; successive; adjacent; ones; unified; therewith; integral; provided; circumferentially; complete; barrier; prevents; flow; currents; outer; peripheral; surface; consists; electrolyte-nonwettable; accommodated; prior; formation; corresponding; edge; recesses; situated; interfaces; proper; extends; entire; length; associated; marginal; portion; flush; periphery; cell-to-cell; migration; latter; incorporated; adjacent ones; fuel cell; entire length; outer periphery; cell stack; fuel cells; cathode electrode; separator plate; liquid electrolyte; outer peripheral; shunt current; cell migration; peripheral surface; integral separator; cathode electrodes; shaped anode; /429/
Citation Formats
Roche, Robert P, and Nowak, Michael P. Integrated fuel cell stack shunt current prevention arrangement. United States: N. p., 1992.
Web.
Roche, Robert P, & Nowak, Michael P. Integrated fuel cell stack shunt current prevention arrangement. United States.
Roche, Robert P, and Nowak, Michael P. Wed .
"Integrated fuel cell stack shunt current prevention arrangement". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868117.
@article{osti_868117,
title = {Integrated fuel cell stack shunt current prevention arrangement},
author = {Roche, Robert P and Nowak, Michael P},
abstractNote = {A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cells juxtaposed with one another in the stack and each including a pair of plate-shaped anode and cathode electrodes that face one another, and a quantity of liquid electrolyte present at least between the electrodes. A separator plate is interposed between each two successive electrodes of adjacent ones of the fuel cells and is unified therewith into an integral separator plate. Each integral separator plate is provided with a circumferentially complete barrier that prevents flow of shunt currents onto and on an outer peripheral surface of the separator plate. This barrier consists of electrolyte-nonwettable barrier members that are accommodated, prior to the formation of the integral separator plate, in corresponding edge recesses situated at the interfaces between the electrodes and the separator plate proper. Each barrier member extends over the entire length of the associated marginal portion and is flush with the outer periphery of the integral separator plate. This barrier also prevents cell-to-cell migration of any electrolyte that may be present at the outer periphery of the integral separator plate while the latter is incorporated in the fuel cell stack.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992}
}