Annular feed air breathing fuel cell stack
Abstract
A stack of polymer electrolyte fuel cells is formed from a plurality of unit cells where each unit cell includes fuel cell components defining a periphery and distributed along a common axis, where the fuel cell components include a polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode and a cathode contacting opposite sides of the membrane, and fuel and oxygen flow fields contacting the anode and the cathode, respectively, wherein the components define an annular region therethrough along the axis. A fuel distribution manifold within the annular region is connected to deliver fuel to the fuel flow field in each of the unit cells. The fuel distribution manifold is formed from a hydrophilic-like material to redistribute water produced by fuel and oxygen reacting at the cathode. In a particular embodiment, a single bolt through the annular region clamps the unit cells together. In another embodiment, separator plates between individual unit cells have an extended radial dimension to function as cooling fins for maintaining the operating temperature of the fuel cell stack.
- Inventors:
-
- Los Alamos, NM
- Peoria, AZ
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 870791
- Patent Number(s):
- 5595834
- Assignee:
- Regents of University of Calif. (Alameda, CA)
- 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
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- annular; feed; air; breathing; fuel; cell; stack; polymer; electrolyte; cells; formed; plurality; unit; components; defining; periphery; distributed; common; axis; membrane; anode; cathode; contacting; opposite; oxygen; flow; fields; respectively; define; region; therethrough; distribution; manifold; connected; deliver; field; hydrophilic-like; material; redistribute; water; produced; reacting; particular; embodiment; single; bolt; clamps; separator; plates; individual; extended; radial; dimension; function; cooling; fins; maintaining; operating; temperature; cell component; distribution manifold; cooling fins; fuel cell; fuel distribution; particular embodiment; cell components; unit cells; electrolyte membrane; electrolyte fuel; flow field; cell stack; fuel cells; polymer electrolyte; operating temperature; annular region; separator plate; fuel flow; unit cell; common axis; separator plates; water produced; components define; flow fields; components defining; radial dimension; feed air; oxygen react; breathing fuel; air breathing; annular feed; /429/
Citation Formats
Wilson, Mahlon S, and Neutzler, Jay K. Annular feed air breathing fuel cell stack. United States: N. p., 1997.
Web.
Wilson, Mahlon S, & Neutzler, Jay K. Annular feed air breathing fuel cell stack. United States.
Wilson, Mahlon S, and Neutzler, Jay K. Wed .
"Annular feed air breathing fuel cell stack". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870791.
@article{osti_870791,
title = {Annular feed air breathing fuel cell stack},
author = {Wilson, Mahlon S and Neutzler, Jay K},
abstractNote = {A stack of polymer electrolyte fuel cells is formed from a plurality of unit cells where each unit cell includes fuel cell components defining a periphery and distributed along a common axis, where the fuel cell components include a polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode and a cathode contacting opposite sides of the membrane, and fuel and oxygen flow fields contacting the anode and the cathode, respectively, wherein the components define an annular region therethrough along the axis. A fuel distribution manifold within the annular region is connected to deliver fuel to the fuel flow field in each of the unit cells. The fuel distribution manifold is formed from a hydrophilic-like material to redistribute water produced by fuel and oxygen reacting at the cathode. In a particular embodiment, a single bolt through the annular region clamps the unit cells together. In another embodiment, separator plates between individual unit cells have an extended radial dimension to function as cooling fins for maintaining the operating temperature of the fuel cell stack.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1997},
month = {1}
}
Works referenced in this record:
Solid polymer fuel cell developments at ballard
journal, January 1992
- Prater, Keith B.
- Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 37, Issue 1-2