Fuel cell with metal screen flow-field
Abstract
A polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell is provided with electrodes supplied with a reactant on each side of a catalyzed membrane assembly (CMA). The fuel cell includes a metal mesh defining a rectangular flow-field pattern having an inlet at a first corner and an outlet at a second corner located on a diagonal from the first corner, wherein all flow paths from the inlet to the outlet through the square flow field pattern are equivalent to uniformly distribute the reactant over the CMA. In a preferred form of metal mesh, a square weave screen forms the flow-field pattern. In a particular characterization of the present invention, a bipolar plate electrically connects adjacent fuel cells, where the bipolar plate includes a thin metal foil having an anode side and a cathode side; a first metal mesh on the anode side of the thin metal foil; and a second metal mesh on the cathode side of the thin metal foil. In another characterization of the present invention, a cooling plate assembly cools adjacent fuel cells, where the cooling plate assembly includes an anode electrode and a cathode electrode formed of thin conducting foils; and a metal mesh flow field therebetween formore »
- Inventors:
-
- Los Alamos, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 871795
- Patent Number(s):
- 5798187
- Assignee:
- Regents of University of California (Los Alamos, NM)
- 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:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- fuel; cell; metal; screen; flow-field; polymer; electrolyte; membrane; pem; provided; electrodes; supplied; reactant; catalyzed; assembly; cma; mesh; defining; rectangular; pattern; inlet; corner; outlet; located; diagonal; flow; paths; square; field; equivalent; uniformly; distribute; preferred; form; weave; forms; particular; characterization; bipolar; plate; electrically; connects; adjacent; cells; foil; anode; cathode; cooling; cools; electrode; formed; conducting; foils; therebetween; distributing; water; remove; heat; generated; uniformly distribute; fuel cell; cooling plate; remove heat; water flow; electrolyte membrane; metal mesh; adjacent fuel; flow paths; cooling water; flow field; fuel cells; flow path; polymer electrolyte; plate assembly; cathode electrode; bipolar plate; metal foil; heat generated; preferred form; electrode formed; anode electrode; catalyzed membrane; electrically connects; conducting foil; screen flow-field; metal screen; mesh defining; membrane assembly; field pattern; electrodes supplied; rectangular flow; /429/
Citation Formats
Wilson, Mahlon S, and Zawodzinski, Christine. Fuel cell with metal screen flow-field. United States: N. p., 1998.
Web.
Wilson, Mahlon S, & Zawodzinski, Christine. Fuel cell with metal screen flow-field. United States.
Wilson, Mahlon S, and Zawodzinski, Christine. Thu .
"Fuel cell with metal screen flow-field". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/871795.
@article{osti_871795,
title = {Fuel cell with metal screen flow-field},
author = {Wilson, Mahlon S and Zawodzinski, Christine},
abstractNote = {A polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell is provided with electrodes supplied with a reactant on each side of a catalyzed membrane assembly (CMA). The fuel cell includes a metal mesh defining a rectangular flow-field pattern having an inlet at a first corner and an outlet at a second corner located on a diagonal from the first corner, wherein all flow paths from the inlet to the outlet through the square flow field pattern are equivalent to uniformly distribute the reactant over the CMA. In a preferred form of metal mesh, a square weave screen forms the flow-field pattern. In a particular characterization of the present invention, a bipolar plate electrically connects adjacent fuel cells, where the bipolar plate includes a thin metal foil having an anode side and a cathode side; a first metal mesh on the anode side of the thin metal foil; and a second metal mesh on the cathode side of the thin metal foil. In another characterization of the present invention, a cooling plate assembly cools adjacent fuel cells, where the cooling plate assembly includes an anode electrode and a cathode electrode formed of thin conducting foils; and a metal mesh flow field therebetween for distributing cooling water flow over the electrodes to remove heat generated by the fuel cells.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998}
}