Fuel cell with interdigitated porous flow-field
Abstract
A polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell is formed with an improved system for distributing gaseous reactants to the membrane surface. A PEM fuel cell has an ionic transport membrane with opposed catalytic surfaces formed thereon and separates gaseous reactants that undergo reactions at the catalytic surfaces of the membrane. The fuel cell may also include a thin gas diffusion layer having first and second sides with a first side contacting at least one of the catalytic surfaces. A macroporous flow-field with interdigitated inlet and outlet reactant channels contacts the second side of the thin gas diffusion layer for distributing one of the gaseous reactants over the thin gas diffusion layer for transport to an adjacent one of the catalytic surfaces of the membrane. The porous flow field may be formed from a hydrophilic material and provides uniform support across the backside of the electrode assembly to facilitate the use of thin backing layers.
- Inventors:
-
- Los Alamos, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 871014
- Patent Number(s):
- 5641586
- Assignee:
- Regents of University of California Office of Technology Transfer (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
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- fuel; cell; interdigitated; porous; flow-field; polymer; electrolyte; membrane; pem; formed; improved; distributing; gaseous; reactants; surface; ionic; transport; opposed; catalytic; surfaces; thereon; separates; undergo; reactions; gas; diffusion; layer; contacting; macroporous; inlet; outlet; reactant; channels; contacts; adjacent; flow; field; hydrophilic; material; provides; uniform; support; backside; electrode; assembly; facilitate; layers; provides uniform; membrane surface; fuel cell; gas diffusion; gaseous reactants; electrolyte membrane; gaseous reactant; electrode assembly; flow field; polymer electrolyte; pem fuel; diffusion layer; formed thereon; transport membrane; form support; reactant channel; catalytic surface; /429/
Citation Formats
Wilson, Mahlon S. Fuel cell with interdigitated porous flow-field. United States: N. p., 1997.
Web.
Wilson, Mahlon S. Fuel cell with interdigitated porous flow-field. United States.
Wilson, Mahlon S. Wed .
"Fuel cell with interdigitated porous flow-field". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/871014.
@article{osti_871014,
title = {Fuel cell with interdigitated porous flow-field},
author = {Wilson, Mahlon S},
abstractNote = {A polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell is formed with an improved system for distributing gaseous reactants to the membrane surface. A PEM fuel cell has an ionic transport membrane with opposed catalytic surfaces formed thereon and separates gaseous reactants that undergo reactions at the catalytic surfaces of the membrane. The fuel cell may also include a thin gas diffusion layer having first and second sides with a first side contacting at least one of the catalytic surfaces. A macroporous flow-field with interdigitated inlet and outlet reactant channels contacts the second side of the thin gas diffusion layer for distributing one of the gaseous reactants over the thin gas diffusion layer for transport to an adjacent one of the catalytic surfaces of the membrane. The porous flow field may be formed from a hydrophilic material and provides uniform support across the backside of the electrode assembly to facilitate the use of thin backing layers.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1997},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1997}
}
Works referenced in this record:
Alternative Flow-Field and Backing Concepts for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells
journal, January 1995
- Wilson, Mahlon S.
- ECS Proceedings Volumes, Vol. 1995-23, Issue 1