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Title: Fuel cell cooler-humidifier plate

Abstract

A cooler-humidifier plate for use in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack assembly is provided. The cooler-humidifier plate combines functions of cooling and humidification within the fuel cell stack assembly, thereby providing a more compact structure, simpler manifolding, and reduced reject heat from the fuel cell. Coolant on the cooler side of the plate removes heat generated within the fuel cell assembly. Heat is also removed by the humidifier side of the plate for use in evaporating the humidification water. On the humidifier side of the plate, evaporating water humidifies reactant gas flowing over a moistened wick. After exiting the humidifier side of the plate, humidified reactant gas provides needed moisture to the proton exchange membranes used in the fuel cell stack assembly. The invention also provides a fuel cell plate that maximizes structural support within the fuel cell by ensuring that the ribs that form the boundaries of channels on one side of the plate have ends at locations that substantially correspond to the locations of ribs on the opposite side of the plate.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Albany, NY
  2. Glenville, NY
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Ford Motor Company, Detroit, MI (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
873008
Patent Number(s):
US 6066408
Assignee:
Plug Power Inc. (Latham, NY)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-94CE50389
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
fuel; cell; cooler-humidifier; plate; proton; exchange; membrane; pem; stack; assembly; provided; combines; functions; cooling; humidification; providing; compact; structure; simpler; manifolding; reduced; reject; heat; coolant; cooler; removes; generated; removed; humidifier; evaporating; water; humidifies; reactant; gas; flowing; moistened; wick; exiting; humidified; provides; moisture; membranes; maximizes; structural; support; ensuring; ribs; form; boundaries; channels; locations; substantially; correspond; opposite; proton exchange; fuel cell; structural support; gas flow; cell stack; reactant gas; cell assembly; heat generated; gas flowing; exchange membrane; stack assembly; exchange membranes; compact structure; cooler-humidifier plate; cell cooler; cell plate; /429/

Citation Formats

Vitale, Nicholas G, and Jones, Daniel O. Fuel cell cooler-humidifier plate. United States: N. p., 2000. Web.
Vitale, Nicholas G, & Jones, Daniel O. Fuel cell cooler-humidifier plate. United States.
Vitale, Nicholas G, and Jones, Daniel O. 2000. "Fuel cell cooler-humidifier plate". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/873008.
@article{osti_873008,
title = {Fuel cell cooler-humidifier plate},
author = {Vitale, Nicholas G and Jones, Daniel O},
abstractNote = {A cooler-humidifier plate for use in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack assembly is provided. The cooler-humidifier plate combines functions of cooling and humidification within the fuel cell stack assembly, thereby providing a more compact structure, simpler manifolding, and reduced reject heat from the fuel cell. Coolant on the cooler side of the plate removes heat generated within the fuel cell assembly. Heat is also removed by the humidifier side of the plate for use in evaporating the humidification water. On the humidifier side of the plate, evaporating water humidifies reactant gas flowing over a moistened wick. After exiting the humidifier side of the plate, humidified reactant gas provides needed moisture to the proton exchange membranes used in the fuel cell stack assembly. The invention also provides a fuel cell plate that maximizes structural support within the fuel cell by ensuring that the ribs that form the boundaries of channels on one side of the plate have ends at locations that substantially correspond to the locations of ribs on the opposite side of the plate.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/873008}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000}
}