Fuel cell components

• US 20030219641A1
• Filed: 02/18/2003
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phillip J. Petillo
• Original Assignee: Phillip J. Petillo
• Inventors: Petillo, Phillip J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,998,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/881 Electrolytic membranes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/92 Metals of platinum group H01M4/94 , H01M4/9058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/96 Carbon-based electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0247 characterised by the form characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/026 characterised by grooves, e.g. their pitch or depth
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1004 characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/241 with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2483 characterised by internal manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2485 Arrangements for sealing external manifolds; Arrangements for mounting external manifolds around a stack
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention is a fuel cell component that includes: (a) a membrane structure; (b) a fuel electrode disposed on one side of and in contact with the membrane structure; (c) an oxidizer electrode disposed on a second side of and in contact with the membrane structure; and (d) the fuel electrode comprising a fuel distribution portion and a fuel electrical connection portion, and the oxidizer electrode comprising an oxidizer distribution portion and an oxidizer electrical connection portion; wherein the fuel electrical connection portion is disposed at an angle with respect to the fuel distribution portion and the oxidizer electrical connection portion is disposed at an angle with respect to the oxidizer distribution portion.

Claims

1. A fuel cell component that comprises:

a membrane structure;

a fuel electrode disposed on one side of and in contact with the membrane structure;

an oxidizer electrode disposed on a second side of and in contact with the membrane structure; and

the fuel electrode comprising a fuel distribution portion and a fuel electrical connection portion, and the oxidizer electrode comprising an oxidizer distribution portion and an oxidizer electrical connection portion;

wherein the fuel electrical connection portion is disposed at an angle with respect to the fuel distribution portion and the oxidizer electrical connection portion is disposed at an angle with respect to the oxidizer distribution portion.

2. The fuel cell component of claim 1 wherein the membrane structure includes a catalyst.

3. The fuel cell component of claim 1 wherein the fuel distribution portion includes grooves disposed therein and the oxidizer distribution portion includes grooves disposed therein.

4. The fuel cell component of claim 1 wherein the fuel distribution portion comprises a conductive hydrophobic material disposed thereon.

5. The fuel cell component of claim 1 wherein the oxidizer distribution portion comprises a conductive hydrophobic material disposed thereon.

6. The fuel cell component of claim 1 wherein the fuel distribution portion includes a porous conductive materials disposed in a cavity therein and the oxidizer distribution portion includes a porous conductive materials disposed in a cavity.

7. The fuel cell component of claim 1 wherein the fuel electrode comprises a fuel input portion and a fuel exhaust portion and wherein the oxidizer electrode comprises an oxidizer input portion and an oxidizer exhaust portion.

8. The fuel cell component of claim 7 wherein the fuel input portion is disposed at an angle with respect to the fuel distribution portion and wherein the oxidizer input portion is disposed at an angle with respect to the oxidizer distribution portion.

9. The fuel cell component of claim 7 wherein the fuel exhaust portion is disposed at an angle with respect to the fuel distribution portion and wherein the oxidizer exhaust portion is disposed at an angle with respect to the oxidizer distribution portion.

10. The fuel cell component of claim 1 which further comprises a connector disposed with sides oriented at angles to contact the fuel electrical connection portion and oxidizer electrical connection portion.

11. A fuel cell component that comprises:

a membrane structure;

a fuel electrode disposed on one side of and in contact with the membrane structure; and

an oxidizer electrode disposed on a second side of and in contact with the membrane structure; and

wherein the membrane structure includes a catalyst comprised of selenium.