Fuel cell power packs and methods of making such packs

• US 20040062977A1
• Filed: 10/01/2002
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Graftech, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graftech, Incorporated
• Inventors: Yazici, Mehmet Suha, Weber, Thomas William, Mercuri, Robert Angelo
• Application Number:
  US10/261,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20040062977A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/92 Metals of platinum group H01M4/94 , H01M4/9058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0234 Carbonaceous material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0239 Organic resins; Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1007 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2404 Processes or apparatus for grouping fuel cells
• 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: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The invention relates to power packs, which comprises a plurality of fuel cells and a reactant supply element. In one embodiment, the power pack comprises a reactant supply element for a reactant comprising one of a fuel or an oxidant; and a plurality of cylindrical fuel cells. The reactant supply element is aligned with the plurality to be capable to deliver the reactant to more than one fuel cell of the plurality. In a second embodiment, the power pack comprises a reactant supply element for a reactant comprising a fuel and a plurality of fuel cells attached to the reactant supply element. At least two of the plurality are removably attached to the reactant supply element, and the power pack comprises a passive oxidant supply.

Claims

1. A power pack comprising

a reactant supply element for a reactant comprising a fuel;

and

a plurality of fuel cells attached to said reactant supply element and said power pack comprises a passive oxidant supply.

2. The power pack according to claim 1 wherein at least two of said plurality removably attached to said reactant supply element.

3. The power pack according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said fuel cell comprises at least a flexible graphite gas diffusion layer.

4. The power pack according to claim 3 wherein said gas diffusion layer comprises at least one perforated region.

5. The power pack according to claim 4 wherein said gas diffusion layer further comprises at least one non-perforated region.

6. The power pack according to claim 3 further comprising a flow field plate in communication with said gas diffusion layer.

7. The power pack according to claim 6 wherein a material of construction of said flow field plate comprises polymeric material.

8. The power pack according to claim 1 further comprising a fuel reservoir.

9. The power pack according to claim 8 wherein said fuel reservoir comprises a cartridge removably attached to said power pack.

10. The power pack according to claim 1 wherein at least two of said plurality of fuel cells attached in series.

11. The power pack according to claim 1 further comprising at least a second plurality of fuel cells attached to said reactant supply element.

12. The power pack according to claim 1 wherein at least two of said plurality of fuel cells attached in parallel.

13. An electrical device comprising a power pack according to claim 1 attached to said device in a manner to provide electricity to said device.

14. The electrical device according to claim 13 wherein said pack removably attached to said device.

15. The electrical device according to claim 13 wherein said device comprises a cellular telephone.

21. The power pack according to claim 6 wherein a material of construction of said flow field plate comprises flexible graphite.

16. A method of making a power pack comprising:

attaching a plurality of fuel cells to a fuel supply element; and

passively supplying an oxidant to at least two of said fuel cells.

17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising connecting at least two of said fuel cells in series.

18. The method according to claim 16 further comprising assembling said plurality of fuel cells and said supply element in a chamber and pumping an oxidant into said chamber.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein said attaching of at least two of said fuel cells to said supply element comprises removably attaching.

20. The method according to claim 16 wherein said passively supplying comprises aligning said fuel cells relative to each other of said fuel cells, said supply element, and said power pack such that an oxidant may be applied to an external surface of at least two of said fuel cells from an ambient atmosphere around said external surface of each of said at least two fuel cells.