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Fuel cells employing integrated fluid management platelet technology

  • US 5,858,567 A
  • Filed: 03/08/1996
  • Issued: 01/12/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An integrated fluid management microchannel architecture monolithic polar fuel cell separator for a PEM fuel cell, comprising in operative combination:

  • (a) a plurality of platelets of thin metallic sheet material;

    (b) each platelet having features formed therein prior to assembly into a separator, said features being selected from at least one of through-formed or depth-formed tabs, metering orifices, mixing chambers, lands, micro-channels, vias to convey fluids from one platelet to another, close outs, and manifolds;

    (c) said features are interrelated and coordinate from platelet to platelet to provide in combination in an assembled separator;

    i) at least one active area continuous micro-channel field in communication with at least one inlet via and one outlet via;

    ii) at least one microchannel aqueous humidification field; and

    iii) at least one micro-channel liquid coolant field;

    (d) said platelets containing said lands, micro-channels and tabs upon bonding together forming micro-channel field structures of closely spaced, narrow micro-channels and substantially equal width lands, adjacent lands being held in configurational position by depth-formed tabs in at least one platelet, which tabs bridge across said channels to adjacent lands but do not obstruct flow of gaseous or liquid reactant through said micro-channels;

    (e) said humidification and said coolant fields being integrated within said separator in substantially the same plane as an active field, or in a plane substantially parallel thereto, to provide integrated fluid and thermal management flow circuits; and

    (f) upon assembly to form said separator said platelets are bonded together without glue along mating surfaces in the area of said fields to form a monolithic separator, said monolithic separator having internal micro-channel architecture features therein defining integrated fluid and thermal management flow circuits, said separator, upon use in contact with at least one electrode membrane assembly in a fuel cell stack, providing substantially higher power density than said solid graphite fuel cells.

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