Method of forming a fuel cell stack

• US 9,225,027 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2015
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Eickhoff, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): USYATINSKY, ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US14/671,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20150200408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 11/005 for hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/004 Cylindrical, tubular or wound
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0289 Means for holding the electrolyte solid polymer electrolytes H01M8/1018
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04201 Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04216 characterised by the choice for a specific material, e.g. carbon, hydride, absorbent
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/065 by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1004 characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2475 Enclosures, casings or containers of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A method of forming a fuel cell stack, wherein the stack includes an anode electrode layer, an adhesive and anode gas diffusion layer coupled to the anode electrode layer, an ion exchange membrane coupled on a first side to the gas diffusion layer opposite the anode electrode layer, an adhesive and cathode gas diffusion layer coupled to a second side of the ion exchange membrane, and a cathode electrode layer coupled to the adhesive and cathode gas diffusion layer opposite the ion exchange membrane. The fuel cell stack may be flexible.

Claims

1. A method of forming a power generator, the method comprising:

forming a container having a desired shape;

placing a hydrogen producing fuel within the container;

adding a sliding valve arrangement within the container and positioned around the hydrogen producing fuel;

coupling a pressure responsive diaphragm to the sliding valve arrangement;

wrapping a fuel cell stack around an anode support and sliding valve arrangement within the container, the fuel cell stack having a cathode electrode layer for exposure to oxygen and an anode electrode layer for exposure to hydrogen;

electrically coupling the container to the cathode electrode layer of the fuel cell stack such that a desired portion of the container forms an exposed cathode; and

forming an exposed anode electrically coupled to the anode electrode layer of the fuel cell stack and supported by the container such that at least a portion of it is exposed on the outside of the container and spaced apart from the exposed cathode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fuel cell stack is formed by the method comprising:

forming the anode electrode layer including an anode electrode portion and a non-electrode portion;

forming an anode double sided adhesive layer having a non-adhesive gas diffusion layer therein, said double sided adhesive layer adhered on one side to the anode electrode layer such that a portion of the anode electrode is in contact with the anode gas diffusion layer;

forming an ion exchange membrane layer having an ion exchange membrane in an opening therein, said ion exchange membrane aligned with the non-adhesive anode gas diffusion layer in the opening in the anode double sided adhesive layer, said ion exchange membrane layer adhered on a first side to the side of the double sided adhesive layer opposite the anode electrode layer;

forming a cathode double sided adhesive layer having a non-adhesive cathode gas diffusion layer in an opening therein, said cathode gas diffusion layer aligned with the ion exchange membrane, said double sided adhesive layer adhered on one side to a second side of the ion exchange membrane;

forming the cathode electrode layer including a cathode electrode portion and a non-electrode portion adhered to the cathode double sided adhesive layer and having a non-adhesive cathode gas diffusion layer in an opening therein, on the side opposite the ion exchange membrane;

pressing the formed layers together as parallel adjacent planes rolled to form a flexible fuel cell stack, the parallel adjacent planes sufficiently flexible to be conformed into a cylindrical shape;

conforming the flexible fuel cell stack to a cylindrical shape to form a cylindrical fuel cell stack; and

adhering the cylindrical fuel cell stack around a rigid cylindrical anode support.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the thickness of the stack is approximately 1 mm or less.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the stack includes two series connected fuel cells.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the anode electrode layer and the cathode electrode layer have multiple through holes.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein each of the layers are adhered together.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the anode electrode layer and the cathode electrode layer are formed by depositing a titanium or aluminum adhesion layer on a polymer substrate and depositing gold on such layer and by forming multiple holes through both the anode and the cathode layers.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the anode electrode layer is formed with fuel cell anodes, each with a tab for facilitating an electrical series connection between two fuel cells in the fuel cell stack.

9. A method of forming a power generator, the method comprising:

forming a container having a desired shape;

placing a hydrogen producing fuel within the container;

adding a sliding valve arrangement within the container and positioned around the hydrogen producing fuel;

coupling a pressure responsive diaphragm to the sliding valve arrangement;

wrapping a fuel cell stack around the sliding valve arrangement within the container, the fuel cell stack formed by a method comprising;

forming an anode electrode layer comprising an anode electrode portion and a non-electrode portion;

forming an anode double sided adhesive layer having a non-adhesive gas diffusion layer therein, said double sided adhesive layer adhered on one side to the anode electrode layer such that a portion of the anode electrode is in contact with the anode gas diffusion layer;

forming an ion exchange membrane layer having an ion exchange membrane in an opening therein, said ion exchange membrane aligned with the non-adhesive anode gas diffusion layer in the opening in the anode double sided adhesive layer, said ion exchange membrane layer adhered on a first side to the side of the double sided adhesive layer opposite the anode electrode layer;

forming a cathode double sided adhesive layer having a non-adhesive cathode gas diffusion layer in an opening therein, said cathode gas diffusion layer aligned with the ion exchange membrane, said double sided adhesive layer adhered on one side to a second side of the ion exchange membrane;

forming a cathode electrode layer comprising a cathode electrode portion and a non-electrode portion adhered to the cathode double sided adhesive layer and having a non-adhesive cathode gas diffusion layer in an opening therein, on the side opposite the ion exchange membrane;

pressing the formed layers together as parallel adjacent planes rolled to form a flexible fuel cell stack, the parallel adjacent planes sufficiently flexible to be conformed into a cylindrical shape;

conforming the flexible fuel cell stack to a cylindrical shape to form a cylindrical fuel cell stack; and

adhering the cylindrical fuel cell stack around a rigid cylindrical anode support

electrically coupling the container to the cathode electrode of the fuel cell stack such that a desired portion of the container forms a cathode; and

forming an anode electrically coupled to the anode electrode of the fuel cell stack and supported by the container such that at least a portion of it is exposed on the outside of the container spaced apart from the exposed cathode.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the hydrogen producing fuel is formed by stacking multiple fissurized pellets into the container wherein the stack of pellets is encapsulated in a water vapor and hydrogen permeable, liquid water impermeable membrane.