Raised feed channels to maintain planar bipolar plate alignment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12548784-B2
Application number	US-202318189624-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2023
Priority date	Apr 6, 2022
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A fuel cell assembly includes a first bipolar plate, a second bipolar plate, and a diffusion-electrode assembly. A first top surface of the first plate includes a first seal protruding upwardly and a first raised feed channel adjacent the first seal and protruding upwardly. A second bottom surface of the second plate includes a second seal protruding downwardly and a second raised feed channel adjacent the second seal and protruding downwardly. The diffusion-electrode assembly includes a membrane layer having a membrane frame extending therefrom and two gas diffusion layers. The first and second plates are arranged parallel, the first and second seals align with each other, and the first and second raised feed channels align with each other. The first and second raised feed channels contact the membrane frame arranged therebetween so as to prevent mechanical deformations of the first and second plates.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A fuel cell assembly, comprising:
a first bipolar plate including a first upper side and a first lower side, the first upper side defines a first top surface and includes a first seal protruding upwardly away from the first top surface and at least one first raised feed channel formed adjacent to the first seal and protruding upwardly away from the first top surface, wherein fluid enters the first raised feed channel and subsequently flows along first channels formed in the first bipolar plate; a second bipolar plate including a second upper side and a second lower side, the second lower side defines a second bottom surface and includes a second seal protruding downwardly away from the second bottom surface and at least one second raised feed channel formed adjacent to the second seal and protruding downwardly away from the second bottom surface, wherein fluid enters the second raised feed channel and subsequently flows along second channels formed in the second bipolar plate; and a diffusion-electrode assembly arranged between the first bipolar plate and the second bipolar plate and in spaced apart relation to the first and second seals and the first and second raised feed channels, the diffusion-electrode assembly including a membrane electrode layer arranged between a first gas diffusion layer and a second gas diffusion layer each configured to engage with the fluids, respectively, the membrane electrode layer including an electrode body and a membrane frame extending away from the electrode body, between the first and second seals and between the first and second raised feed channels, wherein the first bipolar plate and the second bipolar plate are arranged parallel with each other and are aligned such that the first seal and the second seal align with each other, and such that the first raised feed channel and the second raised feed channel align with each other, and wherein the first raised feed channel and the second raised feed channel contact the membrane frame arranged therebetween so as to prevent mechanical deformations of the first and second bipolar plate.

2 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first lower side of the first bipolar plate defines a first lower surface and includes a third seal protruding downwardly away from the first lower surface, the third seal being in spaced apart relation to the first seal and the first raised feed channel such that the first raised feed channel is located between the first seal and the third seal in a longitudinal direction of the first bipolar plate, and wherein the contact between the first raised feed channel, the second raised feed channel, and the membrane frame prevents mechanical deformations of the first and second bipolar plates in response to the third seal being acted on by a first external force.

3 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second upper side of the second bipolar plate defines a second top surface and includes a fourth seal protruding upwardly away from the second top surface, the fourth seal being in spaced apart relation to the second seal and the second raised feed channel such that the second raised feed channel is located between the second seal and the fourth seal in a longitudinal direction of the second bipolar plate, and wherein the contact between the first raised feed channel, the second raised feed channel, and the membrane frame prevents mechanical deformations of the first and second bipolar plates in response to the fourth seal being acted on by a second external force.

4 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first external force is generated by a third bipolar plate arranged below and compressing the first bipolar plate via a fifth seal of the third bipolar plate, the fifth seal being aligned with and compressing the third seal of the first bipolar plate.

5 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 3 , wherein the second external force is generated by a fourth bipolar plate arranged above and compressing the second bipolar plate via a sixth seal of the fourth bipolar plate, the sixth seal being aligned with and compressing the fourth seal of the second bipolar plate.

6 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first bipolar plate is a rectangular plate that is generally planar, wherein the first bipolar plate further includes a first inlet header portion located adjacent a first corner of the plate, a first outlet header portion located adjacent a second corner of the plate diagonally opposing the first corner, a first active portion located longitudinally between the first inlet header portion and the first outlet header portion on which the first channels are arranged, wherein the first channels include a plurality of cathode channels adjacent to the first gas diffusion layer such that fluid flowing through the cathode channels interacts with the first gas diffusion layer, and wherein the first seal and the first raised feed channel are located within the first inlet header portion of the first bipolar plate such that fluid flows from the first raised feed channel to the plurality of cathode channels and exits via the first outlet header portion.

7 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 6 , wherein the second bipolar plate is a rectangular plate that is generally planar, wherein the second bipolar plate further includes a second inlet header portion located adjacent a first corner of the plate, a second outlet header portion located adjacent a second corner of the plate diagonally opposing the first corner, a second active portion located longitudinally between the second inlet header portion and the second outlet header portion on which the second channels are arranged, wherein the second channels include a plurality of anode channels adjacent to the second gas diffusion layer such that fluid flowing through the anode channels interacts with the second gas diffusion layer, and wherein the second seal and the second raised feed channel are located within the second inlet header portion of the second bipolar plate such that fluid flows from the second raised feed channel to the plurality of anode channels and exits via the second outlet header portion.

8 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first raised feed channel, the plurality of cathode channels, and at least one first outlet channel located in the first outlet header portion are in fluidic communication so as to form a first fluid path of the first bipolar plate, wherein a first central axis that extends transversely across the plate and that is perpendicular to longitudinal edges of the plate divides the first bipolar plate into a first half portion and a second half portion having equal areas, and wherein the first fluid path is rotationally symmetrical relative to the first central axis.

9 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second raised feed channel, the plurality of anode channels, and at least one second outlet channel located in the second outlet header portion are in fluidic communication so as to form a second fluid path of the second bipolar plate, wherein a second central axis that extends transversely across the plate and that is perpendicular to longitudinal edges of the plate divides the second bipolar plate into a first half portion and a second half portion having equal areas, and wherein the second fluid path is rotationally symmetrical relative to the second central axis.

10 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of cathode channels are formed between adjacent elongated cathode channel protrusions that protrude away from the first bipolar plate in a first direction opposite a second direction in which the first raised feed channel protrudes, and wherei

Assignees

• Hydrogenics Corp

Inventors

• Ranieri Salvatore
• Joos Nathaniel Ian
• WANG Rainey Yu
• Link Thomas Anthony

Classifications

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/1004

  characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/0271

  Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/242

  comprising framed electrodes or intermediary frame-like gaskets (H01M8/2425, H01M8/244 take precedence) · CPC title