Modification to stampable flowfields to improve flow distribution in the channels of PEM fuel cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9065088-B2
Application number	US-201013635425-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2010
Priority date	May 11, 2010
Publication date	Jun 23, 2015
Grant date	Jun 23, 2015

Abstract

A fuel cell device includes a plurality of channels that have at least one unrestricted inlet, a conduit for directing a flow having a distribution pattern to the unrestricted inlet, and a gap region between the conduit and the plurality of channels for receiving the flow distribution pattern, the gap region having such dimensions in which the distribution pattern tends to normalize within the gap region so that flow to each of the unrestricted inlets tends to normalize across said gap region.

First claim

We claim:

1. A device for use in a fuel cell, comprising:
a plurality of channels each having a respective inlet;
a gap region fluidically coupled to the plurality of channels, the gap region defined by a length and a width such that a ratio of the length to the width is less than about 4:1; and
a flow guide fluidically coupled to the gap region, the flow guide including a plurality of protrusions, the gap region being between the plurality of channels and the flow guide.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said channels have at least some unrestricted inlets and at least some restricted inlets.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the at least some restricted inlets have a restriction that is positioned further from the flow guide than at least some of the unrestricted inlets.

4. A method for use in a fuel cell comprising:
directing a flow of a reactant through a flow guide of a flow field plate towards a gap region of the flow field plate, the flow guide including a plurality of protrusions, and the gap region defined by a length and a width such that a ratio of the length to the width is less than about 4:1; and
directing said flow through said gap region towards a plurality of inlets of channels to increase a uniformity of a distribution pattern of the flow within said gap region.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said channels have at least some unrestricted inlets and at least some restricted inlets.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the at least some restricted inlets have a restriction that is positioned further from the flow guide than at least some of the unrestricted inlets.

Assignees

• Pandy Arun
• Chiappetta Jr Louis
• Darling Robert Mason
• Gummalla Mallika
• Audi Ag
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Pandy Arun
• Chiappetta Jr Louis
• Darling Robert Mason
• Gummalla Mallika

Classifications

• H01M8/0254 Primary

  corrugated or undulated · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/026

  characterised by grooves, e.g. their pitch or depth · CPC title

• H01M8/0258

  characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant · CPC title