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Fuel cell stack design and method of operation

A fuel cell stack and fuel cell technology, applied in the direction of fuel cells, fuel cell groups, fuel cell additives, etc.

Inactive Publication Date: 2008-05-14
GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Each segment is configured to provide airflow in a gravity-assisted direction within each fuel cell

Method used

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  • Fuel cell stack design and method of operation
  • Fuel cell stack design and method of operation
  • Fuel cell stack design and method of operation

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Embodiment Construction

[0021] The following detailed description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to be limiting of the invention, its application or uses.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 1 , individual reactant sections of a serpentine fuel cell stack 2 having a stack housing 4 are shown. The first cell stack 6 includes an inlet header 8 providing an incoming gas flow to each of a plurality of parallel first fuel cells 10 . The gas flow passing through each of the first fuel cells 10 is exhausted into the first union header 12 . The first union header 12 further provides an input gas flow to each of the plurality of parallel-connected second fuel cells 14 of the second stack 16 . Airflow passing through each of the second fuel cells 14 is exhausted into a second union header 18 . The second union header 18 provides an incoming gas flow to each of the plurality of parallel-connected third fuel cells 20 of the third stack 22 . Airflow passing through the th...

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Abstract

A fuel cell stack has at least two segments of fuel cells each having reactant gas passages. Each of the cells in each segment is arranged such that the reactant gas passages of each cell are in parallel with each other cell. Flow of fuel cell fluids, normally in a gaseous state on the anode and cathode side of each cell, is in a gravity assisted downward direction. Gravity assisted flow directs water formed in each cell to lower removal points of the stack segments. Each pair of segments is separated by a separator segment having a separator channel, the separator segment forming an integral unit of the stack. Each separator channel redirects the entire flow of each fluid within the stack from the bottom of an upstream segment to the top of a next or downstream segment, without reacting the fluid, controlling relative humidity between stack segments.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to fuel cell systems, and more particularly to fuel cell stacks and methods of operating fuel cell stacks. Background technique [0002] Fuel cells have been used as power sources in many applications, for example, it has been proposed to use fuel cells in power plants of electric vehicles to replace internal combustion engines. In proton exchange membrane (PEM) type fuel cells, hydrogen is supplied to the anode of the fuel cell and oxygen is supplied as an oxidant to the cathode. A typical PEM fuel cell and its Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) are described in U.S. Patent No.5272017 and No.5316871 issued on December 21, 1993 and May 31, 1994 and commonly assigned to General Motors. Described. Membrane electrode assemblies consist of a thin, proton-conducting, non-conducting solid polymer electrolyte membrane with an anode catalyst on one surface and a cathode catalyst on the opposite surface. [0003] The term "fuel c...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(China)
IPC IPC(8): H01M2/14H01M8/24H01M8/02H01M8/04H01M8/10
CPCH01M8/0267H01M8/249H01M8/0258H01M8/04156H01M8/2405H01M8/04089Y02E60/50H01M8/2465H01M8/0263H01M8/0265
Inventor P·A·拉帕波尔特J·A·罗克A·D·博斯科J·P·萨尔瓦多尔H·加斯泰格尔L·A·佩恩
Owner GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY