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Robust fuel cell stack sealing designs using thin elastomeric seals

A fuel cell and fuel cell system technology, applied in the direction of fuel cells, fuel cell components, power system fuel cells, etc., can solve problems such as difficult sealing

Inactive Publication Date: 2017-08-18
GM GLOBAL TECH OPERATIONS LLC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

While this configuration is more compatible with the aforementioned high-volume production needs, proper sealing remains difficult to achieve, especially given the inherent variability in fuel cell stack manufacturing, including dimensional tolerances of components and the potential for hundreds of or more cell-to-cell alignment of individual cells

Method used

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  • Robust fuel cell stack sealing designs using thin elastomeric seals
  • Robust fuel cell stack sealing designs using thin elastomeric seals
  • Robust fuel cell stack sealing designs using thin elastomeric seals

Examples

Experimental program
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Embodiment Construction

[0020] first reference Figure 1 to Figure 3 , showing the fuel cell stack in exploded form ( figure 1 ), PEM fuel cell ( figure 2 ) and bipolar plate assembly ( image 3 ) for a simplified view of the . The stack 1 includes a housing 5 made up of dry-end unit plates 10 and wet-end unit plates 15; these (and others not shown) may help to perform the compression clamping action of the compression-holding system of the housing 5; this compression-holding The system includes a number of bolts (not shown) extending through the thickness of the stack 1, and various side plates positioned vertically in the direction of the stack (Y-axis) for securing the wet end cell panels 15 to the dry end cell panels 10 20 and rigid support element 25. The stack of multiple fuel cells 30 is held securely in compressed relationship in the stacking direction by the action of the bolts, bracket elements 25 and other components within the casing 5 . Thus, herein, the stacking axis of the fuel c...

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Abstract

A sealing assembly for a fuel cell system and a method of assembling a fuel cell system. The system is made up of numerous fluid-conveying plate assemblies stacked such that seals are placed between adjacent plates. Microseals are disposed on one or both of metal beads and subgaskets such that when fuel cells comprising such metal beads, microseals and gaskets are aligned and compressed into a housing of a fuel cell stack, the leakage impacts of any misalignment in the cells is reduced. In particular, variations in microseal design including geometric and material properties such as microseal aspect ratio, Poisson's Ratio and as-deposited shape may be tailored to provide optimum sealing between facing metal beads and subgaskets.

Description

Background technique [0001] The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for improving the sealability of reactant and coolant flow of bonded or fluidly mated fluid transport plates used in fuel cell assemblies, and more particularly to metal beads disposed on The use of microseals on top, integrally formed on the cooperating surfaces of one or both plates, to provide more effective fluid isolation of reactants or coolants defined by Channel transport within the surface of the plate. [0002] Fuel cells convert fuel into usable energy through electrochemical reactions. A significant benefit of this approach is that it is achieved without relying on combustion as an intermediate step. Thus, fuel cells have several environmental advantages over internal combustion engines (ICEs) for propulsion and related power applications. In a typical fuel cell, such as a proton exchange membrane or polymer electrolyte membrane (in either case, PEM) fuel cell, a pair ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(China)
IPC IPC(8): H01M8/02H01M8/0276
CPCH01M8/02H01M8/0276H01M8/2404H01M8/2457H01M8/1007H01M8/0278H01M8/0284H01M8/0286H01M8/1004H01M8/242H01M8/2475Y02E60/50H01M8/0247H01M2250/20
Inventor A·梁Y-H·黎
Owner GM GLOBAL TECH OPERATIONS LLC