Abstract: This invention relates to designs and methods for desirably allowing the incorporation and/or removal of load cells (10) in a fuel cell stack (1) without significantly changing the load on the series stack of fuel cells when doing so. A relevant fuel cell stack (1) is of a simple construction comprising a compression assembly (18) located in an opening in an end-plate (3, 4) in which the assembly comprises a spring cap (11) with an inner shoulder (11a), a load cell button (12) slidable in the stack direction, and a spring assembly (13). A load cell (10) can then be incorporated along with an appropriate load cell cap (15), or removed in a like manner, without a significant change in load.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plate device (10) for an electrochemical fuel cell stack having stacked cells and a corresponding fuel cell device. The plate device is provided per each cell (20) for distributing and collecting a fluid across planar dimensions of a cell (20). A transition section (11) of the plate device (10) forms a flat shaped flow cross-section for a fluid to be transferred in a planar direction of the plate device (10) in fluid communication between a port (30, 31, 32, 33) and the cell (20), wherein a plurality of flow features (14) is disposed within the transition section (11) and the transition section (11) is enclosed by a boundary (17). According to the invention, the plate device (10) has at least one support feature (15, 16) that is integrally formed with the boundary (17) and with at least one of outermost arranged flow features (14) out of the plurality of flow features (14) for strutting the flat flow cross-section in a thickness direction of the plate device (10).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plate device (10) for an electrochemical fuel cell stack having stacked cells and a corresponding fuel cell device. The plate device is provided per each cell (20) for distributing and collecting a fluid across planar dimensions of a cell (20). A transition section (11) of the plate device (10) forms a flat shaped flow cross-section in a planar direction of the plate device (10) being in fluid communication between the fluid port (30) and the cell (20). Plate features for distributing or collecting a fluid to be transferred comprise at least one barrier element (16) being disposed within a fluid flow and having an elongated cross-section inclined to a flow direction of the fluid flow for locally throttling said fluid flow.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrochemical fuel cell device having stacked cells and a membrane-electrode assembly (20). The membrane-electrode assembly (20) comprises, amongst others, a first gas diffusion layer (21) arranged on one side of a membrane (23) and a second gas diffusion layer (22) arranged on the opposite side of the membrane (23) for distributing fluids across each side of the membrane (23).

Abstract: Simple membrane electrode and frame assemblies for a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack and improved methods for making them are disclosed which involve the use of a single adhesive layer. Using an appropriate design, the single adhesive layer can provide multiple bonds, including a bond between one of the gas diffusion layers and a catalyst coated membrane assembly, between the catalyst coated portion of the catalyst coated membrane assembly and the frame, and between either the other of the gas diffusion layers and the frame, or between an uncoated portion of the catalyst coated membrane assembly and the frame.