Abstract: A membrane fuel cell delimited by bipolar plates comprising a cathodic compartment and an anodic compartment, said cathodic compartment comprising means for feeding air from the bottom to the top, said anodic compartment comprising means for feeding a hydrogen-containing fuel from the top to the bottom, at least one of said cathodic and anodic compartment comprising a flow distributor consisting of a porous material and a method of operating cell said.

Abstract: The cooling device of the present invention is intercalated to the fuel cells assembled in a stack and comprises a planar, elastically deformable, conductive and porous element capable of ensuring both the passage of a suitable coolant and the electrical continuity between the walls delimiting the same. The planar conductive deformable and porous element is characterized by being provided with linear sections capable of guiding the coolant flow so as to reliably achieve a uniform heat withdrawal. The linear sections may have a straight shape and consist of inert impervious and preferably elastic material.

Abstract: An electrical generation system, a membrane fuel cell system, suitable for being employed in mobile application, for instance in vehicular applications as a direct electric current generation system comprising at least one polymer membrane fuel cell stack with means for adjusting the temperature of the cells comprising circulating a coolant inside the cells at constant flow-rate, the water and the thermal management of the system being regulated by acting only on the flow-rate of the air feed and on the cell inlet temperature of the coolant.

Abstract: The invention describes a bipolar unit consisting of a pair of metal plates at least one of which is corrugated, fixed by continuous and hydraulically impervious connections, and provided on the external surfaces thereof with porous electric current collectors also suitable for the distribution of the gaseous reactants. The collector facing the plate corrugations is interpenetrated therein, thereby achieving a continuous contact. Two bipolar units of the invention and one interposed MEA element are assembled to form an elementary fuel cell with an improved electric current distribution. Furthermore the channels formed between the mutually contacting surfaces of the plate pair by the corrugations of at least one of the plates of each bipolar unit, are crossed by a coolant allowing to optimally adjust the cell operative temperature.

Abstract: A bipolar unit comprising a pair of metal plates, at least one of which is corrugated, fixed by continuous and hydraulically impervious connections, and provided on the external surfaces thereof with porous electric current collectors suitable for the distribution of the gaseous reactants, the collector facing the plate corrugations is interpenetrated therein, thereby achieving a continuous contact and two bipolar units of the invention and one interposed MEA element being assembled to form an elementary fuel cell with an improved electric current distribution and the channels formed between the mutually contacting surfaces of the plate pair by the corrugations of at least one of the plates of each bipolar unit, are crossed by a coolant allowing to optimally adjust the cell operative temperature.

Abstract: The invention describes a bipolar unit consisting of a pair of metal plates at least one of which is corrugated, fixed by continuous and hydraulically impervious connections, and provided on the external surfaces thereof with porous electric current collectors also suitable for the distribution of the gaseous reactants. The collector facing the plate corrugations is interpenetrated therein, thereby achieving a continuous contact. Two bipolar units of the invention and one interposed MEA element are assembled to form an elementary fuel cell with an improved electric current distribution. Furthermore the channels formed between the mutually contacting surfaces of the plate pair by the corrugations of at least one of the plates of each bipolar unit, are crossed by a coolant allowing to optimally adjust the cell operative temperature.

Abstract: It is described a bipolar separator for polymer membrane fuel cell stacks, delimited by two sheets provided with fluid passage holes connected by means of a corrugated element and comprising a passage section for a thermostatting liquid, which allows to achieve the withdrawal of heat from the adjacent cells and the humidification and distribution of gases with a single integrated piece, simplifying the assembly and the hydraulic sealing of the stack.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a membrane electrochemical generator (200) formed by a multiplicity of reaction cells (201) mutually connected in electrical series and assembled according to a bipolar configuration. In accordance with the present invention, the thermal management of the membrane electrochemical generator (200) and the hydration of the membrane (204) are ensured by the injection of a cooling fluid, preferably liquid water, in the gaseous reactant feed. Such an injection takes place through a multiplicity of calibrated fluid injection holes (230) obtained in conductive bipolar plates (203) delimiting the reaction files (201). The cooling fluid can be preheated by passing through a collector/distributor structure (206) located in an additional cell (202).

Abstract: A membrane electrochemical generator comprises a multiplicity of reaction cells (101) mutually connected in series and assembled according to a filter-press type configuration. Each reaction cell is delimited by a pair of conductive bipolar plates (103), which comprises a multiplicity of first calibrated holes (113a) for the passage of the gaseous reactants and a multiplicity of second calibrated holes (113b) for the discharge of the reaction products and of the optional residual reactants. The cooling cells (102) comprises a rigid peripheral portion (102a), whereupon a gasket (117) is laid, defining and sealing on each face of such peripheral portion a zone of collection of the gaseous reactants (118a) and a zone of collection of the reaction products and of the residual reactants (118b). In a filter-press configuration, these two zones are respectively overlaid to the first calibrated holes to reach the active area of the reaction cells (101).

Abstract: The invention describes a bipolar unit consisting of a pair of metal plates at least one of which is corrugated, fixed by continuous and hydraulically impervious connections, and provided on the external surfaces thereof with porous electric current collectors also suitable for the distribution of the gaseous reactants. The collector facing the plate corrugations is interpenetrated therein, thereby achieving a continuous contact. Two bipolar units of the invention and one interposed MEA element are assembled to form an elementary fuel cell with an improved electric current distribution. Furthermore the channels formed between the mutually contacting surfaces of the plate pair by the corrugations of at least one of the plates of each bipolar unit, are crossed by a coolant allowing to optimally adjust the cell operative temperature.

Abstract: A membrane fuel cell stack comprising metal current-collecting plates of high electrical conductivity made of aluminum or copper, having a reduced planform with respect to the one of the elementary cells, the galvanic-type corrosion phenomena affecting the current-collecting plates of the prior art and the consequent metal ion release in the circulating water are overcome.

Abstract: The cooling device of the present invention is intercalated to the fuel cells assembled in a stack and comprises a planar, elastically deformable, conductive and porous element capable of ensuring both the passage of a suitable coolant and the electrical continuity between the walls delimiting the same. The planar conductive deformable and porous element is characterized by being provided with linear sections capable of guiding the coolant flow so as to reliably achieve a uniform heat withdrawal. The linear sections may have a straight shape and consist of inert impervious and preferably elastic material.

Abstract: An electrochemical generator consisting of an alternation of membrane fuel cells and cooling cells with internal circulation of liquid water is described. The fuel cells are fed in at least one of the two compartments, anodic or cathodic, with dry gas, which is humidified through the passage of water coming from the adjacent cooling cell through a metal porous separating wall. The permeated liquid water contributes to the withdrawal of the heat of reaction by evaporating at least in part inside the fuel cells.

Abstract: An electrical generation system, a membrane fuel cell system, suitable for being employed in mobile application, for instance in vehicular applications as a direct electric current generation system comprising at least one polymer membrane fuel cell stack with means for adjusting the temperature of the cells comprising circulating a coolant inside the cells at constant flow-rate, the water and the thermal management of the system being regulated by acting only on the flow-rate of the air feed and on the cell inlet temperature of the coolant.

Abstract: A membrane fuel cell delimited by bipolar plates comprising a cathodic compartment and an anodic compartment, said cathodic compartment comprising means for feeding air from the bottom to the top, said anodic compartment comprising means for feeding a hydrogen-containing fuel from the top to the bottom, at least one of said cathodic and anodic compartment comprising a flow distributor consisting of a porous material and a method of operating cell said.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a membrane electrochemical generator (200) formed by a multiplicity of reaction cells (201) mutually connected in electrical series and assembled according to a bipolar configuration. In accordance with the present invention, the thermal management of the membrane electrochemical generator (200) and the hydration of the membrane (204) are ensured by the injection of a cooling fluid, preferably liquid water, in the gaseous reactant feed. Such an injection takes place through a multiplicity of calibrated fluid injection holes (230) obtained in conductive bipolar plates (203) delimiting the reaction files (201). The cooling fluid can be preheated by passing through a collector/distributor structure (206) located in an additional cell (202).

Abstract: An electrochemical generator consisting of an alternation of membrane fuel cells and cooling cells with internal circulation of liquid water is described. The fuel cells are fed in at least one of the two compartments, anodic or cathodic, with dry gas, which is humidified through the passage of water coming from the adjacent cooling cell through a metal porous separating wall. The permeated liquid water contributes to the withdrawal of the heat of reaction by evaporating at least in part inside the fuel cells.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an electrochemical generator fed with reactant gases, and in particular a fuel cell fed with a hydrogen-containing gas and with air at near ambient pressure. The electrochemical generator is characterised by asymmetry of the pressure drops localised in the distributing and collecting channels, wherein, in particular, the pressure drop concentrated in the collecting channels is substantially higher than that concentrated in the distributing channels. Moreover, the pressure in the active areas of the generator substantially coincides with the feeding one. Such a result is obtained by differentiating the design of the distributing channels from the one of the collecting channels, whose passage section is lowered and/or whose length is increased and/or whose amount is decreased.