Abstract: A bipolar plate for an electrochemical cell, includes a flow space arranged between a first and a second plate element and has a flow inlet and a flow outlet for a coolant flowing through the flow space. Each plate element has a contact plane for contacting the other plate element and, between the flow inlet and the flow outlet, a plurality of elevations protrude from the contact plane and face away from the other plate element. The elevations have openings facing the contact plane. First flow channels are formed through the openings in the elevations by the elevations of the two plate elements being offset from one another. Each elevation at least partially overlaps at least one elevation of the other plate element. A direction-dependent flow resistance is set in the first flow channels of the bipolar plate.

Abstract: A fuel cell assembly with at least one PEM fuel cell for generating electrical energy from reactant gases includes at least one membrane/electrode having a membrane coated with platinum electrodes and, respectively positioned on each side, a porous gas diffusion layer, or having a membrane and, respectively positioned on each side, a porous gas diffusion layer coated with a platinum electrode, and also includes bipolar plates that lie against the gas diffusion layers and through which, during operation, a coolant flows, wherein at least one of the platinum electrodes has a smaller area than the gas diffusion layer, where the gas diffusion layer protrudes beyond the platinum electrode for a part of an edge region of the membrane/electrode unit, so that the formation of an electrochemical potential in this part of the edge region of the membrane/electrode unit is prevented in order to prevent damage to the membrane.

Abstract: A fuel cell module includes a fuel cell and an operating medium supplier for supplying operating media to the fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell has at least one stack of fuel cells, and the operating medium supplier has current terminals and has operating medium terminals, where availability of the fuel cell is further improved because the fuel cell and the operating medium supplier are separable from each other, and the fuel cell includes a module controller/regulator arranged on or in the fuel cell and is configured to bring the fuel cell to a secure state via a deactivation procedure before the fuel cell is separated from the operating medium supplier and/or to start up the fuel cell via an activation procedure after connection of the fuel cell to the operating medium supplier.

Abstract: A fuel cell assembly with at least one proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell for generating electrical energy from the reactant gases hydrogen and oxygen, which includes at least one membrane/electrode unit having a membrane that is coated with platinum electrodes and, respectively positioned on each side thereof, a porous gas diffusion layer, or which has a membrane and, respectively positioned on each side thereof, a porous gas diffusion layer that is coated with a platinum electrode, and which includes bipolar plates that lie against the gas diffusion layers and through which, during operation, a coolant flows, where access by at least one of the reactant gases to the membrane is blocked by a mechanical block for a part of an edge region of the membrane/electrode unit In order to prevent damage to the membrane.

Abstract: A fuel cell assembly with at least one PEM fuel cell for generating electrical energy from reactant gases includes at least one membrane/electrode having a membrane coated with platinum electrodes and, respectively positioned on each side, a porous gas diffusion layer, or having a membrane and, respectively positioned on each side, a porous gas diffusion layer coated with a platinum electrode, and also includes bipolar plates that lie against the gas diffusion layers and through which, during operation, a coolant flows, wherein at least one of the platinum electrodes has a smaller area than the gas diffusion layer, where the gas diffusion layer protrudes beyond the platinum electrode for a part of an edge region of the membrane/electrode unit, so that the formation of an electrochemical potential in this part of the edge region of the membrane/electrode unit is prevented in order to prevent damage to the membrane.

Abstract: A fuel cell assembly with at least one proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell for generating electrical energy from the reactant gases hydrogen and oxygen, which includes at least one membrane/electrode unit having a membrane that is coated with platinum electrodes and, respectively positioned on each side thereof, a porous gas diffusion layer, or which has a membrane and, respectively positioned on each side thereof, a porous gas diffusion layer that is coated with a platinum electrode, and which includes bipolar plates that lie against the gas diffusion layers and through which, during operation, a coolant flows, where access by at least one of the reactant gases to the membrane is blocked by a mechanical block for a part of an edge region of the membrane/electrode unit In order to prevent damage to the membrane.

Abstract: The gas content of a liquid is quickly and reliably controlled by delivering at least one sub-quantity of the liquid into a measurement cell in which a negative pressure is set. A wave-shaped measurement signal is applied to the sub-quantity, and the wave-shaped measurement signal is measured by at least one detector after coming into contact with the sub-quantity of the liquid. A turbidity value of the liquid is determined and compared with a threshold. If the turbidity value is greater than or equal to the threshold, a pressure and a temperature in the measurement cell are measured, and the gas content in the liquid is ascertained using stored characteristics for the solubility of the gas in the liquid dependent on the pressure and temperature.

Abstract: A humidification cell of a fuel cell apparatus includes a first outer plate and a second outer plate. A gas chamber, a humidification chamber and a water-permeable membrane separating the two chambers, are disposed between the first outer plate and the second outer plate, starting from the first outer plate. A first water-permeable support element that prevents fibers from detaching and also prevents medium flows from blocking narrow gas outlets, is disposed between the first outer plate and the membrane in such a way that the first support element is made of a filter material.

Abstract: A fuel cell assembly includes a fuel cell configuration having a solid electrolyte-based fuel cell with terminal contacts tapping an electrical voltage from the fuel cell configuration between which the fuel cell is disposed. An assembly has an electrically conductive component and another component disposed between a first terminal contact and the electrically conductive component on the side of the first terminal contact away from the fuel cell and has a lower electrical conductivity than that thereof. A supply duct transports a fluid medium connecting the first terminal contact to the electrically conductive component through the other component. The electrically conductive component is connected to the first terminal contact and/or a voltage supply adjusting an electrical potential on the electrically conductive component to an electrical potential on the first terminal contact. There is a maximum potential difference of 3 volts between the electrically conductive component and the first terminal contact.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes a flow chamber disposed between two plate elements and having a flow inlet and a flow outlet for a flow medium permeating the flow chamber and defining a main flow direction of the flow medium between the flow inlet and the flow outlet. One of the plate elements has protrusions for supporting the plate element on the other plate element in a regular grid structure, between which a network of flow channels passing through the flow chamber runs in at least one flow channel direction. The regular grid structure is configured in such a way that the grid of the flow channels has two or more flow channel directions each enclosing an angle differing from zero degrees relative to the main flow direction of the flow medium.

Abstract: The gas content of a liquid is quickly and reliably controlled by delivering at least one sub-quantity of the liquid into a measurement cell in which a negative pressure is set. A wave-shaped measurement signal is applied to the sub-quantity, and the wave-shaped measurement signal is measured by at least one detector after coming into contact with the sub-quantity of the liquid. A turbidity value of the liquid is determined and compared with a threshold. If the turbidity value is greater than or equal to the threshold, a pressure and a temperature in the measurement cell are measured, and the gas content in the liquid is ascertained using stored characteristics for the solubility of the gas in the liquid dependent on the pressure and temperature.

Abstract: A humidification cell of a fuel cell apparatus includes a first outer plate and a second outer plate. A gas chamber, a humidification water chamber, and a water-permeable membrane that separates the two chambers are disposed between the first outer plate and the second outer plate starting from the first outer plate. A first water-permeable support element is disposed between the first outer plate and the membrane. The first support element is made of a woven fabric formed of a plastic. A discharge and an entrainment of liquid water can be prevented during load changes or other non-stationary fuel cell operating states accompanied by a sudden change of gas volume flow in that the plastic is a fluoropolymer or a fluoroplastic. Advantageously, the fluoropolymer or fluoroplastic is formed at least partly, preferably entirely, of an alternating copolymer of ethylene and chlorotrifluorethylene (E-CTFE).

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes a flow chamber disposed between two plate elements and having a flow inlet and a flow outlet for a flow medium permeating the flow chamber and defining a main flow direction of the flow medium between the flow inlet and the flow outlet. One of the plate elements has protrusions for supporting the plate element on the other plate element in a regular grid structure, between which a network of flow channels passing through the flow chamber runs in at least one flow channel direction. The regular grid structure is configured in such a way that the grid of the flow channels has two or more flow channel directions each enclosing an angle differing from zero degrees relative to the main flow direction of the flow medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell comprising a separator, plate that is positioned between electrolyte-electrode units, said plate consisting of two embossed panels with contact surfaces that rest against one another. A fluidic chamber for a coolant is configured between the two pans and a fluidic chamber for a gas is configured between each panel and the respective adjacent electrolyte-electrode unit. The fluidic chamber for the coolant comprises two sub-chambers, each facing a respective panel, and said coolant traverses the fluidic chamber exclusively in an alternate manner through the two sub-chambers.

Abstract: A fuel cell with a gas chamber, arranged between two plate elements, is provided. One of the plate elements includes bosses for supporting the plate element on the other plate element in a regular grid structure. Between the bosses runs a network of gas channels passing through the gas chamber, the bosses being at most three times longer than wide. The bosses form between themselves first gas channels in a first region of the gas chamber and larger-volume second gas channels in a second region of the gas chamber.

Abstract: A fuel cell assembly includes a fuel cell configuration having a solid electrolyte-based fuel cell with terminal contacts tapping an electrical voltage from the fuel cell configuration between which the fuel cell is disposed. An assembly has an electrically conductive component and another component disposed between a first terminal contact and the electrically conductive component on the side of the first terminal contact away from the fuel cell and has a lower electrical conductivity than that thereof. A supply duct transports a fluid medium connecting the first terminal contact to the electrically conductive component through the other component. The electrically conductive component is connected to the first terminal contact and/or a voltage supply adjusting an electrical potential on the electrically conductive component to an electrical potential on the first terminal contact. There is a maximum potential difference of 3 volts between the electrically conductive component and the first terminal contact.

Abstract: The invention relates to a contact device which is arranged in a terminal compartment of a fuel cell stack and is used to electrically contact the fuel cell stack. According to the invention, the surface of said contact device is at least partially provided with a hydrophobic surface layer, facilitating the removal of water, e.g., condensation water, from the terminal compartment and thus from the fuel cell stack.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrochemical battery, in particular a fuel cell battery or electrolytic cell battery comprising several electrolytic electrode units, a number of cooling cards for respectively cooling at least one of the electrolytic electrode units and at least one pressure chamber, which can be impinged by a pressure independently of the media supply of the electrolytic electrode units, for creating a contact pressure between components of the electrochemical battery that adjoin the pressure chamber. The pressure chamber adjoins at least one of the cooling cards and is at least partly delimited by said cooling cards.

Abstract: A humidification cell of a fuel cell apparatus includes a first outer plate and a second outer plate. A gas chamber, a humidification chamber and a water-permeable membrane separating the two chambers, are disposed between the first outer plate and the second outer plate, starting from the first outer plate. A first water-permeable support element that prevents fibers from detaching and also prevents medium flows from blocking narrow gas outlets, is disposed between the first outer plate and the membrane in such a way that the first support element is made of a filter material.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack, supplied with a reaction gas on the gas inlet side and comprises at least one flush valve on the gas outlet side on a flush cell. A control device, which controls the actuation of the flush valve as a function of the voltage of the flush cell, is provided, wherein the voltage tap is provided in a region of the flush cell at which the concentration of the reaction gas drops the fastest to a predefined threshold value. Due to the voltage tap in the region where the concentration of the reaction gases drop the fastest to a predefined threshold value, a significantly more sensitive and precise regulation of the flush is possible and voltage dips are effectively prevented in the flush cell, as a result of which the overall risk of corrosion are minimized for the flush cell.