Abstract: The present disclosure provides approaches for increasing the adhesion of a catalyst ink on a substrate, use of binders within an electrode ink to enhance coating uniformity, incorporating pore-forming agents within an electrode ink, approaches for growing an electrode on a reinforcement layer, increasing the electrochemically active surface area, and incorporation of certain materials in an electrode ink. The present disclosure also relates to electrodes for electrochemical cells, including area-scalable electrodes designed for high-speed manufacturing. The materials, devices and methods described herein may apply to either one or both of an anode or a cathode electrode for an electrochemical cell.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes a pair of bipolar plates and a membrane electrode assembly between the bipolar plates. The membrane electrode assembly comprises an anode compartment, a cathode compartment, and a proton exchange membrane disposed therebetween. The cell further includes a sealing surface formed in one of the pair of bipolar plates and a gasket located between the sealing surface and the proton exchange membrane. The gasket is configured to plastically deform to create a seal about one of the cathode compartment or the anode compartment. The sealing surface can include one or more protrusions.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell system and a method of controlling water imbalance is provided. The electrochemical cell system and the method both include determining a present water imbalance in the electrochemical cell by summing a waterin and a watercreated less a waterout; tracking a cumulative water imbalance during operation of the electrochemical cell by repeatedly determining the present water imbalance and continuing to sum the results during operation; and adjusting a flow rate of the oxidant feed gas entering the electrochemical cell based on the cumulative water imbalance.

Abstract: The present application relates to a flow field for use in an electrolysis cell comprising one or more sheets of porous material with a corrugated structure. The electrolysis cell comprises a membrane, an anode, a cathode, an anode reinforcement layer, a cathode reinforcement layer, an anode flow field, a cathode flow field, and a bipolar plate assembly comprising an embedded hydrogen seal. The anode flow field comprises one or more porous sheets having at least one straight edge and at least one of the porous sheets has the form of a corrugated pattern with a plurality of peaks and valleys whose axes are generally aligned with one straight edge of the sheet. The anode flow field geometry simultaneously provides resiliency, for efficient mechanical compression of the cell, and well-distributed mechanical support for the anode reinforcement layer adjacent to the anode flow field.

Abstract: An undulating structure for use in a fuel cell includes a plurality of peaks and valleys. A method of making a structure for use in a fuel cell includes providing a mesh or screen sheet having one or more edges, forming the mesh or screen sheet into an undulating structure and treating one or more of the edges. A flow field for a fuel cell, comprising at least one metal mesh or screen, wherein the at least one metal mesh or screen includes a plurality of peaks and valleys. A fuel cell, comprising a first corrugated mesh or screen positioned within an anode of the fuel cell, a second corrugated mesh or screen positioned within a cathode of the fuel cell, and a membrane positioned between the first corrugated mesh or screen and the second corrugated mesh or screen.

Abstract: An electrolyzer stack is configured for high-speed manufacturing and assembly of a plurality of scalable electrolysis cells. Each cell comprises a plurality of water windows configured to maintain a pressure loss, temperature rise and/or oxygen outlet volume fraction below predetermined thresholds. Repeating components of the cells are configured based on a desired roll web width for production and a stack compression system is configured to enable a variable quantity and variable area of said repeating cells in a single stack. A high-speed manufacturing system is configured to produce scalable cells and assemble scalable stacks at rates in excess of 1,000 MW-class stacks per year.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes a pair of bipolar plates and a membrane electrode assembly between the bipolar plates. The membrane electrode assembly comprises an anode compartment, a cathode compartment, and a proton exchange membrane disposed therebetween. The cell further includes a sealing surface formed in one of the pair of bipolar plates and a gasket located between the sealing surface and the proton exchange membrane. The gasket is configured to plastically deform to create a seal about one of the cathode compartment or the anode compartment. The sealing surface can include one or more protrusions.

Abstract: An electrolyzer stack is configured for high-speed manufacturing and assembly of a plurality of scalable electrolysis cells. Each cell comprises a plurality of water windows configured to maintain a pressure loss, temperature rise and/or oxygen outlet volume fraction below predetermined thresholds. Repeating components of the cells are configured based on a desired roll web width for production and a stack compression system is configured to enable a variable quantity and variable area of said repeating cells in a single stack. A high-speed manufacturing system is configured to produce scalable cells and assemble scalable stacks at rates in excess of 1,000 MW-class stacks per year.

Abstract: A modular fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly interposed between a pair of bipolar plates, and the membrane electrode assembly has a total active area measured in an x-y plane that is generally perpendicular to the z-axis. Each bipolar plate includes a plurality of common passages extending generally parallel to the z-axis. The total active area of the membrane electrode assembly includes a plurality of base active areas arranged co-planar in the x-y plane along an x-axis.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed towards the design of electrochemical cells for use in high pressure or high differential pressure operations. The electrochemical cells of the present disclosure have non-circular external pressure boundaries, i.e., the cells have non-circular profiles. In such cells, the internal fluid pressure during operation is balanced by the axial tensile forces developed in the bipolar plates, which prevent the external pressure boundaries of the cells from flexing or deforming. That is, the bipolar plates are configured to function as tension members during operation of the cells. To function as an effective tension member, the thickness of a particular bipolar plate is determined based on the yield strength of the material selected for fabricating the bipolar plate, the internal fluid pressure in the flow structure adjacent to the bipolar plate, and the thickness of the adjacent flow structure.

Abstract: An electrolyzer stack is configured for high-speed manufacturing and assembly of a plurality of scalable electrolysis cells. Each cell comprises a plurality of water windows configured to maintain a pressure loss, temperature rise and/or oxygen outlet volume fraction below predetermined thresholds. Repeating components of the cells are configured based on a desired roll web width for production and a stack compression system is configured to enable a variable quantity and variable area of said repeating cells in a single stack. A high-speed manufacturing system is configured to produce scalable cells and assemble scalable stacks at rates in excess of 1,000 MW-class stacks per year.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a catalytic reactor assembly having an outer tube and an inner tube is provided. The method may include inserting a catalyst into the outer tube and inserting the inner tube through the catalyst. The method may further include radially expanding the inner tube against the catalyst.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell stack having a plurality of electrochemical cells stacked along a longitudinal axis. The electrochemical cells include a membrane electrode assembly having an anode plate and a cathode plate with the membrane electrode assembly interposed therebetween. The electrochemical cells also include an anode plate and a cathode plate with the membrane electrode assembly interposed therebetween, and the anode plate defines a plurality of channels that form an anode flow field facing the anode catalyst layer. The electrochemical cells further include a cathode flow field positioned between the cathode plate and the cathode catalyst layer, wherein the cathode flow field comprises a porous structure.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell stack is provided. The electrochemical cell stack has a plurality of electrochemical cells. Each electrochemical cell has a membrane electrode assembly which includes a cathode catalyst layer, an anode catalyst layer, and a polymer membrane interposed between the catalyst layer and the anode layer. Each electrochemical cell also has an anode plate and a cathode plate with the membrane electrode assembly interposed therebetween, and a cathode flow field positioned between the cathode plate and the cathode catalyst layer. The cathode flow field includes a porous structure having a plurality of pores having an average pore size. The plurality of electrochemical cells has a first electrochemical cell positioned at a first end of the electrochemical cell stack. The porous structure of the first electrochemical cell has an average pore size greater than the average pore size of the porous structures of the plurality of electrochemical cells.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell stack having a plurality of electrochemical cells stacked along a longitudinal axis. The electrochemical cells include a membrane electrode assembly comprising a cathode catalyst layer, an anode catalyst layer, and a polymer membrane interposed between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer. The electrochemical cells also include an anode plate and a cathode plate with the membrane electrode assembly interposed therebetween, and the anode plate defines a plurality of channels that form an anode flow field facing the anode catalyst layer. The electrochemical cells further include a cathode flow field positioned between the cathode plate and the cathode catalyst layer, wherein the cathode flow field comprises a porous structure.

Abstract: A system and method of controlling water imbalance in an electrochemical cell is provided. The method includes determining a present water imbalance in the electrochemical cell by summing a waterin and a watercreated less a waterout. Waterin represents an amount of water introduced into the electrochemical cell by an oxidant feed gas; watercreated represents an amount of water created by the electrochemical cell from the electrochemical reaction; and waterout represents an amount of water discharged from the electrochemical cell by an oxidant exhaust gas. The method includes tracking a cumulative water imbalance during operation of the electrochemical cell by repeatedly determining the present water imbalance and continuing to sum the results during operation. And, the method also includes adjusting a flow rate of the oxidant feed gas entering the electrochemical cell based on the cumulative water imbalance.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a fuel cell module. The fuel cell module may include a fuel cell having an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte positioned between the anode and the cathode. The fuel cell module may also include an enclosure housing the fuel cell therein. The enclosure may include an air inlet and an air outlet. The fuel cell module may further include an air pressurizing mechanism fluidly connected to the enclosure. The air pressurizing mechanism may be configured to draw air through the air inlet into the enclosure and from the enclosure to the air pressurizing mechanism through the air outlet. The air pressurizing mechanism may be configured to pressurize the air to form a pressurized air stream that is directed to the cathode.

Abstract: An undulating structure for use in a fuel cell includes a plurality of peaks and valleys. A method of making a structure for use in a fuel cell includes providing a mesh or screen sheet having one or more edges, forming the mesh or screen sheet into an undulating structure and treating one or more of the edges. A flow field for a fuel cell, comprising at least one metal mesh or screen, wherein the at least one metal mesh or screen includes a plurality of peaks and valleys. A fuel cell, comprising a first corrugated mesh or screen positioned within an anode of the fuel cell, a second corrugated mesh or screen positioned within a cathode of the fuel cell, and a membrane positioned between the first corrugated mesh or screen and the second corrugated mesh or screen.

Abstract: A modular fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly interposed between a pair of bipolar plates, and the membrane electrode assembly has a total active area measured in an x-y plane that is generally perpendicular to the z-axis. Each bipolar plate includes a plurality of common passages extending generally parallel to the z-axis. The total active area of the membrane electrode assembly includes a plurality of base active areas arranged co-planar in the x-y plane along an x-axis.

Abstract: The design and method of fabrication of a three-dimensional, porous flow structure for use in a high differential pressure electrochemical cell is described. The flow structure is formed by compacting a highly porous metallic substrate and laminating at least one micro-porous material layer onto the compacted substrate. The flow structure provides void volume greater than about 55% and yield strength greater than about 12,000 psi. In one embodiment, the flow structure comprises a porosity gradient towards the electrolyte membrane, which helps in redistributing mechanical load from the electrolyte membrane throughout the structural elements of the open, porous flow structure, while simultaneously maintaining sufficient fluid permeability and electrical conductivity through the flow structure.