Abstract: The present disclosure provides a separator plate suitable for use in a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell. Also provided is a fuel cell and an article including the separator plate. Further, the present disclosure provides a fuel cell stack where each fuel cell includes the separator plate. Additionally, a closed-cathode proton-exchange membrane fuel cell stack is disclosed.

Abstract: A fuel cell device includes at least one fuel cell column containing first and second fuel cell stacks, a fuel manifold located between the first and second fuel cell stacks and configured to provide fuel to the first and second fuel cell stacks, and a dielectric material located to electrically isolate the first and second fuel cell stacks from the fuel manifold.

Abstract: An end plate for a fuel cell stack includes a metal plate body having through-holes and inner circumference covering portions, which cover the inner circumferential surfaces of the through-holes. A part of the outer circumferential surface of the plate body that corresponds to inner ends of the inner circumference covering portions in the thickness direction is covered by an outer circumference covering portion, which is formed integrally with the inner circumference covering portions. The circumferential edge of the outer end of each through-hole is constituted by four linear portions and four arcuate portions connecting the ends of the linear portions to each other. The radius of curvature of each arcuate portion is in the range between 8 mm and 15 mm inclusive.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stack; a case that accommodates the stack; and end plates arranged in the outside of a stacking direction and formed with fluid flow path holes penetrating in the stacking direction an accommodating groove for accommodating a seal member for sealing a part between the accommodating groove and the case. The end plates have a metal member formed with the fluid flow path holes, a first recess and a second recess that continues to the first recess, and a resin layer that continuously covers an inner peripheral wall surface of the fluid flow path holes, a surface that faces the stack, a part that includes at least an outer peripheral side end in the first recess, and the second recess, in the metal member. The resin layer is formed with the accommodating groove in a surface corresponding to the end surface of the case in a part covering the part that includes at least the outer peripheral side end in the first recess.

Abstract: An end plate of a fuel cell stack includes a metal plate body and a resin cover. The plate body includes a main portion, through holes extending through the main portion, and a flange portion including a fastening surface fastened to a flange of a case. The main portion includes a peripheral surface including a peripheral recess and an inner end surface that projects toward the inner side from the fastening surface. The cover includes an inner portion, a peripheral portion that covers the peripheral surface of the main portion, and an opposing portion that covers an inner end surface of the flange portion and opposes the flange of the case. The peripheral portion includes a peripheral projection that fills the peripheral recess and restricts contraction of the peripheral portion toward the inner side.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack comprises a stacked body, an end plate and a case configured such that the stacked body is placed therein. The end plate is arranged to cover an end face of the stacked body in a stacking direction and an end face of the case in the stacking direction and is fastened to the end face of the case. A placement groove is formed in at least one surface out of two surfaces of the end plate and the case opposed to each other, such that a seal member is placed in the placement groove. The end plate includes a resin layer formed to continuously cover an inner circumferential wall surface of the fluid flow path hole, a surface of the end plate opposed to the stacked body, and an outer circumferential side end of the placement groove.

Abstract: Fluid distribution plate (1) for a fuel cell assembly, comprising a first plate (11) made of an electrically conductive material impermeable to all the fluids used in a fuel cell assembly, said distribution plate having a useful section (S) which is the surface over which the gases used by the electrochemical reaction are distributed, said useful section (S) being bordered all around by a peripheral section (P), said first plate having a given thickness e1 in the peripheral section and a smaller thickness e2 in the useful section so as to form a recess from the side facing the outer face and so as to have a flat inner surface, a flexible graphite foil (11C) being applied against said first plate (11) over the entire surface of the recess, the visible face of the flexible graphite foil having a distribution channel (111) for one of the fluids, said network being formed completely in the graphite foil.

Abstract: A product comprising a fuel cell component comprising a substrate and a coating overlying the substrate, the coating comprising nanoparticles having sizes ranging from 2 to 100 nanometers.

Abstract: A current producing cell has anode flow plates 22 and cathode flow plates 20. Each of the flow plates 20, 22 defines a membrane face 26, a collector face 24, and a center axis C perpendicular to the membrane face 26 and the collector face 24. Each of the collector faces 24 define a plurality of cooling channels 74, 76, 78 and a plurality of transport channels 62, 64. The cooling channels 74, 76, 78 of the cathode flow plates 20 extend radially relative to the center axis C thereof to overlap the transport channels 62, 64 of the anode flow plates 22.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack configured to alleviate pressure and decrease the flow rate of at least one of a fuel and an oxidant is disclosed. The fuel cell stack includes a membrane-electrode assembly, an anode separator, a cathode separator and a filing member. The membrane-electrode assembly may include an electrolyte membrane, an anode formed on a first surface of the electrolyte membrane, and a cathode formed on a second surface of the electrolyte membrane. The anode separator may include a fuel channel, a fuel inlet manifold in fluid communication with the fuel channel, and a fuel outlet manifold in fluid communication with the fuel channel. The cathode separator may include an oxidant channel, an oxidant inlet manifold in fluid communication with the oxidant channel, and an oxidant outlet manifold in fluid communication with the oxidant channel. The filling member may be positioned within at least one of the fuel inlet manifold and the oxidant inlet manifold.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a gas delivery device for a fuel cell system includes a hollow ceramic element comprising a dielectric material having at least one groove in one end face of the ceramic element and a first metal tube, wherein an end of the first metal tube is inserted into the groove of the hollow ceramic element. According to an embodiment, a fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack or column, a gas delivery line fluidly connected to the stack or column, and a coefficient of thermal expansion compensator/isolator located in the gas delivery line, where the coefficient of thermal expansion compensator/isolator includes a hollow ceramic element made of a dielectric material having at least one groove in one end face of the ceramic element, a first metal tube, where an end of the first metal tube is inserted into the groove of the hollow ceramic element, and a hollow flexible element which compensates for differences in coefficients of thermal expansion between components of the fuel cell system.

Abstract: To mitigate bubble blockage in water passageways (78, 85), in or near reactant gas flow field plates (74, 81) of fuel cells (38), passageways are configured with (a) intersecting polygons, obtuse angles including triangles, trapezoids, or (b) hydrophobic surfaces (111), or (c) differing adjacent channels (127, 128), or (d) water permeable layers (93, 115, 116, 119) adjacent to water channels or hydrophobic/hydrophilic layers (114, 120).

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention a fuel cell device array monolith comprises at least three planar electrolyte sheets having two sides. The electrolyte sheets are situated adjacent to one another. At least one of the electrolyte sheets is supporting a plurality of anodes situated on one side of the electrolyte sheet; and plurality of cathodes situated on the other side of the electrolyte sheet. The electrolyte sheets are arranged such that the electrolyte sheets with a plurality of cathodes and anodes is situated between the other electrolyte sheets. The at least three electrolyte sheets are joined together by sintered fit, with no metal frames or bipolar plates situated therebetween.

Abstract: A fuel cell battery (2) has a structure in which a plurality of cells are stacked and in-series connected. The cells include a cell (15), and one or more cells (16) of a cell stack (11). Hydrogen that has entered the fuel cell battery (2) from a channel (12) is supplied to each cell through a supply manifold (13). After the amount of hydrogen needed for power generation is consumed, gas is discharged as a fuel off-gas into a discharge manifold (14), and then flows into the cell (15). This prevents impurities contained in the fuel off-gas from being accumulated in the cells (16), and causes the impurities to be accumulated in the cell (15). Thus, variations in the amount of power generation among the cells can be restrained in a fuel cell battery system that employs a dead-end method.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell module includes a manifold member comprising a plurality of openings. The solid oxide fuel cell module further includes a plurality of fuel cell tube units. The solid oxide fuel cell module further includes a fuel cell tube unit to manifold interconnect member providing a fluid flow channel between the manifold member and the plurality of tubes, wherein the fuel cell tube unit to manifold interconnect member comprises a polymer material.

Abstract: This invention relates to a fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack and a heat exchanger wrapped around the stack. The fuel cell stack comprises a fuel cell that operates at high elevated temperatures, such as a solid oxide fuel cell; the fuel cell can have a tubular configuration and comprise a pair of concentrically arranged electrode layers sandwiching a concentrically arranged electrolyte layer. The heat exchanger wraps around the fuel cell stack and comprises a flexible, thermally conductive first layer and an overlapping flexible, thermally conductive second layer spaced from the first layer. The first and second layers define adjacent annular oxidant supply and oxidant exhaust channels when wrapped around the stack.

Abstract: The invention provides a fuel cell metallic separator, wherein the metallic plate's edges include a resin portion comprising the communication ports. The resin portion around the communication ports is shaped so as to be capable of interlocking with a fuel cell stack component adjacently located in a fuel cell system. The invention also provides a resin portion capable of press fitting or thermal bonding with adjacent a fuel cell stack components.