초록 ▼

A reactant flow system for a proton exchange membrane (PEM), hydrogen-air, fuel cell stack, is described. The flow system includes the use of single-pass or multi-pass, flow channels. A flow channel section having at least one adjacent channel section whose reactant flows in an opposite direction th

A reactant flow system for a proton exchange membrane (PEM), hydrogen-air, fuel cell stack, is described. The flow system includes the use of single-pass or multi-pass, flow channels. A flow channel section having at least one adjacent channel section whose reactant flows in an opposite direction thereto. The system has respective reactant inlets that are effectively adjacent to reactant outlets of the adjacent channel section. Restrictions are used at the reactant inlets to assure substantially uniform reactant flow among all of the flow channels. The PEM fuel cell stack has a mechanism for removing heat therefrom in order to prevent drying out of the electrolyte membrane.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A reactant flow system for a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of cells in which each cell of said PEM fuel cell stack comprises a positive cathode electrode at which reactant oxygen reduction takes place, a negative anode electrode at

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A reactant flow system for a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of cells in which each cell of said PEM fuel cell stack comprises a positive cathode electrode at which reactant oxygen reduction takes place, a negative anode electrode at which reactant fuel is oxidized, a proton-exchange electrolyte membrane disposed between said positive cathode electrode and said negative anode electrode, and wherein between pairs of adjacent cells are disposed a cathode flow-field for distributing oxygen to an adjacent cathode electrode, at a side of said adjacent cathode electrode opposite a side in contact with a corresponding proton-exchange electrolyte membrane, an anode flow-field for distributing fuel to an adjacent anode electrode, at a side of said adjacent anode electrode opposite a side in contact with a corresponding proton-exchange electrolyte membrane, and a reactant separator layer disposed between said cathode flow-field and said anode flow-field, said reactant separator layer isolating said oxygen in said cathode flow-field from said fuel in said anode flow-field, said PEM fuel cell stack being configured to prevent said electrolyte membrane from drying out, wherein said flow-field for at least one reactant of said reactant oxygen and said reactant fuel, includes at least one pair of reactant flow channels, and further wherein at least a portion of each reactant flow channel is operatively adjacent to at least one corresponding flow channel such that a reactant flow direction in the flow channel is opposite a reactant flow direction in at least one operatively adjacent flow channel, and each reactant flow channel has a reactant inlet and a reactant outlet.