Bipolar plate assembly, fuel cell stacks and fuel cell systems incorporating the same
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
H01M-008/02
H01M-008/24
출원번호
US-0153282
(2002-05-21)
발명자
/ 주소
Edlund, David J.
출원인 / 주소
IdaTech, LLC
대리인 / 주소
Kolisch Hartwell, P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
11인용 특허 :
43
초록▼
A layered bipolar plate assembly and fuel cell stacks and fuel cell systems incorporating the same. In some embodiments, the bipolar plate assembly includes a structural metal that provides strength to the assembly and a conductive metal that provides favorable electrical conductivity. In some embod
A layered bipolar plate assembly and fuel cell stacks and fuel cell systems incorporating the same. In some embodiments, the bipolar plate assembly includes a structural metal that provides strength to the assembly and a conductive metal that provides favorable electrical conductivity. In some embodiments, the structural metal is diffusion bonded to the conductive metal to decrease the electrical resistance between the structural metal and the conductive metal. A flow field established on the surface of the bipolar plate assembly is present in some embodiments. The flow field may be established by sacrificially etching the conductive metal with an etchant configured to etch the conductive metal while leaving the structural metal at most substantially unetched. Methods for forming the bipolar plate assemblies and fuel cell systems including fuel cell stacks with the bipolar plate assemblies are also disclosed.
대표청구항▼
1. A fuel cell stack, comprising:a pair of end plates; a plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies arranged in series between the pair of end plates; and a bipolar plate assembly operatively interposed between adjacently situated membrane-electrode assemblies, wherein the bipolar plate assembly inc
1. A fuel cell stack, comprising:a pair of end plates; a plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies arranged in series between the pair of end plates; and a bipolar plate assembly operatively interposed between adjacently situated membrane-electrode assemblies, wherein the bipolar plate assembly includes a structural layer of a structural metal, a conductive layer of a conductive metal intermetallically diffused to the structural layer, and a flow field at least partially defined by the conductive layer, wherein the structural metal and the conductive metal have different compositions, wherein the structural metal has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than the conductive metal, wherein the conductive layer includes opposed first and second faces, wherein the first face is intermetallically diffused to the structural layer where the first face abuts the structural layer, and further wherein the flow field extends from an opening in the second face toward the first face and comprises of at least one channel from which the conductive metal has been removed to define laterally spaced sidewalls and a bottom. 2. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the structural metal includes titanium.3. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the conductive metal includes stainless steel.4. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the structural metal includes titanium, and the conductive metal includes stainless steel.5. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the bipolar plate assembly is configured to conduct electrical charge from one of the membrane-electrode assemblies to another of the membrane-electrode assemblies.6. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the flow field includes a sacrificially etched flow field channel.7. The fuel cell stack of claim 6, wherein the flow field channel extends into the conductive layer.8. The fuel cell stack of claim 7, wherein the flow field channel extends through the conductive layer and includes a bottom defined at least partially by the structural layer.9. The fuel cell stack of claim 6, wherein the conductive layer has a thickness and the flow field has a depth that is equal to the thickness of the conductive layer.10. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the conductive metal has a lower electrical contact resistance than the structural metal.11. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is a first conductive layer, and the bipolar plate assembly further includes a second conductive layer of the conductive metal intermetallically diffused to the structural layer opposite the first conductive layer.12. The fuel cell stack of claim 11 wherein the bipolar plate assembly further includes a second flow field at least partially defined by the second conductive layer.13. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, in combination with a source of hydrogen gas adapted to deliver a stream of hydrogen gas to the fuel cell stack.14. The fuel cell stack of claim 13 wherein the source includes a fuel processor adapted to produce the stream of hydrogen gas from a feed stream.15. The fuel cell stack of claim 14 wherein the feed stream includes water and a carbon-containing feedstock.16. The fuel cell stack of claim 15 wherein the fuel processor includes a reforming region adapted to produce a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases from the feed stream, and further wherein the stream of hydrogen gas is formed from the mixed gas stream.17. The fuel cell stack of claim 16, wherein the fuel processor further includes a separation region that contains at least one hydrogen-selective membrane adapted to separate the mixed gas stream into a hydrogen-rich stream containing at least substantially pure hydrogen gas and a byproduct stream containing at least a substantial portion of the other gases.18. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the bipolar plate assembly is free from a surface oxide layer between the first face of the conductive layer and the structural layer.19. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is not permeable to hydrogen gas or water other than through the flow field.20. The fuel cell stack of claim 8, wherein the flow field channel extends into the structural layer.21. A fuel cell stack, comprising:a pair of end plates; a plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies arranged between the pair of end plates; and a bipolar plate assembly operatively interposed between adjacently situated membrane-electrode assemblies, wherein the bipolar plate assembly comprises: a structural core of a structural metal, wherein the structural metal includes at least one of titanium, vanadium, and alloys thereof, an anode interfacing layer of a conductive metal joining the structural core at a first transitional region extending across the anode interfacing layer, the first transitional region consisting essentially of intermetallically diffused structural and conductive metals, and a cathode interfacing layer of the conductive metal joining the structural core at a second transitional region extending across the cathode interfacing layer, the second transitional region consisting essentially of intermetallically diffused structural and conductive metals, wherein the structural metal and the conductive metal have different compositions, wherein the structural metal has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than the conductive metal, and the conductive metal has a lower electrical contact resistance than the structural metal. 22. The fuel cell stack of claim 21, wherein the structural metal includes titanium, and the conductive metal includes stainless steel.23. The fuel cell stack of claim 21 wherein the bipolar plate assembly further includes an anode flow field at least partially defined by the anode interfacing layer.24. The fuel cell stack of claim 23 wherein the anode flow field extends into the anode interfacing layer.25. The fuel cell stack of claim 24, wherein the anode flow field extends through the anode interfacing layer and includes a bottom defined at least partially by the structural core.26. The fuel cell stack of claim 21 wherein the bipolar plate assembly further includes a cathode flow field at least partially defined by the cathode interfacing layer.27. The fuel cell stack of claim 26 wherein the cathode flow field extends into the cathode interfacing layer.28. The fuel cell stack of claim 27 wherein the cathode flow field extends through the cathode interfacing layer and includes a bottom defined at least partially by the structural core.29. The fuel cell stack of claim 21 wherein a portion of the structural core is located on an anode-side plate, and another portion is located on a cathode-side plate, and wherein a conduit is located between the anode-side plate and the cathode-side plate.30. The fuel cell stack of claim 25, wherein the anode flow field extends into the structural core.31. The fuel cell stack of claim 23 wherein the anode flow field includes at least one sacrificially etched channel.32. The fuel cell stack of claim 23 wherein the anode flow field comprises channels having a bottom extending toward the cathode interfacing layer, generally opposed sidewalls and an opening opposite the bottom.33. The fuel cell stack of claim 28 wherein the cathode flow field extends into the structural core.34. The fuel cell stack of claim 26, wherein the cathode flow field includes at least one sacrificially etched channel.35. The fuel cell stack of claim 26, wherein the cathode flow field comprises channels having a bottom extending toward the anode interfacing layer, generally opposed sidewalls and an opening opposite the bottom.36. The fuel cell stack of claim 21 wherein the anode interfacing layer is not permeable to hydrogen gas.37. The fuel cell stack of claim 21 wherein the cathode interfacing layer not permeable to water.38. The fuel cell stack of claim 21, wherein the first transitional region is free from a surface oxide layer between the anode interfacing layer and the structural core.39. The fuel cell stack of claim 21 wherein the second transitional region is free from a surface oxide layer between the cathode interfacing layer and the structural core.
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