A fuel cell system comprises a main body including a first partial header and a fastening point. The main body is adapted to be coupled to a plurality of plates forming a fuel cell stack, allowing a single plate design to be used for multiple fuel cell stack lengths having a large differential of en
A fuel cell system comprises a main body including a first partial header and a fastening point. The main body is adapted to be coupled to a plurality of plates forming a fuel cell stack, allowing a single plate design to be used for multiple fuel cell stack lengths having a large differential of energy requirements, affording a durable alignment mechanism for the fuel cell stack, and providing integration flexibility for components and configurations of the fuel cell system.
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising: a first fuel cell plate including a first partial header, a first fastening channel, a first slot extending between the first fastening channel and an edge of the first fuel cell plate, and an active area for distributing gaseous reactants to a membrane electrode a
1. A fuel cell system, comprising: a first fuel cell plate including a first partial header, a first fastening channel, a first slot extending between the first fastening channel and an edge of the first fuel cell plate, and an active area for distributing gaseous reactants to a membrane electrode assembly disposed adjacent the first fuel cell plate, where an electrochemical reaction of the gaseous reactants occurs in the active area; anda main body including a second partial header and a fastening point, the fastening point coupled to the first fuel cell plate and passing through the first slot and the first fastening channel, the fastening point of the main body physically attaching the main body to the first fuel cell plate to form a first header having the first partial header in fluid communication with the second partial header, wherein a portion of the fastening point has a width greater than a width of the first slot. 2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein the fastening point substantially conforms to a shape of the first fastening channel prior to entry into the first fastening channel. 3. The fuel cell system according to claim 2, wherein the fastening point extends along a length of the second partial header and slidingly engages the first fastening channel. 4. The fuel cell system according to claim 2, wherein the fastening point includes two retention notches, each of the two retention notches having a rectangular shape and formed at opposing sides of the fastening point. 5. The fuel cell system according to claim 2, further comprising a sealant disposed in a sealant cavity, the sealant cavity defining a portion of the first fastening channel, the sealant militating against a fluid leaking from the first partial header through an interface of the main body and the first fuel cell plate. 6. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, further comprising a fastening keyway formed by bifurcations in the fastening point, wherein the fastening keyway extends along a length of the second partial header, is substantially rectangular in shape; and has an open side to allow for expansion of the fastening point. 7. The fuel cell system according to claim 6, further comprising a header key disposed in the fastening keyway, the fastening keyway having a width smaller than a width of the header key, the header key having a chamfered end thereon to facilitate insertion of the header key into the fastening keyway. 8. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of liquid management features integrally formed on an inner wall of the second partial header and directed toward the first partial header, the liquid management features acting to militate against liquid retention within the first header. 9. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, further comprising a second fuel cell plate including a second fastening channel and a second slot extending between the second fastening channel and an edge of the second fuel cell plate, wherein the first fastening channel is aligned with the second fastening channel and the fastening point of the main body is received simultaneously in both the first fastening channel and the second fastening channel. 10. The fuel cell system according to claim 9, wherein the fastening point includes retention notches, the first fuel cell plate includes first retention protuberances to each side of the first slot, and the second fuel cell plate includes second retention protuberances to each side of the second slot, each of the first retention protuberances and each of the second retention protuberances having a rectangular shape substantially corresponding to a shape of each of the retention notches formed in the fastening point. 11. A fuel cell system, comprising: a fuel cell plate including: a plurality of first partial headers; anda plurality of fastening channels with one individual fastening channel of the plurality of fastening channels located between successive first partial headers of the plurality of the first partial headers, wherein each of the fastening channels includes a slot extending to an outer edge of the fuel cell plate; anda main body including: a plurality of second partial headers, each of the second partial headers individually aligned with a respective first partial header of the plurality of first partial headers, the second partial headers oppositely directed with respect to the first partial headers, each of the first partial headers individually cooperating with a respective one of the second partial headers to form a plurality of first headers; anda plurality of fastening points individually integrally connected to the main body between successive ones of the plurality of the second partial headers and oppositely extending with respect to the plurality of the second partial headers, each of the plurality of the fastening points individually coupled to the fuel cell plate and individually passing into a respective one of the plurality of the fastening channels, each of the plurality of the slots narrower than each of the plurality of the fastening points, the plurality of the fastening points of the main body physically attaching the main body to the fuel cell plate. 12. The fuel cell system according to claim 11, wherein the main body includes three of the second partial headers and four of the fastening points and wherein one of the second partial headers includes a coolant inlet conduit integrally formed therewith at an intermediate position along a length thereof. 13. The fuel cell system according to claim 11, wherein sealing ridges are disposed on opposite facing sides of each of the fastening points. 14. The fuel cell system according to claim 13, wherein each of the sealing ridges is triangular shaped and each of the fastening points including the sealing ridges individually has a width substantially equal to a width of each of the fastening channels individually. 15. A fuel cell system, comprising: multiple fuel cell plates, each of the multiple fuel cell plates including: multiple semi-circular cross-sectional shaped first partial headers; andmultiple fastening channels with individual ones of the multiple fastening channels located between successive ones of the multiple first partial headers;a slot extending between each of the multiple fastening channels and an edge of the fuel cell plate; anda main body including: multiple semi-circular cross-sectional shaped second partial headers, each of the second partial headers individually aligned with a respective first partial header, the multiple second partial headers oppositely directed with respect to the multiple first partial headers and in fluid communication with the multiple first partial headers to form multiple first headers, andmultiple fastening points individually integrally connected to the main body between successive ones of the multiple second partial headers and oppositely extending with respect to the multiple second partial headers, the multiple fastening points each coupled to each of the multiple fuel cell plates with each of the multiple fastening points individually passing into one of the multiple fastening channels, wherein the slot of each of the multiple fastening channels is individually narrower than each of the multiple fastening points, the multiple fastening points of the main body physically attaching the main body to each of the multiple fuel cell plates thereby forming the multiple first headers. 16. The fuel cell system according to claim 15, wherein each of the multiple fastening points individually includes a fastening keyway formed by at least two bifurcations. 17. The fuel cell system according to claim 16, wherein each of the fastening keyways extends along a length of the main body. 18. The fuel cell system according to claim 16, wherein each of the fastening keyways is substantially rectangular in shape. 19. The fuel cell system according to claim 16, wherein each of the fastening keyways includes an open side to allow for expansion of each of the multiple fastening points.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (3)
Washington Kirk B. (Richmond CAX) Kenna John T. (N. Vancouver CAX) Ramji Shiraz N. (N. Vancouver CAX) James Gregory A. (Vancouver CAX), Edge manifold assembly for an electrochemical fuel cell stack.
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