Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Volkswagen Ag

Audi Ag

Benno Andreas-Schott

Thomas P Migliore

Jeffrey Allan Rock

Gerald W Fly

Glenn William Skala

Anthony G Chinnici

Stephen W Raiser

Ian R Jermy

Yeh-Hung Lai

Matthew J Beutel

Roger Michael Brisbane

Lee Curtis Whitehead

Mark William Keyser

Ivan Daryl Chapman

Joachim Lauk

Markus Ritter

Mahmoud H Abd Elhamid

Robert S Foley

Ralf Senner

Michael W Murphy

Martin Monroe Hoch

Christian Martin Zillich

Balsu Lakshmanan

Reiner Nico Behrendt

Ralph Senner

A membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell that includes a membrane electrode unit with a membrane and two electrodes which make surface contact with both faces of the membrane. The membrane electrode assembly has a seal support that surrounds the periphery of the membrane and that overlaps the latter. The membrane electrode also has a connecting layer which continuously overlaps the membrane and the seal support, an inner edge section of the connecting layer being bonded to the membrane electrode unit and an outer edge section of the connecting layer being bonded to the seal support on the same flat face of the connecting layer. A seal is connected outside the membrane to the seal support. A fuel cell is provided that includes a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies. A motor vehicle includes the fuel cell and a method is provided for producing the membrane electrode assembly.

Membrane electrode assembly, fuel cell comprising assembly of this type and motor vehicle comprising said fuel cell

A fuel cell () including at least one membrane assembly () arranged between at least two polar plates () of the fuel cell () is provided. The fuel cell () has at least one pair () of flow regions situated outside an active region () of the membrane assembly (), the pair having overlapping flow regions () on both sides of the membrane assembly (). A support () for supporting the membrane assembly () is arranged in one of the overlapping flow regions () on one side of the membrane assembly (), between the membrane assembly () and one of the polar plates ().

Fuel cell

A bipolar plate for a fuel cell, including a profiled anode plate and a profiled cathode plate each having an active region and two distributor regions with an anode gas main port for feeding and discharging fuel, a cathode gas main port for feeding and discharging oxidation agents, and a coolant main port for feeding and discharging coolant, these being arranged along a side edge. The bipolar plate includes distributor regions including at least one overlap section in which channels intersect one another in a non-fluidically connecting manner. The cathode gas main port is arranged between the anode gas main port and the coolant main port, cathode channels extend linearly from the port at least across the distributor region of the bipolar plate and, in a first overlap section, anode channels, and cathode channels intersect one another and form an angle of between 0&#xb0; and 90&#xb0;.

Bipolar plate and fuel cell comprising same

A bipolar plate for a fuel cell, having an anode side and a cathode side. The bipolar plate has two inactive supply regions, having anode gas channels which are each connected to one of two anode gas main channels and an anode gas flow field of an active region; cathode gas channels which are each connected to one of two cathode gas main channels and a cathode gas flow field of the active region; and coolant channels which are each connected to one of two coolant main channels and a coolant flow field of the active region. At least one of the anode gas main channels and the anode gas channels of the supply region connected thereto are arranged so that a length difference between a longest and a shortest anode gas channel of this supply region is at most 50% of the length of the longest anode gas channel.

Bipolar plate, fuel cell having such a plate and motor vehicle having such a fuel cell

A bipolar plate for a fuel cell, including a profiled anode plate and a profiled cathode plate, each having an active region and two distribution regions for feeding and discharging operating media to and from the active region, and each distribution region having a main anode-gas port for supplying and evacuating fuel, a main cathode-gas port for supplying and evacuating oxidant and a main coolant port for supplying and evacuating coolant, the ports being arranged along a lateral edge of the bipolar plate. The plates are stacked so that the bipolar plate has channels interconnecting the main operating media ports of both distribution regions, and the distribution regions have at least one overlapping section, in which the channels overlap such that they do not form fluidic connections. A fuel cell is also provided. The main cathode-gas port is arranged between the main anode-gas port and the main coolant port and, starting from the main cathode-gas port, cathode channels run rectilinearly at least over the distribution region of the bipolar plate.

Bipolar plate and fuel cell comprising a bipolar plate of this type

A cooling module () for a fuel cell () including a cooling circuit () for conducting a coolant, and a treatment unit () for the coolant, which is situated in the cooling circuit () in such a way that the coolant flowing in the cooling circuit () flows through it. The treatment unit () includes a filter medium () for removing metal ions from the coolant which includes a polymer having amidoxime and/or hydroxamic acid groups and is in contact with the coolant.

Cooling module for a fuel cell

A fuel cell device including a fuel cell stack with a flexible enclosure.

Fuel cell stack enclosure

A water vapor transfer unit assembly is disclosed, the water vapor transfer unit assembly including a plurality of water vapor transfer units having a fluid permeable membrane and a plurality of supports disposed within a sealing frame adjacent an end plate of a fuel cell stack, wherein the sealing frame is adapted to provide support to the end plate and a fuel cell stack of the fuel cell stack system.

Sealed water vapor transfer unit assembly with integrated load transferring structure

A fluid injection/ejection system for a fuel cell stack is disclosed, wherein the system includes an array of injectors and ejectors that support hydrogen recirculation and maximize a use of the hydrogen and an efficiency of the fuel cell stack.

Multiple injector and ejector array

An alignment system and method for assembling a fuel cell stack. Components of the fuel cell stack have internal alignment features and are aligned to a predetermined orientation during assembly. The system and method allow fuel cell stacks to be assembled within high tolerance levels while improving access to each component during assembly. Additionally, the system and method can provide additional rigidity to a fuel cell stack.

Aligning method for repeating and non-repeating units in a fuel cell stack

A three-way diverter assembly with a movable member is provided. The three-way diverter assembly includes a housing having a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet. The first inlet and the second inlet are adapted to receive a fluid. The movable member, disposed in the housing adjacent the first inlet, is rotatable about an axis from a first positional limit to a second positional limit, and selectively positional therebetween. Fuel cell systems having the three-way diverter assembly for regulating temperature and humidity of a fuel cell stack are also provided.

Three-way diverter assembly for a fuel cell system

A three-way diverter assembly with a contoured valve is provided. The three-way diverter assembly includes a housing having a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet. The first inlet and the second inlet are adapted to receive a fluid. The contoured valve is disposed in the housing adjacent the first inlet. The contoured valve is rotatable about an axis from a first positional limit to a second positional limit, and to a plurality of positions therebetween. Fuel cell systems having the three-way diverter assembly for regulating temperature and humidity of a fuel cell stack are also provided.

An end unit for a fuel cell stack is provided. The end unit includes a main body having a cavity and a substantially impermeable barrier disposed thereon to militate against heat transfer within the end unit and minimize a cost of insulating the end unit. A fuel cell system and a method of fabricating the end unit for use in a fuel cell system are also provided.

Low cost thermal insulation for a fuel cell stack integrated end unit

A fuel cell stack that includes a non-permeable shim plate positioned between a composite unipolar plate and a terminal plate at both ends of the stack, where the shim plate is made of a non-corrosive material, such as stainless steel, titanium or sealed graphite. Because the shim plate is non-permeable, it prevents cooling fluid that diffuses through the unipolar plate from contacting the terminal plate, which would otherwise corrode the terminal plate. The shim plate can be coated with a conductive material, such as gold, platinum, ruthenium oxide or mixtures thereof, to reduce its contact resistance.

Growing community of inventors

Pittsford, NY, United States of America

Benno Andreas-Schott