Nuvera Fuel Cells Europe Srl

Gabriele Mazzucchelli

Massimo Brambilla

Gian Piero Fleba

Antonio Maggiore

Luca Merlo

Enrico Ramunni

Giampaolo Brignoli

Paolo Monzani

The method for reusing current collectors/distributors is employed in an electrochemical generator () comprising a multiplicity of elementary cells () assembled in a filter-press configuration and comprising an array of conductive sheets () and of current collectors/distributors (). The method of the invention provides dissembling the electrochemical generator () once the presence of a damaged elementary cell () is detected. Subsequently, the method of the invention provides repairing/replacing the damaged cell for later reassembling the electrochemical generator () reusing the original current collectors/distributors (). to achieve this, while reassembling the electrochemical generator (), a mechanical means for adapting () is inserted between each conducting sheet () and the respective current collector/distributor (). Such mechanical means may consist in metallic meshes, metallic textiles, interwoven fibers, foraminous sheets or expanded sheets, thin sealing gaskets, sealing gaskets provided with sealing rings on a surface thereof, sealing gaskets made of an elastic material with low elasticity modulus.

Method for reusing current collectors/distributors of solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stacks

An improved design of gas fed polymeric membrane fuel cell stack is herein described. The stack is provided with a humidifying device which takes advantage of the atomization of a water stream over a high specific surface metallic material, and with a cooling circuit withdrawing the heat generated therein by thermal exchange on a peripheral region, external to the single cell active area. The device is particularly suited for high temperature and high current density operation.

Polymeric membrane fuel cell stack

The invention relates to a stack of polymeric membrane fuel cells, wherein the removal of the heat generated by the production of electric energy and the humidification of the ion exchange membranes used as electrolytes are obtained by the direct injection of a water flow coming from a single hydraulic circuit. The stack thus produced is more compact, less expensive and easier to operate.

Fuel cell with cooling system based on direct injection of liquid water

A humidification device for polymeric membrane fuel cell stacks fed with gaseous reactants is disclosed. The gases supplied to the stack are previously fed in admixture with a stream of liquid water to a chamber filled with a reticulated material, whose highly subdivided geometry provides an extended exchange surface favouring the saturation of gas. The device is more efficient and compact than those known in the art.

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Milan, Italy

Gabriele Mazzucchelli