Audi Ag

United Technologies Corporation

Ballard Power Systems Corporation

Utc Power Corporation

Glenn Michael Allen

Otis Y Chen

Michael L Perry

Robert Mason Darling

Karl M Prewo

David C Jarmon

Ned Emidio Cipollini

Thomas Harry Madden

Timothy William Patterson, Jr

Jonathan Daniel O'Neill

Timothy W Patterson

Gennady Resnick

Christopher John Carnevale

David Ferreira

Paravastu Badrinarayanan

Steven W Gronda

Harold M Craig

Martin J Gibler

Roopnarine Sukhram

Zebulon D Vance, Jr

Daniel Thomas Swanson

David Melo Ferreira

Fuel cell reactant flow field plates () are formed by extruding long sections () of carbonaceous material, either with straight grooves () formed by the extrusion die, or by end milling or arbor milling, and then cut to a proper size, including cuts in which the edges of the plates are at an angle with respect to the grooves. Cooler plates are formed of water-permeable material () in which hydrophobic material () is impregnated so as to define coolant channels (-) with inlets and outlets (). A two-layer cooler plate is formed by stamping voids in one layer () that define coolant flow channels () with inlets () and outlets () while a second layer () is stamped with voids () that define coolant inlet and exit headers; juxtaposition of the layers, with or without bonding, form the cooler plate. A cooler plate () is made by corrugating thin metal sheet, providing coolant channels () for cathodes and coolant channels () for anodes when interposed therebetween.

Extruded carbon fuel cell components

An exemplary fuel cell component includes a plate comprising an electrically conductive material. An electrical connector includes a first portion embedded in the plate. A second portion of the electrical connector extends from the plate. The second portion is configured to make an electrically conductive connection with another device.

Fuel cell component with embedded power connector

According to an illustrative embodiment, a method of making a fuel cell component includes removing material from a first plurality of locations along at least one surface on a plate to simultaneously establish a plurality of first channels on the surface. Each first channel has a length between a first end near a first edge of the surface and a second end spaced from a second, opposite edge of the surface. Material is also removed from a second plurality of locations along the surface to simultaneously establish a plurality of second channels on the surface. Each second channel has a length beginning at a first end spaced from the first edge and a second end near the second edge. Material is also removed from the surface near the first ends of at least some of the first channels to simultaneously establish an inlet portion for directing a fluid into the corresponding first channels.

Method of making a fuel cell component having an interdigitated flow field configuration

A method of processing a porous article includes distributing a blended material that includes an electrically conductive material and a binder into a cavity of a mold that is at a temperature below a curing temperature of the binder. The electrically conductive material is formed from particles of the electrically conductive material that have a size distribution such that 10 vol % of the particles are less than 12 micrometers in diameter, 50 vol % of the particles are less than 27 micrometers in diameter, and 90 vol % of the particles are less than 53 micrometers. The blended material is compressed within the cavity under a molding pressure, and the mold is heated to a curing temperature of the binder to form a molded article.

Method for processing a porous article

An exemplary method of treating a material such as carbon or graphite to render at least some surfaces of the material hydrophilic includes coating at least a portion of the at least some surfaces with an oxygenated element and controlling a rate of a breakdown of the oxygenated element to leave a corresponding elemental oxide on the surfaces. In one example, the material is treated before being incorporated into an article comprising the material. Another example method includes treating an article comprising the material. Disclosed examples include precipitation or decomposition as the breakdown of the oxygenated element.

Method of treating a material to achieve sufficient hydrophilicity for making hydrophilic articles

A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly comprised of a membrane sandwiched between anode and cathode catalyst structures. An anode separator plate and a cathode separator plate are arranged adjacent to the membrane electrode assembly opposite from one another. The anode and cathode separator plates include opposing sides in which one of the opposing sides of the anode and cathode respectively have fuel and oxidant flow fields in communication with the membrane. The anode separator plate is a structure having a first water permeability and is configured to permit passage of water between its opposing sides and with its flow field, and the cathode separator plate comprises a structure having a second water permeability less than the first water permeability of the anode separator plate. In one example, the anode is provided by a porous separator plate, and the cathode is provided by a non-porous, or solid, plate.

Separator plate configuration for a fuel cell

A process for making a hybrid ceramic article is disclosed. The process involves embedding an array of refractory ceramic tiles in a fiber reinforced glass-ceramic matrix composite substrate. The hybrid ceramic article so formed exhibits high thermal stability and elevated temperature load-bearing ability.

Process for making a hybrid ceramic article

Fiber reinforced glass or glass-ceramic matrix composite articles are described which comprise spaced apart face sheets connected by ribs which extend between the face sheets. The fibers in the ribs are interwoven with the fibers in the face sheets, thereby producing a structure having high shear strength.

Fiber reinforced glass matrix and glass-ceramic matrix composite articles

Growing community of inventors

Vernon, CT, United States of America

Glenn Michael Allen