Gencell Corporation

Energy Research Corporation

Fuel Cell Technologies, Ltd

Allen Engineering Company, Inc.

Jeffrey Peter Allen

Mohammad Farooque

Pinakin S Patel

Lawrence J Novacco

Randolph M Bernard

David A Schoonmaker

Peter W Allen

Matt Lambrech

A fuel cell end plate configured to transmit substantially constant compressive forces along a surface of a fuel cell is provided. The fuel cell end plate is configured such that the compressive force is substantially constant along the surface of the fuel cell even when the surface of the fuel cell is non-parallel. The fuel cell end plate is also configured such that the surfaces of the end plate remain substantially parallel when the fuel cell end plate is in contact with a non-parallel surface of a fuel cell or fuel cell stack. The fuel cell end plate is also configured to act as a distribution manifold for the distribution of reactants and coolants to the fuel cell stack. Fuel cell assemblies including the fuel cell end plate and methods of assembling the fuel cell end plate are also disclosed.

Fuel cell end plate

A fuel cell bipolar separator plate of variable length is formed from a sheet having a fixed width. The sheet is passed through a tool a predetermined distance and a pattern of ribs is formed on a central portion of the sheet with the tool to define a segment along the length of the sheet. The ribs define a fuel flow path on a first side of the sheet and an oxidant flow path on an opposed second side of the sheet. The sheet is passed through a tool a predetermined distance and the steps of forming the pattern on the sheet and passing the sheet through the tool are repeated until the sheet possesses a desired length, at which point the sheet is cut to a desired length.

Fuel cell bipolar separator plate and current collector assembly and method of manufacture

A fuel cell is fitted with a current collector situated between a ribbed separator and an electrode. The current collector is comprised of a plurality of flat wires which span the peaks of the ribs of the separator. The flat wires are of sufficient thickness, width, and frequency to support the electrode against the compressive load of the fuel cell stack. The width and frequency are alterable to suppress or enhance reactant access to the electrode.

Fuel cell current collector

The present invention provides an aqueous-based electrolyte slurry for molten carbonate fuel cells. The invention provides means to eliminate the potential for the preferential transport of potassium carbonate and subsequent irreversible alteration of the 62/38 molar ratio of the eutectic mixture of the lithium potassium carbonate electrolyte.

Aqueous based electrolyte slurry for MCFC and method of use

A stretch-forming press for stamping continuously fed sheet metal includes a ram, a base member, and a feed mechanism configured to advance a strip of sheet metal through the stretch-forming press. A forming station has a die configured to form a desired pattern in the strip of sheet metal. A leveling station has a pair of opposed jaws slidably received in corresponding recesses of the stretch-forming press, with the jaws oriented at an angle with respect to a direction of travel for the strip of sheet metal as it passes through the leveling station.

Method and apparatus for in-situ leveling of progressively formed sheet metal

A fuel cell apparatus includes a fuel cell stack positioned within a housing. The housing is contained entirely within a compression assembly. In certain preferred embodiments, the fuel cell stack includes a plurality of bipolar separator plates formed of a plurality of segments, the compression assembly including mating pairs of anode compression bars and cathode compression bars secured to one another and being positioned between a pair of segments.

Fuel cell stack assembly

An apparatus for auto thermal reforming hydrocarbon fuel in a fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cells stacked together. Each fuel cell has an inlet manifold, and the inlet manifolds of the fuel cells are aligned with one another to form a manifold chamber. A porous wand extends through the manifold. A mixing device is positioned within the wand and is configured to carry fuel gas and oxidant through the wand.

Fuel cell with internal thermally integrated autothermal reformer

A fuel cell assembly in which fuel cells adapted to internally reform fuel and fuel reformers for reforming fuel are arranged in a fuel cell stack. The fuel inlet ports of the fuel cells and the fuel inlet ports and reformed fuel outlet ports of the fuel reformers are arranged on one face of the fuel cell stack. A manifold sealing encloses this face of the stack and a reformer fuel delivery system is arranged entirely within the region between the manifold and the one face of the stack. The fuel reformer has a foil wrapping and a cover member forming with the foil wrapping an enclosed structure.

Internal reforming fuel cell assembly with simplified fuel feed

A novel fuel cell design is provided having a combustion chamber manifold internal to a fuel cell stack and interfacing one or more anode passage outlets and cathode passage inlets. The combustion chamber is equipped to combine a primary source of oxidant gas with an anode exhaust stream and to combust the mixture, if desired, for use as fuel within the cathode passage. The fuel cell design also provides an external gas manifold for directing carrier gas to the cathode passages upstream of the cathode passage inlets for combining with the combustion chamber exhaust prior to entry into the cathode passages.

Fuel cell with internal combustion chamber

A fuel cell sub-assembly having a cathode current collector, a cathode electrode, an electrolyte matrix, an anode electrode and an anode current collector arranged in a sandwich construction and provided with a plurality of rows of dimples. Adjacent rows of dimples extend in opposite directions from the sandwich construction and separator plates also with rows of dimples are arranged adjacent to the sandwich construction so as to form therewith channels for the fuel and oxidant gases. Also disclosed are unique separator plate configurations.

Fuel cell sub-assembly with a plurality of dimples

A catalyst assembly for placement in the anode compartment of an internally reforming fuel cell. The anode compartment includes a current collector having peak regions with spacer regions therebetween. The catalyst assembly is in the form of a member including a catalyst material and having through openings in the member of distribution and configuration so that the member can be inserted over the current collector with the peak regions being received in the through openings and holding the member.

Catalyst assembly for internal reforming fuel cell

A reforming unit assembly for reforming hydrocarbon fuel for the molten carbonate fuel cells of a fuel cell stack wherein the reforming unit comprises a housing and an integrating unit for integrating the housing with the adjacent fuel cells in the stacks.

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Naugatuck, CT, United States of America

Jeffrey Peter Allen