Doosan Fuel Cell America, Inc.

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Audi Ag

Hyaxiom, Inc.

Kenney, Frank E.

Kishore Kumar Tenneti

Richard D Breault

Sridhar V Kanuri

Ned Emidio Cipollini

William P Fallon, Jr

Eric Livaich

Nathaniel Dew

Richard J Rempe

Frank E Kenney, Iii

Ryan Patry

The present disclosure is directed, in certain embodiments, a component of a mechanical apparatus. The component includes a cast body with an initial structure formed by a mold and at least one feature deposited on the cast body using a solid state additive manufacturing process, such that in combination the initial structure and the at least one feature form a complete structure of the component.

Housing and method of preparing same using a hybrid casting-additive manufacturing process

An illustrative method of making a fuel cell component includes obtaining at least one blank plate including graphite and a polymer; establishing a temperature of the blank that is sufficient to maintain the polymer in an at least partially molten state; and applying a compression molding force to the blank until the polymer is essentially solidified to form a plate including a plurality of channels on at least one side of the plate. The blank plate has a central area having a first thickness. The blank plate also has two generally parallel edges on opposite sides of the central area. The edges have a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

Molding process for making fuel cell components

A method of manufacturing a flow field plate includes mixing graphite and resin materials to provide a mixture. The mixture is formed into a continuous flow field plate, for example, by ram extrusion or one or more press belts. The continuous flow field plate is separated into discrete flow field plates. Flow field channels are provided in one of the continuous flow field plate and the discrete flow field plates.

Method of manufacturing multiple fuel cell separator plate assemblies

A composite plate () is formed in a mold () by placing one of two preforms () of between about 80 wt. % and about 85 wt. % flake graphite, balance polymer binder, into the mold and disposing a coolant tube array () thereon, depositing a powder () of the flake/polymer around the tube array, placing a second preform on the powder and a mold plunger () on the second preform, heating the mold to the melting temperature of the polymer under a pressure of 625 psi (4311 kPa), cooling the mold to the solidification temperature of the polymer while still under pressure, cooling the mold further, disassembling the mold, and removing the composite plate. The composite plate has reactant gas flow field channels () in major surfaces thereof, is devoid of any acid edge protection layer or film and is devoid of any acid impervious separator plate between either of the fuel cell reactant gas flow fields and the coolant tube array.

Acid resistant, monolithic fuel cell cooler assembly

An illustrative example cell stack assembly includes a plurality of fuel cells that each include a cathode electrode, an anode electrode and a matrix for holding a liquid acid electrolyte. The electrodes have lateral outside edges that are generally coplanar. A plurality of separator plates are respectively between the cathode electrode of one of the fuel cells and the anode electrode of an adjacent one of the fuel cells. The separator plates have lateral outside edges that are generally coplanar with the lateral outside edges of the electrodes. A plurality of barriers along at least one of the lateral outside edges of respective ones of the separator plates extend outwardly beyond the lateral outside edges of the electrodes and separator plates. The barriers inhibit acid migration between one of the electrodes on one side of the barrier and one of the electrodes on an opposite side of the barrier.

Preventing migration of liquid electrolyte out of a fuel cell

A stack () of fuel cells () is manufactured with barriers () to prevent migration of a liquid electrolyte (such as phosphoric acid) out of the cells (). The barrier () is secured within a step () formed within a land region () of a separator plate assembly () and extends from an edge () of the separator plate assembly () all or a portion of a distance between the edge () and a flow channel () defined within the separator plate assembly (). The barrier () also extends away from the edge () a distance of between 0.051 and about 2.0 millimeters (about 2 and about 80 mils. The barrier () includes a hydrophobic, polymeric film (), a pressure sensitive adhesive () as an assembly aid, and a fluoroelastomer bonding agent ().

Manufacture of a fuel cell with liquid electrolyte migration prevention

A stack () of fuel cells () is provided with barriers () to prevent migration of a liquid electrolyte (such as phosphoric acid) out of the cells (). The barrier () is secured within a step () defined within a land region () of a separator plate assembly () and extends from an edge () of the separator plate assembly () all or a portion of a distance between the edge () and a flow channel () defined within the separator plate assembly (). The barrier () also extends away from the edge () a distance of between 0.051 and 2.0 millimeters (2 and 80 mils). The barrier () includes a hydrophobic, polymeric film (), a pressure sensitive adhesive (), as an assembly aid, and a fluoroelastomer bonding agent ().

An end-cooler assembly for a fuel cell includes a cooler having a coolant tube array. A composite material includes flake graphite and hydrophobic polymer. The composite material surrounds the coolant tube array and provides a first side. A flow field is formed in the first side. A thermal dam is embedded in and is entirely surrounded by the composite material. The thermal dam is arranged between the coolant tube array and the flow field. The coolant tube array, composite material, flow field and thermal dam comprise a unitary, monolithic structure bound together by the composite material.

Growing community of inventors

Manchester, CT, United States of America

Kishore Kumar Tenneti