Fuelcell Energy, Inc.

Louis F Ernst, Jr

Dana Kelley

Glenn DiCostanzo

Mohammad Farooque

William J Snyder

Ramakrishnan Venkataraman

Keith E Davis

Eric Hansell

Daniela Nedu

Michael P Quatannens

Kirk Arneson

Joseph P McInerney

Alan Durante

Glenn Chenot

A manifold assembly for use with a fuel cell stack for the purpose of ensuring a desired flow distribution to fuel cells within the stack, with the most commonly desired being uniform flow distribution. Said manifold assembly comprising: an external manifold for abutting and sealingly enclosing a face of the fuel cell stack, wherein the manifold comprises an enclosure for one of: providing inlet gas to the fuel cell stack and receiving exhaust gas from said fuel cell stack; and one or more baffles disposed in the enclosure of the external manifold, the one or more baffles one of: (a) controlling gas flow distribution and direction of the inlet gas from the enclosure to fuel cells of the fuel cell stack to achieve a predetermined distribution or a uniform distribution; and (b) controlling gas flow distribution of the exhaust gas flow within the enclosure to achieve the predetermined distribution or the uniform distribution of gas to fuel cells of the fuel cell stack. A multi-stack fuel cell system including a baffling assembly with one or more baffles for providing a predetermined gas flow distribution to each fuel cell stack in the fuel cell system is also described. The baffling assembly is provided at a system level and comprises one or more baffles in an intake assembly and/or in an exhaust assembly of the multi-stack fuel cell system, so that each fuel cell stack receives a predetermined amount of gas.

Manifold assembly for controlling gas flow and flow distribution in a fuel cell stack

A manifold seal for a fuel cell system includes a sealing area defined by a peripheral portion of a fuel cell stack of the fuel cell system and a portion of an end plate positioned on the fuel cell stack. The manifold seal includes a manifold frame defining a mating surface which sealingly engages the sealing area. The mating surface has a slot formed therein which opens towards the sealing area. The manifold seal includes a bracket defining a base portion and having a lip projecting from an edge thereof. The base portion is moveably secured to a face of the end plate so that the edge is positioned on the sealing area. The base portion is positioned inwardly from the sealing area and the manifold frame. The lip is moveably engaged in and cooperates with the slot to seal a gap between the mating surface and the sealing area.

Fuel cell system manifold seal

A manifold seal for a fuel cell system includes a sealing area defined by a peripheral portion of a fuel cell stack of the fuel cell system and a portion of an end plate positioned on the fuel cell stack. The manifold seal includes a manifold frame defining a mating surface which sealingly engages the sealing area. The manifold seal also includes a bracket defining a base portion and having a lip projecting from an edge thereof. The base portion is moveably secured to a face of the end plate so that the edge is positioned on the sealing area. The lip is moveably engaged in and cooperates with a slot formed in the mating surface to seal a gap between the mating surface and the sealing area caused by movement of the fuel cell stack.

System providing a substantially enclosed piece or pieces of equipment, optionally fuel cell balance of plant equipment, available for shipment and storage at a user location. The system comprises a tool, a housing associated with the tool and having openings in the flooring through which portions of the tool are inserted, and a piece or pieces of equipment having a support, the tool accommodating movement of the support, and specifically on portions of the tool inserted through the housing. Movement of the equipment occurs along the longitudinal axis of the tool between points positioned inside and outside of the housing. The tool is removed from the housing after the equipment is positioned inside thereof so that as a consequence of such removal, the support of the equipment assists in substantially sealing the housing.

Assembly for and method of housing an object, such as fuel cell balance of plant equipment, for transport to and storage at a user location

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Yorktown Heights, NY, United States of America

Louis F Ernst, Jr