Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Richard Blakeley

Siguang Xu

Liang Xi

Xi Yang

Kentaro Ishida

Yu Tomana

Masaaki Sakano

Satoshi Oyama

Glenn William Skala

Ronald R Stevens

Ishida Kentaro

A power generation cell (fuel cell) includes a membrane electrode assembly and first and second metallic separators arranged respectively on opposite sides of the membrane electrode assembly. An oxygen containing gas supply passage, a communication passage bead section (bead seal) that surrounds the oxygen containing gas supply passage, and a bridge section are disposed on the first metallic separator. At a location where the bridge section is disposed, the width of a root section of the communication passage bead section is greater than the width of the root section of the communication passage bead section at other locations thereof.

Fuel cell and metallic separator with varied bead seal width and angle

Systems and methods including a header flange to evenly distribute contact pressure across seals include, in some aspects, a plate including a bead and a flange edge. The bead includes a bead-side and a bead-corner. The flange edge defines an aperture through the plate. The flange edge also includes a first edge-portion proximate the bead-side and a second edge-portion proximate the bead-corner. The bead-side and the first edge-portion define a first edge-distance therebetween. The bead-corner and the second edge-portion define a second edge-distance therebetween. The second edge-distance is greater than the first edge-distance.

Header flange to evenly distribute contact pressure across seals

A plate assembly includes a first plate having a planar portion and a first bead seal formed therein. The first bead seal includes a first end surface spaced away from the planar portion. The first bead seal includes first and second opposing sides extending away from the first end surface and contiguous with the planar portion. The first bead seal includes a first reinforcement structure having a first plurality of walls each intersecting the first opposing side of the first bead seal. The first plate includes a second bead seal formed therein. The first bead seal and the second bead seal may be joined via the first reinforcement structure such that the first plurality of walls of the first reinforcement structure each intersect a third opposing side of the second bead seal.

Reinforcement structure for bead seal in a plate assembly

A bipolar plate for a fuel cell includes a first plate having a first bead seal, and a second plate having a second bead seal. The first bead seal and the second bead seal are disposed opposite each other and extend along a centerline. An outer weld connects the first plate and the second plate together, and extends along an outer weld line. The outer weld line is laterally spaced an outer gap distance from an outer lateral edge of the first and second bead seals. The outer gap distance varies with a position along the centerline to control a stiffness of the bead seals. Positioning the weld line nearer the outer lateral edge increases the stiffness of the raised bead seals in low stiffness areas, whereas positioning the weld line farther from the lateral edge decreases the stiffness of the raised bead seals in high stiffness areas.

Bipolar plate for a fuel cell, and a method manufacturing the same

A plate structure includes a plate having a planar portion defining a datum plane. The plate includes a raised bead seal and a tunnel protruding away from the datum plane. The raised bead seal extends along a centerline laying on the datum plane. The tunnel extends along a path laying on the datum plane. The tunnel intersects the raised bead seal. The path and the centerline intersect to form a first intersection angle and an adjacent second intersection angle on the datum plane. The first intersection angle and the second intersection angle are supplementary angles. The first intersection angle is an acute angle, and the second intersection angle is an obtuse angle. The path and the centerline are arranged to form a specific value of the first intersection angle and the second intersection angle to control a stiffness of the raised bead seal.

Plate structure for a fuel cell

The present disclosure provides a fuel cell stack having a plurality of bipolar plates aligned in a stack between a pair of bipolar plates wherein each of the bipolar plates includes an outer bead having an interior cavity; and an inner bead having a trough wherein the inner bead extends into the interior cavity of the outer bead. The trough of the inner bead may be at least about 50% filled with an elastomeric seal.

Growing community of inventors

Ortonville, MI, United States of America

Richard Blakeley