Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Robert C Thompson

David A Martinchek

Matthew J Beutel

Hiroyuki Tanaka

Steven J Spencer

Masaaki Sakano

Jeffrey Allan Rock

Steven G Goebel

Siguang Xu

Daniel P Miller

Jeff D Williams

Frank Joseph Leitch

Robert Charles Gmerek

Brian J Coyle

Jeffrey D Williams

Martin Heinzmann

Michael J Pachucinski

A fuel cell stack and a method of assembling a fuel cell stack includes compressing fuel cells along their stacking axis. A compression retention device made up of an enclosure may be used with one or more optional insertable shims to correct for any stack height variations. Significantly, the enclosure is formed to allow the stack to be loaded in compression by a press such that the cells that make up the stack are placed into and maintained in a substantially compressed state while the compression force is not imparted to the enclosure. By resolving any stack height variances while the cells of the stack are maintained in their substantially compressed state, assembly operations are simplified in that repeated compression and decompression of the stack is avoided while trying to ensure that the stack and enclosure are joined into their final assembly form.

Fuel cell stack and assembly method of same

A passive tortuous path drain for a directing fluid flow from an enclosure includes a drain body having a front face and a back face. The front face defines a curved trenched channel having a first curved channel end and a second curved channel end. The front face also defines a second trenched channel. The drain body defines at least one egress opening in fluid communication with the second trenched channel. The first curved channel end and a second curved channel end are in fluid communication with the second trenched channel. Characteristically, the drain is adapted to be positioned adjacent to a drain opening in an enclosure such that liquid flows from the drain opening to the curved trenched channel and then to the second trenched channel exiting through the egress opening.

Passive tortuous path drain

A fuel cell stack assembly is provided which includes a first bipolar plate, a second bipolar plate, a sub-gasket, and a gas diffusion layer. The second bipolar plate may define a bypass channel with the first bipolar plate. The bypass channel includes at least one embossment formed therein. The gas diffusion layer may be disposed between the first bipolar plate and the second bipolar plate while the sub-gasket is sandwiched between metal bead seals formed in each of the first bipolar plate and the second bi-polar plate.

Fuel cell stack assembly

A system and method for aligning and reducing the relative movement between adjacent fuel cells within a fuel cell stack. The inter-cell cooperation between fuel cells along a stacking dimension is enhanced by one or more datum placed along the edge of a bipolar plate that makes up a part of a cell-containing assembly. The datum is shaped along a thickness that substantially coincides with the cell stacking dimension to avoid shifting between adjacently-stacked cells that may otherwise arise out of the occurrence of a significant acceleration along the dimension that defines the major surfaces of the plates, cells and their respective assemblies. By having the datum be integrally formed with numerous stacked cells, the need to affix individual tabs each plate is avoided.

Fuel cell stack assembly&#x2014;datum design for fuel cell stacking and collision protection

A system and method for aligning and reducing the relative movement between adjacent fuel cells within a fuel cell stack. The inter-cell cooperation between fuel cells along a stacking dimension is enhanced by one or more datum placed along the edge of a bipolar plate that makes up a part of a cell-containing assembly. The datum is shaped along a thickness dimension that substantially coincides with the cell stacking dimension to promote a nested fit with a comparable datum on an adjacently-stacked bipolar plate. This nesting facilitates an interference fit that enhances the resistance to sliding movement between respective cells that may otherwise arise out of the occurrence of a significant acceleration along the dimension that defines the major surfaces of the plates, cells and their respective assemblies. In one form, the use of welding, bonding or related attachment of the datum to the plate promotes enhanced metallic support without the need for increasing the plate footprint and without having to overmold the datum directly onto the plate.

A fuel cell stack of at least two fuel cells, each fuel cell having a unitized electrode assembly (UEA) including a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), a sub-gasket and gas diffusion media (DM), and positioned between modified stamped field-flow plates. The sub-gasket frames the MEA resulting in an overlap area between the MEA and the inner perimeter of the sub-gasket. The UEA is disposed between a pair of stamped flow-field plates which align in adjacent fuel cells to form a bipolar plate. The bipolar plate has an active region, an overlap region and a seal region. The active region is configured with channel and land features which provide reactant flow channels and coolant passages for the fuel cell. The configuration of features in the overlap region, however, is modified from the configuration in the active region so that the overlap region may sustain sufficient mechanical sealing pressure, and to prevent coolant and reactant bypass without impeding coolant and reactant flow in the active area. Modified channel and land feature configurations for the overlap region are exemplified.

Sealing design for stamped plate fuel cells

A bipolar plate for a fuel cell includes a pair of plates. Each plate has an active area, a header area, and a perimeter area. The perimeter area is disposed adjacent an edge of the plate. The perimeter area is also disposed adjacent to each of the active area and the header area. At least one of the plates includes a raised support feature having an inboard side and an outboard side. The plates are joined in the perimeter area between the outboard side of the raised support feature and the edges of the plates.

Reinforced fuel cell metal plate perimeter

A heat exchanger assembly includes hollow reinforcing members that define openings for receiving supports therein. An end cap is disposed in each open end of cylindrical header tanks and each of the header tanks includes a tubeless length (X) extending inwardly a predetermined distance from each end cap. An inlet and an outlet are disposed in a tubeless length (X). The ends of the reinforcing members extending over the tubeless lengths (X) of the header tanks which include a slot outside each end cap with a tab extending from each end of reinforcing members and into the adjacent slot. All of the components are brazed together in one operation.

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Lockport, NY, United States of America

Robert C Thompson