The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 22, 1998
Filed:
Aug. 05, 1997
Vincent J Petraglia, Vernon, CT (US);
M-C Power Corporation, Burr Ridge, IL (US);
Abstract
A hybrid internal/external manifolded fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of fuel cell units, each of which comprises an anode and a cathode and an electrolyte in contact on one side with an electrolyte facing face of the anode and in contact on the opposite side with an electrolyte facing face of the cathode. A separator plate separates each of the fuel cell units between an anode and cathode forming an anode chamber between the anode facing face of the separator plate and the anode and forming a cathode chamber between the opposite cathode facing face of the separator plate and the cathode of an adjacent fuel cell unit. The anode chamber is in gas communication with a fuel gas supply and outlet provided through internal manifolds whereas the cathode chamber is in gas communication with an oxidant gas supply and outlet provided through external manifolds. Each of the separator plates, in addition to a wet seal structure for providing a wet seal between the separator plates and the electrolyte under cell operating conditions also comprises a dry peripheral seal structure at a distance from the peripheral wet seal structure, thereby forming a gap therebetween.