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:
May. 25, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 18, 1997
Joseph M Pondo, Bolingbrook, IL (US);
M-C Power Corporation, Burr Ridge, IL (US);
Abstract
A fuel cell stack system comprises a plurality of fuel cell sub-stacks, each of which comprises a plurality of individual fuel cell units. A separator plate separates the fuel cell units between an anode of one fuel cell unit and a cathode of an adjacent fuel cell unit. A single separator plate separates corresponding fuel cell units in each fuel cell sub-stack. The edges of the separator plate extend substantially beyond the periphery of each fuel cell sub-stack forming oxidant flow paths between adjacent separator plates extending from the separator plate edges to the center of the separator plate from which oxidant is then distributed to each of the fuel cell units. By virtue of heat transfer from the extended edges of the separator plate to the oxidant, the heat generated by the fuel cell can be controlled.