Electrochemical fuel cell stack with improved reactant manifolding and sealing

Abstract

An electrochemical fuel cell stack with improved reactant manifolding and sealing includes a pair of separator plates interposed between adjacent membrane electrode assemblies. Passageways fluidly interconnecting the anodes to a fuel manifold and interconnecting the cathodes to an oxidant manifold are formed between adjoining non-active surfaces of the pairs of separator plates. The passageways extend through one or more ports penetrating the thickness of one of the plates thereby fluidly connecting the manifold to the opposite active surface of that plate, and the contacted electrode. The non-active surfaces of adjoining separator plates in a fuel cell stack cooperate to provide passageways for directing both reactants from respective stack fuel and oxidant supply manifolds to the appropriate electrodes. The fuel and oxidant reactant streams passageways are fluidly isolated from each other, although they both traverse adjoining non-active surfaces of the same pair of plates. The present manifolding configuration simplifies the sealing mechanisms associated with the stack manifolds because reactant streams are not directed between the separator plates and resilient MEA seals. Coolant passages may also be conveniently provided between adjoining non-active surfaces of the pairs of separator plates.