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. 03, 2011
Filed:
Dec. 31, 2008
Ian W. Kaye, Livermore, CA (US);
Ian W. Kaye, Livermore, CA (US);
UltraCell Corporation, Livermore, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to fuel cells and components used within a fuel cell. Heat transfer appendages are described that improve fuel cell thermal management. Each heat transfer appendage is arranged on an external portion of a bi-polar plate and permits conductive heat transfer between inner portions of the bi-polar plate and outer portions of the bi-polar plate proximate to the appendage. The heat transfer appendage may be used for heating or cooling inner portions of a fuel cell stack. Improved thermal management provided by cooling the heat transfer appendages also permits new channel field designs that distribute the reactant gases to a membrane electrode assembly. Flow buffers are described that improve delivery of reactant gases and removal of reaction products. Single plate bi-polar plates may also include staggered channel designs that reduce the thickness of the single plate.