Es wird ein Brennstoffzellenstapel mit Zelleneinheiten bereitgestellt, die eine Sammelleitung, eine offene Endplatte, die an einer Seite der Zelleneinheiten angeordnet ist und einen Reaktionsgaseinlass und -auslass hat, die mit der Sammelleitung verbunden sind, und eine geschlossene Endplatte enthalten, die an der an der anderen Seite der Zelleneinheiten angeordnet ist und die Sammelleitung abschliest. Insbesondere enthalt die Endplatte eine erste schrage Oberflache, die die Stromung eines Reaktionsgases am Reaktionsgaseinlass und an der Sammelleitungs-Schnittstelle regelt. Ein erster Ausrichtungsvorsprung bildet die erste schrage Oberflache und richtet die Zelleneinheiten aus, und die geschlossene Endplatte enthalt eine zweite schrage Oberflache, die die Stromung des Reaktionsgases an der Sammelleitungs-Schnittstelle regelt. Auserdem bildet ein zweiter Ausrichtungsvorsprung die zweite schrage Oberflache und richtet die Zelleneinheiten entsprechend aus.

Fuel cell stack

An energy storage device includes a first electrode comprising a first material and a second electrode comprising a second material, at least a portion of the first and second materials forming an interpenetrating network when dispersed in an electrolyte, the electrolyte, the first material and the second material are selected so that the first and second materials exert a repelling force on each other when combined. An electrochemical device, includes a first electrode in electrical communication with a first current collector; a second electrode in electrical communication with a second current collector; and an ionically conductive medium in ionic contact with said first and second electrodes, wherein at least a portion of the first and second electrodes form an interpenetrating network and wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes comprises an electrode structure providing two or more pathways to its current collector.

Battery structures, self-organizing structures and related methods

The effective ionic conductivity in a composite structure is believed to decrease rapidly with volume fraction. A system, such as a bipolar device or energy storage device, has structures or components in which the diffusion length or path that electrodes or ions must traverse is minimized and the interfacial area exposed to the ions or electrons is maximized. The device includes components that can be reticulated or has a reticulated interface so that an interface area can be increased. The increased interfacial perimeter increases the available sites for reaction of ionic species. Many different reticulation patterns can be used. The aspect ratio of the reticulated features can be varied. Such bipolar devices can be fabricated by a variety of methods or procedures. A bipolar device having structures of reticulated interface can be tailored for the purposes of controlling and optimizing charge and discharge kinetics. A bipolar device having graded porosity structures can have improved transport properties because the diffusion controlling reaction kinetics can be modified. Graded porosity electrodes can be linearly or nonlinearly graded. A bipolar device having perforated structures also provides improved transport properties by removing tortuosity and reducing diffusion distance.

Reticulated and controlled porosity battery structures

The present invention generally relates to batteries or other electrochemical devices, and systems and materials for use in these, including novel electrode materials and designs. In some embodiments, the present invention relates to small-scale batteries or microbatteries. For example, in one aspect of the invention, a battery may have a volume of no more than about 5 mm3, while having an energy density of at least about 400 W h/1. In some cases, the battery may include a electrode comprising a porous electroactive compound. In some embodiments, the pores of the porous electrode may be at least partially filled with a liquid such as a liquid electrolyte. The electrode may be able to withstand repeated charging and discharging. In some cases, the electrode may have a plurality of protrusions and/or a wall (which may surround the protrusions, if present); however, in other cases, there may be no protrusions or walls. The electrode may be formed from a unitary material. In certain embodiments, a nonporous electrolyte may be disposed onto the electrode. Such an electrolyte may allow ionic transport (e.g., of lithium ions) while preventing dendritic formation due to the lack of pores. In certain embodiments the porous electrode has a surface that is denser than its interior. Other aspects of the invention are directed to techniques of making such electrodes or batteries, techniques of forming electrical connections to and packaging such batteries, techniques of using such electrodes or batteries, or the like.

Batteries and electrodes for use thereof

The invention provides bipolar articles (e.g., batteries and capacitors) with new architectures and methods of making and using the same. Articles are provided with interpenetrating anode and cathode structures that allow for improved power density, and arbitrary form factors that allow for formation in substantially any desired shape. The articles are useful for embedding or integral formation in various electronic devices to provide more efficient use of space in the devices. The articles optionally include self-organizing bipolar structures.

Bipolar articles and related methods

The present invention relates to a Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) which significantly enhances power density as well as structural reliability and method for producing the same More specifically, it relates to the Membrane Electrode Assembly which has a plurality of protuberances and method for producing the same The present invention involves making supporting bodies to have a plurality of protuberances on one side of the supporting bodies, forming a catalyst layer on one side of the supporting bodies having the protuberances, interposing a polymer-electrolyte-membrane between the supporting bodies, aligning the supporting bodies for the protuberances to engage each other; and hot-pressing the aligned supporting bodies The present invention can increase the area of a three-phase boundary in which oxidation-reduction reaction of hydrogen and oxygen occurs and decrease resistance to ion conduction; consequently fuel cells have the characteristic of a large output of power density

Method for producing membrane electrode assembly

A lamellar structure graphite foil is used as a material for a separator for a fuel cell, and a hydrophobic layer is formed by impregnation on flow-field channels of the graphite foil. Such a separator is manufactured by forming the flow field channel by etching the graphite foil formed with the mask pattern thereon and forming a hydrophobic layer by impregnation. According to such a separator, performance of a fuel cell stack is enhanced and the manufacturing process of a separator is simplified.

Separator for fuel cell, manufacturing method thereof, and fuel cell having such a separator

The present invention relates to a fuel cell system, and to a cooling control method of the fuel cell system. The cooling control method of the fuel cell system includes measuring a voltage generated from the fuel cell stack in accordance with a time variation, and maintaining an internal temperature of the fuel cell stack at a predetermined value in accordance with the measured voltage. The method may further include controlling a cooling water temperature difference. Herein, when the measured voltage is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the cooling water is normally supplied, and when the measured voltage is less than the predetermined value, a difference between cooling water inlet and outlet temperatures of the fuel cell stack is varied by a controller. The deterioration of the power generation performance due to the excessive moisture in the fuel cell stack can be prevented and thus the power generation can be effectively realized through the electrochemical reaction.

Fuel cell system and cooling control method thereof

The present invention relates to a fuel process apparatus of multiple desulfurizers and a fuel cell system including the same. A fuel process apparatus for a fuel cell system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first desulfurizer through which fuel passes and that includes an adsorbent that adsorbs sulfuric components in the fuel, and a second desulfurizer through which the fuel passes and that includes a desulfurizing catalyst involved in an exothermic reaction with the sulfuric components in the fuel, wherein the second desulfurizer is connected to the first desulfurizer. The fuel process apparatus for a fuel cell system further includes a reformer through which the fuel passes and that reforms the fuel into a reformed gas that contains hydrogen, wherein the reformer is connected to the second desulfurizer.

Fuel process apparatus of multiple desulfurizers and fuel cell system with the same

The present invention relates to a sealing structure for polymer electrolyte fuel cell, which comprises a bipolar plate with sealing groove to be filled with rubber using a dispenser, and a gasket interposed between the bipolar plate and a membrane electrode assembly. That is, according to the present invention, the thickness deviation in a gasket can be softened by interposing a gasket between a rubber ands a membrane electrode assembly after filling rubber in a sealing groove formed on a bipolar plate using a dispenser. Also, nonuniform stress distribution can be resolved because a gasket covers with a pressure despite the height deviation of rubber, and a stress is not directly transmitted to a membrane electrode assembly and dispersed by a gasket despite nonuniform stress distribution.

Ho-Suk Kim

Papers

Method for producing membrane electrode assembly

Separator for fuel cell, manufacturing method thereof, and fuel cell having such a separator

Fuel cell system and cooling control method thereof

Fuel process apparatus of multiple desulfurizers and fuel cell system with the same

Sealing structure for polymer electrolyte fuel cell