Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

Typically a seal is arranged around each coolant manifold aperture on each plate included in an electrochemical cell stack. However, each coolant seal is susceptible to failure. Coolant leakage from a failed coolant seal around a coolant manifold aperture on a MEA sheet can be extremely harmful because, in many cases, the coolant is corrosive to the electrolyte layer included on the MEA sheet. By contrast, in some embodiments of the invention, coolant manifold apertures are not included on MEA sheets/sheets in order to further isolate respective the electrolyte layers from coolant flowing through an electrochemical cell stack during operation. Further, in some very specific embodiments seals provided around respective coolant manifolds on corresponding anode and cathode flow field plates are made thicker, than in other areas around the corresponding anode and cathode flow field plates, to accommodate and fill the extra space left over by the absence of coolant manifold apertures and material there around on the MEA sheets.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim