FUEL-CELL BATTERY Russian patent published in 2009 - IPC H01M8/10 H01M8/02 

FIELD: electricity.

SUBSTANCE: present invention relates to devices for converting chemical energy into electrical energy in fuel cells and can be used in making independent power supplies with power output of 10 kW and above. According to the invention, the fuel cell battery has membrane-electrode and bipolar assemblies and end plates with channels for inlet and outlet of anode gases, cathode gases and cooling liquid. The battery is in form of a cylinder, encircled by a pipe-shaped dielectric housing. The membrane-electrode and bipolar assemblies and end plates are circular shaped. The bipolar assemblies consist of adjacent cathode, middle and anode metal plates. The cathode and anode plates have channels for feeding cathode gas to the cathode surface of the membrane-electrode assemblies and anode gas to the surface of the anode surface of the membrane-electrode assemblies. The middle plate has channels carrying cooling liquid. The channels of the cathode plate are spiral shaped. Channels of the anode plate have a semi-circle shape and channels of the middle plate are in form of arched recesses. Inlet cathode gas is collected by a central channel. The outlet cathode gas collector is in form of slit-type channel, lying along the edge of the battery housing with an outlet opening in the end plate. Inlet and outlet anode gas collectors, as well as collectors of the cooling liquid are made in form of slit-type channels, oppositely lying along the edge of the battery housing with inlet and outlet openings in one or both end plates. The channels on the surface of anode and cathode plates of bipolar assemblies can be made by press forming. The end plates of the battery can be electrically connected to current output electrodes and the dielectric housing can be equipped with elements for detecting radial and axial forces from excess gas pressure.

EFFECT: simple design of a fuel-cell battery for an independent power supply for powering medium and low power devices, miniaturisation and improved operational characteristics of the power supply when the membrane-electrode assembly of fuel-cells works on hydrogen and air.

3 cl, 4 dwg