IP Library Granted Patent US 7,335,437
Granted Patent B2
US 7,335,437 · App. 10/415,786 · Granted Feb 26, 2008

Fuel cell stack

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,335,437
App. No.
10/415,786
Granted
Feb 26, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fuel cell stack for gaseous fuel includes a membrane electrode unit and a distribution plate including a channel area having gas channels for distributing the anode gas and the cathode gas to the membrane electrode unit and a port area for supplying the anode gas and the cathode gas into the channel area. Additional connecting channels discharge from the port areas along the gas channels so that unused anode gas or cathode gas is locally meterable from the port areas into the gas channels via these connecting channels.

Claims (7)

1. A fuel cell stack for gaseous fuel, comprising:

a membrane electrode unit; and

at least one distribution plate including:

a channel area having a plurality of gas channels configured to distribute a gas to the membrane electrode unit;

a supply port area configured to supply the gas to the channel area; and

a plurality of connecting channels connected along the gas channels for discharging into the gas channels a locally metered quantity of unused gas from the supply port area,

wherein the connecting channels have a flow cross-section that is smaller than a flow cross-section of the plurality of gas channels.