Planar configuration air breathing polymer electrolyte electrical device including support plate and bearing plate
The present invention relates to a fuel cell device for use in planar configuration air breathing polymer electrolyte electrochemical devices and to a support plate, gas connection means and clamping means for use in the fuel cell device. The electrochemical device may be use as a fuel cell or an electrolyzer. In particular it relates to a planar configuration air breathing polymer electrolyte electrochemical device including at least two fuel cells arranged in series connection on one surface of a support plate, characterized in that the fuel cells ( 2′, 2″, 2′″; 943 ) are arranged to press against a bearing plate ( 218; 942 ), which has an area that is larger than the area of the support plate.
1. A planar configuration air breathing polymer electrolyte electrochemical device comprising:
a support plate; and
at least two air breathing polymer electrolyte fuel cells arranged in series connection on one surface of the support plate,
wherein each of said air breathing polymer electrolyte fuel cells comprises:
a. an anode current collector,
b. a cathode current collector, and
c. a membrane electrode assembly, which comprises a solid ion conducting polymer membrane electrolyte, an anode, an anode gas backing, a cathode and a cathode gas backing,
and wherein:
the support plate comprises at least three layers in a sandwich structure,
the at least three layers comprise a first outer layer, a middle layer, and a second outer layer,
the first outer layer forms a gas inlet,
the second outer layer forms one or more gas openings,
the middle layer forms one or more gas channels,
the one or more gas openings formed by the second outer layer include:
a first-cell outlet configured to conduct fuel out of a first fuel cell of the at least two fuel cells, and
a second-cell inlet configured to conduct fuel into a second fuel cell of the at least two fuel cells, and
one of the one or more gas channels is configured to conduct fuel from the first-cell outlet to the second-cell inlet.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least three layers are flexible.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least three layers are laminated together by gluing, by hot sealing, or by using adhesive films.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second fuel cell is configured to receive fuel only through the one of the one or more gas channels.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least three layers include material selected from polymer foil sheets, metal foil sheets, or polymer wax coated paper sheets.
6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the at least three layers are laminated together by gluing, by hot sealing, or by using adhesive films.
7. A planar configuration air breathing polymer electrolyte electrochemical device comprising:
a support plate; and
at least two air breathing polymer electrolyte fuel cells arranged in series connection on one surface of the support plate,
wherein each of said air breathing polymer electrolyte fuel cells comprises:
a. an anode current collector,
b. a cathode current collector, and
c. a membrane electrode assembly, which comprises a solid ion conducting polymer membrane electrolyte, an anode, an anode gas backing, a cathode and a cathode gas backing,
wherein:
the membrane electrode assembly is arranged between the anode current collector and the cathode current collector, such that the anode gas backing is directed towards and attached to the anode current collector and the cathode gas backing is directed towards and attached to the cathode current collector, and
the membrane electrode assembly is attached to the anode current collector, and wherein:
the support plate comprises at least three flexible layers in a sandwich structure,
the at least three flexible layers comprise a first outer layer, a middle layer, and a second outer layer,
the first outer layer forms a gas inlet,
the second outer layer forms one or more gas openings,
the middle layer forms one or more gas channels,
the one or more gas openings formed by the second outer layer include:
a first-cell outlet configured to conduct fuel out of a first fuel cell of the at least two fuel cells, and
a second-cell inlet configured to conduct fuel into a second fuel cell of the at least two fuel cells, and
one of the one or more gas channels is configured to conduct fuel from the first-cell outlet to the second-cell inlet.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the at least three layers are laminated together by gluing, by hot sealing, or by using adhesive films.
9. The device of claim 7 , wherein:
the one or more gas openings formed by the second outer layer further include a first-cell inlet configured to conduct fuel into the first fuel cell;
the one of the one or more gas channels is a first gas channel; and
a second gas channel of the one or more gas channels, different from the first gas channel, is configured to conduct fuel from the gas inlet to the first-cell inlet.
10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the second fuel cell is configured to receive fuel only through the one of the one or more gas channels.
11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the at least three layers include material selected from polymer foil sheets, metal foil sheets, or polymer wax coated paper sheets.
12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the at least three layers are laminated together by gluing, by hot sealing, or by using adhesive films.
13. The device of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the at least three layers includes polymer foil sheets.
14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the at least three layers are laminated together using adhesive films.
15. A planar configuration air breathing polymer electrolyte electrochemical device comprising:
a support plate; and
at least two air breathing polymer electrolyte fuel cells arranged in series connection on one surface of the support plate,
wherein each of said air breathing polymer electrolyte fuel cells comprises:
a. an anode current collector,
b. a cathode current collector, and
c. a membrane electrode assembly, which comprises a solid ion conducting polymer membrane electrolyte, an anode, an anode gas backing, a cathode and a cathode gas backing,
wherein:
the membrane electrode assembly is arranged between the anode current collector and the cathode current collector, such that the anode gas backing is directed towards and attached to the anode current collector and the cathode gas backing is directed towards and attached to the cathode current collector, and
the membrane electrode assembly is attached directly to the anode current collector by an adhesive, wherein the adhesive covers a first region, adjacent and corresponding to the anode gas backing, and a second region, which surrounds the first region, thereby creating a seal between the membrane electrode assembly and the anode current collector, and thus creating an anode gas chamber, said adhesive being electrically conductive in at least said first region,
and wherein:
the support plate comprises at least three layers in a sandwich structure, comprising a first outer layer, a middle layer, and a second outer layer,
the at least three layers are made from polymer foil sheets, metal foil sheets, or polymer wax coated paper sheets,
the at least three layers are laminated together by gluing, by hot sealing, or by using adhesive films,
the first outer layer forms a gas inlet,
the second outer layer forms one or more gas openings,
the middle layer forms one or more gas channels,
the one or more gas openings formed by the second outer layer include:
a first-cell outlet configured to conduct fuel out of a first fuel cell of the at least two fuel cells, and
a second-cell inlet configured to conduct fuel into a second fuel cell of the at least two fuel cells, and
one of the one or more gas channels is configured to conduct fuel from the first-cell outlet to the second-cell inlet.
16. The device of claim 15 , wherein gas connection means is provided at one end of the support plate.
17. The device of claim 15 , wherein each of the at least three layers has a thickness of 0.1 mm to 1 mm.
18. The device of claim 15 , wherein the gas channels include elongated apertures.
19. The device of claim 15 , wherein the one or more gas openings are configured to be positioned adjacent to the anode gas chamber.
20. The device of claim 15 , wherein:
the one or more gas openings formed by the second outer layer further include a first-cell inlet configured to conduct fuel into the first fuel cell;
the one of the one or more gas channels is a first gas channel; and
a second gas channel of the one or more gas channels, different from the first gas channel, is configured to conduct fuel from the gas inlet to the first-cell inlet.
21. The device of claim 15 , wherein the second fuel cell is configured to receive fuel only through the one of the one or more gas channels.
22. The device of claim 15 , wherein the fuel cells are arranged to press against a bearing plate, which includes gas permeable portions located in an area of each fuel cell.
23. The device of claim 22 , wherein the bearing plate is an arcuate or curved casing of a product.