FUEL CELL SEAL RETAINER ASSEMBLY

1 . A fuel cell manifold seal retainer assembly, comprising:

a bracket mountable to a manifold of a fuel cell stack; and

a retainer that extends closer to a fuel cell stack than the manifold when the retainer is mounted to the bracket and when the bracket is mounted to the manifold, wherein the retainer limits movement of a seal away from an installed position.

2 . The fuel cell manifold seal retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bracket includes a vertical portion, a first horizontal portion extending from a first end of the vertical portion, and a second horizontal portion extending from an opposing, second end of the vertical portion.

3 . The fuel cell manifold seal retainer assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first and second horizontal portions extend in opposite directions from the vertical portion.

4 . The fuel cell manifold seal retainer assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first horizontal portion extends into an outer channel of the manifold when the bracket is mounted to the manifold.

5 . The fuel cell manifold seal retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retainer mounts to a horizontally extending surface of the bracket.

6 . The fuel cell manifold seal retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retainer comprises a resin-based fiberglass material.

7 . The fuel cell manifold seal retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retainer includes a first surface facing the bracket, a second surface facing the fuel cell stack, and an angled surface extending from the first surface to the second surface.

8 . The fuel cell manifold seal retainer assembly of claim 7 , wherein the angled surface contacts the seal to limit movement of the seal away from the installed position.

9 . The fuel cell manifold seal retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retainer includes a notched area that receives a portion of an outer channel of the manifold when the retainer is mounted to the bracket and the bracket is mounted to the manifold.

10 . A fuel cell stack assembly, comprising:

a plurality of fuel cells arranged in a stack;

a first and a second pressure plate at opposing ends of the stack;

a manifold that communicates a fuel cell fluid to or from the stack;

a seal that limits movement of the fuel cell fluid from the manifold; and

a retainer that extends closer to a fuel cell stack than the manifold, wherein the retainer limits movement of a seal away from an installed position.

11 . The fuel cell stack assembly of claim 10 , including a sheet mounted to one of the pressure plates that interfaces with the seal, and the manifold includes a perimeter surface that also interfaces with the seal.

12 . The fuel cell stack assembly of claim 11 , wherein the sheet is a Teflon sheet.

13 . The fuel cell stack assembly of claim 11 , wherein seal moves with the manifold relative to the sheet during operation.

14 . The fuel cell stack assembly of claim 10 , wherein the seal includes an enlarged area inside the manifold and an enlarged area outside the manifold, and the retainer holds the enlarged area outside the manifold to limit movement of the seal.

15 . The fuel cell stack assembly of claim 10 , wherein the seal is a two-piece seal.

16 . A method of maintaining a position of a fuel cell seal, comprising:

sealing an interface between a fuel cell manifold and a fuel cell stack using a seal; and

capturing an enlarged area of the seal between a retainer and the manifold to limit relative movement between the seal and the manifold as the manifold moves relative to the fuel cell stack.

17 . The method of claim 16 , including securing the retainer to a bracket that is mounted to the manifold.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the retainer extends from the bracket closer to the fuel cell stack than the manifold when the retainer is secured to the bracket and the bracket is mounted to the manifold.