High-voltage fuel-cell stack

1. An electrochemical cell stack assembly, comprising:

a plurality of electrochemical cell sub-stacks, wherein:

a first electrochemical cell sub-stack and a second electrochemical cell sub-stack are connected electrically in series and connected fluidly in parallel;

the first electrochemical cell sub-stack and the second electrochemical cell sub-stack comprise a plurality of electrochemical cells comprising:

a membrane electrode assembly comprising a cathode catalyst layer, an anode catalyst layer, and a polymer membrane interposed between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer,

an anode plate and a cathode plate with the membrane electrode assembly interposed therebetween, and

a cathode flow field positioned between the cathode plate and the cathode catalyst layer; and

the electrochemical cell stack assembly further comprises a manifold distribution plate connected to a first end of the first electrochemical cell sub-stack and a first end of the second electrochemical cell sub-stack, wherein the manifold distribution plate is configured to fluidly split a supply of at least one of fuel, oxidant, or coolant to the first and second electrochemical cell sub-stacks.

2. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 1 , wherein electrical current passes from the first electrochemical cell sub-stack to the second electrochemical cell sub-stack.

3. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first electrically conductive structure disposed at a first end of the first electrochemical cell sub-stack; and

a second electrically conductive structure disposed at a first end of the second electrochemical cell sub-stack,

wherein the first electrically conductive structure is electrically coupled to the second electrically conductive structure.

4. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an electrically conductive structure disposed at the first ends of the first and second electrochemical cell sub-stacks.

5. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an electrically conductive structure disposed at a first end of at least one of first or second electrochemical cell sub-stacks, wherein the electrically conductive structure is electrically coupled to a frame of a mechanism housing the electrochemical cell stack assembly.

6. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 5 , wherein the electrically conductive structure is at a common electric potential with the frame of the mechanism housing the electrochemical cell stack assembly.

7. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first current collector disposed at a first end of the first electrochemical cell sub-stack and

a second current collector disposed at a first end of the second electrochemical cell sub-stack.

8. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first current collector is at a higher electric potential than a frame of a mechanism housing the electrochemical cell stack assembly and wherein the second current collector is at a lower electric potential than the frame of the mechanism housing the electrochemical cell stack assembly.

9. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first current collector is at an electric potential from about −1000 volts to about +1000 volts and the second collector is at an electric potential from about −1000 volts to about +1000 volts.

10. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 7 , wherein electrons flow (i) in a first direction from the first current collector to a second end of the first electrochemical cell sub-stack and (ii) in a second direction from a second end of the second electrochemical cell sub-stack to the second current collector, wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.

11. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 1 , wherein an electrical insulator is disposed between the first and second electrochemical cell sub-stacks.

12. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 1 , wherein a supply of at least one of fuel, oxidant, or coolant is split between the first and second electrochemical cell sub-stacks fluidly connected in parallel.

13. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cathode flow field comprises a porous structure and the plurality of electrochemical cell sub-stacks generate a current from about 0 amperes to about 1000 amperes.

14. A method of arranging an electrochemical cell stack assembly, comprising:

connecting electrically a first electrochemical cell sub-stack and a second electrochemical cell sub-stack in series;

connecting fluidly the first electrochemical cell sub-stack and the second electrochemical cell sub-stack in parallel,

wherein the first electrochemical cell sub-stack and the second electrochemical cell sub-stack comprise a plurality of electrochemical cells comprising:

a membrane electrode assembly comprising a cathode catalyst layer, an anode catalyst layer, and a polymer membrane interposed between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer,

an anode plate and a cathode plate with the membrane electrode assembly interposed therebetween, and

a cathode flow field and anode flow field;

connecting a manifold distribution plate to a first end of the first electrochemical cell sub-stack and a first end of the second electrochemical cell sub-stack, the manifold distribution plate being configured to fluidly split a supply of at least one of fuel, oxidant, or coolant to the first and second electrochemical cell sub-stacks.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

disposing an electrical insulator between the first and second electrochemical cell sub-stacks;

disposing a first electrically conductive structure at the first end of the first electrochemical cell sub-stack;

disposing a second electrically conductive structure at the first end of the second electrochemical cell sub-stack; and

electrically coupling the first electrically conductive structure to the second electrically conductive structure.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising disposing an electrically conductive structure at the first ends of the first and second electrochemical cell sub-stacks.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising disposing an electrically conductive structure at a first end of at least one of first or second electrochemical cell sub-stacks, wherein the electrically conductive structure is electrically coupled to a frame of a mechanism housing the electrochemical cell stack assembly.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the electrically conductive structure is at a common electric potential with the frame of the mechanism housing the electrochemical cell stack assembly.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

disposing a first current collector at a first end of the first electrochemical cell sub-stack, and

disposing a second current collector at a first end of the second electrochemical cell sub-stack,

wherein the first current collector is at a higher electric potential than a frame of a mechanism housing the electrochemical cell stack assembly and wherein the second current collector is at a lower electric potential than the frame of the mechanism housing the electrochemical cell stack assembly.

20. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 4 , wherein the manifold-distribution plate is placed against the electrically conductive structure.

21. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 20 , wherein an electrically insulating material is interposed between the manifold distribution plate and the first ends of the first and second electrochemical cell sub-stacks.

22. The electrochemical cell stack assembly of claim 21 , wherein the electrically insulating material is interposed between the manifold distribution plate and the electrically conductive structure.