NON-CHANNELED AND ANISOTROPIC FLOW FIELD FOR DISTRIBUTION SECTIONS IN FUEL CELLS
A fuel cell has an active area and a distribution area. The distribution area can be in communication with and disposed substantially adjacent to the active area. The active area can include a non-channeled material exhibiting anisotropic flow. In certain circumstances, the non-channeled material exhibiting anisotropic flow can include expanded metal sheet. The expanded metal sheet can achieve even distribution to throughout the active area without the use of conventional channels.
1 . A fuel cell, comprising:
a pathway fluidly coupling an inlet header to an outlet header, wherein a non-channeled material exhibiting anisotropic flow is disposed within the pathway.
2 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the material exhibiting anisotropic flow is disposed at an active area of the fuel cell.
3 . The fuel cell of claim 2 , wherein the material exhibiting anisotropic flow is disposed only at the active area of the fuel cell.
4 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the material exhibiting anisotropic flow is disposed at a distribution area of the fuel cell.
5 . The fuel cell of claim 4 , wherein the material exhibiting anisotropic flow is disposed at only the distribution area of the fuel cell.
6 . The fuel cell of claim 4 , wherein the distribution area includes a first distribution area disposed at the inlet header and a second distribution area disposed at the outlet header, and the first distribution area and the second distribution area are disposed at terminal ends of an active area.
7 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the material exhibiting anisotropic flow includes an expanded metal sheet.
8 . The fuel cell of claim 7 , wherein the expanded metal sheet works in conjunction with a gas diffusion layer to fluidly couple the inlet header to the outlet header.
9 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the material exhibiting anisotropic flow includes a plurality of voids.
10 . The fuel cell of claim 9 , wherein each void has a short axis and a long axis, and a flow resistance in a direction of the short axis is higher than a flow resistance in a direction of the long axis.
11 . The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein the flow resistance between the short axis and the long axis has a ratio between about two to one and about three to one.
12 . The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein the long axis is disposed substantially parallel with a longitudinal length of the fuel cell.
13 . The fuel cell of claim 12 , wherein the material exhibiting anisotropic flow is disposed in an active area of the fuel cell.
14 . The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein the long axis is disposed substantially parallel with a latitudinal length of the fuel cell.
15 . The fuel cell of claim 14 , wherein the material exhibiting anisotropic flow is disposed in a distribution area of the fuel cell.
16 . The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein the long axis can alternate directions across the fuel cell between being disposed substantially parallel with a longitudinal length and being disposed substantially parallel with a latitudinal length of the fuel cell.
17 . The fuel cell of claim 10 , wherein the material exhibiting anisotropic flow is disposed in an active area of the fuel cell and a distribution area of the fuel cell, the long axis of the material exhibiting anisotropic flow within the active area is disposed substantially parallel with a longitudinal length of the fuel cell, and the long axis of the material exhibiting anisotropic flow within the distribution area is disposed substantially parallel with a latitudinal length of the fuel cell.
18 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the material exhibiting anisotropic flow includes one of elliptical voids and rhombic voids.
19 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the material exhibiting anisotropic flow includes one of a fibrous sheet and a woven metal mesh.
20 . A fuel cell stack comprising a fuel cell according to claim 1 .