FUEL CELL SEPARATOR PLATE ASSEMBLY

• Main Authors: BREAULT RICHARD D, ROCHE ROBERT P, LUOMA WARREN L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.08.2007
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE

A fuel cell separator plate assembly (20) includes a separator plate layer (22) and flow field layers (24, 26). In one disclosed example, the separator plate layer (22) comprises graphite and a hydrophobic resin. The hydrophobic resin of the separator plate layer (22) serves to secure the separator plate layer to flow field layers on opposite sides of the separator plate layer. In one example, at least one of the flow field layers (24, 26) comprises graphite and a hydrophobic resin such that the flow field layer is hydrophobic and nonporous. In another example, two graphite and hydrophobic resin flow field layers are used on opposite sides of a separator plate layer. One disclosed example includes all three layers comprising graphite and a hydrophobic resin.