US3898102A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Bipolar low-pressure electrode for gas fuel cells
Assignee: Licentia Patent Verwaltungs GmbH
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Filing: 1973-03-21
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Granted: 1975-08-05
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Expires: 1993-03-21
Abstract
Abstract In a gas fuel cell there are provided bipolar low-pressure electrodes each formed of a flexible graphite foam foil carrying active electrode layers on opposite faces. The gas-side face of each active electrode layer is provided with raised portions which, together with the adjoining foil face, define a channel system forming a closed gas chamber. The raised portions are so arranged that the gas which enters and leaves the gas chamber through an inlet opening and an outlet opening provided in the active electrode layer is substantially evenly distributed over the entire area of the gas-side face of the active electrode layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerhard Louis
- 👤 Harald Bohm
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 23:05
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M4/00; H01M4/86; H01M4/8605; H01M4/8626; H01M4/8631; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
327 words
A BIPOLAR LOW-PRESSURE ELECTRODE FOR GAS FUEL CELLS, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A. A FLEXIBL FLAT GRAPHITE FOAM FOIL HAVING TWO OPPOSITE FACES AND BEING PROVIDED WITH HOLES FOR THE PASSAGE OF AIR AND FOR THE PASSAGE OF FUEL GAS, B. AN ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER SECURED IN A FACE-TO-FACE, ELECTRONICALLY CONTACTING RELATIONSHIP DIRECTLY TO EACH FACE OF SAID FOIL, EACH ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER HAVING A GAS-SIDE FACE ORIENTED TOWARDS SAID FOIL, ONE ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER BEING AN ANODE AND THE OTHER ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER BEING A CATHODE, SAID HOLES FOR THE PASSAGE OF AIR BEING SITUATED WITHIN THE OUTLINE OF THE CATHODE LAYER AND XTERNALLY OF THE OUTLINE OF THE ANODE LAYER, SAID HOLES FOR THE PASSAGE OF FUEL BEING SITUATED WITHIN THE OUTLINE OF THE ANODE LAYER AND EXTERNALLY OF THE OUTLINE OF THE CATHODE LAYER, C. A CONTINUOUS, ELEVATED PERIMETRIC EDGE FORMING PART OF EACH ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER AND BEING IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH AND BEING BONDED TO SAID FOIL FOR FORMING AN ENCLOSED SPACE BETWEEN SAID GAS-SIDE FACE OF THE ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER AND THE ADJOINING FACE OF SAID FOIL, SAID ENCLOSED SPACE CONSTITUTED A CLOSED GAS CHAMBER, D. RAISED PORTIONS PROVIDED ON SAID GAS-SIDE FACE OF EACH SAID ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER, SAID RAISED POTIONS PROJECTING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND BEING OF THE SAME HEIGHT AS SAID ELEVATED PERIMETRIC EDGE, SAID RAISED PORTIONS FORMING, WITH THE ADJOINING FACE OF SAID FOIL, A CHANNEL SYSTEM WITHIN SAID CLOSED GAS CHAMBER, E. MEANS DEFINING THROUGH GOING OPENINGS IN SAID ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYERS FOR PROVIDING ACCESS FROM THE OUTSIDE OF SAID BIPOLAR LOW-PRESSURE ELECTRODE TO EACH GAS CHAMBER FOR DELIVERING AIR AND FUEL GAS THERETO, F. FIRST SEALING MEANS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FOIL ADJACENT SAID ANODE LAYER, SAID FIRST SEALING MEANS SURROUNDING SAID HOLES FOR THE PASSAGE OF AIR, AND G. SECOND SEALING MEANS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FOIL ADJACENT SAID CATHODE LAYER, SAID SECOND SEALING MEANS SURROUNDING SAID HOLES FOR THE PASSAGE OF FUEL GAS,
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
327 words
A BIPOLAR LOW-PRESSURE ELECTRODE FOR GAS FUEL CELLS, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A. A FLEXIBL FLAT GRAPHITE FOAM FOIL HAVING TWO OPPOSITE FACES AND BEING PROVIDED WITH HOLES FOR THE PASSAGE OF AIR AND FOR THE PASSAGE OF FUEL GAS, B. AN ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER SECURED IN A FACE-TO-FACE, ELECTRONICALLY CONTACTING RELATIONSHIP DIRECTLY TO EACH FACE OF SAID FOIL, EACH ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER HAVING A GAS-SIDE FACE ORIENTED TOWARDS SAID FOIL, ONE ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER BEING AN ANODE AND THE OTHER ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER BEING A CATHODE, SAID HOLES FOR THE PASSAGE OF AIR BEING SITUATED WITHIN THE OUTLINE OF THE CATHODE LAYER AND XTERNALLY OF THE OUTLINE OF THE ANODE LAYER, SAID HOLES FOR THE PASSAGE OF FUEL BEING SITUATED WITHIN THE OUTLINE OF THE ANODE LAYER AND EXTERNALLY OF THE OUTLINE OF THE CATHODE LAYER, C. A CONTINUOUS, ELEVATED PERIMETRIC EDGE FORMING PART OF EACH ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER AND BEING IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH AND BEING BONDED TO SAID FOIL FOR FORMING AN ENCLOSED SPACE BETWEEN SAID GAS-SIDE FACE OF THE ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER AND THE ADJOINING FACE OF SAID FOIL, SAID ENCLOSED SPACE CONSTITUTED A CLOSED GAS CHAMBER, D. RAISED PORTIONS PROVIDED ON SAID GAS-SIDE FACE OF EACH SAID ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYER, SAID RAISED POTIONS PROJECTING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND BEING OF THE SAME HEIGHT AS SAID ELEVATED PERIMETRIC EDGE, SAID RAISED PORTIONS FORMING, WITH THE ADJOINING FACE OF SAID FOIL, A CHANNEL SYSTEM WITHIN SAID CLOSED GAS CHAMBER, E. MEANS DEFINING THROUGH GOING OPENINGS IN SAID ACTIVE ELECTRODE LAYERS FOR PROVIDING ACCESS FROM THE OUTSIDE OF SAID BIPOLAR LOW-PRESSURE ELECTRODE TO EACH GAS CHAMBER FOR DELIVERING AIR AND FUEL GAS THERETO, F. FIRST SEALING MEANS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FOIL ADJACENT SAID ANODE LAYER, SAID FIRST SEALING MEANS SURROUNDING SAID HOLES FOR THE PASSAGE OF AIR, AND G. SECOND SEALING MEANS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FOIL ADJACENT SAID CATHODE LAYER, SAID SECOND SEALING MEANS SURROUNDING SAID HOLES FOR THE PASSAGE OF FUEL GAS,
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A bipolar low-pressure electrode as defined in claim 1 wherein each face of said foil includes a free marginal zone extending externally of the perimeter of said active electrode layer, said zone being free from said throughgoing openings and is constituted by an entirely uninterrupted surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
A bipolar low-pressure electrode as defined in claim 1 wherein said means defining throughgoing openings include first means defining an inlet opening and an outlet opening in said anode layer for providing a gas fuel supply to said bipolar low-pressure electrode and second means defining an inlet opening and an outlet opening in said cathode layer for providing an air supply to said bipolar low-pressure electrode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
A bipolar low-pressure electrode as defined in claim 3 wherein said holes in said foil for the passage of air are in alignment with said inlet and outlet openings of said cathode layer, said holes in said foil for the passage of fuel gas are in alignment with said inlet and outlet openings of said anode layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A bipolar low-pressure electrode as defined in claim 3 wherein said raised portions of said channel system are so arranged that said channel system has zones of different flow resistances.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
128 words
A bipolar low-pressure electrode as defined in claim 5 wherein said raised portions include a. a first group disposed adjacent the inlet opening of the active electrode layer for splitting the gas entering said gas chamber into a plurality of oriented partial flows; b. a second group disposed spaced from said first group for further splitting said partial flows and for deflecting the latter; and c. a third group disposed spaced from said second group for combining said partial flows into a decreased number of streams and deflecting the latter in the direction of the outlet opening of the active electrode layer, whereby the gas flowing from the inlet opening to the outlet opening is substantially uniformly distributed over the entire gas-side face of the active electrode layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A bipolar low-pressure electrode as defined in claim 5 wherein said raised portions are dot-like bosses constituting a grid field of non-uniform density of boss distribution; said density is the greatest adjacent said inlet and outlet openings and in a middle zone of said channel system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A bipolar low-pressure electrode as defined in claim 1 wherein said raised portions and said perimetric edge on one of said active electrode layers are in respective alignment with said raised portions and said perimetric edge on the other of said active electrode layers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-04 | 1979-02-03 | 1979-08-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-04 | 1983-02-03 | 1983-08-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-04 | 1987-02-03 | 1987-08-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |