Patent ID: 7291415
Filing Date: 2007-11-06
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of repeating horizontal fuel cell units and an external vertical fuel intake manifold, fuel exhaust manifold, oxidant intake manifold and oxidant exhaust manifold, each fuel cell unit comprising: (a) a fuel cell element comprising a cathode, an electrolyte and anode; (b) a cathode flow field layer comprising a porous cathode contact element and opposing sealing strips having manifold extensions extending beyond the fuel cell element; and (c) an anode flow field layer comprising a porous anode contact element and opposing sealing strips having manifold extensions extending beyond the fuel cell element, wherein the anode sealing strips are substantially perpendicular to the cathode sealing strips, and wherein the anode manifold extensions align vertically with the cathode manifold extensions; (d) a barrier plate comprising four manifold extensions, each of which aligns vertically with the anode manifold extensions and the cathode manifold extensions; wherein the cathode manifold extensions, anode manifold extensions, barrier plate manifold extensions of each fuel cell unit stack vertically to form columns which form vertical sidewalls of the manifolds and further comprising a manifold plate which encloses each of the manifolds by abutting two adjacent columns.