Patent ID: 6492044
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A fuel cell stack, comprising:a first fuel cell, comprising: a first flow field plate having an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the first flow field plate inlet; a second flow field plate having an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the second flow field plate outlet; a solid polybenzimidazole electrolyte between the first and second flow field plates; a second fuel cell, comprising: a third flow field plate having an inlet in fluid communication with the first flow field plate inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the first flow field plate outlet, the third flow field plate outlet being in fluid communication with the third flow field plate inlet; a fourth flow field plate having an inlet in fluid communication with the second flow field plate inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the second flow field plate outlet, the fourth flow field plate outlet being in fluid communication with the fourth flow field plate inlet; a second solid electrolyte between the third and fourth flow field plates; a first manifold in fluid communication with the first and third flow field plate inlets; and a first desiccant in the first manifold, wherein the first desiccant is capable of sorbing water vapor present in the fuel cell stack to reduce the amount of water that sorbs to the solid polybenzimidazole electrolyte.