Patent ID: 6638658
Filing Date: 2003-10-28
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A separator plate for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack comprising a series of undulate membrane electrode assembly layers between which are interposed separator plates, a separator plate adjacent a fuel gas flow field comprising at least one fuel gas flowpath adjacent one surface of said separator plate and an oxidant gas flow field comprising at least one oxidant gas flowpath adjacent the other surface of said separator plate, wherein the flowpaths are constituted over at least the major portion of the length of said flowpaths by parallel transversely spaced and longitudinally extending flow channels interconnected in the vicinity of the ends of said flow channels to form the flowpaths; wherein the separator plate is provided on each surface of said separator plate in the vicinity of each longitudinal end of said flow channels with an array of spaced flow channel couplings for interconnecting selected ones of said flow channels adjacent a common one of said surfaces thereby to form flowpaths for each of the fuel and oxidant gases, and wherein the couplings for the oxidant gas flow channels are transversely offset from the couplings for the fuel gas flow channels.