Patent ID: 7585581
Filing Date: 2009-09-08
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A bi-polar plate for use in a fuel cell, the bi-polar plate comprising: a single plate solid metal substrate; a first channel field including a first set of channels disposed on a first face of the bi-polar plate, each channel in the first set of channels formed as a trough into the substrate on the first face; a second channel field including a second set of channels disposed on a second face of the bi-polar plate, each channel in the second set of channels formed as a trough into the substrate on the second face such that the first set of channels in the first channel field have a first channel depth that extends past a second channel depth for the second set of channels in the second channel field by an overlapping channel depth; a thickness between about 0.125 millimeters and about 1 millimeter between the first face and the second face; a first manifold channel that opens to a first manifold on the second face, traverses the substrate from the first face to the second face, and is configured to communicate gas between the first manifold on the second face and the first channel field on the first face; a second manifold channel that opens to a second manifold on the first face, traverses the substrate from the first face to the second face, and is configured to communicate gas between the second manifold on the first face and the second channel field on the second face; a first flow buffer formed as a trough into the substrate on the first face and configured to receive a first gaseous flow from a first channel in the first set of channels and a second gaseous flow from a second channel in the first set of channels and to output the first and second gaseous flows in the first set of channels to a third channel in the first set of channels, wherein the flow buffer is configured to reduce a pressure difference between the first and second gaseous flows in the first set of channels before outputting the first and second gaseous flows in the first set of channels to the third channel in the first set of channels; a second flow buffer formed as a trough into the substrate on the second face and configured to receive a first gaseous flow from a first channel in the second set of channels and a second gaseous flow from a second channel in the second set of channels and to output the first and second gaseous flows in the second set of channels to a third channel in the second set of channels, wherein the second flow buffer is configured to reduce a pressure difference between the first and second gaseous flows in the second set of channels before outputting the first and second gaseous flows in the second set of channels to the third channel in the second set of channels; a first sealing landing on the first face that peripherally surrounds each of the first channel field, the first manifold, and the second manifold on the first face, to thereby isolate the first channel field, the first manifold and the second manifold from one another, whereby the first sealing landing extends between a portion of the second manifold channel exposed on the first face and the first channel field to isolate the second manifold channel from the first channel field, and the first sealing landing further extends between a portion of the first manifold channel exposed on the first face and the first manifold to isolate the first manifold channel from the first manifold; and a second sealing landing on the second face that peripherally surrounds each of the second channel field, the second manifold, and the first manifold on the second face, to thereby isolate the second channel field, the second manifold and the first manifold from one another, whereby the second sealing landing extends between a portion of the first manifold channel on the second face and the second channel field to isolate the first manifold channel from the second channel field, and the second sealing landing further extends between a portion of the second manifold channel on the second face and the second manifold to isolate the second manifold channel from the second manifold.