Patent ID: 7524574

Claim:
A membrane electrochemical generator fed with gaseous reactants and comprising a multiplicity of reaction cells ( 101 ) mutually connected in series and assembled according to a filter-press type configuration, each reaction cell ( 101 ) being delimited by a pair of conductive bipolar plates ( 103 ) with flat faces between which are comprised, proceeding outwards, an ion-exchange membrane ( 104 ); a pair of porous electrodes ( 105 ); a pair of current collectors/distributors ( 106 ) electrically connecting said conductive bipolar plates ( 103 ) to said porous electrodes ( 105 ), said bipolar plates ( 103 ) having upper openings ( 108 a 1 , 108 a 2 ) and lower openings ( 108 b 1 , 108 b 2 ) obtained on a peripheral portion ( 108 ) thereof, said upper and lower openings ( 108 a 1 , 108 a 2 ; 108 b 1 , 108 b 2 ) determining the formation of upper and lower longitudinal ducts ( 111 ; 112 ) which define feeding manifolds for gaseous reactants and discharge manifolds for reaction products and optional residual reactants, respectively, wherein the said conductive bipolar plates ( 103 ) comprise a multiplicity of mutually aligned upper calibrated holes ( 113 a ) arranged below said upper openings ( 108 a 1 , 108 a 2 ) and a multiplicity of mutually aligned lower calibrated holes ( 113 b ) arranged above said lower openings ( 108 b 1 , 108 b 2 ) for the passage of said gaseous reactants from an adjacent cell and for the discharge of the reaction products and of the optional residual reactants, respectively.