INTERNAL SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR AN UNDULATE MEMBRANE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY IN AN ELECTROCHEMICAL FUEL CELL

摘要

A support structure for an undulate membrane electrode assembly (25) in an electrochemical fuel cell including a stacked series of membrane layers extending generally in dimensions perpendicular to the stack dimension and alternating with support structures. The support structure has a reactant gas-impermeable separator stratum (20) extending generally in dimensions perpendicular to the stack dimension and a pair of reactant gas-permeable electrically conductive current collectors (22, 24) lying adjacent the separator stratum (20) on opposite sides thereof. Each collector is in non-continuous physical and electrical contact with the separator stratum and is attached to the separator stratum so as to form, when a membrane layer (14) is sandwiched between two such skeletons so that the membrane layer is conformed to surfaces of the collectors and is in general physical and electrical contact with the collectors, at least one discrete conduit between each separator stratum and the membrane layer for flow of a discrete reactant gas therethrough. The separator stratum provides at least one electrically conductive path between current collectors, and the current collectors have sufficient rigidity when installed in an MEA fuel cell stack between two membrane layers.