Discretely supported wet side plates

摘要

A water vapor transfer separator plate assembly and a method of making the same. In such an assembly made up of a stack of alternating wet side plates and dry side plates with a membrane disposed between them, a humid fluid such as that found in a fuel cell cathode exhaust flows against one side of each membrane such that at least some of its moisture content travels across the membrane to a lower humidity fluid on the opposite side of the membrane. The lower humidity fluid, such as that found in a fuel cell cathode entrance, experiences an increase in its humidity by the operation of the moisture flow across the membrane. At least a portion of the assembly may be made thinner by removing diffusion media and reinforcing structure of the dry side plates such that the overall assembly is simplified.

主权项

1. A water vapor separator plate assembly comprising:
a pair of wet side separator plates each defining a wet side flow channel region therein; a pair of water vapor transfer membranes disposed on respective surfaces of the pair of wet side separator plates such that a generally planar dry side flow channel region is formed therebetween; at least one discrete support positioned within the dry side flow channel region, wherein the discrete support is selected from the group consisting of a dot, projection, thread and combinations thereof; at least one spacing member positioned between and disposed on respective surfaces of the pair of water vapor transfer membranes such that-the dry side flow channel region possesses a thickness defined substantially by the at least one spacing member is formed; and wherein the height of the dry side flow channel region is about 0.22 millimeters.