Electrochemical cell with improved water or gas management

摘要

An electrochemical cell having a water/gas porous separator prepared from a polymeric material and one or more conductive cell components that pass through, or are located in close proximity to, the water/gas porous separator, is provided. The inventive cell provides a high level of in-cell electrical conductivity.

主权项

1. An electrochemical cell providing a high level of in-cell electrical conductivity that comprises a water and gas porous separator prepared from a polymeric material, and one or more conductive cell components within the electrochemical cell that either pass through the water and gas porous separator, or are located within the cell in close proximity to the water and gas porous separator,
wherein the water and gas porous separator contains a number of through-holes, and the one or more conductive cell components pass through the through-holes of the water and gas porous separator, wherein a conductive water chamber or flowfield with a mating structure is located on one side of the water and gas porous separator and a conductive oxygen screen and frame assembly with a complimentary mating structure is located on an opposing side of the water and gas porous separator, wherein these mating structures physically contact each other through the through-holes provided in the water and gas porous separator thereby forming an electrical pathway between the conductive water chamber or flowfield and the conductive oxygen screen and frame assembly, or wherein the one or more conductive cell components are located in close proximity to the water and gas porous separator, and wherein the one or more conductive cell components comprise a conductive sealing gasket located on a perimeter of the cell, whereby the conductive sealing gasket electrically connects a conductive water chamber or flowfield and a conductive oxygen screen and frame assembly located on opposing sides of the water and gas porous separator.