摘要 |
IN A HYDROGEN GAS FUEL CELL A POLYMER ELECTROLYTE MEMBRANE (17), OR "PEM", IS LOCATED BETWEEN TWO LAYERS (21, 29) COMPOSED OF A CATALYST MATERIAL SUCH THAT A SANDWICH-LIKE ASSEMBLY IS FORMED. AN ANODE ELECTRODE (23) AND A CATHODE ELECTRODE (31), EACH COMPOSED OF A THIN SHEET OF POROUS MATERIAL THAT IS PERMEABLE TO LIQUID AND GAS, ARE SITUATED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SANDWICH-LIKE ASSEMBLY SUCH THAT ONE SURFACE OF EACH ELECTRODE ABUTS A CATALYST LAYER. THE REMAINING SURFACE OF EACH ELECTRODE ABUTS A CONDUCTIVE NONPOROUS BIPOLAR PLATE (42, 46) HAVING GROOVES CUT THEREIN. WICKING STRANDS (13, 15) COMPOSED OF A TRILOBED FIBER ARE LOCATED IN BETWEEN EACH CATALYST LAYER AND THE ADJACENT PEM, AND ARRANGED IN A REPETITIVE PATTERN SUCH THAT THE STRANDS DO NOT CROSS OVER EACH OTHER. EACH WICKING STRAND ABUTTING THE PEM SURFACE FACING THE ANODE ELECTRODE HAS ONE END SITUATED IN A RESERVOIR OF LIQUID WATER. EACH WICKING STRAND ABUTTING THE PEM SURFACE FACING THE CATHODE ELECTRODE DRAINS INTO AN EXHAUST RESERVOIR.(FIG 2) |