| 摘要 |
Fuel cells ( 16 ) include a proton exchange membrane ( 18 ) with cathode catalyst ( 24 ) and anode catalyst ( 20 ) on opposing surfaces thereof. An anode support plate ( 21 ) includes a hydrophilic substrate ( 22 ) and a cathode support plate ( 25 ) includes a hydrophilic substrate ( 26 ) and a contact bilayer (diffusion layer) ( 24 ). Water transport plates ( 12, 14 ) are adjacent corresponding support plates. Upon shut down of the fuel cell stack, the support plates ( 21, 25 ) fill to 60%-80% of their water capacity, thereby to provide water (from melting ice) upon a bootstrap start of the frozen cells. In one embodiment, the amount of water is controlled by the pressure differential between the coolant and the reactant gases; in another embodiment, the amount of water is controlled by having hydrophobic regions ( 93 ) substantially uniformly dispensed in a hydrophilic substrate ( 94 ) in either the support plates ( 22 a) or the contact bilayer ( 27 ).
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