VOLUME EFFICIENT LAYERED MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL FUEL CELL STACKS

摘要

A volume efficient, layered manifold assembly (10) is disclosed for an array of one or more internally manifolded fuel cell stacks (30). The assembly comprises a stack of substantially planar layers (11, 12, 13) in which each pair of adjacent layers defines a fluid distribution chamber or plenum (15, 16, 17). Appropriate passages (75, 76) connect each chamber to the internal manifolds (47, 48, 57, 58) of the fuel cell stacks and to various external fluid ports (71, 72, 73) for supply or exhaust of fuel, oxidant, or coolant streams. Passages (74, 75) for at least one fluid penetrate the layers defining the distribution chamber for another fluid. Valving (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66) can be incorporated directly in the manifold assembly and used to periodically reverse the direction of fluid flow through internal manifolds of the fuel cell stacks.