TUBULAR POLYMER ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELL ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE

摘要

PURPOSE: A method is provided to improve polymer electrolyte or proton exchange membrane fuel cell CONSTITUTION: A fuel cell assembly including a porous tubular substrate (12) made from a fluid-permeable material, and a plurality of elongated flexible polymer electrolyte fuel cells (14) wound in side by side relation onto the substrate. Each elongated cell includes a central proton exchange membrane, a cathode element mounted on one side of said membrane and an anode element mounted on the other side of said membrane. In a preferred arrangement, the anode element of a first elongated wound fuel cell is in electrical contact with the cathode element of an adjacently wound fuel cell.