PEM-type fuel cell assembly having multiple parallel fuel cell sub-stacks employing shared fluid flow plate assemblies and shared membrane electrode assemblies

摘要

A Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack is disclosed having multiple layers between a first end plate and a second end plate. The multiple layers define multiple fuel cell sub-stacks disposed in parallel and electrically isolated from each other intermediate the end plates. At the end plates, the fuel cell sub-stacks are electrically connected in series. At least some layers of the fuel cell stack comprise shared layers shared between multiple sub-stacks, and at least some layers of the multiple layers comprise dedicated layers for corresponding fuel cell sub-stacks. The shared layers include a fluid flow plate assembly and a membrane electrode assembly, while the dedicated layers comprise gas diffusion layers. The fluid flow plate assembly is fabricated of a non-conductive material and has multiple conductive fluid flow sub-plates, each of which aligns to a respective sub-stack of the fuel cell stack.