Cynthia J York

US Patent:

20110104582, May 5, 2011

Filed:

Dec 11, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/734636

Inventors:

Gennady Resnick - Prospect Heights IL, US
Ryan J. Balliet - Oakland CA, US
Nikunj Gupta - Sugar Lake TX, US
Cynthia A. York - Cookeville TN, US
Carl A. Reiser - Stonington CT, US
Robert M. Darling - South Windsor CT, US
Jesse M. Marzullo - Meriden CT, US
Jeremy P. Meyers - Austin TX, US

International Classification:

H01M 8/04
H01M 8/24

US Classification:

429450

Abstract:

A fuel cell stack () includes a plurality of fuel cells () each having an electrolyte such as a PEM (), anode and cathode catalyst layers (), anode and cathode gas diffusion layers (), and water transport plates () adjacent the gas diffusion layers. The cathode diffusion layer of cells near the cathode end () of the stack have a high water permeability, such as greater than 3×10g/(Pa s m) at about 80 C. and about 1 atmosphere, whereas the cathode gas diffusion layer in cells near the anode end () have water vapor permeance greater than 3×10g/(Pa s m) at about 80 C. and about 1 atmosphere. In one embodiment, the anode gas diffusion layer of cells near the anode end () of the stack have a higher liquid water permeability than the anode gas diffusion layer in cells near the cathode end; a second embodiment reverses that relationship.