A fuel cell stack and inspection method, the fuel cell stack including fuel cells disposed in a stack and interconnects disposed between the fuel cells. Each fuel cell includes an electrolyte, an anode disposed on a first side of the electrolyte, a cathode disposed on an opposing second side of an electrolyte, and a witness mark disposed on the first side of the electrolyte. Each interconnect includes first ribs disposed on air side of the interconnect and at least partially defining oxidant channels, and second ribs disposed on an opposing fuel side of the interconnect and at least partially defining fuel channels. The witness mark of each fuel cell is visible from outside of the stack when the cathode directly faces the air side of an adjacent interconnect.

The present invention relates to the field of fuel cell stacks and stack tower or module, in particular to a sealing structure for stack tower and a stack tower. The sealing structure comprises a first component, a second component and a mica spacer, the first component and the second component are opposite to each other, the mica spacer is disposed between the first component and the second component, sealing part is arranged between the mica spacer and at least one of the first component and the second component, and the sealing part comprises a glass ceramic layer and an outer circumferential ceramic cement ring surrounding the glass cement layer; the sealing structure for stack tower has excellent sealing performance and service durability for a fuel cell system.

The present invention relates to an improved metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit, fuel cell stacks, fuel cell stack assemblies, and methods of manufacture.

A device includes a case having a surface with a perforation and a first cavity containing a gas generating fuel. A first membrane is supported by the case inside the first cavity. The first membrane has an impermeable valve plate positioned proximate the perforation. The first membrane is water vapor permeable and gas impermeable and flexes responsive to a difference in pressure between the cavity and outside the cavity to selectively allow water vapor to pass through the perforation to the fuel as a function of the difference in pressure. A second membrane that is water vapor permeable gas impermeable is coupled between an outside of the case exposed to ambient atmospheric gas and the valve plate creating a reference pressure second cavity configured to reduce the effects of ambient pressure transients on the difference in pressure. A fuel cell membrane may be included in the device to produce electricity.

A fuel cell manufacturing method capable of easily forming an interconnector part electrically connecting adjacent unit cells in a planar array fuel cell is provided. The interconnector part (30) is formed through a local heating process of carbonizing a proton conductive resin by locally heating an electrolyte membrane (12). The local heating process includes: a first heating step of heating a part of the electrolyte membrane (12) to a temperature equal to or less than a first temperature at a first temperature increase rate or less; and a second heating step of heating the part of the electrolyte membrane (12) to a temperature equal to or greater than a second temperature higher than the first temperature at a temperature increase rate greater than the first temperature increase rate, after the first heating step.

A wrist-mountable portable electronic device comprises an electronic device which is incorporated into a housing and a strap, coupled to the housing and configured to retain the wrist-mountable portable electronic device on the wrist of a user. The strap incorporates at least one fuel cell coupled to provide power to the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device may be a watch or a personal communication device or a personal health and/or activity monitor. The strap may further include an integral fuel source coupled to the at least one fuel cell, and the fuel source may be a replaceable cartridge. High power devices to be worn on the wrist may therefore be powered for extended periods of time.

A stack for an electrical energy accumulator is provided having at least one storage cell, which in turn has a storage electrode and an air electrode that is connected to an air supply device, the air supply device having an air distribution plate, wherein the stack also has a water vapor supply device which is in contact with the storage electrode and the air distribution plate has at least one element of the water vapor supply device.

The invention relates to a fuel cell membrane handling device comprising a first membrane storage station (A1) and a receiving station (C) as well as a first manipulator (B1) comprising means (68) for gripping a membrane (12) from a free face thereof, the first manipulator (B1) being articulated so as to be capable of moving between a position for taking a membrane (12) from the storage station (A1) and a position for placing a membrane (12) in the receiving station (C). According to the invention, the receiving station (C) comprises a tray for receiving a membrane (12) comprising at least one opening (C2) wherein the gripping means (68) and a portion of the manipulator are capable of fitting into a first position for placing a membrane (12) wherein the membrane (12) is received on the receiving tray (C1).

A method of manufacturing electrochemical cell stacks of different sizes or configurations is disclosed in which a first planar module having a first planar size and configuration is assembled from a first inventory of parts including planar modular parts having mating surfaces along connectable ends. The planar modular parts are connected in a co-planar configuration to form the first planar module having the first size and configuration. A second inventory of parts including planar modular parts in common with the first inventory is identified, and a second planar module having a different planar size or configuration than the first planar module is assembled from the second inventory. The first and second planar modules are assembled with other planar modules and component to form electrochemical stacks corresponding to the planar size and configuration of the respective first or second planar module.

A method of manufacturing electrochemical cell stacks of different sizes or configurations is disclosed in which a first planar module having a first planar size and configuration is assembled from a first inventory of parts including planar modular parts having mating surfaces along connectable ends. The planar modular parts are connected in a co-planar configuration to form the first planar module having the first size and configuration. A second inventory of parts including planar modular parts in common with the first inventory is identified, and a second planar module having a different planar size or configuration than the first planar module is assembled from the second inventory. The first and second planar modules are assembled with other planar modules and component to form electrochemical stacks corresponding to the planar size and configuration of the respective first or second planar module.