An elementary module including an oxidation unit for generating electrons by oxidizing a fuel with an oxidant, an anode and cathode sandwiching an electrolytic membrane, an anode block including a fuel transporter support for transporting an anode feed flow containing the fuel to an anode chamber and an anode electron collector attached to the fuel transporter support, a cathode block including an oxidant transporter support for transporting a cathode feed flow containing the oxidant to a cathode chamber and a cathode electron collector attached to the oxidant transporter support, the elementary module defining the anode chamber, respectively, the cathode chamber, between the oxidation unit and the fuel transporter support, respectively, the oxidant transporter support, the anode electron collector, respectively, the cathode electron collector and the oxidation unit being attached by bonding and electrically connected by means of an anode conductive bridge, respectively, a cathode conductive bridge, containing an electrically conductive adhesive.

A fuel cell including a plurality of elementary modules stacked on each other, at least one of the elementary modules including an oxidation unit generating electrons by oxidation of a fuel with an oxidant, an anode block including a fuel transporter support, for transporting an anode feed flow containing the fuel to an anode chamber, onto which is attached an anode electron collector, a cathode block including an oxidant transporter support, for transporting a cathode feed flow containing the oxidant to a cathode chamber, onto which is attached a cathode electron collector, the elementary module defining the anode chamber, respectively, the cathode chamber between the oxidation unit and the fuel transporter support, respectively, the oxidant transporter support, and being such that, prior to the assembly of the elementary module in said plurality, the anode block, respectively, the cathode block and the oxidation unit are attached to each other.

In an electrochemical device of an embodiment, a cell stack has a spacer disposed to be arranged next to an insulating sealing member in a direction orthogonal to a stack direction. A plurality of the spacers are arranged in the stack direction between a pair of end plates, and the spacer is interposed between a pair of separators adjacently arranged in the stack direction. The spacer is formed of a material whose thickness reduction ratio when an operation of the electrochemical device is executed is smaller than that of the insulating sealing member. Before the execution of the operation of the electrochemical device, the thickness of the spacer is thinner than the thickness of the insulating sealing member. Further, the thickness of the spacer keeps a state of being equal to or less than the thickness of the insulating sealing member when the operation of the electrochemical device is executed.

A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly, a first plate separator and a second plate separator on opposite sides of the membrane electrode assembly and a voltage sensor for detecting a cell voltage relative to opposite sides of the membrane electrode assembly. A transmitter is coupled to the sensor and configured to wirelessly transmit an indication of the cell voltage.

A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly, a first plate separator and a second plate separator on opposite sides of the membrane electrode assembly and a voltage sensor for detecting a cell voltage relative to opposite sides of the membrane electrode assembly. A transmitter is coupled to the sensor and configured to wirelessly transmit an indication of the cell voltage.

An electrical connection system for cell voltage monitoring in a fuel cell stack. A fuel cell stack assembly comprises a plurality of fuel cells disposed in a stacked configuration, each cell substantially parallel to an x-y plane and including an electrical tab extending laterally from an edge of a plate in the cell in the x-direction to form an array of tabs extending along a side face of the fuel cell stack in a z-direction orthogonal to the x-y plane. A connector device comprises a planar member having a plurality of spaced-apart slits formed in an edge of the planar member, each slit having an electrically conductive material on an inside face of the slit. The slits are spaced along the edge of the planar member and configured to receive the tabs by sliding engagement in the y-direction. Alternatively, each tab may be crimped to create a distortion in the tab out of the x-y plane of the plate and a connector device comprises a planar member having a plurality of generally parallel slits formed in the body of the planar member, each slit having an electrically conductive material on an inside face of the slit, the slits being spaced within the planar member and configured to receive the tabs by sliding engagement in the x-direction so that each tab engages with at least a portion of the electrically conductive material on the inside face of a respective slit.

An electrical connection system for cell voltage monitoring in a fuel cell stack. A fuel cell stack assembly comprises a plurality of fuel cells disposed in a stacked configuration, each cell substantially parallel to an x-y plane and including an electrical tab extending laterally from an edge of a plate in the cell in the x-direction to form an array of tabs extending along a side face of the fuel cell stack in a z-direction orthogonal to the x-y plane. A connector device comprises a planar member having a plurality of spaced-apart slits formed in an edge of the planar member, each slit having an electrically conductive material on an inside face of the slit. The slits are spaced along the edge of the planar member and configured to receive the tabs by sliding engagement in the y-direction. Alternatively, each tab may be crimped to create a distortion in the tab out of the x-y plane of the plate and a connector device comprises a planar member having a plurality of generally parallel slits formed in the body of the planar member, each slit having an electrically conductive material on an inside face of the slit, the slits being spaced within the planar member and configured to receive the tabs by sliding engagement in the x-direction so that each tab engages with at least a portion of the electrically conductive material on the inside face of a respective slit.

The present disclosure provides a fuel cell stack having a plurality of bipolar plates aligned between a pair of end plates. Each of the bipolar plates further includes a first bead and a second bead. The first bead defines a first bead height, and the second bead defines a second bead height wherein the second bead height is less than the first bead height.

The present disclosure provides a fuel cell stack having a plurality of bipolar plates aligned between a pair of end plates. Each of the bipolar plates further includes a first bead and a second bead. The first bead defines a first bead height, and the second bead defines a second bead height wherein the second bead height is less than the first bead height.

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.