To provide a manufacturing method of a membrane electrode assembly which improves the reliability of seal, mechanical strength, and handling ability of a solid polymer type fuel cell. The manufacturing method of a membrane electrode assembly according to the present invention prepares a membrane electrode assembly which differs in size of gas diffusion layers at an anode side and cathode side, provides the outer peripheral edge of the membrane electrode assembly with a resin frame by molding, and, at that time, provides projections or a concave part and convex part at a top mold and bottom mold used for the molding so as to keep to a minimum the penetration of the resin frame material to the gas diffusion layers and/or electrode layers and prevent warping of the outer peripheral edges of the larger gas diffusion layer etc.

To provide a manufacturing method of a membrane electrode assembly which improves the reliability of seal, mechanical strength, and handling ability of a solid polymer type fuel cell. The manufacturing method of a membrane electrode assembly according to the present invention prepares a membrane electrode assembly which differs in size of gas diffusion layers at an anode side and cathode side, provides the outer peripheral edge of the membrane electrode assembly with a resin frame by molding, and, at that time, provides projections or a concave part and convex part at a top mold and bottom mold used for the molding so as to keep to a minimum the penetration of the resin frame material to the gas diffusion layers and/or electrode layers and prevent warping of the outer peripheral edges of the larger gas diffusion layer etc.

The present invention provides a fuel cell separator with a gasket manufactured by integrally forming a gasket on one side of a separator; independently injection molding a frame gasket on a frame such that a first airtight portion covers the entire surface of the frame to maintain the shape of the frame gasket and a second airtight portion projects upward and downward from both ends of the first airtight portion; and bringing the first airtight portion of the frame gasket into contact with the other side of the separator with the gasket formed on one side thereof. To create a fuel cell stack in certain embodiments, the invention stacks the second airtight portion of the frame gasket on another second airtight portion of an adjacent unit cell with a membrane-electrode assembly interposed therebetween.

The present invention provides a fuel cell separator with a gasket manufactured by integrally forming a gasket on one side of a separator; independently injection molding a frame gasket on a frame such that a first airtight portion covers the entire surface of the frame to maintain the shape of the frame gasket and a second airtight portion projects upward and downward from both ends of the first airtight portion; and bringing the first airtight portion of the frame gasket into contact with the other side of the separator with the gasket formed on one side thereof. To create a fuel cell stack in certain embodiments, the invention stacks the second airtight portion of the frame gasket on another second airtight portion of an adjacent unit cell with a membrane-electrode assembly interposed therebetween.

A fuel cell is provided with a power generation unit; the power generation unit is provided with a first metal separator, a first electrolyte membrane/electrode structure, a second metal separator, a second electrolyte membrane/electrode structure, and a third metal separator. The first electrolyte membrane/electrode structure is provided with a first resin frame member at the outer periphery, and the first resin frame member is provided with an inlet buffer section positioned outside a power generation region and coupled to a first oxidant gas flow path, and a protruding section, which is one part of an inlet coupling flow path coupling together the inlet buffer section and an oxidant gas inlet communication hole.

A fuel cell is provided with a power generation unit; the power generation unit is provided with a first metal separator, a first electrolyte membrane/electrode structure, a second metal separator, a second electrolyte membrane/electrode structure, and a third metal separator. The first electrolyte membrane/electrode structure is provided with a first resin frame member at the outer periphery, and the first resin frame member is provided with an inlet buffer section positioned outside a power generation region and coupled to a first oxidant gas flow path, and a protruding section, which is one part of an inlet coupling flow path coupling together the inlet buffer section and an oxidant gas inlet communication hole.

A method for manufacturing a separator assembly includes a preparation step for preparing a first separator, a second separator, and an elastic member; a first placement step for positioning the elastic member and placing the same on a placement surface; a second placement step for positioning the first separator in relation to the elastic member, and placing the first separator so as to overlap the elastic member; and a joining step for joining the elastic member and first separator which have been positioned and made to overlap. In the second placement step, the first separator is made to overlap the elastic member while first positioning members for positioning the elastic member are made to retract into the placement surface.

Flow batteries can be constructed by combining multiple electrochemical unit cells together with one another in a cell stack. High-throughput processes for fabricating electrochemical unit cells can include providing materials from rolled sources for forming a soft goods assembly and a hard goods assembly, supplying the materials to a production line, and forming an electrochemical unit cell having a bipolar plate disposed on opposite sides of a separator. The electrochemical unit cells can have configurations such that bipolar plates are shared between adjacent electrochemical unit cells in a cell stack, or such that bipolar plates between adjacent electrochemical unit cells are abutted together with one another in a cell stack.

Electrochemical cells can include flow channels designed to provide an electrolyte solution more efficiently to an electrode or ionically conductive separator. Such electrochemical cells can include an ionically conductive separator disposed between a first half-cell and a second half-cell, a first bipolar plate in the first half-cell, and a second bipolar plate in the second half-cell. At least one of the first bipolar plate and the second bipolar plate are a composite containing a conductive material and a blocking material. The blocking material defines a plurality of flow channels that are spaced apart from one another and extend laterally through the composite with respect to the ionically conductive separator. The plurality of flow channels are also in fluid communication with one another in the composite. Such electrochemical cells can be incorporated in electrochemical stacks and/or be fluidly connected to a fluid inlet manifold and a fluid outlet manifold.

A redox flow battery and battery system are provided. In one example, the redox flow battery includes a cell stack assembly having a plate assembly positioned on a lateral side of the cell stack assembly and comprising an elastic flange including a recess mated with a section of a conductive plate and compliant in at least one of a lateral direction and a vertical direction, and a plate frame coupled to the elastic flange.