Molten carbonate fuel cell configurations are provided that allow for introduction of an anode input gas flow on a side of the fuel cell that is adjacent to the entry side for the cathode input gas flow while allowing the anode and cathode to operate under co-current flow and/or counter-current flow conditions. It has been discovered that improved flow properties can be achieved within the anode or cathode during co-current flow or counter-current flow operation by diverting the input flow for the anode or cathode into an extended edge seal region (in an extended edge seal chamber) adjacent to the active area of the anode or cathode, and then using a baffle to provide sufficient pressure drop for even flow distribution of the anode input flow across the anode or cathode input flow across the cathode. A second baffle can be used to create a pressure drop as the anode output flow or cathode output flow exits from the active area into a second extended edge seal region (in a second extended edge seal chamber) prior to leaving the fuel cell.

A method of applying a coating to a flow field plate of a fuel cell. The method includes applying a solution including a metal-containing precursor and a solvent to at least a portion of a surface of a flow field plate, and evaporating the solvent to form a coating on the at least the portion of the surface of the flow field plate.

A method of applying a coating to a flow field plate of a fuel cell. The method includes applying a solution including a metal-containing precursor and a solvent to at least a portion of a surface of a flow field plate, and evaporating the solvent to form a coating on the at least the portion of the surface of the flow field plate.

In a fuel cell separator member of a fuel cell stack, a first metal bead and first ribs are formed integrally with and protruded from a surface of the first metal separator. Each of the first ribs includes a first rib body and two first retracted portions. The protruding height of each of the two first retracted portions is smaller than the protruding height of the first rib body.

A plurality of channel elements provided in a bipolar plate have different widths depending on positions, so that the velocity of flow of the fluid increases from an inlet toward an outlet of the bipolar plate and water generated when the fluid is condensed on the downstream side of the bipolar plate can be discharged more smoothly. In addition, a plurality of channel elements have different contact angles depending on positions of the plurality of channel elements so that the contact angle increases toward the outlet side of the bipolar plate. Thus, the reaction gas can be more concentrated on the surface of a gas diffusion layer. Even if the concentration of the reaction gas is reduced at the outlet side of the bipolar plate, the diffusion of the reaction gas is well performed, so that performance reduction can be prevented.

A passage bead seal of a fuel cell joint separator includes a straight portion and curved portions. An oxygen-containing gas bridge section connecting the inside and the outside of a portion surrounded by a passage bead seal includes inner tunnels and outer tunnels coupled to an inner side wall and an outer side wall of a straight portion, and protruding in a separator thickness direction. The tunnel height is determined to be smaller than the bead seal height by not less than a predetermined value in a manner that a line pressure applied by a compression load to a front end surface of the straight portion becomes the same as a line pressure applied by the compression load to a front end surface of the curved portion.

A manufacturing method for fuel cell separators by way of a progressive pressing method which molds a plurality of separator shaped parts in an elongated metal plate, the method having: a pressing step of forming a separator shaped part in an elongated metal plate by way of pressing; a trimming step of cutting loose the separator shaped part from the elongated metal plate by punching an outer peripheral part of the separator shaped part formed in the elongated metal plate in the same pressing direction as the pressing step; a lifting step of lifting up the elongated metal plate from which the separator shaped part was cut loose; and a separator shaped part conveying step of conveying the separator shaped part which was cut loose to a downstream side in the conveying direction, in the midst of the elongated metal plate being lifted up in the lifting step.

A manufacturing method for fuel cell separators by way of a progressive pressing method which molds a plurality of separator shaped parts in an elongated metal plate, the method having: a pressing step of forming a separator shaped part in an elongated metal plate by way of pressing; a trimming step of cutting loose the separator shaped part from the elongated metal plate by punching an outer peripheral part of the separator shaped part formed in the elongated metal plate in the same pressing direction as the pressing step; a lifting step of lifting up the elongated metal plate from which the separator shaped part was cut loose; and a separator shaped part conveying step of conveying the separator shaped part which was cut loose to a downstream side in the conveying direction, in the midst of the elongated metal plate being lifted up in the lifting step.

A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of bipolar plates wherein each bipolar plate has at least an anode plate and a cathode plate, and a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies being sandwiched by the bipolar plates, wherein each membrane electrode assembly has at least an anode and a cathode which are separated by a membrane, wherein the bipolar plates sandwich the membrane electrode assembly in such a way that the anode of the membrane electrode assembly faces the anode plate of a first bipolar plate and the cathode of the same membrane electrode assembly faces the cathode plate of a second bipolar plate; and wherein a cell pitch of the fuel cell stack is defined by a distance of two adjacent membrane electrode assemblies, wherein at borders of the bipolar plates of the fuel cell stack, an overall distance between the anode plate of the first bipolar plate and the cathode plate of the second bipolar plate, which is measured over the sandwiched membrane electrode assembly, is equal to the cell pitch of the fuel cell stack.

An electrochemical cell stack having a plurality of electrochemical cells stacked along a longitudinal axis. The electrochemical cells include a membrane electrode assembly comprising a cathode catalyst layer, an anode catalyst layer, and a polymer membrane interposed between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer. The electrochemical cells also include an anode plate and a cathode plate with the membrane electrode assembly interposed therebetween, and the anode plate defines a plurality of channels that form an anode flow field facing the anode catalyst layer. The electrochemical cells further include a cathode flow field positioned between the cathode plate and the cathode catalyst layer, wherein the cathode flow field comprises a porous structure.