Disclosed is an electric cell stack comprising at least a plurality of electric plates and a plurality of insulating layers, wherein the stack of the plurality of electric plates and insulating layers are alternatingly stacked in such a way that the electric plates are separated by insulating layers, and the electric plates and/or the insulating layers are aligned to each other, wherein each electric plate has a first alignment through hole and a second alignment through hole, wherein at and/or in the alignment through holes inner alignment elements are provided for aligning the electric plates and the insulating layers, wherein each inner alignment element has a base plate and an adjusting portion protruding from the base plate, wherein the adjusting portion of one alignment element extends through at least a first electric plate, a first insulating layer, a second electric plate and a second insulating layer.

A gas channel forming plate includes protrusions, which extend parallel with each other, gas channels that are respectively located between each adjacent pair of the protrusions, and water channels, which are respectively formed on the back surface of each protrusion. Each protrusion includes first communication portions and second communication portions. Each first communication portion includes a first opening. Each second communication portion includes a second opening. The second communication portions of each protrusion constitute an expanding region, in which the opening area of the second opening in each second communication portion is greater than the opening area of the first opening of each first communication portion, to limit introduction of water to the water channel on the back side of the protrusion using capillary action by the second communication portions.

A gas channel forming plate includes protrusions, which extend parallel with each other, gas channels that are respectively located between each adjacent pair of the protrusions, and water channels, which are respectively formed on the back surface of each protrusion. Each protrusion includes first communication portions and second communication portions. Each first communication portion includes a first opening. Each second communication portion includes a second opening. The second communication portions of each protrusion constitute an expanding region, in which the opening area of the second opening in each second communication portion is greater than the opening area of the first opening of each first communication portion, to limit introduction of water to the water channel on the back side of the protrusion using capillary action by the second communication portions.

A fuel cell apparatus includes a fuel cell including a cell stack including a plurality of unit cells stacked in a first direction and a cell monitoring connector mounted to the fuel cell in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The fuel cell includes a plurality of separators included in each of the unit cells and spaced from each other in the first direction, and each of the separators include an external side surface in which a female-type connection portion is concavely formed. The cell monitoring connector includes a housing and a male-type connection portion convexly protruding from the housing to mate with the female-type connection portion and to make surface-contact with the external side surface of each of the separators within the female-type connection portion.

A fuel cell apparatus includes a fuel cell including a cell stack including a plurality of unit cells stacked in a first direction and a cell monitoring connector mounted to the fuel cell in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The fuel cell includes a plurality of separators included in each of the unit cells and spaced from each other in the first direction, and each of the separators include an external side surface in which a female-type connection portion is concavely formed. The cell monitoring connector includes a housing and a male-type connection portion convexly protruding from the housing to mate with the female-type connection portion and to make surface-contact with the external side surface of each of the separators within the female-type connection portion.

A device may include a substrate. A device may include an electrical load supported by the substrate. A device may include a microfluidic volume disposed in the substrate. A device may include an electro-chemical fluid contained in the microfluidic volume, the electro-chemical fluid being configured to (i) generate an electrical current that powers the electrical load and (ii) absorb heat from the electrical load. A method may include a substrate. A method may include an electrical load supported by the substrate. A method may include a microfluidic volume disposed in the substrate. A method may include an electro-chemical fluid contained in the microfluidic volume, the electro-chemical fluid being configured to (i) generate an electrical current that powers the electrical load and (ii) absorb heat from the electrical load.

The present disclosure relates to a separator plate for an electrochemical system, in particular a fuel cell system. The separator plate has at least one through-opening for passing a fluid through the separator plate, at least one distribution area having a plurality of first channels and first webs formed between each two first channels, and at least one flow field, which is in fluid communication with the through-opening via the distribution area and which has a plurality of second channels and second webs formed between each two second channels. First ends of the first webs face ends of the second webs and/or merge into the ends of at least selected ones of the second webs. First distances between the respective first ends of mutually adjacent first webs are inhomogeneous.

Systems and methods for separator plates, bipolar plates, stacks of plates, and electrochemical systems, comprising at least one through-opening for the passage of a fluid and a rim that delimits the through-opening. The rim having a curved course and a rectilinear course that adjoins the curved course. A bead arrangement extends around the curved course and the rectilinear course. An edge portion spans the bead arrangement and the rim, so that the bead arrangement is situated at a distance from the rim. A cutout formed in the curved course, so that a minimum distance of the bead arrangement from the rim is smaller in the curved course than in the rectilinear course.

Systems and methods for separator plates, bipolar plates, stacks of plates, and electrochemical systems, comprising at least one through-opening for the passage of a fluid and a rim that delimits the through-opening. The rim having a curved course and a rectilinear course that adjoins the curved course. A bead arrangement extends around the curved course and the rectilinear course. An edge portion spans the bead arrangement and the rim, so that the bead arrangement is situated at a distance from the rim. A cutout formed in the curved course, so that a minimum distance of the bead arrangement from the rim is smaller in the curved course than in the rectilinear course.

A bipolar plate arrangement comprises a first plate portion and a separate second plate portion juxtaposed and connected to one another, the first plate portion and the second plate portion defining a plurality of aligned port apertures. An inner seal is positioned between the first plate portion and the second plate portion, the inner seal, the first plate portion, and the second plate portion together defining a plurality of fluid passages providing fluid communication between the port apertures and a corresponding fluid aperture defined in one of the first plate portion or the second plate portion.