Simple membrane electrode and frame assemblies for a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack and improved methods for making them are disclosed which involve the use of a single adhesive layer. Using an appropriate design, the single adhesive layer can provide multiple bonds, including a bond between one of the gas diffusion layers and a catalyst coated membrane assembly, between the catalyst coated portion of the catalyst coated membrane assembly and the frame, and between either the other of the gas diffusion layers and the frame, or between an uncoated portion of the catalyst coated membrane assembly and the frame.

A fuel cell system configured to enhance the life of a fuel cell is provided. The fuel cell system a fuel cell, an oxidant gas supplier configured to supply oxygen-containing oxidant gas to a cathode of the fuel cell, a fuel gas supplier configured to supply hydrogen-containing fuel gas to an anode of the fuel cell, an oxygen partial pressure estimator configured to estimate an oxygen partial pressure of the cathode of the fuel cell, a hydrogen partial pressure estimator configured to estimate a hydrogen partial pressure of the anode of the fuel cell, and a controller, wherein the controller calculates a target hydrogen partial pressure by a given equation (1), and wherein the controller controls the hydrogen partial pressure of the anode to the target hydrogen partial pressure.

An electrode assembly for a flow battery is disclosed comprising a porous electrode material, a frame surrounding the porous electrode material, at least a distributor tube embedded in the porous electrode material having an inlet for supplying electrolyte to the porous electrode material and at least another distributor tube embedded in the porous electrode material having an outlet for discharging electrolyte out of the porous material. The walls of the distributor tubes are preferably provided with holes or pores for allowing a uniform distribution of the electrolyte within the electrode material. The distributor tubes provide the required electrolyte flow path length within the electrode material to minimize shunt current flowing between the flow cells in the battery stack.

A fuel cell arrangement with a membrane electrode assembly is provided which comprises a cathode, an anode and a membrane arranged between the cathode and the anode, with an active area essentially predetermined by the membrane electrode assembly, and with a sealing structure laterally assigned to the membrane electrode assembly. The sealing structure comprises a sealing tongue extending into or over an edge region outside the active area for axially covering in a gas-tight manner a media channel formed in an adjacent bipolar plate and located in the edge region. A unit cell for a fuel cell stack with such a fuel cell arrangement is also provided.

The present disclosure discloses a flow battery system and a large-scale flow battery energy storage device. The flow battery system comprises multiple flow batteries; each of the flow batteries comprises a battery pack A, a battery pack B, a battery pack C, and a set of electrolyte circulation system used by the battery pack A, the battery pack B and the battery pack C; the battery pack A, the battery pack B and the battery pack C comprised in each flow battery are independent of each other in the circuit. According to the present disclosure, at least two sets of electrolyte circulation system are saved under the same power scale, such that the system stability is improved while the cost is reduced.

The present disclosure discloses a flow battery system and a large-scale flow battery energy storage device. The flow battery system comprises multiple flow batteries; each of the flow batteries comprises a battery pack A, a battery pack B, a battery pack C, and a set of electrolyte circulation system used by the battery pack A, the battery pack B and the battery pack C; the battery pack A, the battery pack B and the battery pack C comprised in each flow battery are independent of each other in the circuit. According to the present disclosure, at least two sets of electrolyte circulation system are saved under the same power scale, such that the system stability is improved while the cost is reduced.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a circuit, a pump, a pressure regulating valve, and a control apparatus. The fuel cell includes a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies and a separator. The separator has a gas channel and a coolant channel. The circuit is coupled to the coolant channel and allows a coolant to circulate therethrough. The pump delivers the coolant toward the coolant channel. The pressure regulating valve adjusts a pressure of the coolant in the coolant channel. The control apparatus controls a flow rate of the coolant in the coolant channel by controlling a rotational speed of the pump on the basis of a temperature of the fuel cell, and controls the pressure of the coolant in the coolant channel by controlling a position of the pressure regulating valve on the basis of a pressure of gas in the gas channel.

Disclosed is an improved fuel cell apparatus. The fuel cell apparatus comprises at least one fuel cell, the fuel cell comprising two bipolar plates (200a 200b), one providing an anode side, and the other providing a cathode side, the fuel cell being configured to have a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet, and a membrane electrode assembly (422) disposed between the fuel inlets (201) and fuel outlets (203) of the bipolar plates. The at least one fuel cell is retained by a housing, the housing comprising a first outer plate and a second outer plate, each located on an opposite face of the at least one fuel cell. The housing further comprises a cooling element support which is adapted to support one or more fans that are adapted to provide an air flow toward the at least one fuel cell.

Disclosed is an improved fuel cell apparatus. The fuel cell apparatus comprises at least one fuel cell, the fuel cell comprising two bipolar plates (200a 200b), one providing an anode side, and the other providing a cathode side, the fuel cell being configured to have a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet, and a membrane electrode assembly (422) disposed between the fuel inlets (201) and fuel outlets (203) of the bipolar plates. The at least one fuel cell is retained by a housing, the housing comprising a first outer plate and a second outer plate, each located on an opposite face of the at least one fuel cell. The housing further comprises a cooling element support which is adapted to support one or more fans that are adapted to provide an air flow toward the at least one fuel cell.

The present invention aims to reduce a failure in a fuel cell module and reduce manufacturing costs by specifying and taking countermeasures against cells in short-circuit failure from among fuel cells manufactured on a substrate by using a thin-film deposition process. In a fuel cell array according to the present invention, each fuel cell includes a solid electrolyte layer between a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer. A first wiring is connected to the second electrode layer, and a second wiring is connected to the first electrode layer through a connection element. The connection element is formed by sandwiching a conductive layer between two electrodes (refer to FIG. 8).