Importance

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Abstract

An internally cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell device includes a fuel cell including a pair of substantially coextensive electrode components each of which includes a porous central region and a fluid-impermeable peripheral region circumferentially completely surrounding the central region, and a proton exchange membrane component interposed between at least the central regions of the electrode components. The fuel cell device further includes an arrangement for cooling the fuel cell, including at least one enclosed cooling channel situated at the peripheral region of one of the electrode components and supplied with fresh cooling medium, with the spent cooling medium being discharged from the cooling channel. There is further provided a heat transfer device that is operative to transfer heat from the central region to the peripheral region of the one electrode component. This heat transfer device advantageously includes a hermetically sealed casing and, within the casing, a quantity of a heat transfer substance of the type that evaporates at temperatures below those reached by a central zone of the casing during the operation of the fuel cell and condenses at temperatures above those prevailing at a peripheral zone of the casing during the operation of the cooling arrangement.

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First Claim