Small volume, fuel cell inlet fuel gas distributor having low pressure drop

Abstract

In a fuel cell stack, an inlet fuel distributor ( 15, 31, 31 a, 31 b) comprises a plurality of conduits of substantially equal length and equal flow cross section to uniformly distribute fuel cell inlet fuel from a fuel supply pipe ( 13 ) to a fuel inlet manifold ( 28 ). The conduits may be either channels ( 40 - 47; 64; 67 ) formed within a plate ( 39 ) or tubes ( 17 - 23 ). The channels may have single exits ( 65 ) or double exits ( 52, 53 ) into the fuel inlet manifold.

1 . A fuel cell inlet fuel apparatus for a fuel cell stack, comprising: 
 a fuel supply pipe;    a fuel inlet manifold; and    an inlet fuel distributor comprising a plurality of fuel conduits of substantially equal length and substantially equal flow cross section, each extending from said fuel supply pipe to said fuel inlet manifold, said plurality of fuel conduits selected from (a) channels formed in a thin plate and (b) tubes.    
   
   
       2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said conduits are channels and further comprising: 
 a surface; and wherein    said channels each have at least one exit for flowing said fuel against said surface.    
   
   
       3 . Apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein: 
 said channels each have one of said exits.    
   
   
       4 . Apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein 
 said channels each have two of said exits.    
   
   
       5 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said conduits are an even number of channels.    
   
   
       6 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said conduits are an even number of channels, each of said channels being a mirror image of another of said channels.    
   
   
       7 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said conduits are tubes.    
   
   
       8 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said conduits each have one exit.