Fluid manifold and method therefor

Abstract

A electrochemical cell system includes a fluid manifold having a layered structure. The fluid manifold includes at least one conduit layer having a first side and a second side. The at least one conduit layer has at least one conduit channel.

1 . A manifold comprising:
 two or more featured layers including a conduit layer; and   the conduit layer having a plurality of conduit channels therein, the plurality of conduit channels disposed adjacent to one another within a single featured layer.   
     
     
         2 . The manifold as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the featured layers have a bend radius of no less than about twice a thickness of a single featured layer. 
     
     
         3 . The manifold as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the thickness is less than 1 mm to 200 microns. 
     
     
         4 . The manifold as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one barrier layer, the at least one barrier layer defining a portion of the conduit channels. 
     
     
         5 . The manifold as recited in  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the featured layers define a port fluidly coupled with at least one of the conduit channels. 
     
     
         6 . The manifold as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the featured layers form a thin flexible layer, and have a bend radius of about 1-5 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The manifold as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the conduit channels extends only partially within one of the featured layers. 
     
     
         8 . The manifold as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a first side of one of the featured layers has at least one first partial recess therein, and an opposite second side of the featured layer has at least one second partial recess therein. 
     
     
         9 . The manifold as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the at least one first partial recess is fluidly coupled with the at least one second partial recess. 
     
     
         10 . The manifold as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the featured layers are stacked and bonded together. 
     
     
         11 . The manifold as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the featured layers have a gas-tight seal with one another. 
     
     
         12 . The manifold as recited in  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the conduit channels includes a porous substrate therein. 
     
     
         13 . The manifold as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the conduit channels have a channel dimension, and the manifold has a manifold width, where the manifold width is about 20 to 30 times the channel dimension. 
     
     
         14 . An electrochemical cell system comprising:
 at least one fuel cell;   at least one fluid manifold fluidly coupled with the at least one fuel cell; and   the at least one fluid manifold including two or more featured layers including at least one conduit layer, each conduit layer having one or more conduit channel.   
     
     
         15 . The electrochemical cell system as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising a fluid enclosure communicatively coupled with the at least one fuel cell. 
     
     
         16 . The electrochemical cell system as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising one or more strain absorbing interfaces between and in contact with at least one fluid enclosure and at least one of the featured layers. 
     
     
         17 . The electrochemical cell system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the at least one fluid manifold is a fuel manifold. 
     
     
         18 . The electrochemical cell system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the at least one fluid manifold includes one or more of a heat transfer manifold, an oxidant manifold, or a water removal manifold. 
     
     
         19 . The electrochemical cell system as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising at least one barrier layer, the at least one barrier layer coupled with the conduit layer, the at least one barrier layer defining a portion of the conduit. 
     
     
         20 . The electrochemical cell system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein any one of the featured layers includes a feedback channel fluidly coupled to a fluid plenum of the fuel cell. 
     
     
         21 . The electrochemical cell system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the at least one fluid manifold interfaces with and has an adhesive bond with one or more components of the electrochemical cell system. 
     
     
         22 . The electrochemical cell system as recited in  claim 21 , wherein a bond strength of the adhesive bond is lower than an internal pressure of the at least one fluid manifold. 
     
     
         23 . The electrochemical cell system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the at least one fluid manifold interfaces with one or more of a charge port, or a fluidic control system. 
     
     
         24 . A method comprising:
 introducing fluid into a fluid manifold, the manifold including two or more featured layers each having a plurality of conduit channels; and   flowing fluid through the conduit channels.   
     
     
         25 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , further comprising providing fuel to a fuel cell, where the fluid manifold is fluidly coupled with the fuel cell. 
     
     
         26 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein flowing fluid includes flowing fluid from a first layer recess of a first conduit layer to a second layer recess of a second conduit layer. 
     
     
         27 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein flowing fluid through the conduit channels includes flowing fluid through a porous substrate within at least one of the one or more conduit channels. 
     
     
         28 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein flowing fluid through the conduit channels includes providing a heat transfer fluid to a electrochemical cell system through the conduit channels. 
     
     
         29 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein flowing fluid through the conduit channels includes providing oxidant to a electrochemical cell system through the conduit channels or removing water from the electrochemical cell system through the conduit channels. 
     
     
         30 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein flowing fluid through one or more conduit channels includes flowing fluid along a partially recessed channel in the conduit layer. 
     
     
         31 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein flowing fluid through one or more conduit channels includes directing material along a first partial channel in the first side and along a second partial channel in the second side. 
     
     
         32 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , further comprising fluidly coupling the fluid manifold with a charge port. 
     
     
         33 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , further comprising fluidly coupling the fluid manifold with a fluid enclosure. 
     
     
         34 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , further comprising distributing fluid on two or more layers via at least a first flowpath, the first flowpath extending from a first featured layer to a second featured layer, and returning from the second featured layer to the first featured layer. 
     
     
         35 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein flowing includes flowing a gas through the conduit channels. 
     
     
         36 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , further comprising forming a fluidic connection between components, the method including a use of adhesive couplings of primarily planar faces. 
     
     
         37 . A manifold comprising:
 two or more featured layers including two or more non-restrictive conduit layers including a first conduit layer and a second conduit layer;   the first and second conduit layers each having at least one conduit channel; and   the first conduit layer stacked with the second conduit layer.   
     
     
         38 . The manifold as recited in  claim 37 , wherein the at least one conduit channel is a gas conduit channel. 
     
     
         39  The manifold as recited in  claim 37 , further comprising a first flowpath distributing fluid on two or more layers, the first flow path extending from a first featured layer to a second featured layer. 
     
     
         40 . The manifold as recited in  claim 37 , wherein the flow path returns from the second featured layer to the first featured layer. 
     
     
         41 . The manifold as recited in  claim 37 , wherein the first flow path circumnavigates a second flow path. 
     
     
         42  The manifold as recited in  claim 37 , wherein the at least one conduit channel is a delivery channel. 
     
     
         43 . The manifold as recited in  claim 37 , wherein the at least one conduit channel is a feedback channel.