Water removal devices for distributors of PEMFC stacks

摘要

A bipolar plate includes angled facets that are oriented to form V-shaped protrusions on the plate edge. Liquid exiting the reactant channels is drawn back into the V-shaped grooves of the protrusions, leaving substantially no liquid obstructing the channel outlets. The bipolar plate includes a portion of the bipolar plate offset from another portion of the bipolar plate so as to expose the reactant channels. The liquid is drawn towards the end portions of the reactant channels by capillary forces, while the gas flows can exit near the beginning of the offset portion. A fuel cell stack has angled facets that are twisted to lie in the plane of the bipolar plate edges. The edges are chamfered so that the channel exit openings of the reactant channels are at their tip portions, thereby allowing the liquid to flow away from the channel exit openings and allow the gas to escape freely.