US 12,341,224 B2
Fuel cell stack assembly including heat sink inserts
Nilanjana Basu, Santa Clara, CA (US); and Michael Petrucha, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Assigned to BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/052,799.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/269,876, filed on Mar. 24, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0307668 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. H01M 8/0267 (2016.01); H01M 8/00 (2016.01); H01M 8/021 (2016.01); H01M 8/0217 (2016.01); H01M 8/0232 (2016.01); H01M 8/04007 (2016.01); H01M 8/1246 (2016.01); H01M 8/2425 (2016.01); H01M 8/2428 (2016.01); H01M 8/2432 (2016.01); H01M 8/2465 (2016.01); H01M 8/2475 (2016.01); H01M 8/2484 (2016.01); H01M 8/249 (2016.01); H01M 8/12 (2016.01)
CPC H01M 8/0267 (2013.01) [H01M 8/006 (2013.01); H01M 8/021 (2013.01); H01M 8/0219 (2013.01); H01M 8/0232 (2013.01); H01M 8/04007 (2013.01); H01M 8/04074 (2013.01); H01M 8/1246 (2013.01); H01M 8/2425 (2013.01); H01M 8/2428 (2016.02); H01M 8/2432 (2016.02); H01M 8/2465 (2013.01); H01M 8/2475 (2013.01); H01M 8/2484 (2016.02); H01M 8/249 (2013.01); H01M 2008/1293 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fuel cell column, comprising:
a plurality of fuel cell stacks;
at least one fuel manifold configured to provide fuel to the plurality of fuel cell stacks; and
at least one heat sink insert located between adjacent fuel cell stacks of the plurality of fuel cell stacks, wherein:
the adjacent fuel cell stacks comprise a first fuel cell stack located above a second fuel cell stack;
the first fuel cell stack comprises a first end plate located at a bottom of the first fuel cell stack;
the second fuel cell stack comprises a second end plate located at a top end of the second fuel cell stack, wherein the first end plate and the second end plate are composed of the same material;
the at least one heat sink insert comprises a first heat sink insert which is located between the first end plate of the first fuel cell stack and the second end plate of the second fuel cell stack;
the first heat sink insert has a first major surface that physically contacts the first end plate of the first fuel cell stack and a second major surface that physically contacts the second end plate of the second fuel cell stack; and
the first heat sink insert has an open region comprising an internal opening within the first heat sink insert extending from a periphery of the heat sink insert to a central region of the heat sink insert.