The present invention discloses a fuel cell, which incorporates a bipolar plate.
The regenerative bipolar fuel cell of the present invention contains at least one
hydrogen electrode in contact with a hydrogen stream and at least one oxygen electrode
in contact with an oxygen stream. At least one electrolyte chamber is in contact
with the hydrogen electrode and at least one electrolyte chamber is in contact
with the oxygen electrode. The electrolyte chambers provide mechanical support
within the fuel cell and provide an uninterrupted pathway for an electrolyte solution
to contact the hydrogen electrode and the oxygen electrode, respectively. At least
one bipolar plate is positioned between the hydrogen electrode and the oxygen electrode.
The bipolar plate has a hydrogen side in contact with the hydrogen electrode and
an oxygen side in contact with the oxygen electrode. The bipolar plate eliminates
the need for electrode support frames within a fuel cell and provides an entire
electrode in one epoxy frame that ensures the integrity of the different pieces
while maintaining the different fluids to be available at the points of their respective
reactions. In addition, the bipolar plate acts as a manifold for gas distribution
and a gasket for sealing.