Fuel cell structures

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In a fuel cell structure of the above-defined type and in accordance with the present invention, the said distribution means are formed by elongate ribs which form distribution channels, the top face of the ribs lying in the same plane as the face of the portion on which said ribs are provided, the collectors including parallel splines in their central conductive zones defining channels having an average vertical orientation for conveying the gas flows and which are fed from the said distributing channels.
In a particular embodiment of the invention, the fuel supply orifices are preferably oblong in shape with the fuel-conveying grooves or hollows in the curent collectors opening out close to the portions of said oblong orifices which are situated closest to the central conductive zone of the collector, the fluid-distributing ribs defining a network that flares away from the said orifices towards the central conductive zone of the collector, ribs situated adjacent to the oblong shaped orifices defining channels which may themselves supply a greater number of intermediate channels defined by other ribs of greater length and leading to the vicinity of the channels of the collector, each intermediate channel supplying at least one channel of the central conductive zone of the collector.
According to a preferred feature of the invention, the elongate ribs disposed on the faces of the bottom and top portions of the collector in contact with the oxidant supplied to the cathode face of the collector define distribution channels which fan out in their portions adjacent to the central conductive zone of the collector.
In one embodiment, the porous electrodes are pressed against frames made of insulating plastic material and having respective central orifices which are quadrilateral in shape, the bottom and top portions of the frames facing the hollows provided in the bottom and top portions of the collector having the means for enabling the cathode face of the collector to be supplied with oxidant being provided, in the vicinity of the exterior edge of the said frames, with corresponding notches increasing the oxidant inlet and outlet sections to the cell