**3.4 The gas diffusion layers**

*Thermodynamics and Energy Engineering*

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channels.

**Figure 4.**

**Figure 3.**

*The component of fuel cell [14].*

*Various designs of bipolar plates [17].*

**3.3 Gaskets**

the bipolar plate to feed the gaseous fuel to the electrodes uniformly as shown in **Figure 4**. Their designs differ by the shape and the distributions of the gas flow

When many cells are connected in one stack, the bipolar plates conduct current between the adjacent cells. Another function of the bipolar plate is to dissipate the

Gaskets are sheets of rubbery polymer used to prevent leaking of reactant gases and coolant. They are carefully selected to be able to withstand the propellant of gaseous fuels, resist operating temperature up to 100°C, not affected by ambient

generated heat during the chemical reactions [18, 19].

Two pieces of a conductive material and they are representing important parts of the fuel cell. They are manufactured in a porous form using carbon fibers weaved into carbon papers or clothes [21]. Their major works are to transfer the reactants between the bipolar plates and the catalyst layers, assist the dissipation of the produced water and heat from the catalysts and protect them from corrosion [22].
