1. A method of manufacturing a fuel cell plate comprising:
machining a part which produces tailings;
mixing at least some of the tailings with a material to produce a mixture; and
forming the mixture into a fuel cell plate.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tailings include a first natural flake graphite, and the material includes a second natural flake graphite.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the tailings of the machining step includes a first binder laminating the first natural flake graphite, and the material includes a second binder.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first and second natural flake graphite are of the same properties, and the first and second binder are the same.
5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the fuel cell plate includes through-plane and in-plane directions, and the forming step includes orienting the natural flake graphite generally in the in-plane direction, wherein the fuel cell plate provides a through-plane thermal conductivity of at least approximately 7 BTUft-hr-\xb0 F.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a majority of the tailings have a size of 1.41 mm or less.
7. The method according to claim 6, comprising the step of screening the tailings to provide the size.
8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the material includes natural flake graphite having an aspect ratio of approximately 1:8.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the part includes a formed fuel cell plate, and the machining step includes cutting a flow field in the formed fuel cell plate to produce the tailings.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tailings provide approximately 45-85% of the mixture by volume.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture includes approximately 11-14% binder by volume.
12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the binder is a fluoropolymer.
13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the forming step includes compressing the mixture greater than 400 psi to less than approximately 800 psi.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the forming step includes heating the mixture to approximately 650\xb0 F.
15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the fuel cell plate includes a density of at least approximately 2.00 gcc.
16. A fuel cell plate comprising:
a structure having opposing surfaces with at least one of the opposing surfaces extending in an in-plane direction and having a flow field including multiple channels, the structure including natural flake graphite having at least some arranged out of the in-plane direction.
17. The fuel cell plate according to claim 16, wherein the structure provides a through-plane thermal conductivity of at least approximately 7 BTUft-hr-\xb0 F.
18. The fuel cell plate according to claim 16, wherein the structure includes a density of at least approximately 2.00 gcc.
19. The fuel cell plate according to claim 16, wherein the structure includes approximately 11-14% of a binder by volume.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for ambulatory phlebectomy employing a varicose vein dissector and removal apparatus including a handle having a first end and a second end, a dissector extending from the first end of the handle and a hook extending from the second end of the handle, and a blade positioned within the dissector for movement between a use position and a storage position, comprising the following steps:
creating an initial incision in skin over a varicose vein to be removed;
advancing the dissector into the incision and dissecting around the varicose vein to be removed;
pushing the dissector against an inner surface of the skin a predetermined distance from the initial incision;
exposing the blade by moving it from its storage position to its use position and creating a second incision in the skin letting the dissector protrude out of the skin; and
grasping the vein with the hook and removing the vein.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of pushing is performed several centimeters from the initial incision.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein prior to grasping the vein with the hook and removing the vein the method further includes the steps of advancing the dissector into the second incision and dissecting around the varicose vein to be removed; pushing the dissector against the inner surface of the skin a predetermined distance from the second incision; exposing the blade by moving it from its storage position to its use position and creating an additional incision in the skin letting the dissector protrude out of the skin along the length of the varicose vein.