CN116454311A

CN116454311A - Integrally formed fuel cell clamp, manufacturing method thereof and fuel cell

Info

Publication number: CN116454311A
Application number: CN202310715440.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 曾箐雨; 郑言贞; 常磊; 潘昱轩; 张荣尊; 张涵月; 路瑶; 李吉涛
Original assignee: Spic Hydrogen Energy Technology Development Co Ltd
Current assignee: Spic Hydrogen Energy Technology Development Co Ltd
Priority date: 2023-06-16
Filing date: 2023-06-16
Publication date: 2023-07-18

Abstract

The invention discloses an integrally formed fuel cell clamp, a preparation method thereof and a fuel cell. The body has first terminal surface and the second terminal surface relative in first direction, and the body is equipped with the electric current leading-out portion that is used for deriving electric current, and the gas passage groove sets up on first terminal surface, is equipped with first gas interface and the second gas interface that link up with the gas passage groove on the body, and the water channel is established inside the body, is equipped with first water interface and the second water interface that link up with the water channel on the body. The fuel cell clamp integrates the components such as the polar plate, the current collecting plate, the circulating water passage, the end plate and the like of the fuel cell in the related technology, integrates the functions of the components, greatly simplifies the structure of the fuel cell, reduces the number of the clamps of the fuel cell, reduces the assembly difficulty of the fuel cell, realizes functional integration and has the advantage of good air tightness.

Description

Integrally formed fuel cell clamp, manufacturing method thereof and fuel cell

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of fuel cells, in particular to an integrally formed fuel cell clamp, a manufacturing method thereof and a fuel cell.

Background

The fuel cell is a power generation device which continuously converts chemical energy of fuel and oxidant into electric energy through electrochemical reaction without burning the fuel, and has the advantages of high efficiency, cleanliness, low noise, high specific power and the like.

Currently, a fuel cell is mainly formed by stacking and assembling a plurality of components such as an end, a current collecting plate, a polar plate and the like, and the airtight and combination degree of the components are required to be considered. The performance and the air tightness of the battery are affected by the combination precision of the battery, and the phenomena of aging and abrasion and the like of each part possibly occur along with the increase of the service time of the battery, so that the air tightness is affected. Moreover, the aging degree of each part of the battery is different, so that the membrane electrode in the battery can be stressed unevenly, and the performance of the battery is reduced.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems in the related art to some extent. To this end, embodiments of the present invention provide an integrally formed fuel cell clamp.

The embodiment of the invention also provides a manufacturing method of the integrated fuel cell clamp.

The embodiment of the invention also provides a fuel cell with the fuel cell clamp.

The fuel cell clamp formed integrally according to the embodiment of the invention comprises: a body having a first end face and a second end face opposite to each other in a first direction, the body being provided with a current lead-out portion for leading out a current; the gas channel groove is arranged on the first end face, and the body is provided with a first gas interface and a second gas interface which are communicated with the gas channel groove; the water channel is arranged inside the body, and a first water interface and a second water interface which are communicated with the water channel are arranged on the body.

The integrated fuel cell clamp integrates the components such as the polar plate, the collector plate, the circulating water passage, the end plate and the like of the fuel cell in the related technology, integrates the functions of the components, greatly simplifies the structure of the fuel cell, reduces the number of clamps of the fuel cell, reduces the assembly difficulty of the fuel cell, is beneficial to reducing the size of the cell, and realizes the operation and the test efficiency improvement of the single cell of the fuel cell. In addition, the integrated fuel cell polar plate provided by the embodiment of the invention realizes functional integration, avoids the problems of part aging and abrasion, unstable air tightness and reduced battery performance caused by stacking of a plurality of parts such as polar plates, end plates, current collecting plates and the like in the related technology, and has the advantage of good air tightness.

In some embodiments, the gas channel slots and/or the water channels are serpentine, interdigitated, or mesh.

In some embodiments, the body is a plate-like structure, the first direction is a thickness direction of the body, the body has a side surface perpendicular to the first end surface and the second end surface, and the first gas interface, the second gas interface, the first water interface, and the second water interface are all disposed on the side surface.

In some embodiments, the body is a rectangular plate-like structure, the side surfaces include a first side surface, a second side surface, a third side surface, and a fourth side surface, the first side surface and the second side surface are opposite in a second direction, the third side surface and the fourth side surface are opposite in a third direction, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.

In some embodiments, the first gas interface and the second gas interface are disposed on opposite sides, and the first water interface and the second water interface are disposed on opposite sides.

In some embodiments, the body is provided with a temperature measuring hole, and the temperature measuring hole is located between the gas channel groove and the water channel in the first direction.

In some embodiments, the body is provided with a plurality of mounting through holes extending along the first direction, and the mounting through holes are used for penetrating the connecting bolts.

In some embodiments, the current guiding part is located at a side of the body, and a current guiding hole for guiding out current is formed in the current guiding part.

An embodiment of another aspect of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing the fuel cell fixture according to any one of the above embodiments, including the steps of: and drawing a 3D structure diagram of the fuel cell clamp, and manufacturing and forming the fuel cell clamp by adopting a 3D printing material according to the 3D structure diagram through a 3D printing technology.

The method has the advantages that the method is characterized in that the method is used for carrying out digital modeling design and integrated forming by using an additive manufacturing technology, the limitation of a processing mode on gas and water hot runners is not needed to be considered, the number of battery parts can be greatly simplified, the gas and water hot runners are more freely designed, and parameters such as the position, the width and the depth of the runners can be reasonably arranged according to a battery simulation result, so that the battery performance is improved.

In still another aspect, a fuel cell provided in an embodiment of the present invention includes: two fuel cell clamps, the fuel cell clamp described in any one of the embodiments above; and the membrane electrode is clamped between the two fuel cell clamps, and the first end surfaces of the two fuel cell clamps are opposite.

The fuel cell provided by the embodiment of the invention is assembled by two fuel cell clamps and one membrane electrode, wherein the two fuel cell clamps are respectively used as a cathode end and an anode end of the fuel cell and are arranged on two sides of the membrane electrode. Due to the functional integration of the fuel cell clamp, the number of component parts of the fuel cell is reduced, thereby reducing the assembly difficulty of the fuel cell. In addition, the fuel cell avoiding multi-component stacking and assembling has the advantages of good air tightness and stable cell performance.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic structural view of an integrally formed fuel cell clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of an integrally formed fuel cell clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an integrally formed fuel cell clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numerals:

the fuel cell 100, the fuel cell holder 110, the body 111, the first end surface 1111, the second end surface 1112, the current lead-out portion 1113, the temperature measurement hole 1114, the mounting through hole 1115, the current lead-out hole 1116, the gas channel groove 112, the first gas interface 1121, the second gas interface 1122, the water channel 113, the first water interface 1131, the second water interface 1132, the membrane electrode 120, the connection bolt 130, and the nut 140.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below by referring to the drawings are illustrative and intended to explain the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the invention.

An integrally formed fuel cell holder 110, and a fuel cell 100 having the fuel cell holder 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention are described below with reference to fig. 1 to 5.

The fuel cell holder 110 includes a body 111, a gas passage groove 112, and a water passage 113. The body 111 has a first end surface 1111 and a second end surface 1112 opposite in a first direction. The main body 111 is further provided with a current lead-out portion 1113 for leading out a current. The gas channel groove 112 is disposed on the first end surface 1111 of the body 111, and the body 111 is further provided with a first gas port 1121 and a second gas port 1122, which are communicated with the gas channel groove 112, wherein the first gas port 1121 is used for inputting electrode reaction gas into the gas channel groove 112, and the second gas port 1121 is used for exhausting excessive reaction gas. The water channel 113 is provided inside the body 111, and the body 111 is provided with a first water interface 1131 and a second water interface 1132 which are communicated with the water channel 113. Wherein the first water port 1131 is used for inputting circulating water into the water channel 113, and the second water port 1132 is used for discharging the circulating water in the water channel 113.

As shown in fig. 1, the fuel cell 100 includes two electrode plates, which are the above-described fuel cell holders 110, and a membrane electrode 120 (MEA), which is sandwiched between the two fuel cell holders 110, and the first end surfaces 1111 of the two fuel cells 110 are opposed. Specifically, the membrane electrode 120 has two opposite side surfaces, and the gas channel grooves 112 of the two fuel cell holders 110 are respectively directed toward the membrane electrode 120 so that the reactant gas flowing in the gas channel grooves 112 contacts the membrane electrode 120.

The fuel cell 100 provided in the embodiment of the present invention is assembled by two fuel cell clamps 110 and one membrane electrode 120, and the two fuel cell clamps 110 are respectively used as a cathode end and an anode end of the fuel cell 100 and are installed at two sides of the membrane electrode 120. Due to the functional integration of the fuel cell clamp 110, the number of component parts of the fuel cell 100 is reduced, thereby reducing the difficulty of assembling the fuel cell 100. In addition, the fuel cell 100 that avoids the multi-component stack assembly has advantages of good air tightness and stable cell performance.

In some preferred embodiments, the gas channel groove 112 is serpentine in shape in order to increase the contact area of the reactant gas with the membrane electrode 120 and to extend the contact reaction time of the reactant gas with the membrane electrode 120. As shown in fig. 3, the gas channel groove 112 has a single serpentine shape, the serpentine-shaped gas channel groove 112 has opposite ends, and the first gas port 1121 and the second gas port 1122 are respectively connected to the two ends of the gas channel groove 112, so that the reaction gas flows through the entire gas channel groove 112 and is discharged.

Alternatively, the gas channel slots 112 may also be interdigitated or mesh-like. For example, the gas channel groove 112 is interdigital, and the gas channel groove 112 includes a gas inlet channel, a gas outlet channel, and a plurality of branch channels, the gas inlet channel is communicated with the first gas interface 1121, the gas outlet channel is communicated with the second gas interface 1122, and each branch channel is communicated between the gas inlet channel and the gas outlet channel. Specifically, the air inlet flow channel and the air outlet flow channel are parallel to each other, the plurality of branch flow channels are parallel to each other, and the extending directions of the air inlet flow channel (air outlet flow channel) and the branch flow channel can be mutually perpendicular. The reaction gas enters the gas inlet channel from the first gas interface 1121 and circulates in the gas inlet channel, the reaction gas in the gas inlet channel is distributed to a plurality of branch channels for circulation, and finally is converged into the gas outlet channel, and is discharged from the second gas interface 1122. For another example, the gas channel groove 112 is a mesh shape, and includes a plurality of first branch channels parallel to each other and a plurality of second branch channels parallel to each other, the first branch channels cross and communicate with each of the second branch channels, the second branch channels cross and communicate with each of the first branch channels, the plurality of first branch channels and the plurality of second branch channels form a mesh-shaped gas channel groove 112, the first gas interface 1121 and the second gas interface 1122 communicate with the mesh-shaped gas channel groove 112, and the reaction gas flows in the mesh-shaped gas channel groove 112.

In some preferred embodiments, the water channel 113 is serpentine in shape in order to extend the circulation path and residence time of the circulating water in the fuel cell clamp 110. As shown in fig. 5, the water channel 113 has a single serpentine shape. The serpentine-shaped water channel 113 has opposite ends, and the first water port 1131 and the second water port 1132 are respectively connected to the opposite ends of the water channel 113, so that the circulating water is discharged through the entire water channel 113.

Alternatively, the water channels 113 may also be interdigitated or reticulated in configuration, as described above with respect to the interdigitated or reticulated gas channel slots 112.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 3, the body 111 is a plate-like structure, the first direction is a thickness direction of the body 111, and the first end surface 1111 and the second end surface 1112 of the body 111 are opposite in the thickness direction of the body 111. The body 111 has sides perpendicular to the first and second end surfaces 1111 and 1112, and the first and second gas ports 1121 and 1122, and the first and second water ports 1131 and 1132 are provided on the sides of the body 111.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 3, the body 111 is a rectangular plate-like structure, the sides of which include a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, wherein the first side and the second side are opposite in a second direction, the third side and the fourth side are opposite in a third direction, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other. Since the first direction is the thickness direction of the body 111, the second direction may be regarded as the length direction of the body 111, and the third direction may be regarded as the width direction of the body 111. The rectangular plate-like structure of the body 111 is easier to manufacture.

The first and second gas interfaces 1121, 1122 are disposed on opposite sides, and the first and second water interfaces 1131, 1132 are disposed on opposite sides. As shown in fig. 3 and 5, the first gas port 1121 is provided on the first side of the body 111, the second gas port 1122 is provided on the second side of the body 111, the first water port 1131 is provided on the second side below the second gas port 1122, and the second water port 1132 is provided on the first side above the first gas port 1122.

The reaction gas is introduced into the gas channel groove 112 from the first gas port 1121, flows along the serpentine gas channel groove 112, contacts the membrane electrode 120, and is discharged from the second gas port 1122. The circulating water is introduced into the water channel 113 from the first water port 1131, flows along the serpentine-shaped water channel 113, and is discharged from the second water port 1132.

In other embodiments, the first gas port 1121, the second gas port 1122, the first water port 1131, and the second water port 1132 may be disposed on other sides of the body 111 in different arrangements, which are not illustrated herein.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 1 and 3, the body 111 is provided with a temperature measuring hole 1114 for measuring temperature, the temperature measuring hole 1114 extends into the body 111, and the temperature measuring meter can extend into the body 111 through the temperature measuring hole 1114 for measuring temperature to detect the reaction temperature of the fuel cell 100. As shown in fig. 4, the temperature measuring hole 1114 is located between the gas passage groove 112 and the water passage 113 in the first direction (thickness direction of the body 111) to more accurately measure the reaction temperature.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 3, the body 111 is provided with a plurality of mounting through holes 1115 extending along a first direction, and the mounting through holes 1115 are used for penetrating connecting bolts. As shown in fig. 2, the fuel cell 100 includes two fuel cell holders 110 and a membrane electrode 120 sandwiched between the two fuel cell holders 110, mounting through holes 1115 provided in the two fuel cell holders 110 are in one-to-one correspondence in a first direction (thickness direction), and a plurality of through holes are provided in correspondence with the membrane electrode 120. The coupling bolts 130 are threaded through the mounting through-holes 1115 of one fuel cell holder 110, the through-holes on the membrane electrode 120, and the mounting through-holes 1115 of the other fuel cell holder 110 in a one-to-one correspondence, with the nuts 140 to assemble the fuel cell 100. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1-5, the fuel cell holder 110 is provided with eight mounting through holes 1115, and the eight mounting through holes 1115 are spaced around the gas passage groove 112.

It should be noted that, in the fuel cell 100 provided in the embodiment of the present invention, the two fuel cell clamps 110 are a cathode end and an anode end, and the cathode end and the anode end are respectively installed at two sides of the membrane electrode 120, and the two structures may be the same and may be exchanged according to the test situation.

In addition, the fuel cell 100 provided in the embodiment of the present invention may adopt two ventilation modes of parallel flow and convection, that is, the air intake directions of the cathode terminal and the anode terminal may be the same or opposite.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 3, the current lead-out portion 1113 is located at a side of the body 111, and a current lead-out hole 1116 for leading out the current generated by the fuel cell clamp 110 is provided in the current lead-out portion 111.

Preferably, the fuel cell clamp 110 provided in the embodiment of the present invention is obtained by adopting a 3D printing manner.

The invention also provides a manufacturing method of the fuel cell clamp 110 according to any one of the above embodiments, which includes the following steps:

and drawing a 3D structure diagram of the fuel cell clamp 110, and manufacturing and forming the fuel cell clamp 110 by adopting a 3D printing technology according to the 3D structure diagram by adopting a 3D printing material.

Specifically, the method for manufacturing the fuel cell clamp 110 provided by the embodiment of the invention comprises the following steps:

drawing a 3D structural view of the fuel cell clamp 110;

and 3D printing is carried out on the 3D printing metal material by adopting an SLM laser selective melting process according to the 3D structure diagram of the fuel cell clamp 110, so as to obtain the fuel cell clamp 110.

Preferably, the 3D printed metal material of the fuel cell fixture 110 is selected from titanium alloys.

In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings are merely for convenience in describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element being referred to must have a specific orientation, be configured and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and the like, are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying a relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defining "a first" or "a second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless specifically defined otherwise.

In the present invention, unless explicitly specified and limited otherwise, the terms "mounted," "connected," "secured," and the like are to be construed broadly, and may be, for example, fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally formed; may be mechanically connected, may be electrically connected or may be in communication with each other; either directly or indirectly, through intermediaries, or both, may be in communication with each other or in interaction with each other, unless expressly defined otherwise. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention can be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art according to the specific circumstances.

In the present invention, unless expressly stated or limited otherwise, a first feature "up" or "down" a second feature may be the first and second features in direct contact, or the first and second features in indirect contact via an intervening medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above," "over" and "on" a second feature may be a first feature being directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicating that the first feature is level higher than the second feature. The first feature being "under", "below" and "beneath" the second feature may be the first feature being directly under or obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicating that the first feature is less level than the second feature.

For purposes of this disclosure, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "a particular example," or "some examples," etc., mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, schematic representations of the above terms are not necessarily directed to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples may be combined and combined by those skilled in the art without contradiction.

While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it will be understood that the above embodiments are illustrative and not to be construed as limiting the invention, and that variations, modifications, alternatives and variations may be made to the above embodiments by one of ordinary skill in the art within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An integrally formed fuel cell clamp, comprising:

a body having a first end face and a second end face opposite to each other in a first direction, the body being provided with a current lead-out portion for leading out a current;

the gas channel groove is arranged on the first end face, and the body is provided with a first gas interface and a second gas interface which are communicated with the gas channel groove;

the water channel is arranged inside the body, and a first water interface and a second water interface which are communicated with the water channel are arranged on the body.

2. The integrated fuel cell clamp of claim 1, wherein the gas channel slots and/or the water channels are serpentine, interdigitated or mesh.

3. The integrated fuel cell clamp according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the body is a plate-like structure, the first direction is a thickness direction of the body, the body has a side surface perpendicular to the first end surface and the second end surface, and the first gas port, the second gas port, the first water port, and the second water port are all provided on the side surface.

4. The integrated fuel cell clamp of claim 3, wherein the body is a rectangular plate-like structure, the sides include a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, the first side and the second side are opposite in a second direction, the third side and the fourth side are opposite in a third direction, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.

5. The integrated fuel cell clamp of claim 4, wherein the first gas port and the second gas port are disposed on opposite sides, and the first water port and the second water port are disposed on opposite sides.

6. The integrated fuel cell clamp according to claim 1, wherein the body is provided with a temperature measurement hole, the temperature measurement hole being located between the gas passage groove and the water passage in the first direction.

7. The integrated fuel cell clamp according to claim 1, wherein the body is provided with a plurality of mounting through holes extending in the first direction, and the mounting through holes are used for penetrating connecting bolts.

8. The integrated fuel cell clamp according to claim 1, wherein the current lead-out portion is located laterally of the body, and a current lead-out hole for leading out current is provided in the current lead-out portion.

9. A method of manufacturing a fuel cell clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising the steps of:

and drawing a 3D structure diagram of the fuel cell clamp, and manufacturing and forming the fuel cell clamp by adopting a 3D printing material according to the 3D structure diagram through a 3D printing technology.

10. A fuel cell, characterized by comprising:

two fuel cell clamps, the fuel cell clamps being as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8;

and the membrane electrode is clamped between the two fuel cell clamps, and the first end surfaces of the two fuel cell clamps are opposite.