CN219393433U - Fuel cell and fuel cell system - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model provides a fuel cell and a fuel cell system, wherein the fuel cell comprises a cell assembly, a liquid inlet channel and a liquid outlet channel, the cell assembly comprises a plurality of single cells, the single cells are stacked in a first direction, and each single cell is provided with a cooling flow field for cooling the single cell; the battery assembly comprises a first end face and a second end face which are opposite in the first direction, a first liquid inlet and a first liquid outlet are formed in the first end face, a second liquid inlet and a second liquid outlet are formed in the second end face, the liquid inlet channel penetrates through each of the single cells in the first direction, one end of the liquid inlet channel is communicated with the first liquid inlet, the other end of the liquid inlet channel is communicated with the second liquid inlet, the liquid outlet channel penetrates through each of the single cells in the first direction, one end of the liquid outlet channel is communicated with the first liquid outlet, and the other end of the liquid outlet channel is communicated with the second liquid outlet. The fuel cell of the utility model has the advantage of long service life.

Description

Fuel cell and fuel cell system

Technical Field

The utility model relates to the technical field of fuel cells, in particular to a fuel cell and a fuel cell system.

Background

The fuel cell is a device capable of directly converting chemical energy of fuel into electric energy, and has high power generation efficiency. In the related art, the fuel cell is cooled by introducing cooling water into the cooling passage of the fuel cell, but the fuel cell in the related art has a problem of uneven cooling, resulting in a reduction in the service life of the fuel cell.

Disclosure of Invention

The present utility model aims to solve at least one of the technical problems in the related art to some extent.

Therefore, the embodiment of the utility model provides a fuel cell which is more uniformly cooled and has the advantage of long service life.

The fuel cell according to the embodiment of the utility model includes: a battery assembly including a plurality of unit cells stacked in a first direction, each of the unit cells having a cooling flow field for cooling the unit cell; the battery assembly comprises a first end face and a second end face which are opposite in the first direction, a first liquid inlet and a first liquid outlet are formed in the first end face, a second liquid inlet and a second liquid outlet are formed in the second end face, the liquid inlet penetrates through each of the single cells in the first direction, so that the liquid inlet is communicated with each of the cooling flow fields, one end of the liquid inlet is communicated with the first liquid inlet, the other end of the liquid inlet is communicated with the second liquid inlet, the liquid outlet penetrates through each of the single cells in the first direction, so that the liquid outlet is communicated with each of the cooling flow fields, one end of the liquid outlet is communicated with the first liquid outlet, and the other end of the liquid outlet is communicated with the second liquid outlet.

The two ends of the liquid inlet channel of the fuel cell are respectively connected with the first liquid inlet and the second liquid inlet, and cooling liquid can be input into the liquid inlet channel through the first liquid inlet and the second liquid inlet. The both ends of drain channel link to each other with first liquid outlet and second liquid outlet respectively, and the coolant liquid can be through first liquid outlet and second liquid outlet discharge feed liquor passageway. Therefore, the problem of uneven distribution caused by the fact that the cooling liquid enters from one side of the fuel cell is avoided, and the cooling of the fuel cell is more uniform and the service life of the fuel cell is prolonged.

Therefore, the fuel cell provided by the embodiment of the utility model is more uniformly cooled, and has the advantage of long service life.

In some embodiments, each unit cell includes a membrane electrode assembly and a plate, the plates and the membrane electrode assemblies are alternately stacked in turn in the first direction, the cooling flow field is provided on the plate, each membrane electrode assembly includes a first through hole and a second through hole, two ends of the membrane electrode flow field are respectively communicated with the first through hole and the second through hole, each plate includes a third through hole and a fourth through hole, two ends of the plate flow field are respectively communicated with the third through hole and the fourth through hole, a plurality of the first through holes and a plurality of the third through holes are corresponding in the first direction, so that a plurality of the first through holes and a plurality of the third through holes form the liquid inlet channel, and a plurality of the second through holes and a plurality of the fourth through holes are corresponding in the first direction, so that a plurality of the second through holes and a plurality of the fourth through holes form the liquid outlet channel.

In some embodiments, the liquid inlet channel and the liquid outlet channel are opposite in a second direction, the dimension of the liquid inlet channel in the second direction being smaller than the dimension thereof in a third direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, and the third direction being perpendicular to the second direction and the first direction.

In some embodiments, the fuel cell further comprises: a hydrogen input channel penetrating each of the plurality of unit cells in the first direction, and a hydrogen discharge channel penetrating each of the plurality of unit cells in the first direction, and the hydrogen input channel and the hydrogen discharge channel being opposite in the second direction; an air input passage penetrating each of the plurality of unit cells in the first direction, and an air discharge passage penetrating each of the plurality of unit cells in the first direction, and the air input passage and the air discharge passage being opposite in the second direction; the hydrogen input passage and the hydrogen discharge passage are opposite to the air input passage and the air discharge passage in the third direction.

In some embodiments, the hydrogen gas input channel, the hydrogen gas exhaust channel, the air input channel, and the air exhaust channel are located between the liquid inlet channel and the liquid outlet channel in the second direction.

In some embodiments, each of the membrane electrode assemblies further comprises a first hydrogen inlet, a first hydrogen outlet, a first air inlet, and a first air outlet, each of the plates further comprises a second hydrogen inlet, a second hydrogen outlet, a second air inlet, and a second air outlet, a plurality of the first hydrogen inlets and a plurality of the second hydrogen inlets form the hydrogen input channel, a plurality of the first hydrogen outlets and a plurality of the second hydrogen outlets form the hydrogen output channel, a plurality of the first air inlets and a plurality of the second air inlets form the air input channel, and a plurality of the first air outlets and a plurality of the second air outlets form the air output channel.

In some embodiments, the fuel cell further comprises: the first insulating layer is arranged on the first end face, and the second insulating layer is arranged on the second end face.

In some embodiments, the fuel cell further comprises: the battery assembly comprises a first end plate and a second end plate, wherein the battery assembly is arranged between the first end plate and the second end plate in the first direction, the first end plate comprises a first cooling liquid inlet and a first cooling liquid outlet, the first cooling liquid inlet is communicated with the first liquid inlet, the first cooling liquid outlet is communicated with the first liquid outlet, the second end plate comprises a second cooling liquid inlet and a second cooling liquid outlet, the second cooling liquid inlet is communicated with the second liquid inlet, and the second cooling liquid outlet is communicated with the second liquid outlet.

The fuel cell system of the embodiment of the utility model includes: a fuel cell according to any one of the above embodiments; the terminal comprises a battery installation part, wherein the battery installation part comprises a first inlet and a second inlet which are opposite in a first direction, the battery installation part comprises a first outlet and a second outlet which are opposite in the first direction, the first outlet and the second outlet are respectively communicated with the first liquid inlet and the second liquid inlet, and the first inlet and the second inlet are respectively communicated with the first liquid outlet and the second liquid outlet.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

Fig. 2 is a schematic structural view of a membrane electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

Fig. 3 is a schematic structural view of a polar plate according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

Fig. 4 is a schematic structural view of a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

Reference numerals:

a fuel cell 100;

a battery assembly 1; a first end face 11; a first liquid inlet 111; a first liquid outlet 112; a second end face 12; a second liquid inlet 121; a second liquid outlet 122; a membrane electrode assembly 13; a first through hole 131; a second through hole 132; a first hydrogen inlet 133; a first hydrogen outlet 134; a first air inlet 135; a first air outlet 136; a pole plate 14; a third through hole 141; fourth through hole 142; a second hydrogen inlet 143; a second hydrogen outlet 144; a second air inlet 145; a second air outlet 146;

a liquid inlet channel 21; a liquid outlet passage 22;

a hydrogen gas input channel 31; a hydrogen gas discharge passage 32;

an air input channel 41; an air discharge passage 42;

a first insulating layer 51; a second insulating layer 52;

a first end plate 61; a second end plate 62;

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present utility model, 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 utility model and should not be construed as limiting the utility model.

A fuel cell 100 of an embodiment of the utility model is described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in fig. 1 to 4, a fuel cell 100 of an embodiment of the utility model includes a cell assembly 1, a liquid inlet passage 21, and a liquid outlet passage 22.

The battery assembly 1 includes a plurality of unit cells, which are stacked in a first direction (e.g., left-right direction in fig. 1), and each of which has a cooling flow field for cooling the unit cell. The battery assembly 1 comprises a first end face 11 and a second end face 12 which are opposite in the first direction, a first liquid inlet 111 and a first liquid outlet 112 are formed in the first end face 11, and a second liquid inlet 121 and a second liquid outlet are formed in the second end face 12.

The liquid inlet channel 21 penetrates each of the plurality of single cells in the first direction so that the liquid inlet channel 21 communicates with each of the plurality of cooling flow fields, one end of the liquid inlet channel 21 communicates with the first liquid inlet 111, the other end of the liquid inlet channel 21 communicates with the second liquid inlet 121, the liquid outlet channel 22 penetrates each of the plurality of single cells in the first direction so that the liquid outlet channel 22 communicates with each of the plurality of cooling flow fields, one end of the liquid outlet channel 22 communicates with the first liquid outlet 112, and the other end of the liquid outlet channel 22 communicates with the second liquid outlet.

The inventor has found that the fuel cell in the related art includes a plurality of unit cells stacked in the left-right direction, and the extending direction of the coolant liquid inlet passage and the coolant liquid outlet passage of the fuel cell coincides with the left-right direction, and both the coolant liquid inlet passage and the coolant liquid outlet passage communicate with each unit cell. When cooling by using the cooling liquid, the cooling liquid enters the cooling liquid inlet channel through the cooling liquid inlet of the left end face of the fuel cell, and is discharged from the cooling liquid outlet channel after passing through the cooling flow field of the single cell, thereby realizing cooling of the fuel cell. However, when the number of the single cells is large, the distribution of the single cell cooling liquid on the right side and the single cell cooling liquid on the left side is uneven, which results in a problem of uneven cooling.

Compared with the related art, two ends of the liquid inlet channel 21 of the fuel cell 100 of the embodiment of the utility model are respectively connected with the first liquid inlet 111 and the second liquid inlet 121, and the cooling liquid can be input into the liquid inlet channel 21 through the first liquid inlet 111 and the second liquid inlet 121. The two ends of the liquid outlet channel 22 are respectively connected with the first liquid outlet 112 and the second liquid outlet, and the cooling liquid can be discharged out of the liquid inlet channel 21 through the first liquid outlet 112 and the second liquid outlet. Thus, the problem of uneven distribution caused by the fact that the cooling liquid enters from one side of the fuel cell 100 is avoided, so that the cooling of the fuel cell 100 is more uniform, and the service life of the fuel cell 100 is prolonged.

Thus, the fuel cell 100 of the embodiment of the present utility model is cooled more uniformly, and has the advantage of a long service life.

In order to make the present application easier to understand, the fuel cell 100 of the embodiment of the present utility model will be further described by taking the example in which the first direction coincides with the left-right direction, the example in which the second direction coincides with the front-rear direction, and the example in which the third direction coincides with the up-down direction. Wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and the third direction is perpendicular to the second direction and the first direction.

The fuel cell 100 of the embodiment of the utility model includes the cell assembly 1, the liquid inlet passage 21, the liquid outlet passage 22, the hydrogen gas input passage 31, the hydrogen gas discharge passage, the air input passage 41, the air discharge passage 42, the first insulating layer 51, the second insulating layer 52, the first end plate 61, and the second end plate 62.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 4, each unit cell includes a membrane electrode assembly 13 and a plate 14, the plate 14 and the membrane electrode assembly 13 are alternately stacked in order in the left-right direction, and a cooling flow field is provided on the plate 14.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, each of the membrane electrode assemblies 13 includes a first through hole 131 and a second through hole 132, both ends of the membrane electrode flow field are respectively communicated with the first through hole 131 and the second through hole 132, each of the electrode plates 14 includes a third through hole 141 and a fourth through hole 142, and both ends of the electrode plate 14 flow field are respectively communicated with the third through hole 141 and the fourth through hole 142. The plurality of first through holes 131 and the plurality of third through holes 141 correspond in the left-right direction such that the plurality of first through holes 131 and the plurality of third through holes 141 form the liquid inlet passage 21, and the plurality of second through holes 132 and the plurality of fourth through holes 142 correspond in the left-right direction such that the plurality of second through holes 132 and the plurality of fourth through holes 142 form the liquid outlet passage 22. The liquid inlet channel 21 is formed by forming the first through-hole 131 in the plurality of membrane electrode assemblies 13 and the third through-hole 141 in the plurality of electrode plates 14, and the liquid outlet channel 22 is formed by forming the second through-hole 132 in the plurality of membrane electrode assemblies 13 and the fourth through-hole 142 in the plurality of electrode plates 14. Thus, the liquid inlet passage 21 and the liquid outlet passage 22 can be formed without providing additional piping, and the overall size of the fuel cell 100 of the embodiment of the utility model can be reduced.

In some embodiments, the liquid inlet channel 21 and the liquid outlet channel 22 are opposed in the front-rear direction, and the size of the liquid inlet channel 21 in the front-rear direction is smaller than that in the up-down direction. So that the contact area of the fuel cell 100 with the coolant in the front-rear direction is larger, and the cooling to which the fuel cell 100 is subjected in the front-rear direction is more uniform.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 1-3, the hydrogen input channel 31 penetrates each of the plurality of unit cells in the left-right direction, the hydrogen discharge channel penetrates each of the plurality of unit cells in the left-right direction, and the hydrogen input channel 31 and the hydrogen discharge channel are opposite in the up-down direction.

The air input passage 41 penetrates each of the plurality of unit cells in the left-right direction, the air discharge passage 42 penetrates each of the plurality of unit cells in the left-right direction, and the air input passage 41 and the air discharge passage 42 are opposed in the front-rear direction. The hydrogen input passage 31 and the hydrogen discharge passage are opposed to the air input passage 41 and the air discharge passage 42 in the up-down direction.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 2 and 3, each membrane electrode assembly 13 further includes a first hydrogen inlet 133, a first hydrogen outlet 134, a first air inlet 135, and a first air outlet 136, each plate 14 further includes a second hydrogen inlet 143, a second hydrogen outlet 144, a second air inlet 145, and a second air outlet 146, the plurality of first hydrogen inlets 133 and the plurality of second hydrogen inlets 143 form a hydrogen input channel 31, the plurality of first hydrogen outlets 134 and the plurality of second hydrogen outlets 144 form a hydrogen discharge channel, the plurality of first air inlets 135 and the plurality of second air inlets 145 form an air input channel 41, and the plurality of first air outlets 136 and the plurality of second air outlets 146 form an air discharge channel 42. In other words, the fuel cell 100 is allowed to feed hydrogen and air to both ends, and the influence on the gas distribution due to the increase in the number of unit cells is reduced. And the intake mode at both ends of the fuel cell 100 can reduce the sizes of the hydrogen input passage 31, the hydrogen discharge passage, the air input passage 41 and the air discharge passage 42, and reduce the overall volume of the fuel cell 100.

In some embodiments, the hydrogen input channel 31, the hydrogen discharge channel, the air input channel 41, and the air discharge channel 42 are located between the liquid inlet channel 21 and the liquid outlet channel 22 in the front-rear direction. So that the hydrogen gas input channel 31, the hydrogen gas discharge channel, the air input channel 41, and the air discharge channel 42 do not interfere with the arrangement of the liquid inlet channel 21 and the liquid outlet channel 22.

In some embodiments, a first insulating layer 51 is provided on the first end face 11 and a second insulating layer 52 is provided on the second end face 12. The battery assembly 1 is thus insulated by the first insulating layer 51 and the second insulating layer 52, and the first insulating layer 51 and the second insulating layer 52 also function as a protection and a seal for the battery assembly 1.

In some embodiments, the battery assembly 1 is disposed between the first end plate 61 and the second end plate 62 in the first direction, the first end plate 61 includes a first coolant inlet and a first coolant outlet, the first coolant inlet communicates with the first inlet 111, and the first coolant outlet communicates with the first outlet 112. The second end plate 62 includes a second coolant inlet in communication with the second inlet 121 and a second coolant outlet in communication with the second outlet. Thereby facilitating the fixation of the battery assembly 1 by the first and second end plates 61 and 62.

The fuel cell 100 system of the embodiment of the utility model includes a fuel cell 100 and a terminal. The fuel cell 100 is the fuel cell 100 in any of the embodiments described above. The terminal includes a battery mounting portion including first and second inlets opposite in a first direction, and the battery mounting portion includes first and second outlets opposite in the first direction, the first and second outlets being in communication with the first and second liquid inlets 111 and 121, respectively, and the first and second inlets being in communication with the first and second liquid outlets 112 and 121, respectively. Thereby facilitating the supply of the cooling liquid to the first liquid inlet 111 and the second liquid inlet 121 through the first outlet and the second outlet, and enabling the recovery of the cooling liquid involved in cooling through the first inlet and the second inlet.

In the description of the present utility model, 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 utility model 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 utility model.

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 utility model, the meaning of "plurality" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless specifically defined otherwise.

In the present utility model, 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 utility model can be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art according to the specific circumstances.

In the present utility model, 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 utility model. 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 utility model have been shown and described above, it will be understood that the above embodiments are illustrative and not to be construed as limiting the utility model, 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 utility model.

Claims (9)

1. A fuel cell, characterized by comprising:

a battery assembly including a plurality of unit cells stacked in a first direction, each of the unit cells having a cooling flow field for cooling the unit cell;

the battery component comprises a first end face and a second end face which are opposite in the first direction, a first liquid inlet and a first liquid outlet are arranged on the first end face, a second liquid inlet and a second liquid outlet are arranged on the second end face,

the liquid inlet channel penetrates through each of the single cells in the first direction so that the liquid inlet channel is communicated with each of the cooling flow fields, one end of the liquid inlet channel is communicated with the first liquid inlet, the other end of the liquid inlet channel is communicated with the second liquid inlet, the liquid outlet channel penetrates through each of the single cells in the first direction so that the liquid outlet channel is communicated with each of the cooling flow fields, one end of the liquid outlet channel is communicated with the first liquid outlet, and the other end of the liquid outlet channel is communicated with the second liquid outlet.

2. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein each of the unit cells includes a membrane electrode assembly and a plate, the plate and the membrane electrode assembly being alternately stacked in order in the first direction, the cooling flow field being provided on the plate,

each membrane electrode assembly comprises a first through hole and a second through hole, two ends of the membrane electrode flow field are respectively communicated with the first through hole and the second through hole, each polar plate comprises a third through hole and a fourth through hole, two ends of the polar plate flow field are respectively communicated with the third through hole and the fourth through hole,

the first through holes and the third through holes correspond to each other in the first direction, so that the first through holes and the third through holes form the liquid inlet channel, and the second through holes and the fourth through holes correspond to each other in the first direction, so that the second through holes and the fourth through holes form the liquid outlet channel.

3. The fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein the liquid inlet passage and the liquid outlet passage are opposed in a second direction, a dimension of the liquid inlet passage in the second direction being smaller than a dimension thereof in a third direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, the third direction being perpendicular to the second direction and the first direction.

4. A fuel cell according to claim 3, further comprising: a hydrogen input channel penetrating each of the plurality of unit cells in the first direction, and a hydrogen discharge channel penetrating each of the plurality of unit cells in the first direction, and the hydrogen input channel and the hydrogen discharge channel being opposite in the second direction;

an air input passage penetrating each of the plurality of unit cells in the first direction, and an air discharge passage penetrating each of the plurality of unit cells in the first direction, and the air input passage and the air discharge passage being opposite in the second direction;

the hydrogen input passage and the hydrogen discharge passage are opposite to the air input passage and the air discharge passage in the third direction.

5. The fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein the hydrogen input channel, the hydrogen discharge channel, the air input channel, and the air discharge channel are located between the liquid inlet channel and the liquid outlet channel in the second direction.

6. The fuel cell of claim 4 wherein each of said membrane electrode assemblies further comprises a first hydrogen inlet, a first hydrogen outlet, a first air inlet and a first air outlet, each of said plates further comprises a second hydrogen inlet, a second hydrogen outlet, a second air inlet and a second air outlet, a plurality of said first hydrogen inlets and a plurality of said second hydrogen inlets form said hydrogen inlet channel, a plurality of said first hydrogen outlets and a plurality of said second hydrogen outlets form a hydrogen outlet channel, a plurality of said first air inlets and a plurality of said second air inlets form said air inlet channel, and a plurality of said first air outlets and a plurality of said second air outlets form an air outlet channel.

7. The fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising: the first insulating layer is arranged on the first end face, and the second insulating layer is arranged on the second end face.

8. The fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising: a first end plate and a second end plate, the battery assembly is arranged between the first end plate and the second end plate in a first direction, the first end plate comprises a first cooling liquid inlet and a first cooling liquid outlet, the first cooling liquid inlet is communicated with the first liquid inlet, the first cooling liquid outlet is communicated with the first liquid outlet,

the second end plate comprises a second cooling liquid inlet and a second cooling liquid outlet, the second cooling liquid inlet is communicated with the second liquid inlet, and the second cooling liquid outlet is communicated with the second liquid outlet.

9. A fuel cell system, characterized by comprising:

a fuel cell as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8;

the terminal comprises a battery installation part, wherein the battery installation part comprises a first inlet and a second inlet which are opposite in a first direction, the battery installation part comprises a first outlet and a second outlet which are opposite in the first direction, the first outlet and the second outlet are respectively communicated with the first liquid inlet and the second liquid inlet, and the first inlet and the second inlet are respectively communicated with the first liquid outlet and the second liquid outlet.