JP2002367652A - Fuel cell housing case - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To secure an insulation of a fuel cell housing case housing a fuel cell when a condensation is generated inside the fuel cell housing. SOLUTION: A fuel cell housing case skeleton 11 as a skeleton of the fuel cell housing case 10 is made of metallic material, and by coating the inner surface of the fuel cell housing case skeleton 11 with a material with insulation property, the insulation between the fuel cell housing case skeleton 11 and an end plate 62 is secured.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fuel cell housing case for housing a fuel cell.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Currently, research and development of vehicles equipped with a fuel cell power generation system capable of utilizing electricity generated when hydrogen and oxygen react with each other are being advanced. 2. Description of the Related Art A fuel cell used in a fuel cell power generation system is generally configured by stacking a number of unit cells. The fuel cell is housed in a case made of a metal such as Al. The fuel cell is supported and fixed by a support member provided on the bottom of the case.
From the viewpoint of preventing leakage, the fuel cell and the case need to be insulated, and an insulating material is provided between the support member and the fuel cell or the case.

In addition, as a preparation for stopping the system in the event that a leakage occurs, it is monitored whether a leakage has occurred by measuring the electric resistance or the like between the fuel cell and the case.

[0004] As described above, the fuel cell for a vehicle and its case are devised in order to prevent leakage or to cope with leakage.

[0005]

If the temperature inside the case suddenly changes from a high temperature to a low temperature, dew condensation may occur inside the case. In this case, the case, the insulating material, the support member,
In some cases, dew water generated on the surface of the fuel cell may be connected. Due to the connection of the dew water, the insulation state between the fuel cell and the case was not maintained, and there was a risk of electric leakage.

In the conventional leakage detection, since the insulation between the fuel cell and the case is checked, even if a liquid such as cooling water leaks due to a displacement of the unit cell of the fuel cell, etc. No abnormality was detected until the fuel cell and the case were electrically connected.

As described above, in the conventional fuel cell case, measures against dew condensation water and measures against liquid accumulated therein are not sufficient, so that a more secure fuel cell case is required. I was

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell housing case capable of solving the above-mentioned problems.

[0009]

That is, the present invention provides a fuel cell housing case for housing a fuel cell while holding the fuel cell in which a plurality of unit cells are stacked by a holding member,
A case skeleton made of a metal material and insulated from the holding member, and an insulating member having an insulating property that covers a predetermined area around the holding member on the inner surface of the case skeleton.

Further, the fuel cell used in the present invention has a first conductive portion located at a predetermined height from the inner bottom surface of the case frame covered with the insulating member and having a lower portion. The fuel cell housing case is provided at a predetermined distance from the first conductive portion on the inner bottom surface of the case skeleton covered with the insulating member, and is provided in a region having a height equal to or higher than a predetermined height from the surroundings. And a second conductive portion having conductivity.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a fuel cell housing case 10 for housing a fuel cell 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The skeleton 11 (see FIG. 2) of the fuel cell housing case 10 is formed of a metal such as aluminum, and is provided with frames 12, 14, 16, and 18 to form the body 3 of the vehicle.
It is fixed to 0. The fuel cell housing case 10 houses a fuel cell 20.

The fuel cell 20 has a thickness of 100 μm−2 formed of a polymer electrolyte membrane (for example, a fluorine-based resin).
A plurality of unit batteries 40 each formed of a 00 μm ion exchange membrane) and two electrodes (anode electrode and cathode electrode) sandwiching the polymer electrolyte membrane are stacked via a separator 50, and further stacked. 40, an end plate 60 made of metal, resin, or the like from both sides.
62.

On the end plate 60, a pressing mechanism 70 for holding the unit batteries 40 stacked is provided. An example of the pressing mechanism 70 is a bolt that passes through a hole that penetrates the end plate 60. By tightening this bolt, the stacked unit batteries 40 are pressed. The end plate 62 may be provided with a similar pressing mechanism.

The cross section of each unit cell 40 is provided with a cooling water hole, a fuel gas hole, and an oxidizing gas hole (not shown), and each hole has a plurality of unit cells when the unit cells are stacked. The battery 40 penetrates the battery 40, and channels for cooling water, fuel gas, and oxidizing gas are formed.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of the fuel cell housing case 10 for housing the fuel cell 20. In this cross section, the fuel cell housing case frame 11 is
0 via frames 16 and 18. The inner surface of the fuel cell housing case skeleton 11 is covered with an insulating member 300. As a material of the insulating member 300, a resin such as polyethylene, urethane, or rubber is preferable. The thickness of the insulating member 300 depends on the insulating properties of the material. For example, in the case of polyethylene, the thickness is 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm.
Is preferred. The end plate 62 of the fuel cell 20 is
At both ends of the lower surface of the end plate 62, the insulating members 3
00, it is fixed to the fuel cell housing case frame 11 by mounts 86 and 88.

As a result, insulation between the fuel cell 20 and the fuel cell housing case frame 11 is ensured, and when the temperature inside the fuel cell housing case 10 changes from a high temperature to a low temperature, dew condensation occurs. Also, it is possible to prevent the fuel cell 20 and the fuel cell housing case skeleton 11 from being electrically connected to each other.

In the present embodiment, the entire inner surface of the fuel cell housing case skeleton 11 is covered with the insulating member 300. For example, a part of the upper inner surface of the fuel cell housing case skeleton 11 is covered with the insulating member 300. Even if it is not covered, if the distance between the portion where the fuel cell housing case skeleton 11 is exposed and the mount 86 is sufficiently ensured, the portion where the fuel cell housing case skeleton 11 is substantially exposed and the mount 86 can be prevented from being connected with the dew condensation water.

Note that the section taken along the line BB 'in FIG.
Since the configuration is the same as that of the section along -A ', the description is omitted.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the mounts 86 and 88. A seat plate 120 is fixed to the fuel cell housing case frame 11 with bolts 100 and nuts 110. Similarly, a seat plate 122 is fixed to the fuel cell housing case frame 11 with bolts 102 and nuts 112. The inner surface of the fuel cell housing case framework 11 is
00. Bolts 100, 102,
The portions where the nuts 110 and 112 are exposed inside the fuel cell housing case 10 are also covered with the insulating member 300. The end plate 62 is fixed to the seat plates 120 and 1 by tightening the bolts 104 via the seat 130.
22. An insulating member 302 is separately provided between the seat plates 120 and 122 and the bolt 104, and the end plate 62 and the fuel cell housing case frame 11 are provided separately.
Insulation with is secured. Hereinafter, the fuel cell housing case 10 includes the fuel cell housing case frame 11 and the insulating member 300.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the fuel cell housing case 10 for housing the fuel cell 20 shown in FIG.
A central portion of the bottom surface of the fuel cell housing case 10 is provided with a region which is higher than the bottom surface of the fuel cell housing case 10 (based on the surface of the insulating member 300) by h1, and the conducting portion 500 is installed in this region. Have been. Conducting part 500
For example, it is possible to use a tip end portion of a conductive bolt that penetrates the fuel cell housing case 10 from the outside. Further, another conductive portion 510 is provided on the lower surface of the fuel cell 20 at a location away from the conductive portion 500 by a predetermined distance. The distal end portion of the conduction portion 510 is installed at a height h2 from the bottom surface of the fuel cell housing case 10. Height h
The relationship between 2 and h1 is h1 ≧ h2. Conducting part 510
Are connected to conductors (not shown) coated with an insulating material. This conducting wire is guided to the outside of the fuel cell housing case 10.

With the above configuration, if the depth of the liquid such as the cooling water leaking from the fuel cell housing case 10 becomes h1 or more, the conducting portions 500 and 510 are formed.
By electrically monitoring the electrical resistance between them, it is possible to detect that a predetermined amount of liquid has accumulated inside the fuel cell case 10. Further, when a liquid is detected, safety can be ensured by stopping the operation of the fuel cell 20 or the like.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC ′ in another configuration of the fuel cell housing case 10. The basic configuration is the same as the configuration shown in FIG. In this configuration, the conduction portion 510 is installed in a region that is higher than the bottom surface of the fuel cell housing case 10 by the height h1. Similar to the conducting portion 500, the conducting portion 510 can use, for example, a tip portion of a bolt having conduction that penetrates the fuel cell housing case 10 from the outside.
The conductive portion 510 and a bolt including the conductive portion 510 are:
It is insulated from the fuel cell housing case frame 11 by the insulating members 300 and 520. This also makes it possible to detect the liquid that has accumulated inside the fuel cell housing case 10.

Further, in addition to the above configuration, the conductive portion 5 shown in FIG.
10 is provided in the fuel cell 20, and the conducting part 500 and the conducting part 510 are insulated from each other.
By monitoring the electrical resistance between 00 and the conducting portion 510, it is possible to detect the liquid accumulated inside the fuel cell housing case 10.

[0025]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent electric leakage due to dew condensation generated inside the fuel cell housing case 10, and to detect that liquid has accumulated inside the fuel cell housing case 10. Therefore, a more secure fuel cell housing case 10 is provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a fuel cell housing case 10 that houses a fuel cell 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA ′ of a fuel cell housing case 10 that houses a fuel cell 20.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of mounts 86 and 88.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the fuel cell housing case 10 that houses the fuel cell 20 shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC ′ in another configuration of the fuel cell housing case 10.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 fuel cell housing case, 11 fuel cell housing case framework, 12, 14, 16, 18 frame, 20 fuel cell, 30 body, 40 unit cell, 50 separator, 60, 62 end plate, 70 pressurizing mechanism, 8
2,84,86,88 mount, 100,102,1
04 bolt, 120, 122 seat plate, 130 seat base,
300, 302, 520 insulating member, 500, 510
Conductive part.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A fuel cell housing case for housing a fuel cell in which a plurality of unit cells are stacked and holding the fuel cell while holding the fuel cell with a holding member, wherein the case is made of a metal material and is insulated from the holding member. A fuel cell housing case, comprising: a case skeleton; and an insulating member having an insulating property that covers a predetermined region around the holding member on an inner surface of the case skeleton. 2. The fuel cell according to claim 1, further comprising: a first conductive portion, which is located at a predetermined height from an inner bottom surface of the case skeleton covered with the insulating member and has conductivity, at a lower portion thereof, On the inner bottom surface of the case skeleton covered with an insulating member, the conductive member is provided in a region located at a predetermined distance from the first conductive portion and having a height equal to or higher than the predetermined height from the periphery, and having conductivity. The fuel cell housing case according to claim 1, further comprising a second conductive portion.