JP2007109466A - Humidifying device for reaction gas - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to effectively reduce the pressure loss of a connecting flow passage part between a communicating hole, extending in the direction of lamination and a flow passage, extending alongside a water permeable membrane. <P>SOLUTION: The humidifying device 14 is provided with a first separator 42 and a second separator 44 arranged on either side of a water permeable membrane 40. The first separator 42 is provided with a first and second reaction gas flow passages 52, 54, having a plurality of groove parts 52a, 52b which are bent or curved into an approximately U shape. On one open end part of the first and second reaction gas flow passages 52, 54, a first entrance connecting passage part 60a which is connected with an air entrance connecting hole 48a is provided, and passage width of groove parts 52b, 54b constituting the first entrance connecting passage part 60a is set wider than the passage width of groove parts 52a, 54a which are on a central side of the first and second reaction gas passages 52, 54. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which an electrolyte membrane / electrode structure provided with electrodes on both sides of an electrolyte membrane and a separator are stacked, and a fuel gas and an oxidant gas as reaction gases are supplied. The present invention relates to a humidifier for a reactive gas, which is provided with a water-permeable membrane for humidifying at least one reactive gas supplied to a solid polymer fuel cell with a humidifying fluid.

  In general, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell has a power generation cell in which an electrolyte membrane / electrode structure in which an anode side electrode and a cathode side electrode are arranged on both sides of an electrolyte membrane made of a polymer ion exchange membrane is sandwiched by separators. I have. This type of fuel cell is normally used as a fuel cell stack by stacking a predetermined number of power generation cells.

  In the fuel cell described above, it is necessary to maintain the electrolyte membrane in an appropriate wet state in order to exhibit an effective power generation function. For this reason, a humidifier that humidifies fuel gas and oxidant gas in advance through water is prepared, and the humidified fuel gas and oxidant gas are supplied to the fuel cell by connecting the humidifier to the fuel cell. The supply configuration is known.

  For example, in the heating / humidification system apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the first separator 2 and the second separator 3 are arranged on both sides of the polymer film 1 as shown in FIG. The first separator 2 is provided with a warming / humidification gas channel groove 4 for guiding a gas (for example, hydrogen, oxygen or air) to be warmed / humidified. The second separator 3 is provided with a cooling water passage groove 5 that guides the cooling water that has become hot water.

  In such a configuration, the hot water is absorbed into the polymer film 1 by introducing the cooling water that has become hot water into the cooling water flow channel groove 5. The absorbed water evaporates in the gas to be heated / humidified (hereinafter simply referred to as gas) guided to the heating / humidifying gas flow channel 4 to humidify the gas, and the warm water It is said that the gas can be heated by the heat of.

JP-A-6-124722 (FIG. 4)

  By the way, in the above heating / humidification system device, when a predetermined number of first separators 2, polymer membranes 1 and second separators 3 are sequentially laminated to form a laminate stack, gas and hot water are used. In some cases, communication holes for supplying the cooling water thus formed in the stacking direction are provided. The gas and cooling water flowing in the stacking direction along the communication hole are divided into the heating / humidification gas channel groove 4 and the cooling water channel groove 5 formed on both surfaces of the polymer film 1, respectively. The above-described heating / humidifying treatment is performed.

  However, at the connection portion between the communication hole and the heating / humidifying gas flow channel groove 4 and the cooling water flow channel groove 5, the flow direction of the gas and the cooling water changes abruptly, and the change in each flow velocity is considerably large. It has become a thing. Thereby, there exists a problem that the pressure loss of the gas and cooling water in each said connection part increases.

  The present invention solves this type of problem and satisfactorily reduces the pressure loss at the connecting flow path portion between the communication hole extending in the stacking direction and the flow path extending along the water permeable membrane. An object of the present invention is to provide a reaction gas humidifier capable of satisfying the requirements.

  The present invention relates to a polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which an electrolyte membrane / electrode structure provided with electrodes on both sides of an electrolyte membrane and a separator are stacked, and a fuel gas and an oxidant gas as reaction gases are supplied. This is a reactive gas humidifier provided with a water permeable membrane for humidifying at least one reactive gas supplied to a polymer electrolyte fuel cell with a humidified fluid.

  The humidifying device for reactive gas includes a reactive gas inlet communication hole for flowing one reactive gas in the stacking direction, a reactive gas outlet communication hole for flowing the humidified one reactive gas in the stacking direction, and the reactive gas inlet communication. A reaction gas flow path is provided which communicates with the hole and the reaction gas outlet communication hole and flows the one reaction gas along the water permeable membrane to humidify the one reaction gas.

  The open end of the reaction gas channel is provided with a connection channel part connected to at least the reaction gas inlet communication hole or the reaction gas outlet communication hole, and the channel width of the connection channel part is It is set wider than the channel width on the center side of the reaction gas channel.

  The reactive gas humidifier includes a humidified fluid inlet communication hole for flowing a humidified fluid in the stacking direction, a humidified fluid outlet communication hole for flowing the humidified fluid after humidifying one of the reactive gases in the stacked direction, and the humidifier. A humidifying fluid channel that communicates with the fluid inlet communicating hole and the humidified fluid outlet communicating hole and that flows the humidifying fluid along the water permeable membrane is provided, and at least an opening end of the humidifying fluid channel A connecting channel portion connected to the humidifying fluid inlet communicating hole or the humidifying fluid outlet communicating hole is provided, and the channel width of the connecting channel portion is larger than the channel width on the central side of the humidifying fluid channel. It is preferable that the width is set wide.

  Furthermore, it is preferable that the flow path width of the connection flow path portion is configured to be continuously wide toward the open side. Furthermore, it is preferable that the humidified fluid is one of the used reaction gases discharged from the polymer electrolyte fuel cell.

  In the present invention, the channel width of the connecting channel provided at the open end of the reaction gas channel is set wider than the channel width on the center side of the reaction gas channel. For this reason, when the reaction gas before humidification is introduced from the reaction gas inlet communication hole to the connection channel portion and / or the reaction gas after humidification is introduced from the connection channel portion to the reaction gas outlet communication hole. In this case, the pressure loss of the reaction gas can be satisfactorily reduced. As a result, the reaction gas can flow smoothly and reliably along the reaction gas flow path, and a desired humidification process is efficiently performed.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a schematic configuration of a fuel cell system 10 incorporating a reactive gas humidifier according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the fuel cell system 10.

  The fuel cell system 10 is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile, for example, and is configured by stacking a polymer electrolyte fuel cell 12 and a flat membrane humidifier 14 in the stacking direction (arrow A direction). In the fuel cell 12, a plurality of power generation cells 16 are stacked in the direction of arrow A, and terminal plates 17a and 17b and insulating plates 19a and 19b are interposed at both ends in the stacking direction to form first and second end plates 18a and 18b. Be placed.

  The humidifier 14 is directly laminated on the second end plate 18b. The third end plate 18c constituting the humidifying device 14 is fastened to the first end plate 18a in the stacking direction by a plurality of fastening bolts 21 with the second end plate 18b interposed (see FIG. 2).

  As shown in FIG. 1, the power generation cell 16 includes an electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 20 in which an anode side electrode 20b and a cathode side electrode 20c are arranged on both sides of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 20a, and the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure. And a pair of metal or carbon separators 22 and 24 that sandwich 20.

  In the fuel cell 12, an oxidant gas supply communication hole 26 a for supplying an oxidant gas, for example, an oxygen-containing gas (hereinafter also referred to as air), communicated with each other in the direction of arrow A, and the oxidant gas. Oxidant gas discharge communication hole 26b for discharging the cooling medium, cooling medium supply communication hole 28a for supplying the cooling medium, cooling medium discharge communication hole 28b for discharging the cooling medium, fuel gas, for example, hydrogen-containing gas A fuel gas supply communication hole 30a for supplying (hereinafter also referred to as hydrogen) and a fuel gas discharge communication hole 30b for discharging the fuel gas are provided.

  On the surface of the separator 22 facing the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 20, a fuel gas flow path 32 that connects the fuel gas supply communication hole 30 a and the fuel gas discharge communication hole 30 b is formed. A cooling medium flow path 34 that connects the cooling medium supply communication hole 28 a and the cooling medium discharge communication hole 28 b is formed on the opposite surface of the separator 22.

  An oxidant gas flow path 36 communicating with the oxidant gas supply communication hole 26a and the oxidant gas discharge communication hole 26b is provided on the surface of the separator 24 facing the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 20. On the opposite surface of the separator 24, a cooling medium flow path 34 is integrally formed so as to overlap the separator 22.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the humidifier 14 is disposed on the first separator 42 disposed on one surface 40 a of the water permeable membrane 40 and on the other surface 40 b of the water permeable membrane 40. The second separator 44 is provided. The first and second separators 42 and 44 are alternately stacked in the direction of arrow A with the water permeable membrane 40 interposed therebetween to form a stacked body 46. The first and second separators 42 and 44 are configured by forming a metal plate into a wave shape. Note that the first and second separators 42 and 44 may be configured by, for example, machining a carbon plate.

  As shown in FIG. 3, air inlet communication holes (reaction gases) through which air before one reaction (one reaction gas) is introduced through one end edge in the direction of arrow B of the laminated body 46 in the direction of arrow A. An inlet communication hole (48a) and an air outlet communication hole (reaction gas outlet communication hole) 48b for supplying humidified pre-reaction air to the fuel cell 12 are formed in an arrow C direction.

  The other end edge of the laminated body 46 in the direction of arrow B communicates with each other in the direction of arrow A, air off-gas inlet communication holes (humidified fluid inlet communication holes) 50a to which air off-gas is supplied, and air before reaction. Air off gas outlet communication holes (humidified fluid outlet communication holes) 50b for discharging the air off gas after humidification are arranged in the direction of arrow C.

  The first separator 42 communicates with the air inlet communication hole 48a and the air outlet communication hole 48b on the surface 42a side facing the one surface 40a of the water permeable membrane 40, and is bent or curved in a substantially U shape. A first reaction gas channel 52 having a groove 52a is provided.

  On the surface 42b side opposite to the surface 42a of the first separator 42, a second reaction gas flow path having a plurality of substantially U-shaped grooves 54a communicating with the air inlet communication hole 48a and the air outlet communication hole 48b. 54 is provided. The second reaction gas channel 54 is formed alternately with the first reaction gas channel 52 and has a wave shape as a whole (see FIG. 4).

  The second separator 44 has a plurality of substantially U-shaped groove portions 56a communicating the air off gas inlet communication hole 50a and the air off gas outlet communication hole 50b on the surface 44a side facing the other surface 40b of the water permeable membrane 40. A first humidified fluid channel 56 is provided.

  The second separator 44 has, on the surface 44b opposite to the surface 44a, a second humidified fluid flow having a plurality of substantially U-shaped grooves 58a communicating the air off gas inlet communication hole 50a and the air off gas outlet communication hole 50b. A path 58 is provided. The second humidified fluid channel 58 is alternately arranged with the first humidified fluid channel 56.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the first and second reaction gas channels 52 and 54 have open end portions that are connected to an air inlet communication hole 48 a and an air outlet communication. A first outlet connection channel portion 60b connected to the hole 48b is provided. Similarly, at the open ends of both the first and second humidified fluid flow paths 56, 58, a second inlet connection flow path portion 62a connected to the air off gas inlet communication hole 50a, and an air off gas outlet communication hole 50b. And a second outlet connection channel portion 62b connected to the first outlet connection channel portion 62b.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the first inlet connecting channel 60a has a plurality of grooves 52b and 54b opened to the air inlet communication hole 48a, and the channel width W1 of the grooves 52b and 54b is as follows. The first and second reaction gas channels 52 and 54 are set to have a width (W1> W2) wider than the channel width W2 of the grooves 52a and 54a on the center side. Specifically, each of the grooves 52a and 54a gradually (continuously) increases in width from a position spaced inward by a predetermined distance h from the end surface on the air inlet communication hole 48a side, and has a maximum width dimension. The grooves 52b and 54b are opened to the air inlet communication hole 48a.

  At least one of the first outlet connecting channel portion 60b, the second inlet connecting channel portion 62a, and the second outlet connecting channel portion 62b has a channel width similar to the first inlet connecting channel portion 60a. It suffices if it is continuously wide.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel cell system 10 includes an oxidant gas supply system 70 provided on the humidifying device 14 side, and a fuel gas supply system 72 and a cooling medium supply system 74 provided on the fuel cell 12 side.

  The oxidant gas supply system 70 is connected to the third end plate 18c through an air supply passage 76 for supplying air to the air inlet communication hole 48a of the humidifier 14 and an air off-gas outlet communication hole 50b of the humidifier 14. An air discharge channel 78 for exhausting the discharged air off gas to the outside is provided. The air supply channel 76 is provided with a supercharger (or pump) 80 for compressing and supplying air.

  The fuel gas supply system 72 is connected to the first end plate 18 a to supply a hydrogen gas to the fuel gas supply communication hole 30 a of the fuel cell 12, and a fuel gas discharge communication of the fuel cell 12. A hydrogen circulation channel 84 is provided for returning exhaust gas containing unused hydrogen gas discharged from the holes 30 b to the hydrogen supply channel 82 and supplying it to the fuel cell 12.

  The hydrogen supply passage 82 is supplied with a hydrogen tank 86 for storing high-pressure hydrogen, a regulator 88 for reducing the pressure of the hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen tank 86, and supplying the reduced hydrogen gas to the fuel cell 12. In addition, an ejector 90 is provided for sucking exhaust gas from the hydrogen circulation channel 84 and returning it to the fuel cell 12.

  The cooling medium supply system 74 is connected to the first end plate 18a and supplies a cooling medium to the cooling medium supply communication hole 28a of the fuel cell 12, and a cooling medium discharge of the fuel cell 12. A cooling medium circulation passage 96 for returning the cooling medium discharged from the communication hole 28b to the cooling medium tank 94, and a pump 98 for circulating the cooling medium in the cooling medium tank 94 are provided.

  The operation of the fuel cell system 10 configured as described above will be described below.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen tank 86 to the hydrogen supply channel 82 is depressurized to a predetermined pressure via the regulator 88 and then supplied to the fuel cell 12 through the ejector 90. It is supplied to the communication hole 30a.

  The hydrogen gas moves along the fuel gas flow path 32 constituting each power generation cell 16 and is supplied to the anode side electrode 20b. Then, the fuel off-gas containing unused hydrogen is discharged to the fuel gas discharge communication hole 30b. Is done. The fuel off-gas is discharged to the hydrogen circulation passage 84 and returned to the hydrogen supply passage 82 under the suction action of the ejector 90, and then supplied again to the fuel cell 12 as fuel gas.

  On the other hand, air is supplied to the air supply channel 76 via the supercharger 80. This air is supplied from the third end plate 18c to the air inlet communication hole 48a of the stacked body 46 constituting the humidifying device 14.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the humidifier 14, the first and second reaction gas channels 52 and 54 of the first separator 42 communicate with the air inlet communication hole 48 a. For this reason, the air introduced into the air inlet communication hole 48a moves along the substantially U-shaped first and second reaction gas flow paths 52 and 54. The air flowing through the first reactive gas flow channel 52 contacts one surface 40 a of the water permeable membrane 40, and the air moving along the second reactive gas flow channel 54 passes through the other water permeable membrane 40. It contacts one surface 40a (see FIG. 4).

  In the humidifier 14, air off gas, which has been reacted air used for power generation of the fuel cell 12, is supplied to the air off gas inlet communication hole 50 a. The air off gas is introduced into the first and second humidified fluid flow paths 56 and 58 that communicate with the air off gas inlet communication hole 50 a of the second separator 44. The air off-gas moving through the first humidified fluid channel 56 contacts the other surface 40b of the water permeable membrane 40, and the air off-gas moving along the second humidified fluid channel 58 is another water permeable gas. It contacts the other surface 40b of the film 40.

  Accordingly, the moisture in the air off-gas that moves along the first humidified fluid flow path 56 of the second separator 44 passes through the water-permeable membrane 40 and moves through the first reaction gas flow path 52 before the reaction. This air is humidified. Further, the pre-reaction air that moves along the second reaction gas channel 54 is humidified by moisture in the air off-gas that moves along the second humidification fluid channel 58. The humidified air is supplied to the oxidant gas supply communication hole 26a of the fuel cell 12 from the air outlet communication hole 48b communicating with the first and second reaction gas flow paths 52 and 54.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the humidified air is supplied to each power generation cell 16 from the second end plate 18b. The humidified air is supplied to the cathode side electrode 20c by flowing through the oxidant gas flow path 36 formed in the separator 24. After the air off gas containing unused air is discharged to the oxidant gas discharge communication hole 26b, as described above, it is used for the humidification process in the humidifier 14, and the air discharge flow path from the air off gas outlet communication hole 50b. 78 is discharged.

  Thereby, in each power generation cell 16, the hydrogen supplied to the anode side electrode 20b and the oxygen in the air supplied to the cathode side electrode 20c react to generate power.

  In the cooling medium supply system 74, the cooling medium in the cooling medium tank 94 is supplied from the cooling medium supply flow path 92 to the cooling medium supply communication hole 28 a of the fuel cell 12 under the action of the pump 98. The cooling medium cools each power generation cell 16 by passing through the cooling medium flow path 34 formed between the separators 22 and 24, and then is discharged from the cooling medium discharge communication hole 28b to the cooling medium circulation flow path 96 to be cooled. Returned to the medium tank 94.

  In this case, in the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the first inlet connection connected to the air inlet communication hole 48a is connected to one open end of the first and second reaction gas flow paths 52, 54. The flow path portion 60a is provided, and the flow path width W1 of the grooves 52b and 54b constituting the first inlet connection flow path 60a is wider than the flow path width W2 of the central grooves 52a and 54a (W1). > W2).

  For this reason, the flow passage width of the first inlet connection flow passage portion 60a, that is, the flow passage cross-sectional area, which is the portion where the change in the air flow direction and the change in the flow passage cross-sectional area are the most significant, is set large. Therefore, when the air flowing in the direction of arrow A along the air inlet communication hole 48a is introduced into the first and second reaction gas channels 52 and 54, the pressure loss of the air can be greatly reduced.

  As a result, air is smoothly and reliably introduced into the first and second reaction gas flow paths 52 and 54 from the air inlet communication hole 48a. For this reason, air can flow favorably along the first and second reaction gas flow paths 52 and 54, and an effect that a desired humidification process can be efficiently performed is obtained. In addition, the power consumption of the supercharger 80 can be effectively reduced.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, a first outlet connection channel portion 60b connected to the air outlet communication hole 48b is provided at the other open end of the first and second reaction gas channels 52, 54. In addition, the first outlet connection channel portion 60b is configured in the same manner as the first inlet connection channel portion 60a. Accordingly, the humidified air is smoothly and satisfactorily discharged from the first and second reaction gas channels 52 and 54 to the air outlet communication hole 48b, and the pressure loss of the air can be reduced well.

  Furthermore, the open ends of the first and second humidified fluid flow paths 56, 58 are connected to the air off gas inlet communication hole 50a and the air off gas outlet communication hole 50b, the second inlet connection flow path part 62a and the second An outlet connection channel portion 62b is provided. Accordingly, the flow passage cross-sectional area is set to be large in the second inlet connection flow passage portion 62a and the second outlet connection flow passage portion 62b, which are the portions where the change in the flow direction of the air off-gas and the flow passage cross-sectional area are the largest. It is possible to effectively reduce the pressure loss of the air off gas.

  FIG. 6 is a partially exploded perspective view of a flat membrane humidifier 100 which is a reactive gas humidifier according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In addition, the same referential mark is attached | subjected to the component same as the humidification apparatus 14 which concerns on 1st Embodiment, and the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The humidifier 100 includes a first separator 104 disposed on one surface 102 a of the water permeable membrane 102 and a second separator 106 disposed on the other surface 102 b of the water permeable membrane 102.

  The first and second separators 104 and 106 are alternately stacked in the direction of arrow A with the water permeable membrane 102 interposed therebetween to constitute a stacked body 108. An air off-gas outlet communication hole 50b and an air outlet communication hole 48b are provided at one edge of the laminated body 108 in the arrow B direction. An air inlet communication hole 48a and an air off gas inlet communication hole 50a are provided at the other end edge of the laminated body 108 in the arrow B direction.

  First and second reaction gas flow paths 110 that are serpentine flow paths that communicate with the air inlet communication hole 48a and the air outlet communication hole 48b on both surfaces of the first separator 104 and are folded back and forth halfway in the direction of arrow B, 112 is provided. First and second humidified fluid flow paths, which are serpentine flow paths that communicate with the air off gas inlet communication hole 50a and the air off gas outlet communication hole 50b on both surfaces of the second separator 106 and are folded back and forth in the direction of arrow B by one and a half times. 114, 116 are provided.

  The open ends of the first and second reaction gas channels 110 and 112 are connected to at least the air inlet communication hole 48a, and in the second embodiment, are connected to the air inlet communication hole 48a and the air outlet communication hole 48b. A first inlet connection channel portion 118a and a first outlet connection channel portion 118b are provided. The channel widths of the first inlet connection channel portion 118a and the first outlet connection channel portion 118b are set wider than the channel width on the center side of the first and second reaction gas channels 110 and 112.

  Similarly, the open ends of the first and second humidified fluid channels 114 and 116 are connected to the air off gas inlet communication hole 50a and the air off gas outlet communication hole 50b through the second inlet connection channel portion 120a and the second. An outlet connection channel portion 120b is provided. The channel widths of the second inlet connection channel part 120a and the second outlet connection channel part 120b are set wider than the channel widths on the center side of the first and second humidified fluid channels 114 and 116.

  As described above, in the second embodiment, the first and second inlet connecting channel portions 118a and 120a having the channel width set wide and the first and second outlet connecting channel portions 118b and 120b are provided. Is provided. Accordingly, the flow passage cross-sectional area can be set large at a portion where the change in the flow direction of air and air off-gas and the change in the flow passage cross-sectional area are the largest, and the pressure loss can be reduced. The same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

  In addition, in the 1st and 2nd embodiment, although the structure which humidifies the air before reaction with air off gas is employ | adopted, it is not limited to this. For example, a configuration in which air before reaction is humidified with fuel off-gas (fuel gas after reaction), a configuration in which fuel gas before reaction is humidified with air off-gas, a configuration in which fuel gas before reaction is humidified with fuel off-gas, or before reaction Alternatively, a configuration in which the air or fuel gas is humidified with cooling water for cooling the fuel cell that is pure water may be employed. Furthermore, the shape of the flow path is not limited to a substantially U shape or serpentine, and various shapes can be employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is schematic structure explanatory drawing of the fuel cell system incorporating the humidification apparatus for the reactive gas which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic perspective explanatory view of the fuel cell system. It is a partially exploded perspective view of the humidifier. It is a partial cross section explanatory view of the humidification device. It is a partial cross section perspective explanatory view of the separator which constitutes the humidification device. It is a partially exploded perspective view of the humidifying device for reactive gas according to the second embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the heating and humidification system apparatus of patent document 1.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Fuel cell system 12 ... Fuel cell 14 ... Humidifier 16 ... Electric power generation cell 18a-18c ... End plate 20a ... Solid polymer electrolyte membrane 20b ... Anode side electrode 20c ... Cathode side electrode 22, 24, 42, 44, 104, 106 ... Separator 26a ... Oxidant gas supply communication hole 26b ... Oxidant gas discharge communication hole 28a ... Cooling medium supply communication hole 28b ... Cooling medium discharge communication hole 30a ... Fuel gas supply communication hole 30b ... Fuel gas discharge communication hole 32 ... Fuel Gas flow path 34 ... Cooling medium flow path 36 ... Oxidant gas flow path 40, 102 ... Water permeable membranes 46, 108 ... Laminate 48a ... Air inlet communication hole 48b ... Air outlet communication hole 50a ... Air off gas inlet communication hole 50b ... Air off gas outlet communication holes 52, 54 ... Reactive gas flow paths 52a, 52b, 54a, 54b, 56a, 58a ... Groove part 56 58, 114, 116 ... Humidifying fluid flow paths 60a, 62a, 118a, 120a ... Inlet connection flow paths 60b, 62b, 118b, 120b ... Outlet connection flow paths 70 ... Oxidant gas supply system 72 ... Fuel gas supply system 74 ... Cooling medium supply system 110, 112 ... reactive gas flow path

Claims (4)

In a polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which an electrolyte membrane / electrode structure provided with electrodes on both sides of an electrolyte membrane and a separator are stacked, and a fuel gas and an oxidant gas as reaction gases are supplied, the solid polymer type A reaction gas humidification device provided with a water permeable membrane for humidifying at least one reaction gas supplied to a fuel cell with a humidifying fluid,
A reaction gas inlet communication hole for flowing the one reaction gas in the stacking direction;
A reaction gas outlet communication hole for flowing the humidified reaction gas in the stacking direction;
A reaction gas flow path that communicates with the reaction gas inlet communication hole and the reaction gas outlet communication hole, flows the one reaction gas along the water permeable membrane, and humidifies the one reaction gas;
Provided,
At the open end of the reaction gas channel, a connection channel part connected to at least the reaction gas inlet communication hole or the reaction gas outlet communication hole is provided, and the channel width of the connection channel part is: A humidifier for a reactive gas, wherein the reactive gas humidifier is set wider than a flow path width on a central side of the reactive gas flow path. The humidifying apparatus for reactive gas according to claim 1, wherein the humidifying fluid inlet communication hole for flowing the humidifying fluid in the stacking direction;
A humidified fluid outlet communication hole for flowing the humidified fluid in the stacking direction after humidifying the one reaction gas;
A humidifying fluid flow path that communicates with the humidifying fluid inlet communicating hole and the humidifying fluid outlet communicating hole and that allows the humidifying fluid to flow along the water permeable membrane;
Provided,
The open end of the humidified fluid channel is provided with a connection channel portion connected to at least the humidified fluid inlet communication hole or the humidified fluid outlet communication hole, and the channel width of the connection channel portion is: A humidifier for a reactive gas, wherein the humidifier is set to be wider than the channel width on the center side of the humidified fluid channel.   The humidification apparatus for reactive gas according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flow path width of the connecting flow path portion is configured to be continuously wide toward the open side. apparatus.   The humidifying apparatus for reactive gas according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the humidifying fluid is the one used reactive gas discharged from the polymer electrolyte fuel cell. Humidifier for reactive gas.

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