JP2008270146A - Fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel cell, which can reduce a pressure loss of an anode passage and of which the miniaturization can be achieved. <P>SOLUTION: The fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly 8 including an anode, a cathode opposed to the anode and an electrolyte membrane 3 interposed between the anode and the cathode; a lyophobic porous body 10 in contact with the anode; and an anode passage plate 30 in contact with the lyophobic porous body 10, the anode passage plate 30 including a gas collection passage 32 and a fuel supplying passage 31, the gas collection passage 32 collects a gas generated in the anode via the lyophobic porous body 10, the fuel supplying passage 31 supplies a fuel to the anode via the lyophobic porous body 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell suitable for a direct fuel cell.

  A direct fuel cell that supplies liquid fuel such as alcohol directly to the power generation unit does not require an auxiliary device such as a vaporizer or a reformer, and is expected to be used for a small power source of a portable device. As such a direct type fuel cell, an alcohol aqueous solution is directly supplied to the power generation unit to extract protons, and discharges such as water discharged from the power generation unit are placed in a mixing tank or the like disposed on the upstream side of the power generation unit. Circulating fuel cell systems that are circulated and reused are known.

  In a direct methanol supply type fuel cell (DMFC), power generation is performed in a cell stack (power generation unit) in which power generation cells including an anode, a cathode, and a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) are stacked. A mixed solution of water and methanol is sent to the anode via a liquid feed pump or the like, and a reaction shown in the following formula (1) occurs to generate carbon dioxide. On the other hand, air is sent to the cathode via an air feed pump or the like, and a reaction shown in the following formula (2) occurs to generate water.

CH ₃ OH + H ₂ O → CO ₂ + 6H ⁺ + 6e ⁻ (1)
3/2 O ₂ + 6H ⁺ + 6e ⁻ → 3H ₂ O (2)

A mixed solution containing carbon dioxide generated at the anode, water, and unreacted methanol is discharged from the anode in a gas-liquid two-phase flow. The gas-liquid two-phase flow discharged from the anode is separated into a gas and a liquid by a gas-liquid separator provided in a flow path on the outlet side of the anode. The separated liquid is circulated to a mixing tank or the like through a recovery channel, and the separated gas is released to the atmosphere (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

However, in the method of providing a gas-liquid separator in the channel on the outlet side of the anode, the gas-liquid two-phase flow circulates in the anode channel and the channel on the anode outlet side, so that the pressure loss of the anode channel increases. . In addition, the arrangement of the gas-liquid separator makes it difficult to reduce the size of the anode circulation section because it becomes larger.
US 6924055 specification

  The present invention provides a fuel cell that can reduce the pressure loss of the anode channel and can be downsized.

  According to an aspect of the present invention, a membrane electrode assembly having an anode and a cathode facing each other across an electrolyte membrane, a lyophobic porous body in contact with the anode, and a lyophobic porous body in contact with the anode A fuel cell is provided that includes a gas recovery channel that recovers gas via a lyophobic porous body and an anode channel plate that includes a fuel supply channel that supplies fuel to the anode.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a membrane electrode assembly having an anode and a cathode facing each other across an electrolyte membrane, a lyophilic porous body in contact with the anode and having a plurality of through-holes, and a lyophilic porous An anode flow path plate comprising a gas recovery flow path for contacting the body and recovering the gas generated at the anode through the through-hole and a fuel supply flow path for supplying fuel to the anode via the lyophilic porous body; A fuel cell is provided.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the fuel cell which can make the pressure loss of an anode flow path small and can implement | achieve size reduction can be provided.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. The following embodiments exemplify apparatuses and methods for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the technical idea of the present invention is the following in terms of the structure and arrangement of components. It is not something specific.

(First embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel cell according to the first embodiment includes an anode (anode catalyst layer 1, anode gas diffusion layer 4) and a cathode (cathode catalyst layer 2, cathode) facing each other across an electrolyte membrane 3. A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) 8 having a gas diffusion layer 5), a lyophobic porous body 10 in contact with the anode gas diffusion layer 4 and having a through hole 10 a, and an anode channel plate in contact with the lyophobic porous body 10 30 and a cathode flow path plate 40 facing the anode flow path plate 30 with the cathode gas diffusion layer 5 interposed therebetween. The anode channel plate 30 and the cathode channel plate 40 seal the periphery of the MEA via the gasket 9.

  The MEA 8 includes an electrolyte membrane 3 using a proton conductive solid polymer membrane or the like, an anode catalyst layer 1 and a cathode catalyst layer 2 formed by applying a catalyst to the surface of the electrolyte membrane 3, an anode catalyst layer 1 and a cathode catalyst. An anode gas diffusion layer 4 and a cathode gas diffusion layer 5 formed on the outside of the layer 2 are provided.

  The electrolyte membrane 3 is a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluorovinyl ether sulfonic acid, and for example, Nafion (US DuPont) can be used. As the anode catalyst layer 1, platinum ruthenium can be used, and as the cathode catalyst layer 2, platinum or the like can be used. As the anode gas diffusion layer 4 and the cathode gas diffusion layer 5, porous carbon paper or the like is used.

  Between the anode catalyst layer 1 and the anode gas diffusion layer 4, a carbon-made anode microporous layer 6 having a thickness of several tens of microns and having pores with a submicron pore diameter may be disposed. . Between the cathode catalyst layer 2 and the cathode gas diffusion layer 5, a carbon-made cathode microporous layer 7 having a thickness of several tens of microns and having pores with submicron pore diameters may be disposed.

  The lyophobic porous body 10 has a plurality of through holes 10 a penetrating between a surface in contact with the anode gas diffusion layer 4 and a surface in contact with the anode flow path plate 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the through-holes 10a are opened in a grid pattern on one surface of a sheet-like hydrophobic carbon porous body having pores having a thickness of about 200 μm and a pore diameter of several μm. The diameter of the through-hole 10a is sufficiently larger than the microscopic pores having a pore diameter of several μm constituting the lyophobic porous body 10, and can be, for example, about 1 mm in diameter. The hole diameter of the through hole 10 a can be changed as appropriate according to the width of the flow path of the anode flow path plate 30.

  Examples of the lyophobic porous body 10 include carbon paper having pores having a pore diameter of several μm made of hydrophobically treated carbon fibers, a material obtained by hydrophobizing a sintered metal, and a porous body having a pore diameter of several μm or less having electrical conductivity. A material having lyophobic properties can be used.

  The anode channel plate 30 has a fuel feed channel 31 and a gas recovery channel 32. The fuel supply flow path 31 includes, for example, a serpentine-shaped serpentine flow path section 31a that causes the fuel to meander through one or more flow paths from the upstream side to the downstream side, and an anode gas from the serpentine flow path section 31a. A feeding part 31b that branches to the diffusion layer 4 side and feeds a part of the fuel flowing through the serpentine channel part 31a to the anode gas diffusion layer 4 can be provided. An end portion of the feeding unit 31 b is connected to the through hole 10 a of the lyophobic porous body 10.

The gas recovery flow path 32 includes, for example, a serpentine flow path portion 32a that causes the gas to meander from one upstream or a plurality of flow paths toward the downstream side, and the serpentine flow path portion 32a to the anode gas diffusion layer 4 side. And a recovery unit 32b that recovers a gas such as CO ₂ in the anode gas diffusion layer 4. The recovery part 32b is connected to a portion of the lyophobic porous body 10 (for example, the region 10b in FIG. 2) where the through hole 10a is not formed.

  The description of the configuration and arrangement of the fuel supply flow path 31 and the gas recovery flow path 32 shown in FIG. 1 is an example, and other various configurations of the fuel supply flow path 31 and the gas recovery flow path 32 are provided. Of course, it can be adopted. Moreover, the lyophobic porous body 10 may not have the through holes 10a. For example, when a methanol aqueous solution is used as the fuel, the methanol aqueous solution is supplied to the anode catalyst layer 1 through the lyophobic porous body 10, partly as liquid and partly as methanol and water vapor. The fuel may be liquid alcohol other than methanol, hydrocarbon, ether or the like.

  The cathode flow path plate 40 in FIG. 1 has holes 41 for supplying air to the cathode catalyst layer 2. A porous body 20 having a moisturizing function for preventing the cathode catalyst layer 2 from drying may be provided between the cathode gas diffusion layer 5 and the cathode flow path plate 40. In the example of FIG. 1, air is supplied to the cathode gas diffusion layer 5 by breathing. Therefore, the cathode flow path plate 40 may be omitted. Here, “breathing” refers to a natural intake system in which air is not forcibly supplied to the flow path provided in the cathode flow path plate using a compressor or the like.

According to the fuel cell 100 a shown in FIG. 1, since the lyophobic porous body 10 is lyophobic, the fuel fed from the fuel feed channel 31 penetrates into the lyophobic porous body 10. Without passing through the through hole 10a. On the other hand, CO ₂ produced by the anode reaction and carried into the anode gas diffusion layer 4 is a liquid (fuel) filled in the through-holes 10a at the interface between the anode gas diffusion layer 4 and the lyophobic porous body 10. ) It passes through the lyophobic porous body 10 preferentially because it is easier to pass through the inside of the lyophobic porous body 10 having fine pores than to enter inside and form bubbles.

Then, CO ₂ passing through the lyophobic porous body 10 is recovered through the gas recovery flow path 32 connected to the lyophobic porous body 10, whereby CO ₂ flows to the fuel supply flow path 31 side. Can be suppressed, and mixing of gas in the liquid on the outlet side of the fuel supply passage 31 can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to increase the flow velocity due to volume expansion due to the formation of a gas-liquid two-phase flow in the fuel supply flow path 31 and to suppress the pressure loss of the fluid due to meniscus formation. The pressure loss in the path 31) can be greatly reduced.

Since the CO ₂ permeation flow rate per unit area in the anode gas diffusion layer 4 is small, the pressure loss when CO ₂ passes through the lyophobic porous body 10 can be small. Further, since the lyophobic porous body 10 is disposed in the fuel cell 100a shown in FIG. 1, even if the MEA 8 is tilted in an arbitrary direction, CO ₂ and unreacted fuel can be easily gas-liquid separated.

(Second Embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 3, in the fuel cell 100b according to the second embodiment, the lyophilic porous body 11 is disposed between the anode flow path plate 30 and the anode gas diffusion layer 4, Different from FIG. 3, illustration of the porous body 20 of FIG. 1 is omitted.

  The lyophilic porous body 11 has a plurality of through holes 11 a penetrating between the surface in contact with the anode gas diffusion layer 4 and the surface in contact with the anode flow path plate 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the through-holes 11a are opened in a grid pattern on one surface of a sheet-like lyophilic carbon porous body having pores having a thickness of about 200 μm and a pore diameter of several μm. The diameter of the through-hole 11a is sufficiently larger than the micro-pores having a pore diameter of several μm constituting the lyophilic porous body 11, and can be, for example, about 1 mm in diameter. The diameter of the through hole 11 a can be changed as appropriate according to the width of the flow path of the anode flow path plate 30.

  As the lyophilic porous body 11, carbon paper or carbon cloth having pores with a pore diameter of several μm made of hydrophilic carbon fibers is used. Alternatively, a hydrophilic sintered metal having pores having a pore diameter of several μm, or a porous material having a pore diameter of several μm or less having electrical conductivity and a hydrophilic material can be used.

  The end of the gas recovery flow path 32 of the anode flow path plate 30 shown in FIG. 3 is connected to the through hole 11 a of the lyophobic porous body 10. The fuel supply flow path 31 is connected to a portion of the lyophilic porous body 11 (region 11b in FIG. 4) where the through hole 11a is not formed. Others are substantially the same as the fuel cell 100a shown in FIG.

According to the fuel cell 100b shown in FIG. 3, since the lyophilic porous body 11 is lyophilic, the fuel fed to the fuel feed channel 31 by the liquid feed pump 60 or the like is lyophilic porous body. 11 is held. On the other hand, the CO ₂ produced by the anodic reaction and carried to the anode gas diffusion layer 4 reaches the interface between the anode gas diffusion layer 4 and the lyophilic porous body 11 and retains the liquid (fuel). Since it is easier to pass through the through hole 11a than to pass through the liquid porous body 11, the liquid porous body 11 is preferentially accommodated in the through hole 11a.

Then, by collecting the CO ₂ passing through the through hole 11a of the lyophilic porous body 11 using the gas recovery flow path 32, it is possible to suppress the CO _{2 from} being mixed into the fuel feed flow path 31 side. . Note that, as shown in FIG. 3, CO ₂ can be recovered in the gas recovery flow path 32 using an air supply pump 70. By disposing the lyophilic porous body 11, CO ₂ can be discharged in a gas-liquid separated state even when the MEA 8 is tilted in an arbitrary direction.

(Third embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 5, in the fuel cell 100 c according to the third embodiment, the lyophilic porous body 12 is embedded in the through hole 10 a of the lyophobic porous body 10.

  Examples of the lyophilic porous body 12 include carbon paper or carbon cloth having a pore diameter of several μm made of lyophilic carbon fiber, a hydrophilic sintered metal having a pore diameter of several μm, and electrical conductivity. It is possible to use a porous material having a pore diameter of several μm or less and having a hydrophilic material or the like molded into a predetermined shape for embedding in the through-hole 10a. Moreover, you may use what sprayed the polymer containing a sulfonic acid group to a part of porous body which shows lyophobic property, and performed the lyophilic process. The rest is substantially the same as the fuel cell 100a shown in FIG.

According to the fuel cell 100c shown in FIG. 5, since the lyophilic porous body 12 is disposed in the through hole 10a, the fuel is easily held in the lyophilic porous body 12, and the CO ₂ is more stably separated. Thus, the fuel cell 100c can be operated more stably.

(Fourth embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 6, in the fuel cell 100 d according to the fourth embodiment, the lyophobic porous body 13 is embedded in at least a part of the through hole 11 a of the lyophilic porous body 11.

  Examples of the lyophobic porous body 13 include carbon paper having pores having a pore diameter of several μm made of hydrophobically treated carbon fibers, a material obtained by hydrophobizing a sintered metal, and a porous body having a pore diameter of several μm or less having electrical conductivity. It is possible to use a material that is formed into a predetermined shape for embedding a lyophobic material or the like in the through hole 11a. Alternatively, a part of the hydrophilic porous body 11 coated with Teflon (registered trademark) and a part of the lyophilic porous body 11 made lyophobic may be used.

  In FIG. 6, the lyophobic porous body 13 is embedded so as to be in contact with the surface where the lyophilic porous body 11 and the anode gas diffusion layer 4 are in contact with each other. Good. Others are substantially the same as the fuel cell 100b shown in FIG.

According to the fuel cell 100 d shown in FIG. 6, CO _{2 in the} anode gas diffusion layer 4 can more easily permeate into the lyophobic porous body 13 than when the inside of the through hole 11 a is hollow.

(Fifth embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 7, in the fuel cell 100 e according to the fifth embodiment, the lyophilic porous body 12 is embedded in the through hole 11 a of the lyophobic porous body 10. Furthermore, a contact 14 is embedded in a region of the lyophobic porous body 10 that is not in contact with the fuel supply channel 31 and the gas recovery channel 32. The contact 14 makes electrical connection between the anode gas diffusion layer 4 of the lyophobic porous body 10 and the anode flow path plate 30.

  When the contact 14 is disposed, the lyophobic porous body 10 may be made of a material having a pore diameter of several μm or less such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (expanded PTFE) and having no conductivity. In that case, it is preferable to use carbon or metal as the contact 14. Further, as the lyophobic porous body 10, a part of the expanded PTFE is hydrophilized, a through hole is formed in a part of the expanded PTFE, a through hole is formed in the expanded PTFE, and the through hole is a lyophilic liquid such as porous cellulose. It is possible to supply the fuel from the space or the lyophilic porous body by filling the porous porous body. The rest is substantially the same as the fuel cell 100a shown in FIG.

  According to the fuel cell 100e shown in FIG. 7, even if the lyophobic porous body 10 is a non-conductor or a material having high resistance and difficult to conduct electricity, the contact 14 can achieve electrical conduction, which is favorable. Power generation is possible.

(Sixth embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 8, the fuel cell 100 f according to the sixth embodiment includes a circulation line L <b> 1 that collects the exhaust discharged from the anode flow path plate 30 and circulates it to the fuel feed flow path 31. Further, a chemical filter 42 for adsorbing impurities in the air may be disposed on the cathode flow path plate 40.

  A liquid feed pump 60 is disposed on the downstream side of the fuel container 50 in which high-concentration fuel such as methanol is accommodated. A circulation pump 55 is disposed in the pipe on the downstream side of the liquid feed pump 60. The fuel discharged to the outlet side of the fuel feed passage 31 by the circulation pump 55 is supplied again to the inlet of the fuel feed passage 31 via the circulation line L1.

  Although not shown in FIG. 8, the high concentration fuel supplied from the fuel container 50 and the liquid supplied from the circulation line L1 are mixed in the pipe between the liquid feed pump 60 and the circulation pump 55. A mixing tank (not shown) for preparing a methanol solution having a constant concentration can be arranged. A volatile organic compound (VOC) remover 21 is connected to a pipe on the outlet side of the gas recovery flow path 32. Others are substantially the same as the fuel cell 100a shown in FIG.

According to the fuel cell 100 f shown in FIG. 8, the lyophobic porous body 10 can guide the CO ₂ discharged from the anode gas diffusion layer 4 to the gas recovery passage 32. A trace amount of organic substances contained in CO 2 is removed by the VOC remover 21. The liquid is supplied to the circulation line L1 through the fuel supply passage 31. As a result, the fluid on the outlet side of the fuel feed channel 31 contains almost no gas, so that the pressure loss in the channel can be reduced, and the outlet side channel of the fuel feed channel 31 is separately provided. Since it is not necessary to arrange a gas-liquid separator, the apparatus can be miniaturized.

  The liquid feed pump 60 can be omitted. Since almost no gas is mixed into the fuel feed passage 31 and the circulation line L1, the volume of the liquid that is consumed or permeated to the cathode of the MEA 8 is reduced. If the pipe connected to the fuel container is filled with liquid, the liquid volume decrease of the anode is automatically supplied from the fuel container.

(Seventh embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 9, the fuel cell 100g according to the seventh embodiment includes a first flow path 310b in which a feed part 31b of the fuel feed flow path 31 is connected to the through hole 10a, and a first flow. And a second flow path 311b having a larger fluid diffusion resistance than the first flow path 310b connected to the upstream side of the path 310b. The diffusion resistance of the fluid can be made larger than that of the first flow path 310b by providing a narrow hole or pipe in a part of the second flow path 311b.

  As the second flow path 311b, for example, a diffusion resistance when a fluid circulates by arranging a pipe having a smaller diameter than the first flow path 310b, a plate having a fine hole in the flow path, or the like. That is larger than the diffusion resistance of the first flow path 310b can be used. The amount of fuel per unit time supplied from the fuel supply channel 31 via the second channel 311b is balanced with the amount of methanol and water consumed by the MEA 8 and permeated through the MEA 8. Yes.

A liquid feed pump 60 is disposed downstream of the fuel container 50 in which high-concentration fuel such as methanol is accommodated. The fuel fed through the liquid feed pump 60 passes through the fuel feed flow path 31, and passes through the second flow path 311 b, the first flow path 310 b, and the through hole 10 a of the lyophobic porous body 10. It flows to the gas diffusion layer 4. CO ₂ produced by the anode reaction passes from the anode gas diffusion layer 4 through the non-perforated portion of the lyophobic porous body 10 and is introduced into the VOC remover 21 through the gas recovery flow path 32. A trace amount of organic substances contained in CO 2 is removed by the VOC remover 21. Others are substantially the same as the fuel cell 100a shown in FIG.

  According to the fuel cell 100g shown in FIG. 9, since the fuel is supplied to the first flow path 310b via the second flow path 311b, the flow rate of the second flow path 311b is such that the reverse diffusion of water is prevented. Accelerated. As a result, the fuel on the upstream side of the second flow path 311b is not diluted and it is possible to generate power stably. The fuel supply does not need to be circulated, and it is possible to reduce the size of the fuel circulation part and reduce the auxiliary power.

(Eighth embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 10, in the fuel cell 100h according to the eighth embodiment, the branch flow path 33 is connected to the first flow path 310b.

  The branch flow path 33 is connected to each of the first flow paths 310b connected to the plurality of through holes 10a. The branch flow path 33 is connected to a pump 34 for pumping the fuel in the first flow path 310b out of the fuel cell 100h and a tank 35 for storing the fuel pumped by the pump 34. . Others are substantially the same as the fuel cell 100g shown in FIG.

  In the fuel cell 100g shown in FIG. 9, the second flow path 311b having a larger fluid diffusion resistance than the first flow path 310b is disposed, so that fuel remains in the first flow path 310b when power generation is stopped. To do. The fuel remaining in the first flow path 310b moves to the cathode catalyst layer 2 side due to diffusion or the like, and the fuel concentration on the anode catalyst layer 1 side decreases. If the fuel concentration on the anode catalyst layer 1 side decreases, the liquid consumption at the anode in the MEA 8 is extremely reduced when the operation is performed again. There is a case. In such a case, the pump 60 is rotated in the reverse direction, the diluted fuel is sucked into the flow path 31 and mixed with the high concentration fuel, and then the mixed fuel is pumped into the first flow path 310b and the through hole 10a. The power can be supplied and generated again. However, there is a possibility that high-concentration fuel may come into contact with the MEA 8 at the time of startup.

  On the other hand, in the fuel cell 100h shown in FIG. 10, when the pump 60 is stopped and the power generation is stopped, the fuel in the first flow path 310b is pumped out by the pump 34 through the branch flow path 33 and stored in the tank 35. Keep it. As a result, the liquid disappears in the first flow path 310b and in the through hole 10a. When restarting the power generation, the low-concentration fuel stored in the tank 35 is supplied to the first flow path 310b and the through hole 10a by the pump 34, so that the power generation is restarted quickly. Further, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the high-concentration fuel comes into contact with the MEA 8 at the time of startup, and to suppress the performance deterioration of the MEA 8.

  When power generation is resumed, high-concentration fuel is supplied to the fuel supply passage 31 via the liquid feed pump 60 after the first passage 310b and the through hole 10a are filled with low-concentration fuel. .

  The configuration in which such a branch flow path is provided may be applied to a configuration in which fuel is circulated as shown in FIG. 8, for example.

(Fuel cell arrangement example)
FIGS. 11 and 12 show conceptual diagrams regarding the arrangement when a plurality of the fuel cells 100a to 100h according to the first to eighth embodiments described above are stacked.

  As shown in FIG. 11, for example, a plurality of fuel cells 100 i are stacked inside the accommodating portion 51. A space 56 for sending a large amount of air from the outside of the housing 51 using a fan 80 or the like is provided in the middle stage of the housing 51. The space 56 is opposed to the anode of the fuel cell 100i. That is, in FIG. 11, the fuel cell 100i on the upper side of the space 56 is arranged such that the anode is on the lower side of the page. The fuel cell 100i on the lower side of the space 56 is arranged such that the anode is on the upper side of the paper. The cathode of the fuel cell 100i is supplied with air by breathing.

The fuel fed from the fuel container 50 is pumped out to the liquid feed pump 60, and is supplied to the fuel feed passage of the fuel cell 100i through the pipe 52 provided in the accommodating portion 51. The CO ₂ generated in each fuel cell 100 i is sent to the outside through the pipe 53 in the housing portion 51, and the organic matter contained in the CO ₂ is removed by the VOC remover 21. Moisture supplied with the CO ₂ is absorbed and absorbed by an absorbent 54 such as a sponge.

  FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram showing an example in which the fuel once supplied to the fuel supply channel is circulated and reused. As in FIG. 11, a plurality of fuel cells 100 k are stacked, and the fuel supply flow path of each fuel cell 100 k is connected to a pipe 52 provided in the accommodating portion 51.

  The fuel fed from the fuel container 50 is pumped out to the liquid feed pump 60, and is supplied to the fuel feed passage of the fuel cell 100i through the pipe 52 provided in the accommodating portion 51. The fluid discharged from the fuel cell 100 i is pumped up by the circulation pump 55 and supplied again to the pipe 52 in the housing portion 51.

On the other hand, CO ₂ generated in each fuel cell 100 i is sent to the outside through the pipe 53 in the housing portion 51, and organic substances contained in the CO ₂ are removed by the VOC remover 21. Moisture supplied with the CO ₂ remaining after the CO ₂ removal is absorbed by an absorbent 54 such as a sponge and vaporized and released.

  According to the example shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, since the anodes of some of the fuel cells 100i and 100k are cooled from the space 56 using the fan 80, the temperature of the power generation unit is kept constant and good power generation is performed. It becomes possible. 11 and 12, the description of the specific configuration is omitted, but the cathode side is supplied with air by breathing without being fed by the fan 80.

  Although the present invention has been described according to the above-described embodiments, it should not be understood that the descriptions and drawings constituting a part of this disclosure limit the present invention. From this disclosure, various alternative embodiments, examples, and operational techniques are possible for those skilled in the art.

  In the present invention, an example using a lyophilic porous body and a lyophobic porous body has been shown. “Liquidity” means that an aqueous methanol solution can be easily sucked into the porous body. “Lipophilicity” means methanol. It is used in the sense that the aqueous solution is not sucked into the porous body. In the fuel cells 100c, 100d, and 100e shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, the lyophilic porous body 12 or the lyophobic porous body 13 is embedded in the through holes 10a and 11a. By performing a lyophilic (hydrophilic) treatment or a lyophobic (hydrophobic) treatment on a part of the porous body 10 and the lyophilic porous body 11, equivalent effects can be obtained without opening the through holes 10a and 11a. Of course.

  Thus, the present invention is expressed by the invention specifying matters in the scope of claims appropriate from this disclosure, and can be embodied by being modified without departing from the gist thereof in the implementation stage.

It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the fuel cell which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows an example of the lyophobic porous body which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the fuel cell which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows an example of the lyophilic porous body which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the fuel cell which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the fuel cell which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the fuel cell which concerns on the 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the fuel cell which concerns on the 6th Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the fuel cell which concerns on the 7th Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the fuel cell which concerns on the 8th Embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the example of arrangement | positioning at the time of arranging the multiple fuel cell which concerns on the 1st-8th embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the example of arrangement | positioning at the time of arranging the multiple fuel cell which concerns on the 1st-8th embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Anode catalyst layer 2 ... Cathode catalyst layer 3 ... Electrolyte membrane 4 ... Anode gas diffusion layer 5 ... Cathode gas diffusion layer 6 ... Anode microporous layer 7 ... Cathode microporous layer 8 ... MEA
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 9 ... Gasket 10 ... Lipophilic porous body 10a ... Through-hole 10b ... Area | region 11 ... Lipophilic porous body 11a ... Through-hole 11b ... Area | region 12 ... Lipophilic porous body 13 ... Lipophilic porous body 14 ... Contact 20 ... Porous body 21 ... VOC remover 30 ... Anode channel plate 31 ... Fuel feed channel 31a ... Serpentine channel 31b ... Sending unit 32 ... Gas recovery channel 32a ... Serpentine channel 32b ... Recovery unit 33 ... Branch Flow path 34 ... Pump 35 ... Tank 40 ... Cathode flow path plate 41 ... Hole 42 ... Chemical filter 50 ... Fuel container 51 ... Housing part 52 ... Piping 53 ... Piping 54 ... Absorber 55 ... Circulating pump 56 ... Space part 60 ... Sending Liquid pump 70 ... Pump 80 ... Fan 100a to 100h ... Fuel cell 310b ... First flow path 311b ... Second flow path

Claims (9)

A membrane electrode assembly having an anode and a cathode facing each other across an electrolyte membrane;
A lyophobic porous body in contact with the anode;
An anode flow comprising a gas recovery channel that contacts the lyophobic porous body and recovers the gas generated at the anode via the lyophobic porous body and a fuel supply channel that supplies fuel to the anode A fuel cell comprising: a road plate.   2. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the lyophobic porous body has a plurality of through holes, and fuel is supplied to the anode through the through holes.   The fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein a lyophilic porous body is embedded in at least a part of the through hole.   The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein a contact is embedded in the lyophobic porous body. The fuel feed channel is
A first flow path connected to the lyophobic porous body;
The fuel according to claim 1, further comprising: a second flow path connected to an upstream side of the first flow path and having a diffusion resistance of fluid larger than that of the first flow path. battery. A branch channel connected to the first channel;
A tank for storing fuel in the first flow path;
A pump for supplying fuel in the first flow path to the tank or supplying fuel in the tank to the first flow path via the branch flow path. 5. The fuel cell according to 5. A membrane electrode assembly having an anode and a cathode facing each other across an electrolyte membrane;
A lyophilic porous body in contact with the anode and having a plurality of through holes;
A gas recovery passage for contacting the lyophilic porous body and recovering the gas generated at the anode through the through hole, and a fuel supply for supplying fuel to the anode through the lyophilic porous body A fuel cell comprising: an anode channel plate including a channel.   The fuel cell according to claim 7, wherein a lyophobic porous body is embedded in at least a part of the through hole.   9. The fuel cell according to claim 7, wherein a contact is embedded in the lyophilic porous body.

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