JP2009064643A - Fuel cell stack - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To adequately reinforce an end plate having a plurality of communication holes and to make it possible to surely prevent lack of a manifold for a cooling medium. <P>SOLUTION: In the end plate 24a, a cooling medium inlet manifold 60a is formed integrally in correspondence with cooling medium inlets 50a and 52a that communicate with cooling medium supplying communication holes 30a and 32a, and a cooling medium outlet manifold 60b is formed integrally in correspondence with cooling medium outlets 50b and 52b that communicate with cooling medium exhaust communication holes 30b and 32b. The cooling medium inlet manifold 60a includes: the main body 70a of the manifold, in which a manifold chamber 68a is formed; insertion portions 72a and 74a integrated with the main body 70a of the manifold; and a retaining portion 76a that is put in an orbiting groove 54 and is integrally formed in the insertion portions 72a and 74a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  In the present invention, an electrolyte membrane / electrode structure provided with a pair of electrodes on both sides of an electrolyte membrane and a separator are laminated, and rectangular end plates are disposed at both ends of the lamination direction, and in the lamination direction. The present invention relates to a fuel cell stack in which a plurality of communication holes for supplying a cooling medium and for supplying a cooling medium or for discharging a cooling medium are formed along the long side direction of the end plate.

  For example, 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 in which a predetermined number of power generation cells are stacked and end plates are disposed at both ends in the stacking direction.

  In the above fuel cell, a fuel gas channel for flowing fuel gas to the anode side electrode and an oxidant gas channel for flowing oxidant gas to the cathode side electrode are provided in the plane of the separator. . Furthermore, between the separators, a cooling medium flow path for flowing the cooling medium is provided along the surface direction of the separator.

  At that time, at least an end plate disposed at one end in the stacking direction has a fuel gas supply communication hole for supplying the fuel gas to the fuel gas passage, and a fuel gas discharge for discharging the spent fuel gas from the fuel gas passage. The communication hole, the oxidant gas supply communication hole for supplying the oxidant gas to the oxidant gas flow path, the oxidant gas discharge communication hole for discharging the used oxidant gas from the oxidant gas flow path, A cooling medium supply communication hole for supplying the cooling medium and a cooling medium discharge communication hole for discharging the used cooling medium from the cooling medium flow path are formed.

  For example, in the fuel cell disclosed in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 7, the fuel gas supply through hole 2 a, the cooling water supply through hole 3 a and the one end side of one pressure plate (end plate) 1 An oxidant gas supply through hole 4a is formed, and a fuel gas discharge through hole 2b, a cooling water discharge through hole 3b, and an oxidant gas discharge through hole 4b are formed on the other end side of the pressure plate 1. Yes.

  The pressure plate 1 is provided with an inlet hole collecting conduit 5a and an outlet hole collecting conduit 5b. The inlet hole collecting conduit 5a is fitted into the fuel gas inlet hole conduit 6a fitted into the fuel gas supply through hole 2a, the cooling water inlet hole conduit 7a fitted into the cooling water supply through hole 3a, and the oxidant gas supply through hole 4a. There is an oxidant gas inlet hole conduit 8a to be combined, which are integrated by a flange 9a.

  The outlet hole collecting conduit 5b is fitted into the fuel gas outlet hole conduit 6b fitted into the fuel gas discharge through hole 2b, the cooling water outlet hole conduit 7b fitted into the cooling water discharge through hole 3b, and the oxidant gas discharge through hole 4b. There is an oxidant gas outlet hole conduit 8b to be combined, and these are integrated by a flange 9b.

JP 2000-164238 A

  However, in Patent Document 1 described above, since a plurality of through holes (fuel gas supply through holes 2a and the like) are formed in the pressure plate 1, the rigidity of the pressure plate 1 made of aluminum in particular may decrease. is there. For this reason, when a tightening load is applied to the pressure plate 1, deformation or the like is likely to occur in the pressure plate 1, the stack tightening pressure is likely to change, and the cell voltage cannot be maintained uniformly. .

  At this time, the inlet hole collecting conduit 5a and the outlet hole collecting conduit 5b are attached to the pressure plate 1, but the strength of the pressure plate 1 cannot be sufficiently reinforced by these. Moreover, when deformation occurs in the pressure plate 1, there is a problem that the inlet hole collecting conduit 5 a and the outlet hole collecting conduit 5 b are easily detached from the pressure plate 1.

  The present invention solves this type of problem, and can effectively reinforce an end plate having a plurality of communication holes, and can firmly and securely hold a cooling medium manifold on the end plate. The purpose is to provide a stack.

  In the present invention, an electrolyte membrane / electrode structure provided with a pair of electrodes on both sides of an electrolyte membrane and a separator are laminated, and rectangular end plates are disposed at both ends of the lamination direction, and in the lamination direction. The present invention relates to a fuel cell stack in which at least a plurality of communication holes for supplying a cooling medium and for discharging a cooling medium are formed along the long side direction of the end plate.

  One end plate is integrally formed with a resin-made manifold for cooling medium along the long side direction, and the cooling medium manifold extends along the long side direction and has a plurality of communication holes therein. A manifold body portion in which a single manifold chamber is formed integrally communicating with the hole; a plurality of insertion portions that are inserted into the plurality of communication holes and integrated with the manifold body portion; and a plurality of the communication portions And a retaining portion that is in communication with at least one of the holes, is filled in a groove formed in one of the end plates, and is integrally formed with the insertion portion.

  The cooling medium manifold has an inlet manifold that communicates with the plurality of communication holes for supplying the cooling medium, and an outlet manifold that communicates with the plurality of communication holes for discharging the cooling medium, and the long side of one end plate It is preferable that the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold are provided at both ends on the side so as to extend in the long side direction.

  Furthermore, the end plate is preferably made of a light metal.

  According to the present invention, since the manifold main body constituting the manifold for the cooling medium extends along the long side direction of the end plate, the strength in the long side direction of the end plate that is particularly easily deformed is reinforced favorably. be able to. Therefore, the end plate can reliably receive the stack tightening load, and can uniformly apply a uniform surface pressure to the power generation surface.

  In addition, an undercut portion is formed in the end plate, and a retaining portion filled in the undercut portion is integrally formed in the insertion portion of the cooling medium manifold. As a result, the cooling medium manifold is firmly and securely held by the end plate, and can be satisfactorily prevented from being detached from the end plate.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory schematic perspective view of a fuel cell stack 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded schematic perspective view of a main part of the fuel cell stack 10.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel cell stack 10 is a unit cell (fuel cell) having an electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 12 and a first separator 14 and a second separator 16 that sandwich the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 12. ) 18 and the unit cells 18 are stacked in the direction of arrow A. Although the 1st separator 14 and the 2nd separator 16 are comprised by the carbon separator, you may use a metal separator.

  As shown in FIG. 1, terminal plates 20a and 20b, insulating plates 22a and 22b, and end plates 24a and 24b are disposed outward at both ends of the unit cell 18 in the stacking direction. The end plates 24a and 24b are made of a light metal such as aluminum or magnesium, for example.

  In the fuel cell stack 10, for example, rectangular end plates 24 a and 24 b are integrally clamped and held by a plurality of tie rods 25 extending in the arrow A direction. The fuel cell stack 10 may be integrally held by a box-shaped casing (not shown) including end plates 24a and 24b as end plates.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the first separator 14 and the second separator 16 have a vertically long shape, and have long sides directed in the direction of gravity (arrow C direction) and short sides directed in the horizontal direction (arrow B direction). Configured.

  The upper edge of the long side direction of the unit cell 18 communicates with each other in the direction of arrow A, and an oxidant gas supply communication hole 26a for supplying an oxidant gas, for example, an oxygen-containing gas, and a fuel gas, for example, A fuel gas supply passage 28a for supplying a hydrogen-containing gas is provided.

  At the lower edge of the long side direction of the unit cell 18, the fuel gas discharge communication hole 28 b for discharging the fuel gas and the oxidant gas discharge for discharging the oxidant gas are communicated with each other in the arrow A direction. A communication hole 26b is provided.

  One end edge of the unit cell 18 in the short side direction (arrow B direction) communicates with each other in the direction of arrow A, and has two cooling medium supply communication holes 30a and 32a for supplying a cooling medium. At the other end edge in the short side direction of the unit cell 18, two cooling medium discharge communication holes 30b and 32b for discharging the cooling medium are provided on the upper and lower sides respectively.

  The electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 12 includes, for example, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 34 in which a perfluorosulfonic acid thin film is impregnated with water, and a cathode side electrode 36 and an anode side electrode 38 that sandwich the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 34. With.

  The cathode side electrode 36 and the anode side electrode 38 are uniformly coated on the surface of the gas diffusion layer with a gas diffusion layer (not shown) made of carbon paper or the like, and porous carbon particles carrying a platinum alloy on the surface. An electrode catalyst layer (not shown). The electrode catalyst layers are formed on both surfaces of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 34.

  An oxidant gas flow path 40 that connects the oxidant gas supply communication hole 26 a and the oxidant gas discharge communication hole 26 b is formed on the surface 14 a of the first separator 14 facing the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 12. The oxidizing gas channel 40 has a plurality of linear channel grooves 40a extending in the direction of arrow C.

  A fuel gas flow path 42 that connects the fuel gas supply communication hole 28 a and the fuel gas discharge communication hole 28 b is formed on the surface 16 a of the second separator 16 facing the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 12. The fuel gas channel 42 has a plurality of linear channel grooves 42a extending in the direction of arrow C.

  Between the surface 16b of the second separator 16 and the surface 14b of the first separator 14, a cooling medium flow path 44 communicating with the cooling medium supply communication holes 30a and 32a and the cooling medium discharge communication holes 30b and 32b is formed. Is done. The cooling medium flow path 44 has a plurality of linear flow path grooves 44a extending in the direction of arrow B. The cooling medium flow path 44 may be partitioned up and down by a partition wall 44b at a substantially intermediate height position in the arrow C direction.

  Between the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 12 and the first separator 14 and the second separator 16 and between the first separator 14 and the second separator 16 adjacent to each other (between adjacent unit cells 18), Although not shown, a seal member is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the end plate 24a has an oxidant gas inlet 46a communicating with the oxidant gas supply communication hole 26a, a fuel gas inlet 48a communicated with the fuel gas supply communication hole 28a, and an oxidant gas discharge communication hole 26b. An oxidant gas outlet 46b that communicates with the fuel gas and a fuel gas outlet 48b that communicates with the fuel gas discharge communication hole 28b are provided at both upper and lower edges.

  Cooling medium inlets 50a and 52a communicating with the cooling medium supply communication holes 30a and 32a and cooling medium outlets 50b and 52b communicating with the cooling medium discharge communication holes 30b and 32b are provided at both left and right edges of the end plate 24a. It is done. Circumferential groove portions 54 are provided on inner wall surfaces forming the cooling medium inlets 50a and 52a and the cooling medium outlets 50b and 52b so as to go around the cooling medium inlets 50a and 52a and the cooling medium outlets 50b and 52b. In addition, the circulation groove part 54 should just be provided in any one of the cooling-medium inlet 50a, 52a or the cooling-medium outlet 50b, 52b.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, at the upper and lower end edges of the end plate 24a, an oxidant gas inlet manifold 56a communicating with the oxidant gas inlet 46a, a fuel gas inlet manifold 58a communicating with the fuel gas inlet 48a, an oxidation An oxidant gas outlet manifold 56b communicating with the agent gas outlet 46b and a fuel gas outlet manifold 58b communicating with the fuel gas outlet 48b are integrally formed.

  A cooling medium inlet manifold 60a that communicates integrally with the cooling medium inlets 50a and 52a and a cooling medium outlet manifold 60b that communicates integrally with the cooling medium outlets 50b and 52b are provided at the left and right edges of the end plate 24a. The plate 24a extends in the long side direction and is integrally formed.

  The oxidant gas inlet manifold 56a, the fuel gas inlet manifold 58a, the oxidant gas outlet manifold 56b, the fuel gas outlet manifold 58b, the cooling medium inlet manifold 60a, and the cooling medium outlet manifold 60b are formed of a resin material, and have their respective centers. The pipes 62a, 64a, 62b, 64b, 66a and 66b are integrally provided in the part.

  3 to 5, the cooling medium inlet manifold 60a is integrally communicated with the cooling medium supply communication holes 30a and 32a, and a single manifold chamber 68a extending along the long side direction is formed. It has a manifold body 70a.

  The manifold body 70a is integrated with two insertion portions 72a and 74a that are respectively inserted into the two cooling medium inlets 50a and 52a of the end plate 24a. In each of the insertion portions 72a and 74a, a retaining portion 76a is integrally formed with a resin filled in the circumferential groove portion 54 formed in the end plate 24a (see FIG. 5).

  The cooling medium outlet manifold 60b is configured in the same manner as the cooling medium inlet manifold 60a described above, and the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

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

  First, as shown in FIG. 1, in the fuel cell stack 10, an oxidant gas such as an oxygen-containing gas is supplied to the oxidant gas inlet manifold 56a, and a fuel such as a hydrogen-containing gas is supplied to the fuel gas inlet manifold 58a. Gas is supplied. Further, a cooling medium such as pure water or ethylene glycol is supplied to the cooling medium inlet manifold 60a.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the oxidant gas is introduced into the oxidant gas flow path 40 of the first separator 14 from the oxidant gas supply communication hole 26 a constituting each unit cell 18, and the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 12. It moves vertically downward along the cathode side electrode 36.

  On the other hand, the fuel gas is introduced into the fuel gas flow path 42 of the second separator 16 from the fuel gas supply communication hole 28 a constituting each unit cell 18, and vertically along the anode side electrode 38 of the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 12. Move down.

  As described above, in each electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 12, the oxidant gas supplied to the cathode side electrode 36 and the fuel gas supplied to the anode side electrode 38 are electrochemically reacted in the electrode catalyst layer. It is consumed and power is generated.

  Next, the oxidant gas consumed by being supplied to the cathode side electrode 36 is discharged from the oxidant gas discharge communication hole 26b to the oxidant gas outlet manifold 56b (see FIG. 1). Similarly, the fuel gas supplied to the anode side electrode 38 and consumed is discharged from the fuel gas discharge communication hole 28b to the fuel gas outlet manifold 58b.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the cooling medium is supplied to the manifold chamber 68a in the cooling medium inlet manifold 60a, and then is divided into two insertion portions 72a and 74a. The two insertion portions 72a and 74a communicate with the two coolant supply passages 30a and 32a, respectively. The coolant supplied to the coolant supply passages 30a and 32a is shown in FIG. As described above, the coolant is introduced into the cooling medium flow path 44 between the first and second separators 14 and 16.

  The cooling medium flows along the arrow B direction (horizontal direction), cools the electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 12, and then discharges it from the cooling medium discharge communication holes 30b and 32b to the manifold chamber 68b in the cooling medium outlet manifold 60b. (See FIG. 1).

  In this case, in the first embodiment, the cooling medium inlet manifold 60a and the cooling medium outlet manifold 60b are integrally formed with the end plate 24a, and the manifold main body portions 70a and 70b are formed on the long sides of the end plate 24a. It extends along the direction (arrow C direction). For this reason, in the end plate 24a made of a light metal, it is possible to reinforce the strength in the long side direction, which is particularly easily deformed.

  Therefore, the end plates 24a and 24b can reliably receive the stack tightening load in the arrow A direction (see FIG. 1) by the tie rod 25. Thereby, a uniform surface pressure can be reliably applied to the power generation surface of each fuel cell 18, and an effect that efficient and satisfactory power generation is performed is obtained.

  In addition, the end plate 24a is provided with, for example, a circulation groove 54 around the cooling medium inlets 50a, 52a, and the insertion grooves 72a, 74a of the cooling medium inlet manifold 60a are filled in the circulation groove 54. A retaining portion 76a is integrally formed (see FIGS. 4 and 5). Therefore, the cooling medium inlet manifold 60a is firmly and securely held by the end plate 24a, and can be satisfactorily prevented from being detached from the end plate 24a.

  The cooling medium outlet manifold 60b can provide the same effects as the cooling medium inlet manifold 60a.

  FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of one end plate 82 and the coolant inlet manifold 84 constituting the fuel cell stack 80 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those of the fuel cell stack 10 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  In the end plate 82, arc-shaped grooves 86 are intermittently formed around the cooling medium inlets 50a and 52a on the inner peripheral wall surfaces forming the cooling medium inlets 50a and 52a. The cooling medium inlet manifold 84 integrally formed with the end plate 82 has a retaining portion 88 filled in the arc-shaped groove 86 on the outer peripheral surfaces of the insertion portions 72a and 74a formed corresponding to the cooling medium inlets 50a and 52a. Are integrally molded.

  In the second embodiment configured as described above, the cooling medium inlet manifold 84 extends integrally in the long side direction (arrow C direction) of the rectangular end plate 82, and the end plate 82 is integrally formed. The strength with respect to the long side direction can be reinforced well.

  In addition, the arc-shaped groove 86 is intermittently formed in the end plate 82, and the retaining portion 88 filled in the arc-shaped groove 86 is provided in the cooling medium inlet manifold 84 on the outer peripheral surface of the insertion portions 72a and 74a. Are formed intermittently and integrally.

  Therefore, the cooling medium inlet manifold 84 can prevent the separation from the end plate 82, and the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

1 is a schematic perspective explanatory view of a fuel cell stack according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a principal part disassembled schematic perspective view of the said fuel cell stack. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an end plate, a coolant inlet manifold, and a coolant outlet manifold that constitute the fuel cell stack. It is a section explanatory view of the end plate and the cooling medium inlet manifold. It is a perspective explanatory view of the cooling medium inlet manifold. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of one end plate and a coolant inlet manifold constituting a fuel cell stack according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a partial perspective explanatory view of a fuel cell disclosed in Patent Document 1. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 80 ... Fuel cell stack 12 ... Electrolyte membrane electrode assembly 14, 16 ... Separator 18 ... Unit cell 24a, 24b, 82 ... End plate 26a ... Oxidant gas supply communication hole 26b ... Oxidant gas discharge communication hole 28a ... Fuel gas supply communication hole 28b ... Fuel gas discharge communication hole 30a, 32a ... Cooling medium supply communication hole 30b, 32b ... Cooling medium discharge communication hole 34 ... Solid polymer electrolyte membrane 36 ... Cathode side electrode 38 ... Anode side electrode 40 ... Oxidation Agent gas channel 42 ... Fuel gas channel 44 ... Coolant medium channel 46a ... Oxidant gas inlet 46b ... Oxidant gas outlet 48a ... Fuel gas inlet 48b ... Fuel gas outlets 50a, 52a ... Coolant medium inlets 50b, 52b ... Cooling Medium outlet 54 ... Circumferential groove 56a ... Oxidant gas inlet manifold 56b ... Oxidant gas outlet manifold 58a ... Fuel gas Inlet manifold 56b ... Fuel gas outlet manifold 60a ... Cooling medium inlet manifold 60b ... Cooling medium outlet manifolds 62a, 62b, 64a, 64b ... Pipe lines 68a, 68b ... Manifold chambers 70a, 70b ... Manifold body parts 72a, 74a ... Insertion parts 76a ... retaining part

Claims (3)

An electrolyte membrane / electrode structure provided with a pair of electrodes on both sides of the electrolyte membrane and a separator are stacked, and rectangular end plates are disposed at both ends in the stacking direction, and a cooling medium flows in the stacking direction. A fuel cell stack in which at least a plurality of communication holes for supplying a cooling medium or discharging a cooling medium are formed along the long side direction of the end plate,
On one end plate, a resin cooling medium manifold is integrally formed along the long side direction,
The cooling medium manifold extends along the long side direction, and a manifold main body portion in which a single manifold chamber is formed, which is integrally communicated with the plurality of communication holes.
A plurality of insertion portions that are inserted into the plurality of communication holes and integrated with the manifold body portion;
A retaining portion that is in communication with at least one of the plurality of communication holes and is filled in a groove formed in one of the end plates, and is integrally formed with the insertion portion;
A fuel cell stack comprising: The fuel cell stack according to claim 1, wherein the cooling medium manifold includes an inlet manifold that communicates with a plurality of communication holes for supplying a cooling medium;
An outlet manifold communicating with a plurality of communication holes for discharging a cooling medium;
Have
The fuel cell stack, wherein the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold are provided at both ends on one long side of the end plate so as to extend in the long side direction.   3. The fuel cell stack according to claim 1, wherein the end plate is made of a light metal.

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