JP2010129191A - Method for cooling separator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for cooling a separator remarkably shortening time from the start of cooling to the completion of measurement of a pressure loss by conducting high-speed cooling of the separator and measurement of the pressure loss at the same time. <P>SOLUTION: In the method for cooling the separator 11 of a fuel cell integrally formed by thermal joining of a pair of metallic plates 12, 13 and an intermediate layer 15 interposed between the metallic plates 12, 13, the separator is cooled by making flow pure water through each passage such as a liquid or gas passage 18 formed on the inside of the separator 11 and the pressure loss in each passage such as the passage 18 is measured at the same time. The high-speed cooling of the separator 11 and the pressure loss in each passage such as the passage 18 on the inside of the separator 11 are conducted at the same time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method of cooling a separator of a fuel cell, and more particularly to a method of cooling a separator after heat bonding for integrating a pair of metal plates and an intermediate layer sandwiched between the pair of metal plates. It is.

Conventionally, in a fuel cell, a separator is known in which a pair of metal plates and an intermediate layer including a cooling medium flow path forming member are integrated between the pair of metal plates by thermal bonding (for example, , See Patent Document 1).
The separator integrated in this way is cooled because heat from the thermal bonding remains.
Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 4, this cooling is performed by applying cooling plates 51 and 52 to the upper and lower surfaces of the separator 41, that is, the surfaces of the metal plates 43 and 44 positioned above and below the intermediate layer 42. It was.

JP 2007-179787 A

  However, in the above conventional cooling method, since cooling is performed from the outside of the separator 41, it takes time for cooling. In addition, after the integration of the separator 41, the pressure loss in each fluid flow path inside the separator 41 including the cooling medium flow path provided in the intermediate layer 42 is measured. It took a long time to complete the pressure loss measurement.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the above situations, and makes it a subject to provide the cooling method of the separator which can shorten time from a cooling start to the completion | finish of a pressure loss measurement.

  In order to achieve the above object, the method for cooling a separator of the present invention includes a separator for a fuel cell in which a pair of metal plates and an intermediate layer sandwiched between the pair of metal plates are integrated by thermal bonding. In the cooling method after the thermal bonding, the pressure loss in the flow path is measured while flowing the liquid or gas through the liquid or gas flow path formed inside the separator and cooling.

  According to the present invention, since the pressure loss is measured together with the cooling of the separator, the effect of shortening the time from the start of cooling to the end of the pressure loss measurement can be exhibited.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol shows the same or an equivalent part between each figure.
FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing a separator cooled by the method of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of an intermediate layer in FIG.
As illustrated, the separator 11 includes a pair of metal plates 12 and 13 and an intermediate layer 15 including a cooling medium flow path 14 sandwiched between the pair of metal plates 12 and 13. In FIG. 2, the cooling medium flow path 14 is representatively shown by one arrow. Needless to say, the cooling medium flow path 14 is not only the flow path indicated by this arrow. The same applies to the air flow paths described later, not only the flow paths indicated by arrows.
Here, the metal plates 12 and 13 are made of a metal material having corrosion resistance such as titanium or stainless steel, and the intermediate layer 15 is disposed on the frame 16 made of a film-like resin material and inside thereof, for example, corrosion resistance such as titanium or stainless steel. The cooling medium flow path member 17 made of a metal material having a property is provided. For example, the cooling medium flow path member 17 may be omitted by forming the cooling medium flow path 14 on the back side of the metal plate 12. In general, an antifreeze is used as the cooling medium.
The pair of metal plates 12 and 13 and the frame 16 are formed in a flat plate shape having the same rectangular outer shape.

In the separator 11, in addition to the cooling medium flow path 14, an air flow path (air flow path) as an oxidant gas used for power generation in the fuel cell and a hydrogen gas flow path (hydrogen) as a fuel gas. Gas flow path) is formed. Although only the air flow path 18 is shown in FIG. 1, a hydrogen gas flow path is formed through the metal plates 12 and 13 and the intermediate layer 15 at a predetermined position in a direction orthogonal to the illustrated surface.
In addition, 21 and 22 in FIG. 1 show the inlet (air supply manifold) and the outlet (air discharge manifold) of the air flow path 18. Reference numerals 23 and 24 denote air passages formed in the intermediate layer 15, and reference numerals 25 and 26 denote air passage holes formed in the metal plate 12. Reference numerals 27 and 28 in FIG. 2 denote an inlet (cooling medium supply manifold) and an outlet (cooling medium discharge manifold) of the cooling medium flow path 14.

In the present embodiment, after the pair of metal plates 12 and 13 and the intermediate layer 15 are integrated by thermal bonding, that is, for the separator 11 in which heat due to thermal bonding remains, the cooling medium flow path 14 and the air flow path. 18 and the hydrogen gas flow path are each cooled by flowing pure water as a cooling / pressure loss measurement fluid, and the pressure loss in each flow path 14, 18 (including the hydrogen gas flow path) is measured.
Since the pressure loss measurement of the hydrogen gas flow path can be considered equivalent to the air flow path 18 that is the same gas flow path, hereinafter, the hydrogen gas flow path is similarly included when referred to as the flow path 18. .
The thermal bonding is performed using a heating roll, an infrared heater, an electromagnetic induction heater, a hot plate press or the like.

The pressure loss of each flow path 14, 18 is determined from the pure water supply pressure measurement value Pin at the inlets 27, 21 of the flow paths 14, 18 to the discharge pressure of pure water at the outlets 28, 22 of the flow paths 14, 18. Each of the measured values Pout is obtained by subtraction (= Pin−Pout).
In the air flow path 18, the supply side and the discharge side cannot be communicated with the separator 11 alone and pressure loss cannot be measured. Therefore, jigs 31 and 32 are used as shown in FIG. 3 when measuring pressure loss.

That is, a jig 31 having no holes on the metal plate 12 side and a jig 32 having the pure water supply hole 33 and the discharge hole 34 opened on the metal plate 13 side are arranged to face each other at a predetermined interval. .
In this case, the supply side and the discharge side of the air flow path 18 of the separator 11 are communicated with the jigs 31 and 32, and the airtightness is maintained except for the pure water supply hole 33 and the discharge hole 34. As shown, gaskets 35 are attached to each other. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the supply hole 33 and the discharge hole 34 of the jig 32 are opened at positions facing the inlet 21 and the outlet 22 of the air flow path 18.
In the present embodiment, the jigs 31 and 32 are made of an aluminum material that has a relatively high thermal conductivity and is easy to handle, but is not limited thereto. High thermal conductivity is desired.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the separator 11 after the metal plates 12 and 13 and the intermediate layer 15 are integrated by thermal bonding is cooled by flowing pure water through the cooling medium flow path 14 and the air flow path 18. In other words, the pressure loss in each of the flow paths 14 and 18 was measured while cooling from the inside of the separator 11.
Therefore, according to this embodiment, the pressure loss in each flow path 14 and 18 can be measured under a high cooling effect and simultaneously with such cooling. That is, high-speed cooling and pressure loss measurement can be performed at the same time for the separator 11 in which heat due to thermal bonding remains, and the time from the start of cooling to the end of pressure loss measurement can be significantly shortened.

In the above-described embodiment, the example in which pure water is used as the cooling / pressure loss measurement fluid flowing in the cooling medium flow path, the air flow path, and the hydrogen gas flow path has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, water other than pure water (such as industrial water) may be used as the cooling / pressure loss measurement fluid. In addition, a gas such as air, hydrogen gas, or nitrogen gas may be used as the cooling / pressure loss measurement fluid, which eliminates the need for subsequent cleaning such as wiping the moisture of the separator after the cooling and pressure loss measurement. Become. If water is used as the fluid for cooling / pressure loss measurement, the cooling effect is high, but cleanup is necessary as described above. On the other hand, if gas is used, cleanup is not necessary, but the cooling effect uses water. It becomes lower than the case. Water and gas may be properly used as the cooling / pressure loss measurement fluid, such as using water for the cooling medium flow path and gas for the air flow path and the hydrogen gas flow path.
It is not limited to always performing the pressure loss measurement of the three flow paths of the cooling medium flow path, the air flow path, and the hydrogen gas flow path at the same time.

  In addition to cooling from the inside of the separator in the above-described embodiment, cooling from the outside of the separator using a cooling plate or the like may be performed. According to this, the speed of cooling of the separator can be further increased, and even when rapidly cooled, distortion such as warpage of the separator due to a temperature difference between the inside and outside of the separator is less likely to occur.

It is a side view which shows the outline of the separator cooled by the method of this invention. It is a top view of the intermediate | middle layer in FIG. It is explanatory drawing of one Embodiment of the cooling method of the separator by this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the conventional cooling method.

Explanation of symbols

  11: separator, 12, 13: metal plate, 14: cooling medium flow path (liquid flow path), 15: intermediate layer, 16: frame, 17: cooling medium flow path member, 18: air flow path (gas flow) Road), 21: air flow path inlet, 22: air flow path outlet.

Claims (1)

A cooling method after the thermal bonding of a separator of a fuel cell in which a pair of metal plates and an intermediate layer sandwiched between the pair of metal plates are integrated by thermal bonding,
A separator cooling method, characterized by measuring a pressure loss in a flow path of liquid or gas flowing in a liquid or gas flow path formed inside the separator while cooling the liquid or gas.

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