JP3031781B2 - Stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell using a solid polymer electrolyte membrane.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A unit cell having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane between an anode and a cathode is provided with an anode gas separator having an anode gas flow path for flowing an anode gas on the anode side of the unit cell, and a cathode cell on the cathode side. 2. Description of the Related Art A stack-type solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell is known in which a plurality of cell units are sandwiched between cathode gas separators having a cathode gas flow path for flowing a cathode gas. -86071).

FIGS. 9 to 12 show an example of such a laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell. FIG. 9 is a plan view thereof, FIG. 10 is a side view thereof, and FIG. 12A and 12B are plan views of an anode gas separation plate and a cathode gas separation plate, respectively.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a unit cell comprising a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 100a sandwiched between an anode plate 100b and a cathode plate 100c, which are porous conductors;
Reference numeral 101 denotes a conductive anode gas separating plate in which an anode gas flow path 101a, which is a mesh-like groove, is formed on the anode plate 100b side of the unit cell 100; Is a conductive cathode gas separation plate in which a cathode gas flow channel 102a is formed. Note that the anode gas flow path 101a of the anode gas separation plate 101 and the cathode gas flow path 102a of the cathode gas separation plate 102 are respectively entirely formed in a concave shape, and the anode plate 100b and the cathode plate 100c of the unit cell 100 are dropped. It has become so engulfed.

Reference numeral 103 denotes a cell unit formed by sandwiching a single cell 100 between an anode gas separation plate 101 and a cathode gas separation plate 101; 104, an upper current collector; 105, a lower current collector; , 107 are lower holding plates, 108 is a plurality of cell units 103 stacked between a pair of current collecting plates 104, 105, and this is
The laminated body sandwiched between 06 and 107, 109 is the laminated body 10
8 is an anode gas supply hole formed so as to penetrate from the upper holding plate 106 to the lowermost cathode gas separation plate 102 in the vertical direction of the corner of 8.

Reference numeral 110 denotes an anode gas discharge hole similarly formed at a diagonal position of the anode gas supply hole 109 of the laminated body 108. The anode gas supply hole 109 and the anode gas discharge hole 110 are shown in FIG. As shown by
Anode gas passage 101a of anode gas separation plate 101
Are communicated through a groove. Reference numeral 111 denotes a cathode gas supply hole similar to the anode gas supply hole 109, and reference numeral 112 denotes a cathode gas discharge hole similar to the anode gas discharge hole 110. The cathode gas supply hole 111 and the cathode gas discharge hole 112 are shown in FIG. As shown in b), the cathode gas separation plate 102 communicates with the cathode gas flow channel 102a via a groove.

Next, the operation of the laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell will be described. In order to make the description easy to understand, for example, a case where the anode gas is hydrogen and the cathode gas is air will be described. Anode gas supply hole 10
Hydrogen sent into the stacked body 108 from the cell 9
The anode gas is discharged from the anode gas discharge hole 110 to the outside of the stacked body 108 through the anode gas flow path 101a of the anode gas separation plate 101 on the side of the anode plate 100b. Further, the air sent into the stacked body 108 from the cathode gas supply holes 111 is supplied to the cathode plate 100 c of each cell 100.
The cathode gas is passed through the cathode gas passage 102a of the cathode gas separation plate 102 on the side, and is discharged from the cathode gas discharge hole 112 to the outside of the laminate 108.

In this case, the anode plate 10 of the cell 100
Hydrogen flowing on the 0b side is partially ionized, passes through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 100a, reaches the cathode plate 100c side, and becomes water as opposed to oxygen in the air flowing on the cathode plate 100c side. At this time, the anode plate 100b
Unit DC voltage (for example, 1
V), the DC voltage (16 V) obtained by applying the unit DC voltage to the number of the stacked cell units 103 (16 in this case) is applied to the upper current collector 104 and the lower current collector 10.
It is taken out from between five.

The stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell has a feature that a high current density can be obtained, and is therefore mainly used as a small power source.

[0010]

However, in order to obtain a DC voltage of 100 V or more suitable for converting into an AC voltage, in the conventional stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, 100 or more cell units 103 are stacked. However, in such a case, there is a limit to the number of cell units 103 that can be stacked in one stacked body 108, so that a plurality of stacked bodies 108 need to be connected in series and long.
When a plurality of stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells are connected in series, connecting pipes and valves for anode gas and cathode gas are required.

For this reason, when this stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell is used as a small power source, there is a problem that the stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell lacks compactness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide a stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell which can be used as a compact and small power source.

[0013]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising a unit cell in which a solid polymer electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between a cathode and an anode. A plurality of unit cells provided in the same plane direction in a state in which the cathode gas flow path and the anode gas flow path are formed at positions corresponding to the cathode and anode of each cell of the unit cell plate, respectively. A cell plate unit is constituted by being sandwiched between a pair of conductive gas separation plates, a plurality of cell plate units are stacked between a pair of collector plates, and a plurality of small cells corresponding to each unit cell in the unit cell plate. The laminate is formed in a parallel state to form a laminate, and an electrical insulating layer is provided in the lamination direction of the laminate to electrically divide each of the small laminates and to form a cathode and a cathode in the same unit cell plate. Small product with a different position from the anode The small stacks are electrically connected in series with the bodies adjacent to each other, and further, a pair of gas inlet holes communicating with the cathode gas passage or anode gas passage of the gas separation plate in the stacking direction of each small stack. And two pairs of gas outlet holes for the cathode gas and the anode gas. Further, the gas outlet holes of one small laminated body and the gas of the other small laminated body are provided on the end side in the laminating direction of a pair of adjacent small laminated bodies. A gas connecting plate is provided for connecting the inlet gas and the cathode gas and the anode gas in a series state between the small stacked bodies.

A stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to a second aspect of the present invention is a single cell having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched between a cathode and an anode in a state where the cathode and the anode are alternately replaced. A plurality of unit cells provided in the same plane direction are formed by a pair of conductive gas having a cathode gas channel and an anode gas channel formed at positions corresponding to the cathode and anode of each cell of the unit cell, respectively. A cell plate unit is constituted by being sandwiched between separator plates, a plurality of cell plate units are stacked between a pair of collector plates, and a plurality of small stacked bodies corresponding to each unit cell in the unit cell plate are arranged in parallel. Forming the formed laminated body, and providing an electrical insulating layer in the laminating direction of the laminated body, electrically dividing each small laminated body and different positions of the cathode and the anode in the same unit cell plate Small laminates A pair of gas inlet holes and a gas outlet hole communicating with the cathode gas passage or the anode gas passage of the gas separation plate in the stacking direction of the respective small laminates. Are formed for the cathode gas and the anode gas, and the gas outlet hole of one of the adjacent small stacks and the gas inlet hole of the other small stack are connected to form a cathode gas and an anode. That is, a gas connecting passage through which gas flows in series between the small laminates is provided in the collector plate.

[0015]

The operation of the first invention of the present invention will be described. For example, there are a unit cell having an anode on the upper side (a cathode on the lower side) and a unit cell having a cathode on the upper side (anode on the lower side). Each of the small laminates formed when a plurality of cell plate units each composed of a pair of gas separation plates having a cathode gas flow path and an anode gas flow path corresponding to a cathode and an anode are formed, And a cathode on the upper side. Therefore, if the laminate is electrically divided into small laminates by an electric insulating layer, for example, the small laminate having the anode on the upper side and the small laminate having the cathode on the upper side are electrically connected in series. From these two small laminates, a voltage twice as high as that obtained from one small laminate is obtained.

In order to electrically connect the small laminates in series, the collector plates provided at both ends in the stacking direction of the small laminates may be divided into required shapes by an electric insulating layer.

In each small laminated body, two pairs of gas inlet holes and gas outlet holes communicating with the cathode gas passage or the anode gas passage of the gas separation plate are formed for the cathode gas and the anode gas. Since the gas outlet hole of one of the small laminates of the pair of adjacent small laminates and the gas inlet hole of the other small laminate are connected by the connection path of the gas connecting plate, the anode is provided between the small laminates. Gas and cathode gas can flow in series.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a connecting path similar to that provided in the gas connecting plate of the first aspect is provided in the collector plate, so that a special gas connecting plate is not required separately. The operation is the same as that of the first invention.

[0019]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. Embodiment 1 FIG. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell showing an embodiment according to the first invention of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the same fuel cell, FIG. 3 is a perspective view around a unit cell and a gas separation plate, and FIGS. 4A and 4B are plan views of first and second gas separation plates, respectively.

In the figure, 1 is a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 1a
A cell plate having a gas seal layer 1A made of only a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 1a at an intermediate portion, sandwiched between a pair of upper and lower porous electric conductors 1b, 1b serving as an anode or a cathode. Reference numeral 2 denotes a unit cell plate 1 when the unit cell plate 1 is divided into two parts by an intermediate gas seal layer 1A.
Each of the cells is formed as a first cell 2A and the other as a second cell 2B for convenience of explanation. In addition,
The electrode plate 1b of the first cell 2A on one side of the cell plate 1 in FIG. 3 serves as an anode, and the electrode plate 1b of the second cell 2B.
Is a cathode, the electrode plate 1b of the first unit cell 2A on the back side of the unit cell plate 1 is a cathode, and the electrode plate 1b of the second unit cell 2B is an anode.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a conductive gas separating plate in which an anode gas passage 3a and a cathode gas passage 3b, which are two mesh grooves for the cell 2, are formed corresponding to one surface side of the cell plate 1. The first gas separation plate 4 is a conductive member in which an anode gas flow channel 4a and a cathode gas flow channel 4b, which are two mesh-shaped grooves for the cell 2, are formed corresponding to the back side of the cell plate 1. It is a 2nd gas separation plate which is a neutral gas separation plate. In this case, the anode gas passages 3a and 4a and the cathode gas passages 3b and 4b of the first and second gas separation plates 3 and 4 are respectively formed entirely in a concave shape.
b is dropped. 5 is a cell plate 1
Is a cell plate unit constituted by sandwiching the first and second gas separation plates 3 and 4. The cell plate unit 5 is composed of two cell units corresponding to the first and second cells 2A and 2B of the cell plate 1.

Reference numeral 6 denotes an upper current collector, 7 denotes a lower current collector made of a carbon plate also serving as a gas connecting plate, 8 denotes an upper holding plate, 9 denotes a lower holding plate, and 10 denotes an upper current collecting plate 6. A plurality of (specifically, 16) cell plate units 5 are stacked in the same direction so that the same unit cells 2 (for example, the first unit cells 2A) overlap each other between the lower current collecting plate 7 and the upper collecting plate 7. A laminate 11 sandwiched between the lower press plate 6 and the lower holding plate 7 is an electrical insulating layer made of a fluorine resin inserted into the laminate 10 in the laminating direction, and is a gas seal layer 1 of the unit cell plate 1.
At position A, the upper current collector plate 6 and the cell plate unit 5 are electrically connected to each other by first and second small laminates 10a and 10a, which are two small laminates.
10b. In addition, this electric insulating layer 1
1, the first and second small laminates 10a and 10b are electrically connected in series via the lower current collector 7.

Reference numeral 12 denotes an anode gas formed at a corner of the laminated body 10 on the side of the first small laminated body 10a so as to penetrate vertically from the upper pressing plate 8 to the lowermost second gas separating plate 4. The supply holes 13 are anode gas discharge holes formed in the corners of the second small laminate 10b in the vertical direction in the same manner as the anode gas supply holes 12, and 14 is the first small laminate 10a.
Is a cathode gas supply hole similarly formed in the corner portion of the second small laminated body 10b, and 15 is a cathode gas discharge hole similarly formed in the corner portion of the second small laminated body 10b.

Reference numeral 16 denotes an anode gas communication hole provided through the cell plate unit 5 at a diagonal position of the anode gas supply hole 12 of the first small laminated body 10a, and 17 denotes a second small laminated body 10a.
b, an anode gas communication hole penetrating the cell plate unit 5 at a diagonal position of the anode gas discharge hole 13; and a cell plate unit 18 at a diagonal position of the cathode gas supply hole 14 of the first small laminated body 10a. Reference numeral 19 denotes a cathode gas communication hole provided through the cell plate unit 5 at a diagonal position of the cathode gas discharge hole 15 of the second small laminated body 10b. The anode gas supply holes 1 are provided in the first and second small laminates 10a and 10b.
2, cathode gas supply hole 14, anode gas communication hole 1
7, the cathode gas communication hole 19 functions as a gas inlet hole, and the anode gas discharge hole 13 and the cathode gas discharge hole 1
5, anode gas communication hole 16, cathode gas communication hole 18
Act as gas outlet holes.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, in the first small laminated body 10a, the anode gas supply holes 12 and the anode gas communication holes 16 are formed in the first gas separation plate 3. The cathode gas supply hole 14 and the cathode gas communication hole 18 communicate with each other via the anode gas passage 3a via the cathode gas passage 4b of the second gas separation plate 4.
Further, in the second small laminated body 10b, the anode gas discharge hole 13 and the anode gas communication hole 17
The cathode gas discharge hole 15 and the cathode gas communication hole 19 communicate with each other via the cathode gas passage 3b of the first gas separation plate 3.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a connection passage provided in the lower current collector 7 in a concave shape for connecting the anode gas communication hole 16 and the anode gas communication hole 17, and 21 denotes a cathode gas communication hole 18 and a cathode gas communication hole 19. Lower current collector 7 for connection
Is a connecting flow path provided in a concave shape. Therefore, the lower current collecting plate 7 not only functions as an electrode, but also has a function as a gas connecting plate that connects the gas communication holes of the first small stacked body 10a and the second small stacked body 10b. Become. 2
Reference numeral 2 denotes an inlet port for the anode gas supply hole 12, 23 denotes an outlet port for the anode gas discharge hole 13, 24 denotes an inlet port for the cathode gas supply hole 14, and 25 denotes an outlet port for the cathode gas discharge hole 15.

Next, the operation of the stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell will be described. Note that the anode gas is hydrogen and the cathode gas is air for easy understanding.

Hydrogen sent from the anode gas supply hole 12 into the first small stacked body 10a through the inlet port 22 is supplied to the first gas separation plate 3 on the side of the electrode plate 1b serving as the anode of the first cell 2A. Through the anode gas flow path 3a. The hydrogen in the anode gas communication hole 16 reaches the anode gas communication hole 17 of the second small laminated body 10b through the connection flow path 20 provided in the lower current collector 7, and further, the second small laminated body 10b Second on the side
The anode gas passes through the anode gas passage 4a of the second gas separation plate 4 on the side of the electrode plate 1b serving as the anode of the unit cell 2B, reaches the anode gas discharge hole 13, and is discharged to the outside from the laminate 10 through the outlet port 23. Is done.

That is, the hydrogen as the anode gas flows from the anode gas supply hole 12 to the anode gas communication hole 16 via the anode gas passage 3a of the first gas separation plate 3, and then flows from the anode gas communication hole 17 to the anode gas communication hole 17. The gas flows into the anode gas discharge hole 13 through the anode gas flow path 4a of the two-gas separation plate 4, and flows in series from the first small laminate 10a to the second small laminate 10b.

Similarly, air sent from the cathode gas supply hole 14 into the first small stacked body 10a through the inlet port 24 is supplied to the electrode plate 1b serving as a cathode of the first cell 2A.
The gas is sent to the cathode gas communication hole 18 through the cathode gas passage 4 b of the second gas separation plate 4 on the side. The air in the cathode gas communication hole 18 reaches the cathode gas communication hole 19 on the side of the second small laminated body 10b through the connection channel 21 provided in the lower current collecting plate 7, and the air is further removed by the second gas. The cathode gas flow path 3b of the first gas separation plate 3 on the electrode plate 1b side serving as the cathode of the second unit cell 2B on the small stacked body 10b side
The exhaust gas reaches the cathode gas discharge hole 15 through the outlet port 25 and is discharged from the laminate 10 to the outside. That is, the air as the cathode gas also flows in series from the first small stacked body 10a to the second small stacked body 10b, similarly to the anode gas.

In the above case, hydrogen flowing on the electrode plate 1b serving as the anode of the unit cell 2 becomes a part of ions, passes through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 1a and reaches the electrode plate 1b serving as a cathode. Reacts with oxygen in the air flowing on the electrode plate 1b side to become water. At this time, a unit DC voltage (for example, 1 volt) is generated between the electrode plate 1b serving as the anode and the electrode plate 1b serving as the cathode. Therefore, each of the first small laminated body 10a and the second small laminated body 10b in which 16 cell units are laminated is 16
A DC voltage of volts will be generated.

In this case, in the first small stacked body 10a, the upper electrode plate 1b of the first unit cell 2A serves as an anode and the lower electrode plate 1b serves as a cathode. A voltage is generated, and in the second small stacked body 10b, the upper electrode plate 1b of the second cell 2B serves as a cathode and the lower electrode plate 1b serves as a cathode. A voltage will be generated. Further, since the first and second small laminates 10a and 10b are electrically connected in series via the lower current collector 7, a voltage of 16 × 2 = 32 volts is generated in the laminate 10. The upper right current collector 6 and the upper left current collector 6 of the upper current collector 6 electrically separated by the electric insulating layer 11
It will be taken out from between b.

As described above, the unit cell plate 1 in which the two unit cells 2 are formed is connected to the pair of first and second gas separation plates 3 and 4 in which the anode gas passage and the cathode gas passage are formed. To form a cell plate unit 5, and a laminate 10 formed by laminating a plurality of the cell plate units 5 is divided into two first and second small laminates 10 a and 10 b by an electric insulating layer 11. Therefore, the outer shape of the laminated body 10 is almost the same as that of the conventional one, and
Double voltage can be taken out. Therefore, conventional stacked polymer electrolyte fuel cells are connected in series to
Valves and tubes for connecting the anode gas and the cathode gas required for obtaining a doubled voltage are not required at all, and this fuel cell does not need to be connected in a slender and elongated series.
The stacking type solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell can be made compact.

A cooling plate is inserted into each of the cell plate units 5 in several stages, and a cooling medium is supplied to a cooling portion provided for each cell 2 of the cooling plate to flow the first small laminated body 10a and the second small laminated body 10a. When the body 10b is cooled by the cooling plate, the first small laminated body 10a and the second small laminated body 10b are communicated in the laminating direction with the inlet and outlet communicating only with each cooling portion of the cooling plate. The first small laminate 10 is provided with holes.
A connection flow path connecting the outlet communication hole a and the inlet communication hole of the second small laminated body 10b may be provided in the lower current collecting plate 5 in the same manner. In this case, when there is a possibility that the connection passage for the refrigerant and the connection passage for the anode gas or the cathode gas may intersect,
A connection passage for the refrigerant may be provided on the back surface side of the lower current collecting plate 5.

In the first embodiment, the lower current collecting plate 7 is made of a carbon plate and has a function as a gas connecting plate. However, the lower current collecting plate 7 is made of metal and is separately made of fluorine. A gas connecting plate made of resin may be provided. Further, in the first embodiment, the electric insulating layer 11 is made of a fluororesin. It may be constituted by a metal plate or the like on which a coating is formed.

In the first embodiment, the unit cell plate 1 is sandwiched between the anode gas separation plate 3 and the cathode gas separation plate 4. A gas flow path may be provided, and the unit cell plate 1 may be sandwiched between the gas separation plates. In this case, it is necessary to form a cathode gas passage 3b on the back surface corresponding to the anode gas passage 3a on one surface of the gas separation plate.

Embodiment 2 FIG. FIG. 5 is a plan view of a laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell showing an embodiment according to the second invention of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a side view of the fuel cell, and FIG. FIGS. 8A and 8B are perspective views, and FIGS. 8A and 8B are plan views of the first and second gas separation plates, respectively. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts as those of the stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

In the drawing, reference numeral 30 denotes a pair of electrode plates 1b, 1
b, a cross-shaped gas seal layer 30A having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 1a and comprising only the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 1a
Is a unit cell plate in which four unit cells 2 (specifically, first, second, third and fourth unit cells 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F) are formed on the same surface. The one-side electrode plate 1b of the unit cell plate 30 serves as, for example, an anode, a cathode, an anode, and a cathode for each unit cell 2 in the order of the first, second, third, and fourth unit cells 2C, 2D, 2E, and 2F. The back side electrode plate 1b of the unit cell plate 30 has one surface acting as an anode to a cathode, and one surface acting as a cathode to an anode.

Numeral 31 denotes each unit cell 2 on one side of the unit cell plate 30.
Gas passage 31a and cathode gas passage 31b, which are mesh grooves corresponding to the anode and cathode of
Is a conductive gas separation plate in which two of each are formed, and a first gas separation plate 32 is formed in a mesh shape corresponding to the anode and cathode of each cell 2 on the back side of the cell plate 30. This is a second gas separation plate that is a conductive gas separation plate in which two anode gas flow paths 32a and two cathode gas flow paths 32b are formed. In this case, the first
The anode gas flow paths 31a of the second gas separation plates 31, 32,
32a and the cathode gas flow paths 31b and 32b are respectively formed in a concave shape as a whole.
b is dropped. Reference numeral 33 denotes a cell plate unit constituted by sandwiching the unit cell plate 30 between the first and second gas separation plates 31 and 32. In addition, this cell plate unit 33 is the first, second, third, fourth
It is composed of four cell units corresponding to the cells 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F.

Numeral 34 denotes a gas connecting plate made of a fussa resin disposed between the lower current collecting plate 7 and the lower holding plate 9, and numeral 35 denotes a cell plate unit 33 between the upper current collecting plate 6 and the lower current collecting plate 7. A plurality (specifically, 16) of the same unit cells 2 (for example, the first unit cells 2C) are stacked in the same direction so as to overlap each other, and are stacked on the upper holding plate 8, the lower holding plate 9, and the gas connecting plate 34.
And 36, an electrical insulating layer inserted into the laminate 35 in the laminating direction.
Current collector 6, lower current collector 7, and cell plate unit 3
3 at the position of the gas seal layer 30A, four small laminates of first, second, third and fourth small laminates 35a, 35b, 3
5c and 35d.

Here, the front and rear layer portions 3 of the electric insulating layer 36
6a is the first and second small laminates 35b and 35 of the upper current collector plate 6.
c, and the left and right layer portions 36b are not provided on the lower current collector 7, so that the first, second, third, and fourth small laminates 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d are electrically connected to each other in series by the electric insulating layer 36.

Reference numeral 37 denotes an anode gas supply hole formed so as to penetrate from the upper holding plate 6 to the lowermost cell unit unit 33 in the vertical direction at the corner of the stacked body 35 on the side of the first small stacked body 35a. Is a cathode gas supply hole formed in the vertical direction of the corner of the first small laminate 35a in the same manner as the anode gas supply hole 37, and 39 is similarly formed in the corner of the fourth small laminate 35d in the vertical direction. Anode gas discharge hole, 40 is fourth
It is a cathode gas discharge hole similarly formed in the vertical direction of the corner of the small laminated body 35d.

Reference numeral 41 denotes an anode gas communication hole penetrating the cell plate unit 33 at a diagonal portion of the anode gas supply hole 37 of the first small laminated body 35a, and reference numerals 42 and 43 denote second gas communication holes.
Gas communication holes for anode gas provided through the cell plate unit 33 at diagonal corners of the small laminate 35b, and the cell plate unit 33 at diagonal corners of the third small laminate 35c A gas communication hole for anode gas provided therethrough, 46 is an anode gas discharge hole 3 of the fourth small laminate 35d.
9 is an anode gas communication hole provided at the diagonal of 9 through the cell plate unit 33. Reference numeral 47 denotes a similar cathode gas communication hole provided in the first small laminate 35a;
And 49 are the same cathode gas communication holes provided in the second small laminated body 35b, and 50 and 51 are the third small laminated bodies 35
c, a similar cathode gas communication hole provided in
This is a similar cathode gas communication hole provided in the small laminate 35d.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, in the first small laminated body 35a, the anode gas supply hole 37 and the anode gas communication hole 41 are formed in the first gas separation plate 31. The cathode gas supply hole 38 and the cathode gas communication hole 47 communicate with each other through the anode gas flow channel 31 a through the cathode gas flow channel 32 b of the second gas separation plate 32. In the second small laminated body 35b, the two anode gas communication holes 42 and 43 communicate with each other via the anode gas flow path 32a of the second gas separation plate 32, and the two cathode gas communication holes 48 and 49 communicate with the first gas separation holes 48 and 49. The third small laminated body 3 communicates with the gas separation plate 31 through the cathode gas flow path 31b.
5c, the two anode gas communication holes 44 and 45 communicate with each other through the anode gas flow path 31a of the first gas separation plate 31, and the two cathode gas communication holes 50 and 51 communicate with the cathode gas of the second gas separation plate 32. They communicate with each other via a flow path 32b.

Further, in the fourth small laminated body 35 d, the anode gas discharge hole 39 and the anode gas communication hole 46 communicate with each other via the cathode gas flow passage 32 a of the second gas separation plate 32, and the cathode gas discharge hole 40 communicates with the cathode gas discharge hole 40. Cathode gas communication hole 5
2 is in communication with the first gas separation plate 31 via the cathode gas flow channel 31b. In addition, each small laminated body 35a, 35
b, 35c, 35d, the anode gas supply holes 3
7, cathode gas supply hole 38, anode gas communication hole 4
2, 44, 46, cathode gas communication holes 48, 50, 52
Acts as a gas inlet hole, anode gas outlet hole 39,
Cathode gas discharge hole 40, anode gas communication holes 41, 4
3, 45 and the cathode gas communication holes 47, 49, 51 function as gas outlet holes.

Reference numeral 53 denotes a connection provided on the gas connection plate 34 for connecting the anode gas communication hole 41 and the anode gas communication hole 42, and reference numeral 54 denotes a connection provided on the gas connection plate 34 for connecting the cathode gas communication hole 47 and the cathode gas communication hole 48. A flow path 55 is provided on the upper current collecting plate 6 for connecting the anode gas communication hole 43 and the anode gas communication hole 44, and a reference numeral 56 is provided on the upper current collecting plate 6 for connecting the cathode gas communication hole 49 and the cathode gas communication hole 50. The connection flow path 57 is an anode gas communication hole 4
Numerals 58 denote connecting channels provided in the gas connecting plate 34 for connecting the cathode gas communicating holes 51 and the cathode gas communicating holes 52, respectively, for connecting the anode gas communicating holes 5 to the cathode gas communicating holes 52.

The upper collector plate 6 also serves as a gas connecting plate, and thus is formed of a carbon plate. However, the lower collector plate 7 does not need to serve also as a gas connecting plate, and therefore needs to be a carbon plate. In this case, it is a gold-plated copper plate.

Next, the operation of the laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell will be described. Note that the anode gas is hydrogen and the cathode gas is air for easy understanding.

Hydrogen as the anode gas is supplied from the anode gas supply hole 37 of the first small laminate 35a to the first gas separation plate 3
After reaching the anode gas communication hole 41 via the first anode gas flow channel 31a, it reaches the anode gas communication hole 42 of the second small laminated body 35b through the connection flow channel 53 of the gas connection plate 34, and from there, 2 Anode gas flow path 3 of gas separation plate 32
It reaches the anode gas communication hole 43 via 2a. Also,
The third small laminated body 35 passes through the connection channel 55 of the upper current collector 6.
The hydrogen that has reached the anode gas communication hole 44c reaches the anode gas communication hole 45 through the anode gas flow channel 31a of the first gas separation plate 31, and then passes through the connection flow channel 57 of the gas connection plate 34. The anode gas communication hole 46 of the fourth small laminated body 35d reaches the anode gas communication hole 46, and from there through the anode gas passage 32a of the second gas separation plate 32, the anode gas discharge hole 39.
Reach

Similarly, the air serving as the cathode gas is the first gas.
After reaching the cathode gas communication hole 47 from the cathode gas supply hole 38 of the small laminated body 35a through the cathode gas flow path 32b of the second gas separation plate 32, the second gas flows through the connection flow path 54 of the gas connection plate 34, The gas reaches the cathode gas communication hole 48 of the small laminated body 35b, and from there, reaches the cathode gas communication hole 49 via the cathode gas passage 32b of the first gas separation plate 31. The air that has flowed into the cathode gas communication hole 50 of the third small stacked body 35 c through the connection flow channel 56 of the upper current collector 6 is discharged from the cathode gas flow channel 3 of the second gas separation plate 32.
After reaching the cathode gas communication hole 51 through the second connection layer 2b, the fourth small stacked body 35d passes through the connection flow path 58 of the gas connection plate 34.
The cathode gas communication hole 52 reaches the cathode gas discharge hole 40 via the cathode gas passage 31 b of the first gas separation plate 31.

In the above case, a unit DC voltage (for example, 1 volt) is generated between the electrode plate 1b serving as the anode and the electrode plate 1b serving as the cathode of the unit cell 2, and the first cell unit in which 16 cell units are stacked is provided. , The second, the third, and the fourth small stacked bodies 35a, 35b, 35c, and 35d each generate a DC voltage of 16 volts. In this case, the first
In the small stacked body 35a, for example, the electrode plate 1 on the upper side of the unit cell 2
b serves as an anode and the lower electrode plate 1b serves as a cathode, so that a voltage of 16 volts is generated from the upper side to the lower side, and the upper electrode plate 1b of the unit cell 2 serves as the cathode in the second small stacked body 35b. Since the lower electrode plate 1b serves as an anode, a voltage of 16 volts is generated from the lower side to the upper side.

In the third small laminated body 35c, the upper electrode plate 1b of the unit cell 2 serves as an anode and the lower electrode plate 1b serves as an anode, so that a voltage of 16 volts is generated from the upper side to the lower side. In the fourth small stacked body 35d, the upper electrode plate 1b of the unit cell 2 serves as a cathode, and the lower electrode plate 1b serves as an anode, so that a voltage of 16 volts is generated from the lower side to the upper side. In addition, the first, second,
Since the third and fourth small laminates 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d are electrically connected in series via the upper current collector 6 and the lower current collector 7, the laminate 35 has a size of 16 × 4. =
A voltage of 64 volts is generated, and this voltage is taken out from between the upper right part 6c and the upper left part 6d of the upper current collector 6 electrically separated by the electric insulating layer 36.

As described above, also in the second embodiment,
Valves and tubes for connecting the anode gas and the cathode gas, which are required when a conventional laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell is connected in series to obtain a voltage four times higher, become unnecessary, and this fuel cell is also used. It is not necessary to connect the fuel cells in a slender manner in series, and the stack type solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell can be made compact. Therefore, assuming that a maximum of 50 cell units can be stacked in one stacked body from the viewpoint of compactness, the stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell in Example 2 has four times as many as 200 cell units. As a result, a DC voltage of 100 volts or more suitable for conversion into an AC output can be obtained by one laminate.

In particular, in the second embodiment, since the gas connecting plate 34 is made of a resin having a heat insulating function, the gas connecting plate 34 radiates heat to the lower holding plate 9 side of the lowermost cell plate unit 33. Can be suppressed. Note that, similarly to the first embodiment, the lower current collecting plate 7 may be formed of a carbon plate, and a connecting flow path may be formed in the lower current collecting plate 7 so that the gas connecting plate 34 may be omitted.

In the second embodiment, the first embodiment is also used.
A cooling plate is inserted in each of the cell plate units 33 in the same manner as described above, and the first, second, third, and fourth small stacked bodies 35a, 35b, 35c, and 35d can be cooled by the cooling plate. At the same time, various materials can be used for the electric insulating layer 36 as in the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, the unit cell plate 30 is sandwiched between the first gas separation plate 31 and the second gas separation plate 32. Alternatively, a cathode gas flow path may be provided, and the unit cell plate 30 may be sandwiched between the gas separation plates. Further, in the second embodiment, the laminated body 35 is divided into four parts. However, the laminated body can be divided into an arbitrary number of small laminated bodies by slightly changing the structure of the unit cell plate, the gas separation plate, and the like.

[0057]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of cells having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched between a cathode and an anode are provided in the same plane direction with the cathode and the anode alternated. The cell plate unit is sandwiched between a pair of conductive gas separation plates having a cathode gas flow path and an anode gas flow path formed at positions corresponding to the cathode and anode of each cell, respectively, to form a cell plate unit. A plurality of cell plate units are stacked between a pair of collector plates to form a stacked body in which a plurality of small stacked bodies corresponding to each unit cell in the unit cell plate are formed in parallel, and An electric insulating layer is provided in the stacking direction of the stack, and each of the small stacks is electrically divided, and the small stacks having different positions of the cathode and the anode in the same unit cell plate are adjacent to each other to form a small stack. Connect the bodies electrically in series Furthermore, two pairs formed for a pair of gas inlet holes and the gas outlet holes of the cathode gas and the anode gas in communication with the cathode gas passage or the anode gas passage of the gas separator plate in the stacking direction of each small stack, further,
The gas outlet hole of one of the small laminates and the gas inlet hole of the other small laminate are connected to the end of the pair of adjacent small laminates in the stacking direction, and the cathode gas and the anode gas are interposed between the small laminates. Since a gas connecting plate that flows in series is provided, a high voltage can be obtained by the stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell. In order to obtain a high voltage like a conventional fuel cell, Need not be mechanically connected in series. Therefore, this stacked polymer electrolyte fuel cell can be used as a compact and compact power source.

Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, since the collector electrode plate is provided with a function as a gas connecting plate, it is possible to reduce the size of the stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell showing Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell showing Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a cell plate unit of the stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell showing Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIGS. 4 (a) and (b) are plan views of first and second gas separation plates of a laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell showing Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell showing Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a cell plate unit of a laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell showing Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIGS. 8 (a) and (b) are plan views of first and second gas separation plates of a laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, respectively.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a conventional stacked polymer electrolyte fuel cell.

FIG. 10 is a side view of a conventional solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a unit cell and a gas separation plate of a stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to the related art.

FIGS. 12 (a) and (b) are plan views of an anode gas separator and a cathode gas separator of a conventional stacked polymer electrolyte fuel cell, respectively.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 unit cell plate 1a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 1b electrode plate (anode or cathode) 2 unit cell 3 first gas separation plate (gas separation plate) 3a anode gas passage 3b cathode gas passage 4 second gas separation plate (gas Separator plate 4a Anode gas flow path 4b Cathode gas flow path 5 Cell plate unit 6 Upper collector plate (collector plate) 7 Lower collector plate (collector plate) 10 Stack 10a First small stack (small stack) 10b 2nd small laminated body (small laminated body) 11 electrical insulating layer 12 anode gas supply hole (gas inlet hole) 13 anode gas discharge hole (gas outlet hole) 14 cathode gas supply hole (gas inlet hole) 15 cathode gas discharge Hole (gas outlet hole) 16 Anode gas communication hole (gas inlet hole) 17 Anode gas communication hole (gas outlet hole) 18 Cathode gas communication hole (gas inlet hole) 19 Cathode gas communication Through hole (gas outlet hole) 30 Single cell plate 31 First gas separation plate (gas separation plate) 31a Anode gas flow passage 31b Cathode gas flow passage 32 Second gas separation plate (gas separation plate) 32a Anode gas flow passage 32b Cathode Gas flow path 33 Cell plate unit 35 Laminated body 35a First small laminated body (small laminated body) 35b Second small laminated body (small laminated body) 35c Third small laminated body (small laminated body) 35d Fourth small laminated body ( (Small laminate) 36 electrical insulating layer 37 anode gas supply hole (gas inlet hole) 38 anode gas discharge hole (gas outlet hole) 39 cathode gas supply hole (gas inlet hole) 40 cathode gas discharge hole (gas outlet hole) 41 anode Gas communication hole (gas outlet hole) 42 Anode gas communication hole (gas inlet hole) 43 Anode gas communication hole (gas outlet hole) 44 Anode gas communication hole (gas inlet hole) 45 Anode gas communication hole (gas outlet hole) 46 Anode gas communication hole (gas inlet hole) 47 Cathode gas communication hole (gas outlet hole) 48 Cathode gas communication hole (gas inlet hole) 49 Cathode gas communication hole (gas outlet hole) 50 Cathode gas communication hole (gas inlet hole) 51 Cathode gas communication hole (gas outlet hole) 52 Cathode gas communication hole (gas inlet hole)

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-53-122739 (JP, A) JP-A-53-136637 (JP, A) JP-A-3-121659 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int) .Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01M 8/00-8/24

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A unit cell plate comprising a plurality of unit cells in which a solid polymer electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between a cathode and an anode and a plurality of unit cells are provided in the same plane direction with the cathode and the anode alternated. A cell plate unit is sandwiched between a pair of conductive gas separation plates in which a cathode gas flow path and an anode gas flow path are respectively formed at positions corresponding to the cathode and the anode of each cell of the cell plate. A plurality of the cell plate units are stacked between a pair of collector plates to form a stacked body in which a plurality of small stacked bodies corresponding to the respective cells in the battery plate are formed in parallel, And providing an electrical insulating layer in the stacking direction of the stack to electrically divide each of the small stacks and to have different positions of the cathode and the anode in the same single cell plate. Each other A pair of gas inlets that communicate with the cathode gas flow path or the anode gas flow path of the gas separation plate in the stacking direction of the respective small stacks. Two sets of holes and gas outlet holes are formed for the cathode gas and the anode gas. Further, the gas outlet hole of one of the small laminates and the other of A stacked solid polymer electrolyte type, wherein a gas connecting plate that connects the gas inlet hole of the small laminate and the cathode gas and the anode gas flow in series between the small laminates is provided. Fuel cell. 2. A unit cell plate in which a plurality of unit cells each having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched between a cathode and an anode are provided in the same plane direction with the cathode and the anode alternated with each other, A cell plate unit is sandwiched between a pair of conductive gas separation plates in which a cathode gas flow path and an anode gas flow path are respectively formed at positions corresponding to the cathode and the anode of each cell of the cell plate. A plurality of the cell plate units are stacked between a pair of collector plates to form a stacked body in which a plurality of small stacked bodies corresponding to the respective cells in the battery plate are formed in parallel, And providing an electrical insulating layer in the stacking direction of the stack to electrically divide each of the small stacks and to have different positions of the cathode and the anode in the same single cell plate. Each other A pair of gas inlets that communicate with the cathode gas flow path or the anode gas flow path of the gas separation plate in the stacking direction of the respective small stacks. Two sets of holes and gas outlet holes are formed for the cathode gas and the anode gas, and the gas outlet hole of one small stack of the pair of adjacent small stacks and the gas inlet of the other small stack. A stacking solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, wherein a gas connecting passage connecting the holes to allow the cathode gas and the anode gas to flow in series between the small stacks is provided in the collector plate. .