JP5293407B2 - Fuel cell - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell.

  A fuel cell is configured by stacking a large number of single cells. When a fuel cell is used for a long period of time, a single cell may deteriorate over time. In such a case, in order to facilitate replacement of the single cells, a technique is known in which the strength between the single cells is increased and decreased to facilitate the detachment of the single cells (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-244765 A

  However, when the fuel cell is used for a long time, the adhesive is fixed and it becomes difficult to separate the single cells. In such a case, if the adhesive is forcibly removed, a normal single cell may be deformed.

  An object of the present invention is to solve at least a part of the above-described problems and to provide a fuel cell capable of easily replacing a module.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to solve at least a part of the problems described above, and the invention can be implemented as the following forms or application examples.

[Application Example 1]
A fuel cell, comprising: a plurality of power generation modules; and a disassembling means for disassembling the plurality of modules into individual power generation modules, wherein each power generation module has a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the power generation modules. The outer edge has a gradually decreasing shape in which the thickness of the power generation module in the stacking direction gradually decreases toward the module end, and the disassembling means is a concave shape formed by the gradually decreasing shape of the two adjacent power generation modules. A convex portion having a wedge shape that enters into the module, a first moving means for moving the convex portion in a direction toward the module, and a second moving means for moving the convex portion in the stacking direction of the power generation modules; A fuel cell.
According to this application example, it is possible to easily exchange modules.

  The present invention can be realized in various forms. For example, in addition to a fuel cell, the present invention can be realized in various forms such as a fuel cell decomposition apparatus and a fuel cell decomposition method.

It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the 1st Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the 2nd Example of this invention.

    FIG. 1 is an explanatory view schematically showing a first embodiment of the present invention. The fuel cell 10 includes a plurality of modules 100, an end plate 200, and a fuel cell disassembly device 300. In this embodiment, the module 100 is stacked in the X direction. The end plates 200 are disposed at both ends of the plurality of modules 100 in the X direction. In addition, although the fuel cell 10 is provided with the fastening means for fastening the modules 100 and 200, illustration is abbreviate | omitted in a present Example.

  The module 100 has a gradually decreasing shape 102 in which the thickness in the X direction gradually decreases toward the end of the module 100 at the outer edge in the Y direction (direction perpendicular to the stacking direction (X direction)). A concave portion 105 is formed by the gradually decreasing shape 102 of two adjacent modules.

  FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged boundary portion between two modules 100. In FIG. 1B, the gradually decreasing shape 102 is omitted. The module 100 includes a membrane electrode assembly 110, gas diffusion layers 120 and 125, and separator plates 130 and 135. The membrane electrode assembly 110 includes an electrolyte membrane 111 and catalyst layers 112 and 113. As the electrolyte membrane 111, for example, a proton conductive ion exchange membrane made of a fluorine-based resin such as perfluorocarbon sulfonic acid polymer can be used. The catalyst layers 112 and 113 are formed on both surfaces of the electrolyte membrane 111. As a catalyst used for the catalyst layers 112 and 113, it is possible to use a catalyst that promotes an electrochemical reaction, such as a platinum catalyst or a catalyst in which a platinum alloy catalyst composed of platinum and another metal is supported on carbon.

  The gas diffusion layers 120 and 125 are disposed on both surfaces of the membrane electrode assembly 110. As the gas diffusion layers 120 and 125, for example, carbon cloth or carbon paper formed of a nonwoven fabric can be used. Further, as the gas diffusion layers 120 and 125, a porous body made of metal or resin can be used. Note that the gas diffusion layers 120 and 125 preferably have conductivity. The separator plates 130 and 140 are disposed outside the gas diffusion layers 120 and 125. Separator plates 130 and 140 are used to separate fuel gas and oxidizing gas. In this embodiment, hydrogen is used as the fuel gas and air is used as the oxidizing gas.

  The fuel cell disassembly device 300 includes a convex portion 310 having a wedge shape, and a first moving device 320 that moves the convex portion 310 together with the fuel cell disassembly device 300 in the module 100 direction (Y direction). The first moving device 320 has, for example, a screw tightening structure. By rotating the first moving device 320, the fuel cell disassembling device 300 moves in the direction of the module 100 (Y direction). Then, the convex portion 310 enters the concave portion 105. Here, the convex portion 310 is formed to be slightly larger than the size of the concave portion 105 between the two modules 100. Therefore, when the convex portion 310 enters the concave portion 105, a force is applied so as to widen the interval between the adjacent modules 100. FIG. 1C is an explanatory view showing a state where the convex portion 310 enters the concave portion 105 and the interval between adjacent modules 100 is widened.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, the fuel cell 10 can be easily disassembled into the modules 100. Further, all the modules 100 can be separated at a stretch.

  In the present embodiment, the first moving device 320 is configured by a screw tightening mechanism. However, it is sufficient that the fuel cell disassembling device 300 can be moved in the module 100 direction (Y direction). You may comprise using a motor.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory view schematically showing a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is different in that the convex portion 310 is configured to be movable in the X direction. 2A shows a state in which the positions of the convex portion 310 and the concave portion 105 are shifted in the X direction, and FIG. 2B shows a state in which the positions of the convex portion 310 and the concave portion 105 coincide with each other in the X direction. ing.

  FIG. 2C is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of the second moving device. The fuel cell disassembly device 300 includes a second moving device. The second moving device includes a rail groove 305 formed in the fuel cell disassembly device 300 and a runner 315 provided at the base of the convex portion 310. By moving the runner 315 along the rail groove 305, the convex portion 310 can be moved to an arbitrary place.

    According to this embodiment, it is possible to cope with the case where the module 100 is deformed by creep or the like, or the positions of the convex portion 310 and the concave portion 105 are shifted.

  In addition, the convex part 310 is comprised so that removal from the fuel cell decomposition | disassembly apparatus 300 is possible, and it may be comprised so that arbitrary positions can be set. This makes it possible to disassemble only an arbitrary module. Note that the number of arbitrary modules may be not only one but also a plurality.

  The embodiments of the present invention have been described above based on some examples. However, the above-described embodiments of the present invention are for facilitating the understanding of the present invention and limit the present invention. It is not a thing. The present invention can be changed and improved without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and it is needless to say that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Fuel cell 100 ... Module 102 ... Decrease shape 105 ... Recessed part 110 ... Membrane electrode assembly 111 ... Electrolyte membrane 112 ... Catalyst layer 120 ... Gas diffusion layer 130 ... Separator plate 200 ... End plate 300 ... Fuel cell decomposition device 305 ... Rail Groove 310 ... convex portion 315 ... runner 320 ... first moving device

Claims (1)

A fuel cell,
A plurality of power generation modules;
Disassembling means for disassembling the plurality of modules into individual power generation modules;
With
Each of the power generation modules has a gradually decreasing shape in which the thickness of the power generation module in the stacking direction gradually decreases toward the module end at the outer edge in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the power generation modules.
The disassembling means includes
A convex portion having a wedge shape that enters a concave shape formed by the gradually decreasing shape of two adjacent power generation modules;
First moving means for moving the convex portion in a direction toward the module;
A second moving means for moving the convex portion in the stacking direction of the power generation module,
Fuel cell.

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