JPH05326010A - Stacked type solid polymer electrolytic fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a stacked-type solid polymer electrolytic fuel cell which can be utilized as a compact and small size electric power source. CONSTITUTION:Single cell plates 1 wherein single cells consisting of a solid polymer electrolytic film are arranged toward the same plane direction and gas separating plates 3, 4 in which a cathode gas flow line and an anode gas flow line are formed are successively stacked and small stacked bodies 10a, 10b are formed between a pair of electricity collecting plates 6, 7 to give a stacked body 10 and the small stacked bodies 10a, 10b are divided by an electrically insulating layer 11 and connected electrically in series. Then, two pairs of a gas inlet hole 12 and a cathode outlet hole 13 which are communicated with the cathode gas flowing line and the anode gas flowing line of the gas separating plates 3, 4 are formed for the cathode gas and the anode gas in the small stacked bodies 10a, 10b. In the end sides of the small stacked bodies 10a, 10b, a gas communicating plate 7 to communucate the gas inlet hole and the gas outlet hole of the small stacked bodies 10a, 10b is installed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stacked 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 separation plate in which an anode gas flow path for flowing an anode gas is formed on the anode side of the unit cell, and on the cathode side thereof. A stack type solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell is known in which a plurality of cell units, which are sandwiched by a cathode gas separation plate in which a cathode gas flow path for flowing cathode gas is formed, are stacked (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 2). -86071 gazette etc.).

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. 11 is a unit cell and a gas. 12A and 12B are plan views of the anode gas separation plate and the cathode gas separation plate, respectively.

In the figure, reference numeral 100 is a unit cell constituted by sandwiching a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 100a between an anode plate 100b and a cathode plate 100c which are porous conductors,
Reference numeral 101 denotes a conductive anode gas separation plate in which an anode gas flow channel 101a, which is a mesh-shaped groove, is formed on the anode plate 100b side of the unit cell 100, and 102 has a similar mesh shape on the cathode plate 100c side of the unit cell plate 100. Is a conductive cathode gas separation plate in which a cathode gas flow channel 102a which is a groove of is formed. It should be noted that the anode gas flow channel 101a of the anode gas separation plate 101 and the cathode gas flow channel 102a of the cathode gas separation plate 102 are formed in a generally concave shape, and the anode plate 100b and the cathode plate 100c of the unit cell 100 are dropped inside. I'm supposed to get stuck.

Reference numeral 103 is a cell unit constructed by sandwiching the unit cell 100 between an anode gas separation plate 101 and a cathode gas separation plate 101, 104 is an upper collector plate, 105 is a lower collector plate, and 106 is an upper holding plate. , 107 is a lower holding plate, 108 is a plurality of cell units 103 stacked between a pair of current collecting plates 104, 105,
Laminated body sandwiched between 06 and 107, and 109 is a 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 portion 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 indicated by
Anode gas flow path 101a of the anode gas separation plate 101
Are communicated with each other via 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), it communicates with the cathode gas flow channel 102a of the cathode gas separation plate 102 via a groove.

Next, the operation of this laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell will be described. In order to make the description easier to understand, a case where the anode gas is hydrogen and the cathode gas is air will be described. Anode gas supply hole 10
Hydrogen sent from the stack 9 into the laminated body 108 corresponds to each unit cell 1
No. 00 through the anode gas flow path 101a of the anode gas separation plate 101 on the side of the anode plate 100b, and is discharged from the anode gas discharge hole 110 to the outside of the laminated body 108. Further, the air sent into the laminated body 108 from the cathode gas supply hole 111 is the cathode plate 100c of each unit cell 100.
It is discharged from the cathode gas discharge hole 112 to the outside of the laminated body 108 through the cathode gas flow path 102a of the cathode gas separation plate 102 on the side.

In this case, the anode plate 10 of the unit cell 100
The hydrogen flowing on the 0b side becomes a part of ions, 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. And at this time, the anode plate 100b
Unit DC voltage (for example, 1
V) is generated, but a DC voltage (16 V) obtained by adding the unit DC voltage by the number of the cell units 103 (16 in this case) stacked is the upper current collecting plate 104 and the lower current collecting plate 10.
It is taken out from between 5.

Since the laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell has a feature that it can obtain a high current density, it is mainly used as a small power source.

[0010]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, 100 or more cell units 103 are laminated in order to obtain a DC voltage of 100 V or more suitable for conversion into an AC voltage. However, in such a case, since the number of cell units 103 that can be stacked in one stacked body 108 is limited, it is necessary to connect a plurality of stacked bodies 108 in series for a long time.
Further, when a plurality of laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells are connected in series, connecting pipes and valves for anode gas and cathode gas are required.

Therefore, when the laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell is used as a small power source, there is a problem that the laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell lacks compactness.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell which can be used as a compact and compact power source.

[0013]

A laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to a first aspect of the present invention is a unit cell in which a solid polymer electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between a cathode and an anode, and the cathode and the anode are alternately arranged. A plurality of unit cell plates provided in the same plane direction with the and are replaced, and a cathode gas channel and an anode gas channel are formed at positions corresponding to the cathode and the anode of each unit cell of the unit cell plate. A cell plate unit is constructed by sandwiching it with a pair of conductive gas separation plates, and a plurality of cell plate units are laminated between a pair of collector electrode plates to form a plurality of small cells corresponding to each unit cell in the unit cell plate. Forming a laminated body in which the laminated bodies are formed in parallel, and providing an electrically insulating layer in the laminating direction of the laminated body to electrically divide each small laminated body and to form a cathode in the same unit cell plate. Small product with different position from anode A pair of gas inlet holes that electrically connect the small laminated bodies in series with the bodies adjacent to each other and communicate with the cathode gas passage or the anode gas passage of the gas separation plate in the laminating direction of each small laminated body. And two gas outlet holes are formed for the cathode gas and the anode gas, and the gas outlet hole of one small laminated body and the gas of the other small laminated body are further provided on the end side in the stacking direction of the pair of adjacent small laminated bodies. That is, a gas connecting plate is provided which is connected to the inlet hole and allows the cathode gas and the anode gas to flow in a serial state between the small laminated bodies.

In the laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to the second aspect of the present invention, the unit cell in which the solid polymer electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between the cathode and the anode is replaced with the cathode and the anode alternately. A plurality of unit cell plates provided in the same plane direction, and a pair of electrically conductive gas in which a cathode gas channel and an anode gas channel are formed at positions corresponding to the cathode and anode of each unit cell of the unit cell plate. A cell plate unit is formed by sandwiching the separator plates, a plurality of cell plate units are stacked between a pair of collector electrodes, and a plurality of small stacks corresponding to each unit cell in the unit cell plate are arranged in parallel. The formed laminated body is formed, and an electric insulating layer is provided in the laminating direction of the laminated body to electrically divide each small laminated body and the positions of the cathode and the anode are different in the same single cell plate. Small stacks to each other A pair of gas inlet holes and gas outlet holes that are in contact with each other to electrically connect the small laminated bodies in series and communicate with the cathode gas passage or the anode gas passage of the gas separation plate in the laminating direction of each small laminated body. Two sets of the cathode gas and the anode gas are formed, and the gas outlet hole of one small laminated body of the pair of adjacent small laminated bodies and the gas inlet hole of the other small laminated body are connected to each other to form the cathode gas and the anode gas. That is, a gas connecting path for flowing the gas in a serial state between the small laminated bodies is provided in the collector electrode plate.

[0015]

The operation of the first invention of the present invention will be described. There are, for example, those having an anode on the upper side (cathode on the lower side) and those having a cathode on the upper side (anode on the lower side) in the unit cell of the unit cell plate. Each of the small laminated bodies formed when a plurality of cell plate units each including a pair of gas separation plates having a cathode gas flow path and an anode gas flow path corresponding to the cathode and the anode are stacked, includes, for example, the upper side. Two types can be made, one having an anode on the one side and one having a cathode on the upper side. Therefore, if the stack is electrically divided into small stacks by an electrically insulating layer and, for example, the small stack having the anode on the upper side and the small stack having the cathode on the upper side are electrically connected in series. Therefore, a voltage that is twice as high as the voltage obtained from one small laminated body will be obtained from these two small laminated bodies.

In order to electrically connect the small laminated bodies in series, the collector electrode plates provided on both end sides in the laminating direction of the small laminated bodies may be divided into required shapes by the electric insulating layers.

Further, 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. , The gas outlet hole of one small laminated body of the pair of adjacent small laminated bodies and the gas inlet hole of the other small laminated body are connected by the connecting path of the gas connecting plate, so that the anode is provided between the small laminated bodies. The gas and cathode gas can be flowed in series.

Further, the second invention of the present invention is such that the collector electrode plate is provided with a connecting path similar to that provided in the gas connecting plate of the first invention, and a special gas connecting plate is not required separately. The operation is the same as that of the first invention.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Example 1. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell showing one embodiment according to the first invention of the present invention, and FIG.
Is a side view of the fuel cell, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the unit cell and the gas separation plate, and FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are plan views of the first and second gas separation plates, respectively.

In the figure, 1 is a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 1a.
Is sandwiched between a pair of upper and lower electrode plates 1b, which are porous electric conductors serving as an anode or a cathode, and has a gas seal layer 1A composed only of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 1a in the middle portion, 2 is a unit cell plate 1 when the unit cell plate 1 is divided into two by the gas seal layer 1A in the middle part.
For convenience of explanation, one is a first cell 2A and the other is a second cell 2B. In addition,
The electrode plate 1b of the first unit cell 2A on one surface side of the unit cell plate 1 in FIG. 3 serves as an anode, and the electrode plate 1b of the second unit cell 2B.
Serves as the cathode, the electrode plate 1b of the first unit cell 2A on the back side of the unit cell plate 1 serves as the cathode, and the electrode plate 1b of the second unit cell 2B serves as the anode.

Reference numeral 3 is a conductive gas separation plate having an anode gas flow channel 3a and a cathode gas flow channel 3b, which are two mesh-shaped grooves for the unit cell 2 corresponding to one surface side of the unit cell plate 1. The first gas separation plate 4 is a conductive layer in which an anode gas flow path 4a and a cathode gas flow path 4b, which are two mesh-shaped grooves for the unit cells 2, are formed corresponding to the back surface side of the unit cell plate 1. It is a 2nd gas separation plate which is a gas separation plate of a nature. In this case, the anode gas flow paths 3a, 4a and the cathode gas flow paths 3b, 4b of the first and second gas separation plates 3, 4 are respectively formed in a concave shape as a whole, and the electrode plate 1 of the unit cell 2 is formed in the concave shape.
b is dropped. 5 is a single battery plate 1
Is a cell plate unit configured by being sandwiched between 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 unit cells 2A and 2B of the unit cell plate 1.

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

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

Reference numeral 16 is an anode gas communication hole provided at a diagonal position of the anode gas supply hole 12 of the first small laminated body 10a and penetrating the cell plate unit 5, and 17 is a second small laminated body 10.
b is an anode gas communication hole provided at a diagonal position of the anode gas discharge hole 13 penetrating the cell plate unit 5, and 18 is a cell plate unit at a diagonal position of the cathode gas supply hole 14 of the first small stacked body 10a. 5 is a cathode gas communication hole provided through 5 and 19 is 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 stacked body 10b. In addition, the anode gas supply hole 1 is provided for the first and second small laminated bodies 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
Acts as a gas outlet hole.

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

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

Next, the operation of this laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell will be described. In order to make the description easier to understand, the anode gas is hydrogen and the cathode gas is air.

Hydrogen sent from the anode gas supply hole 12 into the first small stacked body 10a through the inlet port 22 has the first gas separation plate 3 on the side of the electrode plate 1b serving as the anode of the first unit cell 2A. Is sent to the anode gas communication hole 16 through the anode gas flow path 3a. 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 plate 7, and further, the second small laminated body 10b. Second on the side
It reaches the anode gas discharge hole 13 through the anode gas flow path 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, and discharges from the stack 10 through the outlet port 23 to the outside. To be done.

That is, hydrogen, which is the anode gas, flows from the anode gas supply hole 12 to the anode gas communication hole 16 through the anode gas flow path 3a of the first gas separation plate 3, and then from the anode gas communication hole 17 to the first gas. It will flow to the anode gas discharge hole 13 via the anode gas flow path 4a of the two-gas separation plate 4, and will flow in a serial state from the 1st small laminated body 10a to the 2nd small laminated body 10b side.

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

In the above case, hydrogen flowing on the side of the electrode plate 1b serving as the anode of the unit cell 2 becomes a part of ions and passes through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 1a to reach the side of the electrode plate 1b serving as the cathode. And reacts with oxygen in the air flowing on the side of the electrode plate 1b 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 stacked body 10a and the second small stacked body 10b in which 16 cell units are stacked is 16
A DC voltage of each volt will be generated.

In this case, in the first small stacked body 10a, the upper electrode plate 1b of the first cell 2A serves as an anode and the lower electrode plate 1b serves as a cathode, so that 16 V is applied from the upper side to the lower side. As a voltage is generated, the electrode plate 1b on the upper side of the second unit cell 2B serves as the cathode and the electrode plate 1b on the lower side serves as the cathode in the second small stacked body 10b, so that a voltage of 16 volts is applied from the lower side to the upper side. A voltage will be generated. Further, since the first and second small laminated bodies 10a and 10b are electrically connected in series via the lower collector plate 7, a voltage of 16 × 2 = 32 volts is generated in the laminated body 10. Therefore, this voltage is electrically separated by the electric insulating layer 11 from the upper right portion 6a and the upper left portion 6a of the upper collector plate 6.
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 replaced with 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. The cell plate unit 5 is formed by sandwiching the cell plate unit 5 with each other, and the laminated body 10 formed by laminating a plurality of the cell plate units 5 is divided into two first and second small laminated bodies 10a and 10b by the electric insulating layer 11. Therefore, the outer shape of the laminated body 10 is almost the same as the conventional one, and
Double voltage can be taken out. Therefore, a conventional stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell is connected in series to
No need for valves or tubes for connecting anode gas or cathode gas required to obtain double voltage, and it is not necessary to connect this fuel cell in an elongated series.
The stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell can be made compact.

A cooling plate is inserted into each of the cell plate units 5 of several stages, and a cooling medium is caused to flow through a cooling portion provided for each unit cell 2 of the cooling plate to allow the first small laminated body 10a and the second small laminated body 10a. When the body 10b is cooled by this cooling plate, an inlet and an outlet communicating with the first small stacked body 10a and the second small stacked body 10b in the stacking direction are communicated only with each cooling part of the cooling plate. The first small laminated body 10 is provided with holes, respectively.
A connection flow path connecting the outlet communication hole of a and the inlet communication hole of the second small stacked body 10b may be similarly provided in the lower current collector plate 5. In this case, if there is a risk that the connecting passage for the refrigerant intersects with the connecting passage for the anode gas or the cathode gas,
The connection passage for the coolant may be provided on the back surface side of the lower current collector 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 provided with a fluorine film. A gas connecting plate made of resin may be provided. Further, in the first embodiment, the electric insulation layer 11 is made of a fluorine resin, but it is made of a fluorine-based rubber, a silicon-based rubber, a plastic or ceramic having a heat resistance up to 100 ° C., or an electrically insulating layer. You may comprise by the metal plate etc. which formed the coating film.

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, but the anode gas passage and the cathode are provided on the front and back surfaces of the gas separation plate, respectively. A gas flow path may be provided, and the cell plate 1 may be sandwiched between the gas separation plates. In this case, the cathode gas flow channel 3b needs to be formed on the back surface side corresponding to the anode gas flow channel 3a on one surface side of the gas separation plate.

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

In the figure, 30 is a pair of electrode plates 1b, 1
Cross-shaped gas seal layer 30A having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 1a between b and consisting only of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 1a
Is a unit cell plate in which four unit cells 2 (specifically, the 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 is, for example, an anode, a cathode, an anode, and a cathode in order of the first, second, third, and fourth unit cells 2C, 2D, 2E, and 2F for each unit cell 2. In operation, one surface side of the back side electrode plate 1b of the unit cell plate 30 functions as an anode to a cathode, and one surface side functions as a cathode to an anode.

Reference numeral 31 denotes each unit cell 2 on one side of the unit cell plate 30.
Anode gas channel 31a and cathode gas channel 31b, which are mesh-shaped grooves corresponding to the anode and cathode of
A first gas separation plate, which is a conductive gas separation plate in which two are formed in total of two, and 32 is a mesh-like shape corresponding to the anode and cathode of each unit cell 2 on the back surface side of the unit cell plate 30. It is a second gas separation plate which is a conductive gas separation plate in which a total of four anode gas flow paths 32a and two cathode gas flow paths 32b are formed. In this case,
Anode gas flow paths 31a of the second gas separation plates 31, 32,
32a and the cathode gas flow channels 31b and 32b are each formed in a concave shape as a whole, and the electrode plate 1 of the unit cell 2 is formed in this concave shape.
b is dropped. A cell plate unit 33 is configured by sandwiching the unit cell plate 30 between the first and second gas separation plates 31 and 32. The cell plate unit 33 includes the first, second, third and fourth cell plates 30.
It is composed of four cell units corresponding to the unit cells 2C, 2D, 2E and 2F.

Reference numeral 34 denotes a gas connecting plate made of fussa resin arranged between the lower collector plate 7 and the lower holding plate 9, and 35 denotes a cell plate unit 33 between the upper collector plate 6 and the lower collector 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 with each other, and the upper holding plate 8, the lower holding plate 9, and the gas connecting plate 34 are stacked.
The laminated body sandwiched by and 36 is an electric insulating layer inserted in the laminated body 35 in the laminating direction.
Upper collector plate 6, lower collector plate 7 and cell plate unit 3 of
3 at the position of the gas seal layer 30A are four small laminated bodies, namely, first, second, third and fourth small laminated bodies 35a, 35b, 3
It is divided into 5c and 35d.

Here, the front and rear layer portions 3 of the electric insulating layer 36
6a denotes the first and second small laminated bodies 35b, 35 of the upper collector plate 6.
Since it is not provided between c and the left and right layer portions 36b are not provided on the lower collector plate 7, the first, second, third and fourth small stacked bodies 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d will be electrically connected mutually in series by the electrically 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 33 in the vertical direction of the corner of the laminated body 35 on the side of the first small laminated body 35a. Is a cathode gas supply hole formed in the same manner as the anode gas supply hole 37 in the vertical direction of the corner of the first small stacked body 35a, and 39 is formed in the same vertical direction in the corner of the fourth small stacked body 35d. Anode gas discharge hole, 40 is the fourth
It is a cathode gas discharge hole similarly formed in the vertical direction of the corner portion of the small stacked body 35d.

Reference numeral 41 is an anode gas communication hole provided at a diagonal corner of the anode gas supply hole 37 of the first small laminated body 35a and penetrating the cell plate unit 33, and 42 and 43 are second holes.
Gas communication holes for the anode gas, which are provided at the diagonal corners of the small stacked body 35b so as to penetrate the cell plate unit 33, 44 and 45 are the cell plate units 33 at the diagonal corners of the third small stacked body 35c. A gas communication hole for anode gas provided penetrating therethrough, and 46 is an anode gas discharge hole 3 of the fourth small stacked body 35d.
9 is an anode gas communication hole provided at a diagonal corner of the cell plate 9 so as to penetrate the cell plate unit 33. Further, 47 is a similar cathode gas communication hole provided in the first small stacked body 35a,
And 49 are similar cathode gas communication holes provided in the second small laminated body 35b, and 50 and 51 are the third small laminated body 35.
Similar cathode gas communication hole provided in c, 52 is the fourth
It is a similar cathode gas communication hole provided in the small stacked body 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 anode gas flow passage 31 a communicates with each other, and the cathode gas supply hole 38 and the cathode gas communication hole 47 communicate with each other via the cathode gas flow passage 32 b of the second gas separation plate 32. Further, in the second small stacked body 35b, the two anode gas communication holes 42 and 43 are communicated with each other through the anode gas flow channel 32a of the second gas separation plate 32, and the two cathode gas communication holes 48 and 49 are the first. The third small stacked body 3 communicates with each other through the cathode gas flow path 31b of the gas separation plate 31.
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 correspond to the cathode gas of the second gas separation plate 32. It communicates via the flow path 32b.

Further, in the fourth small laminated body 35d, the anode gas discharge hole 39 and the anode gas communication hole 46 communicate with each other through the cathode gas flow passage 32a of the second gas separation plate 32, and 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 path 31b. In addition, each small laminated body 35a, 35
b, 35c, 35d, the anode gas supply hole 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, and the anode gas discharge 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 is a connection provided in the gas connection plate 34 for connecting the anode gas communication hole 41 and the anode gas communication hole 42, and 54 is provided in 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 collector plate 6 to connect the anode gas communication hole 43 and the anode gas communication hole 44, and 56 is provided on the upper collector plate 6 to connect the cathode gas communication hole 49 and the cathode gas communication hole 50. Connection channel, 57 is anode gas communication hole 4
Reference numeral 58 denotes a connection flow path provided in the gas connection plate 34 for connecting the cathode gas communication hole 51 and the cathode gas communication hole 52 to connect the anode gas communication hole 46 and the anode gas communication hole 46.

Since the upper collector plate 6 also serves as a gas connecting plate, it is made of a carbon plate, but the lower collector plate 7 does not have to serve as a gas connecting plate, and therefore needs to be a carbon plate. In this case, it is a copper plate plated with gold.

Next, the operation of this laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell will be described. In order to make the description easier to understand, the anode gas is hydrogen and the cathode gas is air.

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

Similarly, the cathode gas, air, is
After reaching the cathode gas communication hole 47 from the cathode gas supply hole 38 of the small stacked body 35a through the cathode gas flow path 32b of the second gas separation plate 32, the second gas is passed through the connection flow path 54 of the gas connection plate 34. It reaches the cathode gas communication hole 48 of the small stacked body 35b, and from there reaches the cathode gas communication hole 49 via the cathode gas flow path 32b of the first gas separation plate 31. In addition, the air that has flowed into the cathode gas communication hole 50 of the third small stacked body 35c through the connection flow path 56 of the upper current collector plate 6 is from here to the cathode gas flow path 3 of the second gas separation plate 32.
After reaching the cathode gas communication hole 51 via 2b, the fourth small stacked body 35d passes through the connection flow path 58 of the gas connection plate 34.
To the cathode gas communication hole 52, and from there to the cathode gas discharge hole 40 via the cathode gas flow path 31b 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 that serves as the anode and the electrode plate 1b that serves as the cathode of the unit cell 2, and the first 16 cell units are stacked. , A DC voltage of 16 V is generated in each of the second, third, and fourth small stacked bodies 35a, 35b, 35c, and 35d. 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 is used.
Since b serves as an anode and the lower electrode plate 1b serves as a cathode, a voltage of 16 V is generated from the upper side to the lower side, and in the second small stacked body 35b, the upper electrode plate 1b of the unit cell 2 serves as a cathode. Since the lower electrode plate 1b serves as the anode, a voltage of 16 V is generated from the lower side to the upper side.

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

As described above, also in the second embodiment,
Valves and tubes for connecting anode gas and cathode gas, which are required when a conventional laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell is connected in series to obtain four times the voltage, are completely unnecessary, and this fuel cell also It is not necessary to connect them in series in a slender shape, and the stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell can be made compact. Therefore, if a maximum of 50 cell units can be stacked in one stack from the viewpoint of compactness, the stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell in Example 2 has four times as many stacks of 200 cell units. This makes it possible to obtain a DC voltage of 100 V or more, which is suitable for conversion into an AC output, with one laminated body.

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 cell plate unit 33 at the lowermost stage. The effect that it can suppress is produced. The lower current collector plate 7 may be made of a carbon plate as in the case of the first embodiment, and the gas connection plate 34 may be omitted by forming a connection channel in the lower current collector plate 7.

In the second embodiment as well, the first embodiment
Similarly, a cooling plate can be inserted into each of the cell plate units 33 of several stages, and the first, second, third and fourth small stacked bodies 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d can be cooled by this cooling plate. At the same time, various materials can be used as the material of the electric insulating layer 36 as in the first embodiment.

Further, 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. However, the anode gas passages are formed on the front and back surfaces of the gas separation plate, respectively. Alternatively, a cathode gas flow channel may be provided, and the cell separation plate 30 may be sandwiched between the gas separation plates. Further, although the laminated body 35 is divided into four in the second embodiment, the laminated body can be divided into an arbitrary number of small laminated bodies by slightly changing the constitutions of the unit cell plate and the gas separation plate.

[0057]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of unit cells in which a solid polymer electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between a cathode and an anode are provided in the same plane direction with the cathode and the anode being alternately replaced. The unit cell plate thus prepared is sandwiched by a pair of conductive gas separation plates each having a cathode gas passage and an anode gas passage formed at positions corresponding to the cathode and the anode of each unit cell to form a cell plate unit. And a plurality of cell plate units are laminated between a pair of collector electrodes to form a laminated body in which a plurality of small laminated bodies corresponding to each unit cell in the unit cell plate are formed in a parallel state, and An electrical insulating layer is provided in the stacking direction of the stacks to electrically divide each small stack and small stacks in which the positions of the cathode and the anode in the same cell plate are different from each other are adjacent to each other. Connect the body 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 small laminated body and the gas inlet hole of the other small laminated body are connected to the end sides of the adjacent small laminated bodies in the stacking direction, and the cathode gas and the anode gas are connected between the small laminated bodies. Since a gas connecting plate that flows in a serial state is provided, it is possible to obtain a high voltage by this laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and in order to obtain a high voltage like a conventional similar fuel cell, this fuel cell Need not be mechanically connected in series. Therefore, this laminated solid 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 made to have a function as a gas connecting plate, it is possible to miniaturize the laminated solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to a conventional technique.

FIG. 10 is a side view of a stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to a conventional technique.

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 a conventional technique.

12 (a) and 12 (b) are plan views of an anode gas separation plate and a cathode gas separation plate of a stacked solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to a conventional technique, respectively.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Single Battery Plate 1a Solid Polymer Electrolyte Membrane 1b Electrode Plate (Anode or Cathode) 2 Single Battery 3 First Gas Separation Plate (Gas Separation Plate) 3a Anode Gas Flow Path 3b Cathode Gas Flow Path 4 Second Gas Separation Plate (Gas Separation plate) 4a Anode gas flow path 4b Cathode gas flow path 5 Cell plate unit 6 Upper current collection plate (collection electrode plate) 7 Lower current collection plate (collection electrode plate) 10 Laminated body 10a First small laminated body (small laminated body) ) 10b 2nd small laminated body (small laminated body) 11 electric 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 path 31b Cathode gas flow path 32 Second gas separation plate (gas separation plate) 32a Anode gas flow path 32b Cathode Gas channel 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 laminated body 36 Electric insulation 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)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. 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 being interchanged, The cell plate unit is sandwiched by 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 the anode of each of the unit cells of the unit cell plate. And a plurality of the cell plate units are laminated between a pair of collector electrodes to form a laminated body in which a plurality of small laminated bodies corresponding to the individual cells in the battery plate are formed in a parallel state, Further, an electrical insulating layer is provided in the stacking direction of the stacked body to electrically divide the small stacked bodies, and the cathode and the anode are located at different positions within the same single cell plate. Each other A pair of gas inlets that are in contact with each other and electrically connect the small stacked bodies in series, and 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 small stacked bodies. Two sets of holes and gas outlet holes are formed for the cathode gas and the anode gas, and further, the gas outlet holes of one of the small laminates and the other of the pair of adjacent small laminates are provided on the end side in the stacking direction. A laminated solid polymer electrolyte type, characterized in that a gas connecting plate is provided which is connected to the gas inlet hole of the small laminated body and flows the cathode gas and the anode gas in a serial state between the small laminated bodies. Fuel cell. 2. A unit cell plate in which a plurality of unit 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 being interchanged, The cell plate unit is sandwiched by 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 the anode of each of the unit cells of the unit cell plate. And a plurality of the cell plate units are laminated between a pair of collector electrodes to form a laminated body in which a plurality of small laminated bodies corresponding to each of the unit cells in the battery plate are formed in parallel, Further, an electrical insulating layer is provided in the stacking direction of the stacked body to electrically divide the small stacked bodies, and the cathode and the anode are located at different positions within the same single cell plate. Each other A pair of gas inlets that are in contact with each other and electrically connect the small stacked bodies in series, and 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 small stacked bodies. Two sets of holes and gas outlet holes are formed for the cathode gas and the anode gas, and further, the gas outlet hole of one small laminate of the pair of adjacent small laminates and the gas inlet of the other small laminate. A stack type solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, characterized in that a gas connection path is provided in the collector electrode plate to connect the holes to flow the cathode gas and the anode gas in a serial state between the small stacks. ..