JPH0547407A - Fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep a fuel cell stable even if the fuel cell is mounted on a moving body by arranging stacks into a plurality of groups separately. CONSTITUTION:Two stacks 1, 1 are supported by one common integrated lower end plate 3 and upper end plates 4, 4 are set to touch their upper parts separately. Further, they are fastened and fixed by bolts 7 which penetrate four corners while a pressing frame 6 and a spring 8 are set in the outside of the plates 4. The center of gravity of the fuel cell becomes low in all by arranging the stacks separately in this way and even if the fuel cell is mounted on a moving body, it can be supported stably against the vibration and swinging.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fuel cell which can be stably supported even when mounted on a moving body or the like which generates vibrations or swings.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a fuel cell is composed of a stack in which a large number of unit cells are stacked in multiple stages. When trying to obtain a high power generation voltage from a fuel cell having such a configuration, the number of stack stages may be increased, but as the number of stack stages increases, the stack height in the vertical direction increases, so the center of gravity moves upward, Moreover, the rigidity against bending load is also reduced. Therefore, when this fuel cell is installed in a vehicle, etc., the support tends to become unstable due to vibration and swinging, and an unbalanced load is applied to the boundary between unit cells due to bending load, and the sealing performance between unit cells deteriorates. It causes problems such as easier operation.

Such instability of support of the fuel cell and deterioration of sealing performance can be dealt with by increasing the number of reinforcing members and fixing members. However, increasing the number of these reinforcing members and fixing members causes an increase in weight and expands the installation space, so that it is unavoidable that they are extremely disadvantageous especially when mounted on a moving body such as a vehicle.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell which stabilizes the support and secures the sealing property even when it is mounted on a moving body which is subject to a lot of vibration and swing.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve the above object, the present invention is a fuel cell constructed by sandwiching both ends of a stack in which unit cells are stacked in multiple stages by end plates and separating the stack into a plurality of stacks. It is characterized in that they are arranged side by side and that one of the end plates at both ends has a common integral structure for the plurality of stacks.

By separating the stack into a plurality of stacks in this manner, the height of each stack can be reduced with respect to the desired power generation voltage, and the center of gravity of the stack can be lowered thereby, so that stable support is possible. In addition, since the rigidity against bending load is improved, the unbalanced load is reduced and the sealing performance is ensured. Also, since one end plate has a common integral structure for a plurality of stacks arranged in parallel,
It is possible to reliably and stably support the plurality of stacks.

The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numerals 1 and 1 denote stacks provided separately in left and right parallel, and each stack 1 is configured by stacking a large number of unit cells 2 in multiple stages. The structure of the unit cell 2 is the same as the known one, and is constituted by interposing a matrix layer impregnated with an electrolytic solution between an anode plate and a cathode plate.

The two stacks 1, 1 are supported by a common lower end plate 3 on the lower side, and upper end plates 4, 4 are individually abutted on the upper side. Further, a holding frame 5 is provided outside the lower end plate 3, and a holding frame 6 and a spring 8 are provided outside the upper end plate 4 so that the holding frame 5 is fastened and fixed by four bolts 7 that penetrate the four corners.

Inside the four sides of each stack 1, inner gaskets 13a, 13b; 14a, 14b are formed by stacking a gasket surrounding each unit cell and holes provided around the separator sandwiching each unit cell. It is provided so as to penetrate vertically. To these inner manifolds, fuel gas (hydrogen or the like) is distributed toward the inner manifolds 13a to 13b, and air is distributed to the inner manifolds 14a to 14b into each of the multi-stage single cells 2 to supply both gases. Water and electric energy are generated by reacting in the matrix layer in each unit cell 2.

Since the fuel gas (hydrogen) and the air are supplied to the two stacks 1, 1 on the left and right under the same conditions as described above, the hydrogen gas is supplied to the lower part as shown in FIGS. From the supply hole 3a provided at the center of the bottom surface of the end plate 3, the branch passage 3
It is separated by b and 3b and supplied to the inner manifolds 13a and 13a of the left and right stacks 1 and 1, respectively. The fresh hydrogen supplied to each inner manifold 13a is distributed to each unit cell 2 while ascending in the manifold, reacts with air in the unit cell, and the residual hydrogen is left on the opposite side of the inner manifold 13b. Is discharged to.
The hydrogen discharged to the inner manifold 13b descends there, and is collected in a converging hole 3c provided in the lower end plate 3, then passes through a converging passage 3d, an exhaust hole 3e provided in the center, and a converging passage 3d on the opposite side. It is discharged together with the hydrogen that comes.

On the other hand, the air is supplied from a supply unit 15 provided on the side surface of the lower end plate 3. The fresh air supplied to the central supply hole 15a of the supply unit 15 is separated into left and right parts, and the inner manifolds 14 of the left and right stacks 1 and 1 are separated.
a, 14a, and is distributed to each unit cell 2 while rising in the manifold. The remaining air after reacting with hydrogen in the unit cell is the inner manifold 1 on the opposite side.
4b, descends there, and is discharged to the exhaust unit 16 provided on the side surface of the lower end plate 3. In the exhaust part 16, the air is exhausted from the central exhaust hole 16a together with the air exhausted from the stack on the opposite side.

Since the guide passages for hydrogen and air are provided in the lower end plate 3 as described above, the apparatus can be made compact as compared with the case where these passages are assembled by separate pipes. Further, since the number of connecting points of the pipe is reduced, it is possible to prevent gas leakage due to loosening due to vibration. Moreover, the number of parts can be reduced as a whole, and the number of assembling steps can be reduced.

Pins 9 and bolts 10 are provided at positions facing each other on upper end plates 4 and 4 which are independently provided on the upper sides of the left and right stacks 1 and 1, respectively.
The connecting rod 11 is engaged with the bolt 10 and the bolt 10 to connect them. The connecting rod 11 prevents the two stacks 1 and 1 from colliding with each other due to falling. Also,
In each stack 1, plate-like heaters 12 are inserted at both end faces and an intermediate position at intervals of a plurality of unit cells 2. By inserting these plate-shaped heaters 12, the fuel cell can shorten the temperature rise time in the initial stage of operation. Moreover, it is possible to stabilize the power generation performance for a long period of time.

In the above-mentioned fuel cell, the stack 1 is divided into two pieces and arranged in parallel in order to obtain a desired power generation voltage. Can be reduced to 1/2. Therefore, the center of gravity of each stack can be lowered as a whole, and the stack can be stably supported even when mounted on a moving body such as a vehicle that generates vibration or swing. Further, since the stack per unit is low, the rigidity against bending load is increased, and the unbalanced load acting on the boundary surface between the unit cells due to bending is reduced, so that the sealing performance is not impaired. Furthermore, since the lower end plate 3 has an integrated structure common to the two stacks 1, 1, the two stacks 1, 1 can be stably supported together.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the stack is separated into two pieces has been illustrated, but the stack may be separated into three or more pieces if necessary. Further, in the structure in which the end plate is integrated with the plurality of stacks, the upper end plate may be integrated with the lower end plate.

[0016]

As described above, in the fuel cell of the present invention, the stack is divided into a plurality of stacks so that the center of gravity is lowered, and even if the stack is mounted on a moving body, it is resistant to vibration and rocking. Can be stably supported. Further, since the height of each stack becomes low, the rigidity against bending becomes high, and the eccentric load acting on the boundary surface between the unit cells due to bending deformation can be made small, and the deterioration of the sealing performance can be prevented. ..
Further, since the end plate has a common integral structure for a plurality of stacks, the plurality of stacks can be stably supported together.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a plan view of the fuel cell of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a lower end plate used in the fuel cell.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Stack 2 Single cell 3
Lower end plate 4 Upper end plate

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fuel cell in which a stack in which unit cells are stacked in multiple stages is sandwiched between end plates by end plates, and the stack is divided into a plurality of stacks, and one of the end plates at both ends is arranged. A fuel cell having a common integrated structure for the plurality of stacks.