JPS6160542B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a matrix fuel cell, and more particularly to an electrolyte replenishment device.

This type of battery is constructed by stacking a large number of unit cells and gas separation plates alternately to form a battery stack, but in order to increase the size of the battery, it is advantageous to use a vertically elongated configuration with vertical stacking. However, in the case of a vertical battery stack, when periodically replenishing the electrolyte to extend the battery life,
Since the liquid pressure of the electrolyte increases toward the bottom of the cell, liquid leakage may occur from the liquid storage grooves formed in the gas separation plate and the liquid supply path between these grooves, or this high pressure may occur in weak structural members facing the liquid storage grooves. There were problems in that some matrices were damaged, and the electrolyte penetrated to the electrode surface, causing wetting of the electrode plates and deteriorating battery performance.

In order to solve these problems, the present invention divides a battery stack consisting of a stack of unit cells and gas separation plates into several blocks using a cooling plate, and provides a liquid injection port and a liquid overflow port formed in the cooling plate. The electrolytic solution is supplied to each block from the bottom to the top, thereby reducing the pressure of the electrolytic solution at the bottom of the stack, thereby prolonging the battery life.

Examples thereof will be described below.

As the details of the battery stack 1 shown in FIG. 1 are shown in FIG. a carbon gas separation plate 7 with hydrogen supply grooves 5 and air supply grooves 6 arranged therein;
A large number of blocks are stacked vertically, and this stack is divided into several blocks 10 by carbon cooling plates 9 having cooling air holes 8. The upper and lower end plates 11, 11 of the battery stack function as reinforcing plates for tightening with the opposing pressing plate and connecting rods (none of which are shown).

A matrix 4 is arranged around one side of each gas separation plate 7.
As shown in FIG.
An electrolyte passageway 13 is formed that communicates with each other. This figure 3 shows the block 1 along the liquid storage groove 12.
0 is a vertical cross-sectional view of FIG.

The cooling plate 9 interposed between each block 10 has an air supply groove 6 on the lower surface and a hydrogen supply groove 5 on the upper surface, and also functions as a gas separation plate.

Further, on both sides of the periphery of the cooling plate 9, a liquid injection port 14 communicating with the electrolyte passage 13 of the cooling plate upper block 10 and a liquid overflow port 15 communicating with the electrolyte passage 13 of the cooling plate lower block 10 are formed, respectively. ing.

Therefore, when this cooling plate 9 is interposed between the blocks 10 and assembled into the battery stack 1, as shown in FIG. Electrolyte passage 13 leading to 15
Electrolyte is replenished into each electrolyte storage groove 12 through the process. In this way, the matrix 4 corresponding to each block 10 is impregnated with the acidic electrolyte such as phosphoric acid stored in the respective liquid storage grooves 12 of each block 10.

As described above, according to the present invention, in a battery stack in which a large number of unit cells and gas separation plates are stacked vertically and this stacked body is divided into several blocks by cooling plates having cooling air holes, each of the cooling plates The electrolyte is injected from the bottom to the top into the electrolyte passage connecting the liquid storage grooves of each block using the liquid injection port and overflow port, which prevents the liquid pressure during fluid replacement. The electrolyte is divided into smaller parts, which prevents liquid from leaking from the liquid storage grooves and the electrolyte passages that connect them, and eliminates causes of deterioration in battery performance without causing damage to the matrix or excessive wetting of the electrodes. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a slope view of the battery stack that is the object of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the main part showing a part of the same as above,
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the battery stack block according to the present invention along the liquid storage groove and electrolyte passage, FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the fluid replacement method for each block in the battery stack. 1... Battery stack, 3, 2... Positive/negative gas electrode, 4
... Electrolyte matrix, 5, 6 ... Hydrogen and air supply grooves, 7 ... Gas separation plate, 8 ... Cooling air holes, 9 ... Cooling plate, 10 ... Block, 12 ...
...Liquid storage groove, 13... Electrolyte passageway, 14... Liquid injection port, 15... Liquid overflow port.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A large number of unit cells with an electrolyte matrix interposed between positive and negative gas electrodes and gas separation plates each having positive and negative gas supply grooves arranged on both sides are stacked vertically, and this stacked body is used as a cooling plate having cooling air holes. In the matrix type fuel cell which is divided into several blocks according to ,
A matrix fuel cell characterized in that each cooling plate is provided with a liquid injection port communicating with the liquid passage of the upper block and a liquid overflow port communicating with the liquid passage of the lower block.