KR20200020519A - Fuel cell stack - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fuel cell stack, which is formed by stacking a plurality of unit sets. The unit sets of the present invention include: a membrane electrode assembly (MEA); cathode- and anode-side separators respectively disposed on cathode- and anode-sides of the MEA; and an inner separator disposed between the anode-side separator and the cathode-side separator of other adjacent unit sets. At least one of the cathode- and anode-side separators of the unit sets includes: a plurality of land units being in contact with the MEA, and having a water discharge channel at a gap from the inner separator; and a plurality of channel units being in contact with the inner separator, and having a reaction gas supply channel at a gap from the MEA. In the land units, a water inlet is formed to penetrate the land units to introduce water to the water discharge channel from the MEA by a capillary action. According to the fuel cell stack, water can be discharged to the outside of the MEA through the water inlet even in a region being in contact with the land units of the separator of the MEA.

Description

Fuel Cell Stack {FUEL CELL STACK}

The present invention relates to a fuel cell stack, and more particularly, to a fuel cell stack including a separator plate having a structure for preventing the membrane electrode assembly from becoming excessively humid.

Fuel cell system is a system that continuously produces electric energy by chemical reaction of continuously supplied fuel, and is continuously researching and developing as an alternative to solve global environmental problems.

The fuel cell system includes a phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC), a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), and a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) depending on the type of electrolyte used. ), A polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), an alkaline fuel cell (AFC) and a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), and the like. Depending on the operating temperature, output range, etc., it can be applied to various applications such as mobile power, transportation, and distributed power generation.

Among them, polymer electrolyte fuel cells have been applied to the field of hydrogen cars (hydrogen fuel cell vehicles), which are being developed to replace internal combustion engines.

Hydrogen cars are configured to produce their own electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen and to drive a motor. Therefore, the hydrogen car is a hydrogen tank (H ₂ Tank) in which hydrogen (H ₂ ) is stored, a stack (FC STACK: Fuel Cell Stack), which produces electricity through the redox reaction of hydrogen and oxygen (O ₂ ), the generated water As well as various devices for draining the battery has a structure including a battery for storing the electricity produced in the stack, a controller for converting and controlling the produced electricity, a motor for generating a driving force.

The stack is a device that refers to a fuel cell body in which several tens or hundreds of cells are stacked in series. The stack has a structure in which a plurality of cells are stacked between end plates, and the inside of each cell is partitioned by an electrolyte membrane. The anode is provided with the cathode on the other side.

Separators are disposed between each cell to limit the flow paths of hydrogen and oxygen, and the separators are made of conductors to move electrons during the redox reaction. These stacks are separated into hydrogen ions and electrons by a catalyst when hydrogen is supplied to the anode, and electrons move out of the stack through a separator to produce electricity, and hydrogen ions move through the electrolyte membrane to the cathode and then in the outside air. It combines with the supplied oxygen and electrons to form water and is discharged to the outside.

Conventionally, the water generated in the membrane electrode assembly consisting of the electrolyte membrane and the electrode catalyst layer moistens the membrane electrode assembly, and the other part is induced to be discharged into the channel through which the reaction gas (hydrogen, oxygen, etc.) flows. We tried to solve the problem of overheating.

However, the membrane electrode assembly and the separator are in contact with each other to form a channel for the reactor to flow, and water is hardly discharged to the outside of the membrane electrode assembly in the region in contact with the separator of the membrane electrode assembly. Accordingly, there is a problem in that diffusion of the reaction gas into the membrane electrode assembly is hindered and water is thawed in accordance with ambient temperature change while the membrane electrode assembly is over-humidified, resulting in damage to the membrane electrode assembly.

The present invention is to provide a fuel cell stack for a vehicle that can prevent a decrease in power generation efficiency by providing a separator structure to allow water to be discharged to the outside of the membrane electrode assembly.

A fuel cell stack of the present invention for achieving the above object is composed of a plurality of unit sets are stacked, the unit set comprises a membrane electrode assembly (MEA); A cathode side separator plate and an anode side separator plate disposed on a cathode side and an anode side of the membrane electrode assembly; And an internal separator disposed between the anode side separator and a cathode side separator of an adjacent set of other units.

At least one of the cathode side separator plate and the anode side separator plate of the unit set includes a plurality of land portions in contact with the membrane electrode assembly and providing a water discharge channel between the internal separator plate, It includes a plurality of channel portion in contact with the inner separation plate, and providing a reactor gas supply channel between the membrane electrode assembly.

In the land portion, a water inlet is formed through the land portion so that water flows from the membrane electrode assembly to the water discharge channel by capillary action.

The fuel cell stack of the present invention having the above-described configuration is provided such that water is discharged to the outside of the membrane electrode assembly through the water inlet even in a region in contact with the land portion of the separator plate of the membrane electrode assembly. Can be prevented.

In addition, by configuring the water discharged to the outside of the membrane electrode assembly by the capillary action, it is possible to improve the performance of the fuel cell stack without using a separate power.

As a result, the power generation efficiency can be improved by using the fuel cell stack according to the present invention.

1 is a view for explaining a fuel cell stack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 and 3 are enlarged views of A of FIG. 1.
4A to 7B are views for explaining the water inlet.
8 is a view for explaining a fuel cell stack according to another embodiment of the present invention.
9 is an enlarged view of a portion B of FIG. 8.
10 and 11 are diagrams for describing a fuel cell stack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail through exemplary drawings. In adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same components as much as possible, even if displayed on different drawings. In addition, in describing the embodiments of the present invention, when it is determined that the detailed description of the related well-known configuration or function interferes with the understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

<First Embodiment>

1 is a view for explaining a fuel cell stack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The fuel cell stack according to the present embodiment is constructed by stacking a plurality of unit sets. The unit set includes a membrane electrode assembly 11 (MEA), a cathode side separation plate 100a, an anode side separation plate 100b, and an internal separation plate 200.

The membrane electrode assembly 10 includes a catalyst coating film 11 in which an electrode and an electrolyte membrane are integrally bonded, and a gas diffusion layer 13 (GDL) bonded to both sides of the catalyst coating film 11.

The membrane electrode assembly 10 is a portion in which the actual electrochemical reaction occurs in the fuel cell stack and determines the performance of the fuel cell.

The membrane electrode assembly 10 may generate power through an electrochemical reaction by receiving a reaction gas (hydrogen, oxygen, etc.) through channels (air supply channel, hydrogen supply channel) to be described later.

The plurality of separation plates 100a and 100b include a cathode side separation plate 100a and an anode side separation plate 100b.

The plurality of separation plates 100a and 100b may include a plurality of land portions 110 that respectively contact one side and the other side of the membrane electrode assembly 10. The plurality of land units 110 may provide a water discharge channel 150 between the land separators 110 to be described later.

Each of the plurality of separator plates 100a and 100b may include a plurality of channel units 120 contacting the inner separator plate 200. The plurality of channel units 120 may provide the reactor body supply channels 102a and 102b between the membrane electrode assemblies 10.

The plurality of land parts 110 and the plurality of channel parts 120 may be connected by the plurality of connection parts 130.

The land part 110 may be formed while the water inlet 111 penetrates the land part 110 so that water is introduced into the water discharge channel 150 from the membrane electrode assembly 11 by a capillary action. The water inlet 111 will be described in detail below.

Referring to FIG. 1, the inner separators 200 may include a cathode side inner separator 200a and an anode side inner separator 200b.

The anode side separator 200b may be in contact with the anode side separator 100b. The cathode side inner separator 200a may be in contact with the anode side inner separator 200b and the other side thereof may be in contact with the cathode side separator 100a of another unit set adjacent thereto.

The internal separators 200 may provide the coolant channel 202 by combining the cathode side internal separator 200a and the anode side internal separator 200b.

The anode side inner separator plate 200b may provide a water discharge channel 150 between the anode side separator plate 200b.

The fuel cell stack generates power by electrochemical reactions, and together with water. Some of the resulting water moisturizes the membrane electrode assembly and another portion is discharged from the membrane electrode assembly to the channel through which the reactant is fed. Water discharged into the channel through which the reactor gas is supplied flows along the channel and is discharged out of the fuel cell stack.

At this time, in the portion located in the channel of the separator plate of the membrane electrode assembly, the water of the membrane electrode assembly can be easily discharged to the channel through which the reactant flows, but outside the channel of the separator plate (the portion where the separator plate and the membrane electrode assembly are in contact with each other). ), The water of the membrane electrode assembly is difficult to discharge into the channel. As a result, the membrane electrode assembly (or the gas diffusion layer) becomes over humid in the region in contact with the land portion of the separator plate of the membrane electrode assembly, thereby preventing the diffusion of gas and degrading the performance of the membrane electrode assembly. There was a problem. In addition, there has been a problem that excessive moisture in the membrane electrode assembly is repeated freezing and thawing and damage to the gas diffusion layer.

The fuel cell stack according to the present embodiment is to solve the above problems. More specifically, the fuel cell stack according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a water inlet that penetrates the land portion of the separator plate so that water is discharged from one region of the membrane electrode assembly in contact with the separator plate to the outside of the membrane electrode assembly. And, there is a basic feature to provide a water discharge channel through which the discharged water flows separately from the channel through which the reaction gas flows. Through this, water is discharged from the membrane electrode assembly to the water discharge channel by the capillary action, and the membrane electrode assembly can be prevented from being over-moistened.

Features of the fuel cell stack according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail below.

Referring to FIG. 1, the separators 100a and 100b may be curved in a plurality of times alternately in a first direction and a second direction.

The separators 100a and 100b may include a plurality of land parts 110 in contact with the membrane electrode assembly 10. The land part 110 may extend from one side of the separation plates 100a and 100b to the other side. Here, the direction from one side to the other side means the front-rear direction when FIG. 1 is viewed from the front of the fuel cell stack.

The separation plates 100a and 100b may include a plurality of channel parts 120 in contact with the internal separation plate 200. The channel unit 120 may extend from one side to the other side, which is a direction in which the land unit 110 extends. That is, the channel unit 120 may extend in the front-rear direction when FIG. 1 is viewed from the front of the fuel cell stack.

The water inlet 111 may be formed in the land part 110 in a direction in which the land part 110 extends. The water inlet 111 may be formed of a plurality of water inlet holes. Alternatively, the water inlet 111 may be formed of a water inlet slot.

2 and 3 are enlarged views of A of FIG. 1, illustrating different embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 2, the water inlet 111 may be formed on one imaginary line extending in the direction in which the land portion 110 extends.

Water W located in an area adjacent to the land portion 110 of the gas diffusion layer 13 may be introduced into the water discharge channel 150 through the water inlet 111. At this time, the water can be easily introduced into the water discharge channel by the capillary phenomenon without the pressure difference between one end and the other end of the water inlet.

The water discharge channel 150 may be provided therebetween by combining the anode-side inner separation plate 200b and the anode-side separation plate 100b.

The anode side inner separator 200b may include an inner separator plate flexure 210 that protrudes toward the land portion 110 of the anode side separator 100b. The anode side inner separator 200b may include an inner separator land portion 220 in contact with the channel portion 120 of the anode side separator 100b.

The inner separation plate bent part 210 may include an inner separation plate bottom surface 213 that provides a water discharge channel 150 between the land portion 110. The inner separator bottom surface part 213 may be positioned to be spaced apart from the land part 110 by a predetermined distance.

The inner separator plate flexure 210 may include an inner separator side portion 214 in contact with the connector 130. The inner separator side part 214 may be provided in a shape corresponding to the connection part 130 to be in contact with the connection part 130. That is, the inner separation plate side portion 214 is formed at the portion where the connection portion 130 is formed flat, the inner separation plate side portion 214 is also formed flat, the inner separation plate side portion ( 214 may also be formed to be bent.

The inner separator plate bent part 210 may have a shape such that the inner separator bottom surface 213 is positioned at the lower end of the connector 130.

The inner separator land part 220 may be provided in a shape corresponding to the shape of the channel part 120 to be in contact with the channel part 120. That is, the curvature of the surface in contact with the channel portion 120 of the inner separator land portion 220 is in contact with the inner separator land portion 220 of the channel portion 120. It may be provided to be equal to the curvature of the surface.

The anode-side inner separation plate 200b forms a water discharge channel 150 between the anode-side separation plate 100b, but in order to widen the contact area with the anode-side separation plate 100b, the anode side separation. The inner separation plate bent portion 210 may be inserted into a position close to the land portion 110 of the plate 100b.

The inner separator 200 may be formed to contact the anode side separator 100b except for the bottom portion 213 of the inner separator plate spaced apart from the land 110 to form the water discharge channel 150. Can be.

Through this, the contact area between the anode-side inner separator 200b and the anode-side separator 100b can be widened to effectively cool the anode-side separator 100b by the coolant flowing along the coolant channel.

Referring to FIG. 3, the water inlet 111 may be formed on a plurality of imaginary lines extending in the direction in which the land portion 110 extends. Through this, inflow of water from the membrane electrode assembly 10 to the water discharge channel 150 may be easier.

FIG. 4A and FIG. 7B are views for explaining the water inlet, and are views illustrating a view of a surface of the land portion 110 that is in contact with the membrane electrode assembly 10.

Hereinafter, the water inlet will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A to 7B.

The water inlet may have various shapes and arrangements, and various shapes and arrangements may be selectively used depending on the operating environment of the fuel cell stack. Alternatively, the water inlet may be configured to have various shapes or arrangements suitably based on the physical properties of the membrane electrode assembly, the flow rate of the reaction gas flowing into the membrane electrode assembly, and the like.

Referring to FIG. 4A, the water inlet 111 may include a plurality of water inlet holes arranged on an imaginary line extending in the direction in which the land part 110 extends. The plurality of water inlet holes may be arranged at regular intervals from each other.

Referring to FIG. 4B, the water inlet 111 may include a plurality of water inlet holes arranged on imaginary lines extending parallel to each other.

Referring to FIG. 4C, the water inlet 111 may include a plurality of water inlet holes arranged on a zigzag line alternately bent in a first direction and a second direction. Through this, water may be introduced into the water discharge channel 150 from a wider area of the membrane electrode assembly.

Referring to FIG. 4D, the water inlet 111 may include a plurality of water inlet holes arranged on a pair of zigzag lines parallel to each other.

Referring to FIG. 4E, the water inlet 111 may include a plurality of water inlet holes arranged on a curved line that is alternately curved in the first direction and the second direction.

Referring to FIG. 4F, the water inlet 111 may include a plurality of water inlet holes arranged on a pair of curves parallel to each other.

Referring to FIG. 5A, the water inlet 111 may include a water inlet slot extending in a direction in which the land part 110 extends. The water inflow slot may be formed to have a length that is shorter than the length where the land portion 110 extends. That is, in FIG. 5A, the length of the water inlet 111 extending in the vertical direction may be shorter than the length of the land portion 110 extending in the vertical direction. This is to prevent the land portion 110 from being divided into two parts by the water inlet 111.

Referring to FIG. 5B, the water inlet 111 may include a pair of water inlet slots extending side by side in the direction in which the land portion 110 extends.

Referring to FIG. 5C, the water inlet 111 may be formed of a zigzag water inlet slot that is alternately bent in the first direction and the second direction. Referring to FIG. 5D, the water inlets 111 are parallel to each other. It may consist of a pair of zigzag water inlet slots.

Referring to FIG. 5E, the water inlet 111 may be formed of a water inlet slot that is alternately curved in a first direction and a second direction.

Referring to FIG. 5F, the water inlet 111 may include a water inlet slot forming a pair of curves parallel to each other.

On the other hand, the water inlet 111 is a discharge port through which hydrogen is discharged from the hydrogen supply channel 102b, rather than a position closer to the inlet port where hydrogen is introduced into the hydrogen supply channel 102b (a position closer to the INLET of FIGS. 6A to 7B). At a close position (close to the OUTLET in FIGS. 6A to 7B), the water may be configured to facilitate the inflow of water from the membrane electrode assembly 10 to the water discharge channel 150.

Referring to FIG. 6A, the water inlet 111 may include a plurality of water inlet holes arranged on an imaginary line extending in a direction in which the land part 110 extends. The plurality of water inlet holes may be arranged at regular intervals from each other.

The second water inlet at a position closer to the discharge port OUTLET from which hydrogen is discharged from the hydrogen supply channel 102b than the first water inlet 1111 at the position close to the inlet INLET where hydrogen is introduced into the hydrogen supply channel 102b. The hole of 1113 may be larger in size.

That is, the water inlet 111 is located at a position closer to the reactor outlet (see the second water inlet, 1113) than at a position closer to the reactor inlet (see the first water inlet, 1111). A larger cross-sectional area perpendicular to the inflow direction can be formed.

Meanwhile, the water inlet 111 formed as shown in FIG. 6A may extend in a direction in which the land portion 110 extends in parallel with each other. That is, a pair of water inlets 111 as shown in FIG. 6A may extend from INLET to OUTLET in parallel with each other.

Referring to FIG. 6B, the water inlet 111 may include a water inlet slot extending in a direction in which the land part 110 extends.

The water inlet 111 has hydrogen from the first water inlet 1111 (or the front of the water inlet) and the hydrogen supply channel 102b positioned close to the inlet INLET through which hydrogen is introduced into the hydrogen supply channel 102b. The second water inlet 1111 (or the rear end of the water inlet) may be positioned to be close to the discharge outlet OUTLET.

At this time, the water inlet rear end 1113 has a wider width of the water inlet slit than the water inlet front end 1111, so that water is more easily introduced from the water inlet rear end 1113 to the water discharge channel 150. Can be.

Meanwhile, the water inlet 111 formed as shown in FIG. 6B may extend in a direction in which the land portion 110 extends in parallel with each other. That is, a pair of water inlets 111 as shown in FIG. 6B may extend from INLET to OUTLET in parallel with each other.

Referring to FIG. 7A, the water inlet 111 may include a first water inlet 1111 formed on a first virtual line extending in a direction in which the land portion 110 extends. The first water inlet 1111 may include a plurality of water inlet holes.

The water inlet 111 may include a second water inlet 1113 formed on a plurality of second virtual lines extending further in a direction in which the land portion 110 extends from one end of the first water inlet 1111. Can be. The second water inlet 1113 may include a plurality of water inlets.

Referring to FIG. 7B, the water inlet 111 may include a first water inlet 1111 extending in the direction in which the land portion 110 extends. The first water inlet 1111 may be formed of a water inlet slot.

The water inlet 111 may include a plurality of second water inlets 1113 which branch from one end of the first water inlet 1111 and further extend in a direction in which the land part 110 extends. The second water inlet 1113 may be formed of a water inlet slot.

In general, the membrane electrode assembly has a greater amount of water generated downstream than the upstream side, based on the direction of the movement of the reactor within the reactor feed channel. Therefore, there is a high possibility that the membrane electrode assembly is excessively moistened at the downstream side, ie, at a position closer to the outlet of the reactor than the reactor inlet, based on the moving direction of the reactor.

The fuel cell stack configured as described above may effectively discharge water into the water discharge channel in a region where a lot of water is generated inside the membrane electrode assembly (downstream region based on the moving direction of the reaction gas).

Meanwhile, the fuel cell stack may be configured such that a part of hydrogen flows into the hydrogen supply channel 102b and the other part flows into the water discharge channel 150. As a result, the water introduced into the water discharge channel 150 flows along the water discharge channel 150 by the flow of hydrogen, and further facilitates the inflow of water from the membrane electrode assembly 10 to the water discharge channel 150. Can be.

Second Embodiment

8 is a view for explaining a fuel cell stack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, a fuel cell stack according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 8, the cathode side separator 300a may be configured as a porous separator in which a plurality of passage holes are formed in the flow passage surface to induce turbulent flow of the reaction gas.

The cathode side separator 300a may include a plurality of land portions 310 contacting the membrane electrode assembly 10 and a plurality of channel portions 320 contacting the inner separator.

The reactor feed channel through which the reactor gas flowing through the porous separator flows may be provided by combining the membrane electrode assembly 10 and the internal separator 400.

The anode side separator 300b is bent to the one side and the other side a plurality of times, and includes a plurality of land portions 310 in contact with the membrane electrode assembly 10 and a plurality of channel portions 320 in contact with the internal separator 400. ) May be provided.

An internal separator 400 may be disposed between the cathode side separator 300a and the anode side separator 300b.

Water inlets 311 may be formed in the plurality of land parts 310 of the anode side separation plate 300b. Regarding the water inlet 311, the description of the water inlet 311 of the fuel cell stack according to the first embodiment may be applied as it is.

Referring to FIG. 8, the direction in which the land portion 310 of the cathode side separation plate 300a extends and the direction in which the land portion 310 of the anode side separation plate 300b extends may be perpendicular to each other. That is, when a direction looking toward FIG. 8 based on FIG. 8 is referred to as a front direction, the land portion of the cathode side separating plate 300a extends in the front-back direction, and the land portion 310 of the anode side separating plate 300b Extending in the left and right direction, the direction in which the land portion 310 of the cathode side separation plate 300a extends and the direction in which the land portion 310 of the anode side separation plate 300b extends may be perpendicular to each other.

This is to allow the reaction gases to flow in parallel with each other on the cathode side and the anode side of the membrane electrode assembly 10. A hydrogen supply channel is formed in the anode side separation plate 300b in parallel with the direction in which the land portion 310 and the channel portion 320 extend, but the cathode side separation plate 300a passes through a plurality of flow paths and is connected to the land portion. This is because the air supply channel 302a is formed in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the 310 and the channel part 320 extend.

9 is an enlarged view of a portion B of FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 9, a flow path hole 330h may be formed through the connection part 330 in the connection part 330 of the cathode side separation plate 300a. Referring to FIG. 9, the flow path holes 330h may be formed to cross each other at adjacent connection parts 330 to induce turbulence in the flow of fluid flowing along the air supply channel 302a.

The inner separator 400 may have a shape including an inner separator bent portion 410 protruding toward the land portion 310 of the cathode side separator 300a. The internal separator plate 410 may protrude a predetermined length into the hydrogen supply channel 302b of the cathode side separator 300a to induce a flow of gas toward the gas diffusion layer 13.

More specifically, the internal separation plate 400 protrudes to the inside of the flow path hole 330h of the cathode separation plate 300a of the internal separation plate bent portion 410, and flows in the fluid flowing along the air supply channel 302a. May cause resistance. The inner separation plate bent portion 410 protrudes to the inside of the flow path hole 330h of the cathode-side separation plate 300a, and the inner separation plate 400 may be disposed at one end closer to the membrane electrode assembly 10 of the flow path hole 330h. It may be a shape that protrudes only to a position close to the other end of the near side.

That is, the protruding end of the inner separator bend 410 may be formed at the other end of the flow path 330h (the end adjacent to the membrane electrode assembly) than the distance d1 of the one end (the end adjacent to the separation plate) of the flow path 330h. It may have a shape protruding toward the land portion 310 of the cathode-side separation plate 300a so that the distance (d2) of the longer.

Through this, air flowing along the air supply channel 302a is directed toward the membrane electrode assembly 10, thereby improving the gas diffusion effect into the gas diffusion layer 13. In addition, gas diffusion into the gas diffusion layer 13 can be appropriately induced without excessively inhibiting the air flow in the air supply channel 302a.

Third Embodiment

10 and 11 illustrate a fuel cell stack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a view of the fuel cell stack from the right side, and FIG. 10 is a view of the internal separators 400a and 400b from the front, and FIG. 11 is a view of the internal separators 400a and 400b from the right side as in FIG. 8. )

Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, a fuel cell stack according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described based on different parts from the case according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

The fuel cell stack according to the third embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that it has two internal separators 400a and 400b.

As described in the second embodiment, the cathode side separator 300a composed of the porous separator may cross the direction in which the anode side separator 300b and the land portion 310 and the channel portion 320 extend. Can be.

Therefore, in the third embodiment, two internal separation plates 400a and 400b are provided to correspond to the shapes of the cathode side separation plate 400a and the anode side separation plate 400b.

The two inner separators 400a and 400b may be disposed at positions of the separator 400 of FIGS. 8 to 10.

The cathode-side inner separating plate 400a may be bent in a plurality of turns to one side and the other side, and a portion protruding toward the land portion 310 of the cathode-side separating plate 300a may be inserted. As a result, the cathode-side internal separator 400a may improve gas diffusion into the gas diffusion layer 13 as described with reference to FIG. 11.

The anode-side inner separating plate 400b is curved in a plurality of turns to one side and the other side, and a portion protruding toward the land portion 310 of the anode-side separating plate 300b may be inserted. As a result, as described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the anode-side inner separator 400b may increase the contact area with the anode-side separator 300b to improve the cooling effect of the separator.

The anode side separator 300b and the anode side inner separator 400b may be provided with a water discharge channel therebetween by coupling.

In addition, a coolant channel 402 through which coolant flows may be provided between the two inner separators 400a and 400b.

Although the present invention has been described above by means of limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is described by the person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Various implementations are possible within the scope of equivalent claims.

10: membrane electrode assembly
11: catalyst coating film
13: gas diffusion layer
100a, 300a: cathode side separator
100b, 300b: anode side separator
102a, 302a: air supply channel
102b, 302b: hydrogen supply channel
110, 310: Land part
111, 311: water inlet
120, 320: channel section
130, 330: connection
150: water discharge channel
200, 400: internal separator
200a, 400a: Cathode Side Separator
200b, 400b: anode side internal separator
202: coolant channel
210, 410: bent portion of the inner separator plate
213: bottom of the inner separator plate
214: side of the inner separator plate
220: land separator inner portion
330h: Eurohole

Claims (17)

In a fuel cell stack provided with a plurality of unit sets are stacked in a predetermined stacking direction,
The unit set,
Membrane electrode assembly (MEA);
First and second separator plates respectively disposed on both sides of the membrane electrode assembly in the stacking direction; And
An inner separator disposed between the first separator and another set of adjacent units;
The first separation plate of the unit set,
A plurality of land portions in contact with the membrane electrode assembly and providing a water discharge channel between the membrane and the inner separator;
A plurality of channel portions in contact with the inner separation plate and providing a reactor gas supply channel between the land portion and the membrane electrode assembly;
And a water inlet formed through the land portion such that water flows from the membrane electrode assembly to the water discharge channel by capillary action. The method according to claim 1,
Each of the land portion and each of the channel portion, extending from one side of the separation plate to the other side,
And the water inlet is formed in a direction in which the land portion extends. The method according to claim 2,
The water inlet comprises a plurality of water inlet holes arranged in a direction in which the land portion extends. The method according to claim 2,
The water inlet includes a water inlet slot extending in a direction in which the land portion extends. The method according to claim 2,
The water inlet,
It is configured to facilitate the inflow of water from the membrane electrode assembly at a position closer to the reactor outlet outlet through which the reactor is discharged from the reactor supply channel than at a position closer to the reactor inlet where the reactor is introduced into the reactor supply channel. , Fuel cell stack. The method according to claim 5,
The water inlet,
And a cross-sectional area of a cross section perpendicular to a direction in which water flows through the water inlet is formed at a position closer to the reactor body outlet than a position closer to the reactor body inlet. The method according to claim 2,
The water inlet is formed on one or more imaginary lines extending in the direction in which the land portion extends, the fuel cell stack. The method according to claim 7,
The water inlet,
And a first virtual line extending in a direction in which the land portion extends, and a plurality of second virtual lines extending further in a direction in which the land portion extends from one end of the first virtual line. The method according to claim 7,
The one or more imaginary lines,
A zigzag line that is alternately switched in a first direction crossing the reference line from one side to the other side and a second direction crossing the reference line from the other side to the other side based on the reference line extending in parallel with the direction in which the land portion extends. Fuel cell stack. The method according to claim 7,
The one or more imaginary lines,
A fuel cell stack extending in a direction in which the land portion extends, and curved in a convex shape alternately on one side and the other side. The method according to claim 1,
And the water inlet is formed such that the cross-sectional area of one end opening toward the membrane electrode assembly is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the other end opening toward the water discharge channel. The method according to claim 11,
The water inlet is a fuel cell stack, which is formed as a whole polygonal horn-shaped hole. The method according to claim 1,
A portion of the reactor gas flows into the reactor feed channel and another portion flows into the water discharge channel. The method according to claim 1,
The inner separator,
A first inner separator in contact with the first separator, and a second inner separator in contact with the second separator of another unit set on one side thereof in contact with the first inner separator, and the other side adjacent thereto,
At least one of the first inner separator and the second inner separator includes a bent portion protruding toward a land portion of an adjacent separator plate,
And a coolant channel provided between the first inner separator and the second inner separator. The method according to claim 14,
Each of the land portion and the channel portion is connected by a plurality of connecting portions,
The bent portion of the inner separation plate, spaced apart from the land portion, the fuel cell stack, the shape is inserted into the lower end of the connecting portion connected to both sides of the land portion. The method according to claim 1,
The second separator of the unit set,
In order to induce a turbulent flow of the reaction gas is provided with a porous separation plate is formed with a plurality of passage holes in the flow path surface,
A plurality of land portions in contact with the membrane electrode assembly, and a plurality of channel portions in contact with the internal separator,
A reactor gas supply channel is provided between the membrane electrode assembly and the inner separator plate.
The inner separator has a shape including a bent portion protruding toward the land portion of the porous separator, fuel cell stack. The method according to claim 16,
The inner separator,
A first inner separator in contact with the first separator, and a second inner separator in contact with the second separator of another unit set on one side thereof in contact with the first inner separator, and the other side adjacent thereto,
At least one of the first inner separator and the second inner separator includes a bent portion protruding toward a land portion of an adjacent separator plate,
And a coolant channel provided between the first inner separator and the second inner separator.

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