WO2020056580A1 - 流体引导流路及具备该流体引导流路的燃料电池 - Google Patents

流体引导流路及具备该流体引导流路的燃料电池 Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2020056580A1
WO2020056580A1 PCT/CN2018/106139 CN2018106139W WO2020056580A1 WO 2020056580 A1 WO2020056580 A1 WO 2020056580A1 CN 2018106139 W CN2018106139 W CN 2018106139W WO 2020056580 A1 WO2020056580 A1 WO 2020056580A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
flow path
fuel cell
ribs
rib
reaction
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/CN2018/106139
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
程建华
Original Assignee
上海旭济动力科技有限公司
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by 上海旭济动力科技有限公司 filed Critical 上海旭济动力科技有限公司
Priority to CN201880097789.3A priority Critical patent/CN112771700B/zh
Priority to PCT/CN2018/106139 priority patent/WO2020056580A1/zh
Publication of WO2020056580A1 publication Critical patent/WO2020056580A1/zh

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/10—Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a fuel cell configured by stacking a fuel cell unit into a plurality of stacked layers.
  • the fuel cell unit uses an anode-side separator and a cathode-side separator for an electrolyte membrane, an anode-side catalyst layer, a cathode-side catalyst layer, and an anode
  • the side gas spreading layer and the cathode side gas diffusion layer are sandwiched.
  • the present invention particularly relates to a fuel cell having a fluid guide flow path provided at a position intermediate between each separator and each gas diffusion layer.
  • the fuel cell can generate electricity and heat at the same time by electrochemically reacting a fuel gas containing hydrogen with an oxidizing gas containing oxygen such as air.
  • a polymer electrolyte fuel cell Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell, PEFC
  • PEFC Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell
  • a solid polymer fuel cell includes an electrolyte membrane-electrode assembly (CCM, MEA), which is one of the electrolyte membranes formed of a polymer ion-exchange membrane.
  • An anode electrode is arranged on one surface side, and a cathode electrode is arranged on the other surface side.
  • the MEA constitutes a power generation unit by being sandwiched by a partition.
  • a fuel cell is usually built by stacking a predetermined number of power generation units, and then assembled into a fuel cell electric vehicle, for example, as a fuel cell stack for a vehicle. In a fuel cell, tens to hundreds of power generation units are usually stacked, and then used, for example, as a fuel cell stack for a vehicle.
  • a flow path of a fuel gas is provided in the plane of one separator toward the anode electrode.
  • a flow path of an oxidizing gas is provided in the plane of the other separator toward the cathode electrode.
  • Patent Document 1 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-64483
  • Patent Document 2 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2018-55790
  • Patent Documents 1 and 2 show closed comb-type gas flow paths formed in a separator.
  • the entire comb gas flow path is made of a gas-impermeable material such as dense carbon or a stamped metal plate.
  • the pressure difference between the supply flow path and the discharge flow path since the pressure difference in the midstream section is significantly lower than that in the upstream and downstream ends, it is desired to improve the midstream only in the countermeasures of changing the shape and width of the flow path There are limits to attempts at low pressure differences.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path including a rib portion and a channel portion, which has a porous rib portion for reacting a fluid containing unreacted fluid, a fluid used for reaction, and water vapor.
  • the fluid is permeable, thereby homogenizing the fluid response.
  • the channel width can be fixedly, stepwise, or continuously changed by changing the interval between the ribs, and the cross-sectional shape and size of the ribs can be freely changed. Therefore, it is possible to easily cope with the specification change.
  • the above object can be achieved by providing a fuel cell unit having a high power generation efficiency with a semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path, which can freely design a fluid-guided flow path without being restricted by conventional manufacturing processes, and can easily Equalization of fluid reaction in the entire electrode, discharge of generated water in the channel, and discharge of retained water in the gap of the gas diffusion layer are achieved.
  • An aspect of the present invention provides a fuel cell unit including an opposing first separator, a second separator, and a membrane electrode assembly laminated between the first and second separators, the membrane electrode assembly
  • the battery cell includes a catalyst coating film and a first gas diffusion layer and a second gas diffusion layer respectively provided on a first side and a second side of the catalyst coating film.
  • the battery cell further includes a first separator provided on the first separator.
  • a fluid-guided flow path between the first gas diffusion layer and / or the second separator and the second gas diffusion layer for providing a reaction fluid for an electrochemical reaction wherein the fluid guide
  • the flow path has a rib portion for controlling the flow of the reaction fluid, and the rib portion separates a plurality of first channel portions communicating with the reaction fluid supply port and a plurality of first channel communicating with the reaction fluid discharge port.
  • Two channel portions, at least a portion of the first channel portion and at least a portion of the second channel portion are adjacent, and a portion of the rib portion between the adjacent first channel portion and the second channel portion has Reactive fluid permeable porous material.
  • the fluid guiding flow path is attached to a surface of the corresponding first separator facing the corresponding gas diffusion layer and / or a surface of the corresponding gas diffusion layer facing the corresponding separator.
  • the plurality of first channel portions and the plurality of second channel portions are staggered.
  • the ribs in the pores are a continuous comb-shaped structure.
  • a part or all of the ribs are made of a porous material through which only a reaction fluid can pass.
  • the porous material of the rib includes a single-sized pore or a plurality of sized pores through which only the reaction fluid can pass.
  • a part or all of the ribs are made of a porous material through which a reaction fluid and water generated by the reaction can pass.
  • the porous material of the ribs includes a first pore through which only a reaction fluid can pass and a second pore through which reaction generated water can pass, and the second pore is larger than the first pore.
  • a part of the rib is made of a dense material that cannot pass through the reaction fluid.
  • the porosity and / or pore size distribution of the porous material of the ribs is set to be the same.
  • a porosity and / or a pore size of the ribs at both ends near the reaction fluid supply port and the reaction fluid discharge port are larger than those far from the reaction fluid supply port and the reaction Porosity and / or pore size in the middle of the fluid discharge port.
  • the cross-sectional area of the first channel portion is continuously or stepwise reduced from the inlet of the reaction fluid toward the downstream end, and the cross-sectional area of the second channel portion is from the upstream.
  • the end increases continuously or stepwise towards the outlet of the reaction fluid.
  • a cross section of the rib portion perpendicular to an extension surface of the fuel cell unit is trapezoidal.
  • all or a part of the ribs are sawtooth-shaped and / or wave-shaped in the extension surface of the fuel cell unit.
  • the period of the zigzag and / or wavy shape of the ribs is constant or totally or locally variable in the direction of the fluid guide flow path.
  • the width within the extended surface of the fuel cell unit is constant or is fully or locally variable.
  • the ribs are in a zigzag and / or wavy period in the direction of the fluid guide flow path, and are near the reaction fluid supply port and the reaction fluid
  • the cycle values at both ends of the discharge port are smaller than the cycle values far from the middle of the reaction fluid supply port and the reaction fluid discharge port.
  • the width of the rib on the extension surface of the fuel cell unit is greater than the width of the rib near the reactive fluid supply port and the reactive fluid discharge port.
  • a profile of a rib located between the first separator and the first gas diffusion layer at an end in contact with the first separator or the first gas diffusion layer It is a curved surface
  • the outline of the rib located between the second separator and the second gas diffusion layer at the end in contact with the second separator and the second gas diffusion layer is a curved surface
  • the ribs are formed of the same material.
  • At least a part of the rib is formed by a combination of different materials.
  • the fluid guiding flow path is formed on the surface of the corresponding separator and / or the surface of the gas diffusion layer by coating, printing, dispensing, spraying or transferring.
  • a part or all of a top surface of a rib portion of the fluid guide flow path and a bottom surface of the first and second channel portions are hydrophilically treated.
  • FIG. 1 is an external view showing a configuration of a fuel cell stack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a graph showing pressure distributions of a supply-side flow path and a discharge-side flow path according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a graph showing a flow rate and a flow rate of a reaction gas flowing through a supply-side flow path and a discharge-side flow path according to the present invention.
  • Fig. 6 is a schematic plan view of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
  • FIGS. 8A-8C are schematic cross-sectional views of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
  • 10A and 10B are schematic cross-sectional views of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.
  • FIGS. 12A-12C are schematic cross-sectional views of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.
  • FIGS. 13A and 13B are schematic cross-sectional views of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path as a modification 1 of the present invention.
  • 14A and 14B are schematic cross-sectional views of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path as a modification 2 of the present invention.
  • 15A-15D are some examples of cross-sectional shapes of ribs constituting a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • 16A-16D are graphs showing a flow rate for comparing the effects of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a fuel cell unit to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
  • the fuel cell unit 8 includes a membrane electrode assembly 10, an anode-side separator 6 and a cathode-side separator 7 sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly 10 from both sides, and a fluid guide between the gas diffusion layers 4, 5 and the separator.
  • the flow paths 14 and 15 and the cooling flow path 16 located between the partition plate 6 and the partition plate 7.
  • the membrane electrode assembly 10 includes an electrolyte membrane 1, an anode-side catalyst layer 2 and a cathode-side catalyst layer 3 formed on each surface of the electrolyte membrane 1, and an anode-side gas diffusion layer 4 provided adjacent to each of the catalyst layers. And a cathode-side gas diffusion layer 5.
  • a fuel cell uses a reactive gas to perform electrochemical power generation.
  • the fuel cell is a solid polymer fuel cell, and a fuel gas containing hydrogen and an oxidizing gas containing oxygen are used as reaction gases.
  • the fuel gas used in the fuel cell is hydrogen stored in a storage tank, but in other embodiments, it may be hydrogen stored in a hydrogen absorbing alloy, or it may be a hydrocarbon fuel. Hydrogen obtained by upgrading.
  • the oxidizing gas used in the fuel cell is air taken in from outside air.
  • the fuel and the oxidant may not be a gas, or other fluids such as a liquid.
  • the fuel cell unit 8 of the present invention includes a catalyst coated film (CCM) obtained by sandwiching an electrolyte membrane 1 between an anode catalyst layer 2 and a cathode catalyst layer 3, and a film is obtained by sandwiching the CCM from the outside.
  • a pair of gas diffusion layers 4 and 5 of the electrode assembly (MEA) 10 and a pair of separators 6 and 7 further sandwiching the MEA 10.
  • MEA electrode assembly
  • semi-occluded fluid guide channels 14 and 15 are respectively provided.
  • On the cathode side is an oxidizing fluid guide flow path 15 and on the anode side is a fuel fluid guide flow path 14.
  • the flow directions of the fuel gas and the oxidizing gas may be opposite flows opposing each other, or parallel flows flowing in the same direction.
  • the fuel cell works as follows.
  • the fuel gas is supplied to an anode (called a fuel electrode), and with the help of a catalyst, electrons are separated from the supplied fuel gas and moved to an external circuit.
  • hydrogen changes into hydrogen ions (called protons).
  • oxygen is supplied to a cathode (referred to as an air electrode). Oxygen reacts with protons passing through the electrolyte membrane and electrons flowing in from an external circuit to generate water.
  • the fuel cell of the present invention is a solid polymer fuel cell in which a solid polymer electrolyte is used as the electrolyte membrane 1, and an anode-side catalyst layer 2 (referred to as a first catalyst layer) and The cathode-side catalyst layer 3 (referred to as a second catalyst layer) constitutes a catalyst coating film (CCM).
  • An anode-side catalyst layer 2 (referred to as a first separator) is added to the anode-side catalyst layer 2 via an anode-side gas diffusion layer 4 (referred to as a first gas diffusion layer).
  • a fuel cell unit 8 is formed by adding a cathode-side separator 7 (referred to as a second separator) with a cathode-side gas diffusion layer 5 (referred to as a second gas diffusion layer), and a plurality of the fuel cells are stacked. Cell 8 to obtain a polymer electrolyte fuel cell.
  • a cathode-side separator 7 referred to as a second separator
  • a cathode-side gas diffusion layer 5 referred to as a second gas diffusion layer
  • the constituent members of the fuel cell unit 8 according to one embodiment of the present invention and elements related to them can be formed using a known substrate.
  • the constituent members of the fuel cell unit 8 and the elements associated with them can be manufactured using conventional techniques. In the examples of the present invention, there are no particular restrictions on the known substrates and conventional techniques. Hereinafter, each constituent member will be briefly described.
  • the electrolyte membrane 1 is made of a solid polymer material having good proton conductivity in a wet state, for example, a fluorine-based polymer membrane.
  • the main functions required for the electrolyte membrane 1 of the electrification section include good proton conductivity, impermeability of the reactive gas, electronic insulation, and high physical and chemical durability.
  • the electrolyte membrane used as an example of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is formed of a material that is excellent in ion (proton) permeability and does not flow a current.
  • An oxidation reaction of hydrogen is performed in the anode-side catalyst layer 2 disposed on both sides of the electrolyte membrane 1, and a reduction reaction of oxygen is performed in the cathode-side catalyst layer 3.
  • a reaction hydrogenation reaction
  • the cathode-side catalyst layer 3 promotes a reaction (oxygen reduction reaction) for generating water from protons, electrons, and oxygen.
  • the catalyst layer used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and conventional materials conventionally used can be used.
  • the gas diffusion layers 4 and 5 have the following three functions.
  • the first is a gas diffusive function that not only diffuses the reaction gas flowing from the fluid-guided flow path to the vertical downward direction of the fluid-guided flow path, but also diffuses them to the vertical downward direction of the ribs.
  • the second is a water management function that moderately moistens the catalyst layer and discharges excess water.
  • the third is the collector function that forms the path of electron movement.
  • the gas diffusion layers 4 and 5 are layers having a function of efficiently guiding the fuel gas and the oxidizing gas required for the chemical reaction along the plane direction of the electrolyte membrane 1.
  • the anode-side gas diffusion layer 4 is provided with a fluid guide flow path 14 capable of diffusing fuel gas
  • the cathode-side gas diffusion layer 5 is provided with a fluid guide flow path 15 capable of diffusing oxidizing gas.
  • carbon cloth or carbon felt made of carbon fiber is not particularly limited as long as it has sufficient gas diffusion and electrical conductivity, and the finished gas diffusion layer of the existing fuel cell can be used.
  • the separator is a thin plate that divides the fuel cell 8 as a power generator, and an electrolyte membrane 1, an anode-side catalyst layer 2, a cathode-side catalyst layer 3, and the like are housed between a pair of separators 6 and 7.
  • the separator also functions as a current collector that collects electricity generated by the power generation.
  • the partitions 6 and 7 are typically made of metal. It can be understood that the separators 6 and 7 can also use other conductive materials or composite materials containing conductive materials.
  • a fuel fluid guide flow path 14 for supplying a fuel gas (hydrogen) to the electrolyte membrane 1 is formed on the anode side.
  • the fuel fluid guide flow path 14 is formed between the anode-side separator 6 and the gas diffusion layer 4 and is formed in an uneven shape extending along the fuel gas flow direction.
  • An oxidation fluid guide flow path 15 for supplying an oxidation gas (air) to the electrolyte membrane 1 is formed on the cathode side.
  • the oxidizing fluid guide flow path 15 is formed between the cathode-side separator 7 and the gas diffusion layer 5, and is formed in a concavo-convex shape extending along the oxidizing gas flow direction.
  • the flow path for supplying gas to the fuel cell is constituted by strip-shaped convex portions and concave portions.
  • the convex portion is called a rib portion 11 and is in contact with a gas diffusion layer via a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), and functions as an electric current passing portion.
  • the recessed portion is called a channel 21 and is a passage for supplying gas to the fuel cell from the outside, and a passage for discharging water and the like.
  • the rib portion 11 is made of the same gas-impermeable material as the base material forming the gas flow path. However, in this embodiment described later, the rib portion 11 is characterized by being attached to a material different from the base material. Porous material.
  • the ribs 11 may be continuous protrusions in the gas flow direction, or the ribs may be discontinuous or scattered protrusions.
  • the fluid guide flow path may include a supply-side head flow path defined by the rib 11, a channel 21, and a discharge-side head flow path.
  • the channel 21 may include a supply channel 22 and a discharge channel 23.
  • the supply-side head flow path communicates with the gas supply port, and extends in the width direction of the partition.
  • the plurality of supply channels 22 are branched from the supply-side head flow path, and extend in a substantially straight line substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the partition plate. The downstream ends of the plurality of supply channels 22 are closed. The same applies to the discharge-side flow path.
  • the supply-side flow path closed on the downstream side and the discharge-side flow path closed on the upstream side are alternately arranged side by side at intervals on the gas diffusion layer.
  • the gas supplied to the supply-side flow path enters the gas diffusion layer from the supply-side flow path, passes through the inside, and then flows into the adjacent discharge-side flow path. This flow is referred to as "cross flow”.
  • cross flow By such forced convection, the gas concentration distribution in the vicinity of the gas catalyst layer is improved, so that the gas diffusivity can be improved.
  • a fuel cell stack is configured by laminating a membrane electrode assembly, a pair of gas diffusion layers, and a pair of separators.
  • a gas sealing material 19 is disposed between the separator and the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, or between the fuel cell unit and another fuel cell unit adjacent thereto, but this description is omitted. Their record.
  • a manifold which functions as a connection unit for connecting the units when the stack is configured, but descriptions thereof are omitted in this specification.
  • cooling is provided for circulating a refrigerant (for example, cooling water or the like) used to cool the fuel cell stack during the operation of the fuel cell stack.
  • a refrigerant for example, cooling water or the like
  • the anode-side fluid guide flow path and the cathode-side fluid guide flow path have the same structure without particular limitation. Therefore, when the matters common to them are described, they are simply referred to as "fluid-guided flow paths".
  • the "reaction gas” mentioned in this specification includes a fuel gas, an oxidizing gas, water vapor, and a fluid containing other gases.
  • the “base material” is a substrate (separators 6 and 7 and gas diffusion layers 4 and 5) on which the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path of the present invention is formed.
  • Embodiment 1 of the present invention a fuel cell including a semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.
  • the present invention is not limited to the first embodiment.
  • the semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path is characterized by using a predetermined porosity.
  • Porous material hereinafter referred to as a highly porous material and a low porous material.
  • the cross-sectional shape of the rib portion 11 formed using a porous material is rectangular.
  • the channel width is made uniform.
  • attention is focused on a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path formed using porous ribs 11 having different porosities.
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
  • the upstream end is a supply-side head flow path 12
  • the downstream end is a discharge-side head flow path 13
  • the middle part is an alternately distributed supply groove.
  • the track 22 (referred to as a first channel)
  • the drain channel 23 (referred to as a second channel).
  • the channel portions of two adjacent comb-shaped fluid guide flow paths are formed to engage with each other.
  • the supply channel 22 of the supply-side flow path is connected to the reaction gas of the manifold, for example, the oxygen supply port 17, and the discharge channel 23 of the discharge-side flow path is connected to the reaction gas of the manifold, for example, the oxygen discharge port 18.
  • the supply channels 22 and the supply channels 23 are alternately formed via the ribs 11, and the groove-shaped recesses are independent and not connected to each other, and the respective ends of the supply channels 22 and the discharge channels 23 are closed.
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view II-II obtained by enlarging a part of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
  • the ribs 11 constituting the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path are formed between the base material (the gas diffusion layer 4 and the separator 6 or the gas diffusion layer 5 and the separator 7) having a smooth surface.
  • the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path of the present embodiment is formed at a middle position between the gas diffusion layers 4 and 5 and the separators 6 and 7 and is not provided in the gas diffusion layer or integrated with the separator.
  • the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path of the present embodiment is formed on the surface of the substrate and is a fluid guide flow path that is not integrated with the base material. If it is set to another method, it can also be used as an additional flow for the gas diffusion layer or the separator. Way to form.
  • the flow of the reaction gas in the semi-occluded flow path of the present embodiment is a primary flow (arrow 1 in FIG. 3) flowing in the direction of the gas diffusion plane of the channel and a reaction gas flowing in the direction of the side surface of the rib portion of the channel.
  • the two secondary flows (arrow 2 and arrow 3 in Fig. 3) are formed.
  • the primary flow is the following lateral flow (arrow 1 in FIG. 3): the reaction gas is injected from the supply port 17 (see FIG. 2) of the manifold and flows in the supply channel 22, and most of it flows into the gas diffusion layers 4 and 5, After causing the battery main reaction, the exhaust channel 23 is pushed out, and exhaust is performed from the exhaust port 18 of the manifold.
  • the two secondary flows of the reaction gas in the semi-occluded comb-shaped flow path of this embodiment are the following flows: the reaction gas is injected from the supply port 17 of the manifold and flows in the supply channel 22, and a part of the After the pores of the rib 11, the flow indicated by the arrow 3 penetrates into the gas diffusion layer; and the branch is branched into the flow indicated by the arrow 2 which is directly pressed to the discharge channel 23, and then is discharged from the discharge port 18 of the manifold gas.
  • the secondary flow directly via the rib is referred to as "direct rib flow”.
  • the flow lines of the reaction gas in the periphery of the supply channels 22 and the discharge channels 23 alternately provided are indicated by arrows.
  • the size of the arrow indicates the size of the cross flow and the direct rib flow.
  • the flow line shown by the arrow 1 indicates that the reaction gas is communicated from the supply channel 22 to the gas diffusion layers 4 and 5. After the main battery reaction, the unreacted gas (including water vapor) and the reaction generated water are pressed out of the discharge channel 23.
  • the flow lines shown by arrows 2 and 3 are direct rib flows, and are two branch flows after the reaction gas or the reaction gas and the reaction generated water permeate from the supply channel 22 to the porous rib portion and then branch.
  • the reaction gas or the reaction gas and the reaction-produced water pass through the ribs and are discharged to the discharge channel 23.
  • the other branch flows indicated by arrows 3 pass through the gas diffusion layer and merge with the flow that promotes the main reaction of the battery.
  • the flow indicated by the arrow 3 promotes the discharge of the generated water around the rib 11.
  • the ribs constituting the semi-occluded fluid guiding flow path of the present embodiment include a “dense material” that does not permeate the reaction gas, and a “porous material” that permeates the reaction gas and / or discharges generated water.
  • the "dense material” portion of the rib is made of a conductive material that does not pass through the reactive gas and has no or very few pores.
  • the internal pores are interstices of aggregates of conductive particles of synthetic porous material, and the porosity and pore diameter can be controlled by changing the number and distribution of conductive particles of different sizes.
  • a “low porosity material” is a conductive material with a lower porosity and a smaller pore diameter that allows the reactive gas to pass through.
  • a “highly porous material” is a conductive material with a high porosity and a large pore diameter that allows both the permeation of reactive gases and the discharge of generated water.
  • a “highly porous material” having a larger pore diameter can be applied to a case of a smaller pore diameter that does not contain a "low porous material", and a pore having multiple sizes including both such a small pore diameter and a larger pore diameter Case of diameter.
  • the powder conductive material a metal powder, a carbon powder, a graphene composite powder, or other powder is used.
  • the porous material constituting the ribs 11 capable of passing the reaction gas or the reaction gas and the reaction water through these pores is subjected to a hydrophilic treatment.
  • the supply channel 22 and the discharge channel 23 are separated by the rib material having such a gas permeability and / or a discharge property of reaction water, it is possible to pass through the porous material existing in the porous material.
  • a part of the numerous pores reacts as a direct rib flow. Since the ribs are made of the porous material described above, the main feature of the fluid-guided flow path of the present embodiment is that it is not a completely closed flow path but a semi-closed flow path.
  • the dimension values defining the cross-sectional shape of the rib include the upper side, the lower side, the height, the angle ⁇ , and the angle ⁇ .
  • Arbitrarily changing these dimension values that define the cross-sectional shape of the rib can form ribs with various cross-sectional shapes, and these dimension values that define the cross-sectional shape of the rib also affect the width of the space that is the channel, The value that the height affects.
  • the cross-sectional shape of the ribs constituting the semi-occluded fluid guiding flow path in the present invention is not limited to the cross-sectional shape shown in FIGS. 15A to 15D, and the types of the shapes are unlimited. Therefore, all of them are disclosed here. Actually impossible.
  • As the cross-sectional shape of the ribs mentioned in this specification only rectangular and trapezoidal shapes are listed as typical examples, but other polygons, semi-circles, semi-ellipses, semi-oblongs, and the like may be included. Differences in the direction and size ratios are the same as the “shape” of the cross-sectional shape of the ribs, and all of them are included in the scope of the claims of the present invention.
  • the cross-sectional shape of the rib of the present invention includes all cross-sectional shapes having a similar relationship to the shape described in the description of the present invention. Specifically, all shapes including a rectangular shape, a trapezoid shape, and a similar relationship satisfying other similar conditions, together with their mirror images, are included in the cross-sectional shape of the ribs constituting the semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path of the present invention. .
  • the flow of the gas in the channel depends to a large extent on the difference in the porosity and pore diameter distribution of the gas diffusion layer and the rib material. A certain degree of estimation is made as to how much the amount of the reaction gas passes through the rib 11.
  • the porosity of the rib material that actually permeates the reaction gas is significantly lower than the porosity of the gas diffusion layer.
  • the pore diameter of the rib material is very small compared to the pore diameter of the gas diffusion layer.
  • the porosity of the rib material which has both the permeability of the reaction gas and the discharge of the reaction water, is significantly lower than that of the gas diffusion layer.
  • the pore diameter for discharging the reaction water is very small.
  • the pressure on the discharge side is a fraction of or less than the pressure on the supply side. Therefore, for example, when the supply amount is set to 100%, the path and ratio of the reaction gas diffusion from the supply channel 22 to the discharge channel 23 are as follows. (a) More than 70 to 90% of the amount of the reactive gas flowing through the supply channel 22 directly passes through the gas diffusion layer located on the upper part thereof. (b) Less than 10% of the unreacted reactive gas in the MEA is pressed out of the exhaust channel.
  • an example (solid line) of ribs formed with no pores (gas impervious) is formed with a low-porous material.
  • Examples of ribs (low porosity, dotted line) and examples of ribs (high porosity, dotted line) formed of a highly porous material will be compared, and the conditions of pressure in each flow path will be described.
  • solid lines (a), (b), and (c) on the graph show a completely closed flow path formed by ribs having no pores and a rectangular cross-section as a reference.
  • the dotted lines (d), (e), and (f) show respective supply channels between the upstream side and the downstream side in a semi-occluded flow path formed by a rib having a rectangular cross section formed using a low-porous material.
  • the pressure distribution, the pressure distribution of the discharge channel, and the differential pressure distribution composed of their differences.
  • Dashed lines (g), (h), and (i) show the pressure distribution of each supply channel between the upstream side and the downstream side in a semi-occluded flow path made of a rib having a rectangular cross section formed using a highly porous material, The pressure distribution of the exhaust channels and the differential pressure distribution composed of their differences.
  • the solid line (a) is a graph showing a pressure change in the flow path in the flow path direction of the supply side of the completely closed flow path formed by the ribs having no pores.
  • the pressure at the upstream end of the supply channel 22 is the highest, and the pressure drops sharply until the middle portion of the supply channel 22, and then continues to gradually decrease until the downstream end.
  • the solid line (b) is a curve showing the pressure change in the flow path in the flow path direction of the discharge side of the completely closed comb-shaped flow path formed by the ribs having no pores.
  • the pressure at the upstream end of the discharge channel 23 does not decrease significantly from the downstream end of the discharge channel 23 to the middle section, and then drops sharply to the downstream end.
  • the differential pressure distribution in the direction of the flow path constituted by the difference between the pressure on the supply-side flow path (solid line (a)) and the pressure on the discharge-side flow path (solid line (b)) is represented by the curve of the solid line (c).
  • the solid line (c) since the differential pressure between the supply channel 22 and the discharge channel 23 is significantly lower in the midstream section than in the upstream and downstream ends, it can be seen that the crossflow velocity or flow path in the midstream section is extremely low. , Hinder the progress of battery main reaction.
  • a dotted line (d) is a graph showing a pressure distribution in a flow path direction of a supply-side flow path in a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path formed by a rib having a rectangular cross section formed using a low-porous material.
  • the dotted line (d) regarding the pressure distribution in the flow path direction of the supply channel 22, according to the pressure difference between the supply channel 22 and the discharge channel 23, a part of the supplied reaction gas passes through the low-porous material (direct rib flow), As a result, the pressure distribution changes.
  • the pressure in the midstream portion decreases slightly, and the pressure on both the upstream and downstream sides decreases significantly.
  • the dashed line (e) is a curve showing a pressure change in the flow path direction of the discharge-side flow path in the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path formed by a rib having a rectangular cross section formed using a low-porous material.
  • the pressure distribution in the flow path direction of the discharge channel 23 is compared with the pressure change in the flow path direction of the discharge channel 23 which completely closes the flow path shown by the solid line (b).
  • the pressure difference between the supply channel 22 and the discharge channel 23 causes the reaction gas to pass through the low-porous material and flow into the discharge channel 23 (direct rib flow). Therefore, although the pressure distribution is similar, it is higher than the pressure rise in the middle section. The pressure rise on both sides of the end and the downstream end is large.
  • the dotted line (f) indicates the pressure on the supply side (dotted line (d)) and the pressure on the discharge side in the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path formed by a rib having a rectangular cross section formed of a low-porous material.
  • Dotted line (e)) is a curve of the differential pressure distribution in the direction of the flow path formed by the difference.
  • the differential pressure between the supply channel 22 and the discharge channel 23 is slightly lower in the middle section than the differential pressure in the completely closed flow path shown by the solid line (c), and it is upstream and downstream. The end is greatly reduced.
  • a dotted line (g) is a graph showing a pressure distribution in a flow path direction of a supply-side flow path in a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path formed by a rib having a rectangular cross section formed using a highly porous material.
  • the dotted line (g) regarding the pressure distribution in the flow path direction of the supply channel 22, according to the pressure difference between the supply channel 22 and the discharge channel 23, both the reaction gas and the reaction water pass through the highly porous material (direct rib flow) , So the pressure distribution changes.
  • the dashed line (h) is a curve showing a pressure change in the flow path direction of the discharge-side flow path in a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path formed by a rib having a rectangular cross section formed using a highly porous material.
  • the dotted line (h) regarding the pressure distribution in the flow path direction of the discharge channel 23, according to the pressure difference between the supply channel 22 and the discharge channel 23, both the reaction gas and the reaction water pass through the highly porous material and flow into the discharge channel.
  • the channel 23 (direct rib flow) shows a larger pressure distribution in the direction of the flow path of the discharge channel 23 than the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path formed of the low-porous material shown by the dotted line (e).
  • the pressure value Although the pressure distributions of the two are similar, the value of the discharge channel 23 formed of a highly porous material is higher than the value of the discharge channel 23 formed of a low porous material with respect to the pressure on both end sides of the upstream end and the downstream end.
  • the dotted line (i) indicates the supply-side flow path pressure (dotted line (g)) and the above-mentioned discharge-side flow path in a semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path composed of ribs having a rectangular cross-section formed using a highly porous material
  • a curve of the distribution of the differential pressure in the flow direction of the pressure (dashed line (h)).
  • the differential pressure between the supply channel 22 and the discharge channel 23 is smaller than the differential pressure of the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path made of a low-porous material shown by the broken line (f).
  • the midstream section becomes slightly higher, and it drops significantly on both the upstream and downstream ends, showing a value close to the differential pressure in the midstream section. Therefore, it is possible to equalize the difference distribution in the flow direction. This solves the problem that the flow velocity or flow rate of the cross flow in the midstream portion is low, which hinders the progress of the battery main reaction.
  • Curve (c) without pores, curve (f) of low-porosity material, and curve of high-porosity material showing the differential pressure distribution in the flow path direction between the supply channel 22 and the discharge channel 23 plotted in FIG. 4 (i)
  • the curve (f) having low porosity has a larger radius of curvature than the curve (c) having no porosity.
  • the difference between the differential pressure value on both the upstream and downstream ends of the semi-occluded flow path formed and the differential pressure value between the midstream portions is extremely small.
  • the highly porous curve (i) has the largest radius of curvature, and a curve close to a straight line is drawn. That is, in the case of the ribs formed of the highly porous material in the first embodiment, the differential pressure distribution in the flow path direction of the semi-occluded flow path composed of the highly porous ribs is the most uniform, and it can be considered that the difference is almost the same. ⁇ ⁇ Pressure value. Therefore, in the semi-occluded flow path according to the present embodiment, since the ribs are formed by using a porous material, particularly when the ribs are formed by using high porosity, it is possible to obtain a flow path direction change in which the differential pressure is significantly reduced. result.
  • the pressure on the supply side can always be high.
  • a part of the reaction from the supply channel 22 is passed through the rib pores. The two flows of the gas or the reaction gas and the reaction-produced water pass through and flow into the direct rib flow of the discharge channel 23.
  • the pressure value of the discharge-side flow path is not higher than the minimum pressure value of the supply-side flow path.
  • the semi-occluded flow path according to the first embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, by including rib pores, a part of the supplied gas is discharged from the supply channel 22 having a higher pressure to the discharge channel 23 having a lower pressure.
  • the discharge of the reaction gas as a gas from the rib pore means that the reaction gas (not reacted or the reaction is completed) is directly moved from the supply-side flow path to the discharge-side flow path without passing through the gas diffusion layer. Due to such a direct rib flow, the pressure change in the flow direction of the supply-side flow path and the discharge-side flow path becomes small. If the ribs are formed of a highly porous material, the pressure change in the flow direction of the two flow paths can be further reduced.
  • a flow that can be formed by the difference between the supply-side flow path pressure and the discharge-side flow path pressure can be realized.
  • the reaction gas is discharged to the discharge-side flow path as a direct rib flow. Therefore, it is possible to solve the differential pressure and the midstream of both the upstream end and the downstream end appearing in the fluid guide flow path formed by the ribs having no pores. The problem is caused by an excessive difference in the differential pressure of the part.
  • the produced water tends to stay at the downstream end. Compared with the pores of the ribs located at the upstream end, especially the pores of the ribs located at the downstream end are more likely to be blocked by the generated water adhering to the surface of the ribs in a film formation manner and fail to function as vent holes. Even in this case, in the supply-side flow path, especially in the negative-side supply-side flow path, the water droplets adhering to the surface of the ribs are blown away during pressure injection, so that the water can be squeezed out and taken away. go. In addition, in the semi-occluded flow path, especially the cathode, the air is always moving. Therefore, even if a natural ventilation mechanism is introduced, it is not considered excessive.
  • the air that is always moving is used to dry the excess water. effect.
  • due to the capillary effect there is a phenomenon that water that has changed into water vapor and enters the pores leaks out from the ribs.
  • By increasing the pressure of the reaction gas in the supply-side flow path it is possible to increase the water discharge force of the porous rib.
  • pores are provided in the ribs as a whole, but the porosity may be different depending on the location, or a material with high density without pores may be used locally.
  • the dotted line shows a flow velocity distribution in a flow path direction in a semi-occluded flow path formed by a rib having a rectangular cross section formed using a high / low porous material.
  • the flow velocity mentioned here refers to the speed of the cross flow caused between the supply-side flow path and the discharge-side flow path.
  • the flow velocity of the cross flow shown in FIG. 5 largely depends on the magnitude of the differential pressure between the supply-side flow path pressure and the discharge-side flow path pressure shown in FIG. 4. The greater the differential pressure, the greater the flow rate. If the influencing factors such as changes in fluid density are not considered, the flow velocity of the cross flow is proportional to the degree of 1/2 power of the differential pressure. In addition, the influencing factors such as the compressibility and viscosity of the fluid may not be considered. If the cross-sectional area of the flow is the same, the flow velocity is proportional to the flow rate, and the same meaning is considered, that is, there is a relationship that does not require special distinction.
  • the flow velocity at the upstream end and the flow velocity at the downstream end are substantially the same, and the flow velocity in the midstream portion is significantly reduced. This is caused by an excessive difference between the differential pressures on both the upstream and downstream ends and the differential pressure in the midstream portion caused in the fluid guide flow path formed by the ribs having no pores.
  • the curve of the dotted line 1 shows a larger radius of curvature than the curve of the solid line, the difference between the flow velocity at the upstream end, the flow velocity at both sides of the downstream end, and the flow velocity at the midstream Get smaller. This is because the low-porosity material ribs are introduced to form a semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path, so that the difference between the differential pressure on both sides and the differential pressure in the middle section is suppressed.
  • the solid line curve is a curve showing a change in flow velocity in a completely closed fluid guide flow path formed by ribs having a rectangular cross-sectional shape in a non-porous manner. As shown by the solid line curve, the flow velocity at the upstream end and the flow velocity at the downstream end are basically at the same level, and the flow velocity in the middle reaches has dropped significantly.
  • a curve shown by a dotted line 1 representing the first embodiment is a curve showing a change in the flow rate of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path formed by a rib having a rectangular cross section formed using a porous material.
  • the curve of the dotted line 1 is similar to the curve of the solid line, it shows a larger radius of curvature, and the reduction of the flow velocity with respect to the end portion of the midstream portion is smaller than that of a completely closed fluid-guided flow path formed in a non-porous manner. As shown in FIG.
  • the ribs constituting the fluid-guided flow path are made porous, thereby achieving a semi-occluded comb-type fluid with excellent reaction gas passing performance. Guide the flow.
  • the reaction gas and the generated water are transmitted simultaneously. Therefore, from the viewpoint of flow path design, it is more desirable that the Some or all of the ribs are formed by using a highly porous material having a large pore diameter and a high porosity.
  • the semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path having porous ribs through which a part of the reaction gas can pass is used.
  • the reactive gas discharged from the supply-side flow path through the pores of the porous rib portion, the differential pressure distribution of the supply-side and discharge-side flow paths, and the overall flow velocity of the flow path are close to an equal level.
  • the deviation of the gas reaction in the power generation region is greatly suppressed, which can contribute to the improvement of the power generation rate.
  • the structure of the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to the first embodiment has been described using the cathode as an example. However, a similar structure may be used for the anode, and the anode side and the cathode side may be different. That is, the ribs of the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path on the anode side and the ribs of the semi-closed fluid guide flow path on the cathode side can be formed using different porous materials.
  • the ribs constituting the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path on the anode side and the ribs constituting the semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path on the cathode side are applied. It is not necessary to form them with the same porosity, and they may be formed differently or in combination.
  • different rib shapes can be adopted, and the channel width can be changed. The functions required of the anode side and the cathode side can be considered to select the structure of the fluid guide flow path that is suitable for the respective characteristics.
  • the method for forming the semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path of the first embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it can form the flow path shape with high accuracy.
  • a method of attaching a fluid guide flow path to the intermediate positions of the gas diffusion layers 4 and 5 and the separators 6 and 7 is preferable.
  • Adhesion includes methods such as printing, injection, coating, dispensing, and transfering.
  • the printing method may be screen printing.
  • the ribs constituting the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path formed in the base material may be formed using the same porous material, or may be made of different materials, and may be formed depending on the location.
  • the porosity of porous materials may be changed.
  • 6 is a schematic plan view of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path having different porosity levels and / or different pore sizes according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
  • a material with a higher porosity than the ribs in the middle can be used to further suppress the difference between the differential pressure on both sides and the differential pressure in the midstream.
  • the difference between the flow velocity at the upstream end, the flow velocity at both sides of the downstream end, and the flow velocity at the midstream portion becomes smaller, and it is easy to achieve equalization of the battery main reaction.
  • a material having a larger pore diameter than the ribs on the upstream end can be used for the ribs on the downstream end, so that water vapor and generated water can easily pass through the ribs on the downstream end and improve the porous ribs. Moisture draining power.
  • the thickness of the gas diffusion layer and the separator functioning as the base material of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately determined in consideration of gas diffusivity, drainage, cooling effect, and the like.
  • the semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow channel according to the first embodiment of the present invention is merely an example, and is not limited to the content described in this specification.
  • the case is described as an example in which the ribs constituting the semi-occluded fluid guiding flow path are formed of several porous materials having porosity and pore size, and the cross-sectional shape of the ribs is rectangular.
  • a fuel cell provided with a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention is mainly different in that the ribs constituting the fluid guide flow path are formed of a highly porous material. , And the channel width has been partially changed.
  • Embodiment 1 The physical properties of other porous materials, the pores of the ribs, the cross-sectional shape of the ribs, the pressure of the flow path, the flow rate and the change in flow rate and the principles are shown in Figures 1 to 6.
  • Embodiment 1 is basically the same. Therefore, it is omitted here. It should be noted that the same reference numerals are given to portions that overlap with those of FIGS. 1 to 6 described in the first embodiment of the present invention, and a part of the description is omitted.
  • the cross-sectional shape of the ribs formed using a porous material is rectangular.
  • the supply channel width of the supply-side flow path is gradually narrowed toward the downstream end, and the discharge channel width of the discharge-side flow path is gradually narrowed toward the upstream end.
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of a semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
  • the plan view structure of the flow path is the same as that described in the first embodiment, so the description is omitted, but the main difference is that the supply channel 22 extending in the long-side direction of the partition plate is provided in the supply channel 22 It gradually narrows toward the downstream end in the middle, and the channel width of the discharge channel 23 gradually narrows toward the upstream end in the discharge channel 23.
  • FIGS. 8A-8C are schematic cross-sectional views of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
  • the basic cross-sectional structure of the flow path is omitted because it is the same as that described in the first embodiment, but in the second embodiment, it can be seen that the supply-side flow path and the discharge-side flow extend in the longitudinal direction of the partition plate.
  • the channel widths of the channels are gradually narrowed toward the downstream end in the supply channel 22 and gradually narrowed toward the upstream end in the discharge channel 23.
  • the ribs at the upstream end, the ribs at the midstream and the ribs at the downstream have the same cross-sectional shape and size, but the widths of the channels formed are different.
  • the cross-sectional area of the supply channel 22 and its width continuously decrease from the maximum value to the minimum value at the end.
  • the cross-sectional area of the discharge channel 23 and its width continuously increase from a minimum value to a maximum value at the end.
  • the channel widths of the supply channel 22 and the discharge channel 23 are narrowed toward the downstream end in the supply-side flow path and narrowed toward the upstream end in the discharge-side flow path. If the channel height is the same, the cross-sectional area of the channel also decreases as the channel width becomes narrower. This corresponds to that the volume of the gas (the volume of the channel) becomes smaller toward the downstream end in the supply-side flow path and becomes smaller toward the upstream end in the discharge-side flow path. By reducing the volume of the channel, the pressure of the reaction gas can be increased at the downstream end of the supply-side channel 22 and the upstream end of the discharge channel 23.
  • the channel widths of the supply channel 22 and the discharge channel 23 are widened toward the upstream end in the supply-side flow path and widened toward the downstream end in the discharge-side flow path, respectively.
  • the cross-sectional area of the channel also increases as the channel width becomes wider. This corresponds to that the volume of the gas (the volume of the channel) becomes larger toward the upstream end in the supply-side flow path and becomes larger toward the downstream end in the discharge-side flow path.
  • the channel widths of the supply channel and the discharge channel are gradually narrowed toward the downstream end in the supply channel 22 and gradually narrowed toward the upstream end in the discharge channel 23, respectively. Therefore, the increase and decrease in the differential pressure on both sides of the upstream end and the downstream end of the semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path can be increased in opposite directions. At the upstream end of the flow path, the differential pressure becomes small due to a decrease in the pressure of the reaction gas supplied to the channel 22 and an increase in the pressure of the reaction gas discharged from the channel 23.
  • the differential pressure becomes large due to an increase in the pressure of the reaction gas supplied to the channel 22 and a decrease in the pressure of the reaction gas discharged from the channel 23.
  • the cross-sectional area of the channel and the channel width do not change, so the differential pressure does not change.
  • 16A-16D are graphs showing the effects of the porosity of the ribs, the width of the flow path, and the cross-sectional shape of the ribs on the flow rate of the reaction gas.
  • the curve shown by the dashed line 3 representing the second embodiment indicates the direction of the flow path in the semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path formed by using a porous material and having a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and the channel width is changed. Curve of the velocity distribution of the reaction gas.
  • a curve shown by a dotted line 1 representing the first embodiment is a flow velocity distribution of a reaction gas in a flow path direction using a porous rib having a rectangular cross-sectional shape. As shown in FIG.
  • the dashed line 3 reduces the flow velocity due to the reduction of the differential pressure at the upstream end of the flow path, and the differential pressure at the central portion does not cause a change in the flow velocity.
  • the increase makes the flow rate quite large.
  • a semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path (broken line 1) of a porous rectangular rib with a constant channel width the difference in cross-flow velocity between the upstream end and the central part of the flow path is smaller, and instead, the cross-flow velocity at the downstream end is higher. That is, the equalization of the main battery reaction is achieved from the upstream end of the semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path toward the downstream end. While using the high cross flow velocity of the downstream end to further promote the surrounding battery reaction, the reaction of the overall flow path generates water. The discharge becomes higher.
  • the ribs constituting the fluid-guided flow path are made porous, and the channels of the supply-side flow path and the discharge-side flow path are made porous.
  • the width gradually narrows toward the downstream end in the supply-side flow path, and gradually narrows toward the upstream end in the discharge-side flow path, thereby achieving a semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path with a varying channel width.
  • the channel widths of the supply-side flow path and the discharge-side flow path are narrowed toward the downstream end in the supply channel 22,
  • the discharge channel 23 is widened toward the downstream end. Therefore, as the differential pressure of the lateral flow at the downstream end increases, the flow velocity becomes relatively large, and the reaction water having a strong tendency to stay at the downstream end on the cathode side can be strongly discharged.
  • the drain channel 23 is widened toward the downstream end, a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path that facilitates drainage can be obtained.
  • the structure of the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path in the second embodiment has been described using the cathode as an example. However, a similar structure may be used for the anode, and the anode side and the cathode side may be different. That is, the ribs of the semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path on the anode side and the ribs of the semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path on the cathode side can be formed using different porous materials.
  • the ribs constituting the semi-occluded comb-type fluid-guided flow path on the anode side and the semi-occluded comb-type fluid-guided flow on the cathode side are applied.
  • the ribs of the road do not necessarily need to be formed with the same porosity, and may be different or combined with different porosities.
  • different rib shapes can be adopted, and the channel width can be changed.
  • the functions required of the anode side and the cathode side can be considered to select the structure of the fluid guide flow path that is suitable for the respective characteristics.
  • the method for forming the semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path of the second embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it can form the flow path shape with a certain degree of accuracy.
  • a method of attaching a fluid guide flow path to the intermediate positions of the gas diffusion layers 4 and 5 and the separators 6 and 7 is preferable.
  • Adhesion includes methods such as printing, injection, coating, dispensing, and transfering.
  • the printing method may be screen printing.
  • the ribs constituting the semi-closed comb-type fluid guide flow path formed in the base material may be formed using the same porous material, or may be formed using different materials.
  • the porosity of the porous material can be changed according to the location.
  • the thickness of the gas diffusion layer and the separator functioning as the base material of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately determined in consideration of gas diffusivity, drainage, cooling effect, and the like.
  • the semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow channel according to the second embodiment of the present invention is merely an example, and is not limited to the content described in this specification.
  • Embodiments 1 and 2 described above the case is described as an example in which the ribs constituting the semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path are formed of a porous material, and the porosity and the pore size of the rectangular ribs in cross section are formed. Changes were made, and the channel width was adjusted.
  • a fuel cell including a semi-occluded comb-type fluid-guided flow path according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention is mainly different in that a rib constituting the fluid-guided flow path is made of a porous material.
  • the channel width is equal, and the cross-sectional shape of the ribs is trapezoidal (and inverse trapezoidal), the structure and physical properties of other porous materials, the pores of the ribs, the cross-sectional shape of the ribs, the pressure of the flow path, the flow velocity and Changes in the flow rate and the like are basically the same as those in the first and second embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 8.
  • the same reference numerals are assigned to portions that overlap with those of FIGS. 1 to 8 described in Embodiments 1 and 2 of the present invention, and a description of a part thereof is omitted.
  • FIGS. 10A and 10B are schematic cross-sectional views of the semi-occluded comb-type fluid-guided flow path according to the third embodiment.
  • the plan structure of the flow path is omitted because it is the same as that described in the first embodiment, but the main difference is that the cross-sectional shape of the rib is trapezoidal or inverse trapezoidal, so the channel width is in contact with the gas diffusion layer. At the surface, it becomes wider or narrower, respectively.
  • the cross-sectional shape of the rib is trapezoidal, and becomes a trapezoidal rib provided on the partition.
  • the cross-sectional shape of the rib is an inverse trapezoid, and becomes an inverse trapezoidal rib provided on the gas diffusion layer. If it is a trapezoidal rib provided on the partition, the area where the gas diffusion layer contacts the trapezoidal rib becomes narrow, and the contact surface between the gas diffusion layer and the channel becomes wider. If it is an inverse trapezoidal rib provided on the gas diffusion layer, the area where the gas diffusion layer contacts the inverse trapezoidal rib becomes wider, and the contact surface between the gas diffusion layer and the channel becomes narrower.
  • the contact surface between the gas diffusion layer and the channel is widened, the gas permeation into the gas diffusion layer is easier, and the cross flow (flow 1) The flow velocity increases throughout the flow path.
  • the flow of the reaction gas flowing from the supply channel 22 to the discharge channel 23 through the porous rib portion is the mainstream of the direct rib flow.
  • the shape is trapezoidal, and as the path through which the reactive gas in the porous ribs passes becomes shorter, the direct rib flow differential pressure between the supply channel 22 and the discharge channel 23 becomes smaller. That is, by using trapezoidal ribs at the upstream and downstream ends where the differential pressure is large, the differential pressure is suppressed, and the differential pressure at the midstream portion can be approached, and the flow velocity of the cross flow can be equalized.
  • 16A-16D are graphs showing the effects of the porosity of the ribs, the width of the flow path, and the cross-sectional shape of the ribs on the flow rate of the reaction gas.
  • the curve shown by the dashed line 4 representing the third embodiment is a curve showing the flow velocity distribution of the reaction gas in the flow path direction in the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path formed by a rib having a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape formed using a porous material.
  • a curve shown by a dotted line 1 representing the first embodiment is a flow velocity distribution of a reaction gas in a flow path direction using a porous rectangular rib.
  • 16A shows that, compared with the dotted line 1, the flow velocity becomes larger due to the reduction in the differential pressure of the lateral flow on both the upstream and downstream ends of the flow path, and the change in the flow velocity caused by the differential pressure in the central portion is smaller. . Since the differential pressure of the cross flow on both sides of the upstream end and the downstream end of the flow path is close to the differential pressure in the middle section, the flow velocity of the cross flow can be equalized.
  • the semi-occluded comb-shaped fluid guide flow path (dashed line 4) of the porous trapezoidal rib and the porous rectangular rib has a smaller difference in the lateral flow velocity between the upstream and downstream ends of the flow path and the central portion.
  • the contact surface between the rib and the gas diffusion layer and the separator can be arbitrarily adjusted, and the channel width can be arbitrarily adjusted along with it.
  • the contact surface between the gas diffusion layer and the channel is narrowed, the gas permeability to the gas diffusion layer is smaller, and the cross-flow (flow 1) The overall flow rate becomes slower.
  • the direct rib flow, 2 the reaction gas flowing from the supply channel 22 to the discharge channel 23 through the porous rib portion 2, even if the cross-sectional area of the rib portion is set to be the same as that described above and the shape of the rib portion is set
  • the trapezoidal shape reduces the path through which the reactive gas in the porous ribs passes, so that the differential pressure of the direct rib flow in the supply channel 22 and the discharge channel 23 becomes small. That is, by using reverse trapezoidal ribs at the upstream and downstream ends where the differential pressure is large, the differential pressure is suppressed, and the differential pressure at the midstream portion can be approached, and the flow velocity of the cross flow can be equalized.
  • the flow of the reaction gas flowing from the porous rib to the gas diffusion layer 3 is slightly increased due to the increase in the permeation area of the reaction gas from the gas diffusion layer vertically downward from the rib, but in the direct rib flow The proportion is extremely low and has little effect on the flow velocity of the cross flow.
  • the ribs constituting the fluid-guiding flow path are made porous, and the cross-sectional shape of the ribs is trapezoidal provided on the separator, or It is a reverse trapezoid provided on the gas diffusion layer, thereby realizing a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path capable of expanding or reducing the contact surface between the channel and the gas diffusion layer.
  • the semi-occluded comb-type fluid-guided flow path is provided with porous ribs that allow a part of the reaction gas to penetrate. Based on the equalization of the differential pressure and flow velocity of the cross-flow caused by the reaction gas passing through the pores of the porous ribs, the cross-sectional shape of the ribs is trapezoidal to shorten the passage path of the pores of the porous ribs of the reaction gas. The direct rib flow becomes larger, which further promotes the equalization of the differential pressure and the flow velocity of the cross flow in the entire flow path.
  • the contact surface between the channel and the gas diffusion layer is enlarged by using trapezoidal ribs provided on the partition plate, the flow velocity of the cross flow can be increased throughout the entire flow path. That is, in a semi-closed comb-type fluid-guided flow path using porous trapezoidal ribs, the flow velocity of the cross flow is equalized and accelerated, so that the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell can be improved.
  • an inverse trapezoidal rib provided on the gas diffusion layer is used, the contact surface between the gas diffusion layer and the channel is narrowed, and the lateral flow velocity is slightly slower, but the differential pressure of the lateral flow in the entire flow path is promoted. It can be expected that the cooling effect of the reaction gas can be improved by equalizing the flow velocity.
  • a semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path provided with a porous inverse trapezoidal rib on the partition plate may also be adopted, or a gas-permeable layer provided on the gas diffusion layer may be used.
  • the semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path of the porous trapezoidal ribs has the same effect as described above.
  • the semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path structure of the third embodiment has been described using the cathode as an example. However, a similar structure may be used for the anode, and the anode side and the cathode side may be different. That is, the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path on the anode side and the semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path on the cathode side can be formed using different rib cross-sectional shapes. That is, if the semi-occluded comb-type fluid-guided flow path structure of the third embodiment is applied, the anode-side fluid-guided flow path and the cathode-side fluid-guided flow path do not necessarily need to be formed with the same porosity, and may be different.
  • Different porosities can be combined.
  • different rib shapes can be adopted, and the channel width can be changed.
  • the functions required of the anode side and the cathode side can be considered to select the structure of the fluid guide flow path that is suitable for the respective characteristics.
  • the ribs constituting the semi-closed comb-type fluid guide flow path formed in the base material may be formed using the same porous material or different materials.
  • the porosity of the porous material can be changed according to the location.
  • the semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow channel according to the third embodiment of the present invention is merely an example, and is not limited to the content described in this specification.
  • a fuel cell including a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path having a channel width change and a trapezoidal cross section rib according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12.
  • the present invention is not limited to the fourth embodiment.
  • Embodiments 1 to 3 the case where the ribs constituting the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path is formed of a porous material having a predetermined porosity is described as an example, and the porosity and the pore size are determined. Changes were made, the channel width was adjusted, and the cross-sectional shape of the ribs was rectangular or trapezoidal.
  • a fuel cell including a semi-occluded comb-type fluid-guided flow path according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention is mainly different in that a rib constituting the fluid-guided flow path is made of a porous material.
  • a cross-sectional shape of a rib formed using a porous material is a trapezoidal shape that sits on a partition.
  • the channel width of the supply-side flow path is gradually narrowed toward the downstream end.
  • the channel width of the discharge-side flow path is gradually narrowed toward the upstream end.
  • FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view of a semi-occluded comb-type fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.
  • the plan structure of the flow path is omitted because it is the same as that described in the first embodiment, but is similar to the third embodiment.
  • the main difference is that the supply side flow extending in the longitudinal direction of the partition plate is made.
  • the channel width of the passage and the discharge-side flow path gradually narrows toward the downstream end in the supply-side flow path, and gradually narrows toward the upstream end in the discharge-side flow path.
  • FIGS. 12A-12C are schematic cross-sectional views of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.
  • the basic cross-sectional structure of the flow path is omitted because it is the same as that described in the first embodiment, but it can be seen that the cross-sectional shape of the ribs is trapezoidal in the fourth embodiment, and is the same as the third embodiment using rectangular ribs.
  • the channel widths of the supply-side flow path and the discharge-side flow path extending in the long-side direction of the separator are gradually narrowed toward the downstream end in the supply-side flow path and gradually toward the upstream end in the discharge-side flow path. narrow.
  • the cross-sectional shape and size of the trapezoid are the same in the ribs at the upstream end, the ribs at the midstream, and the ribs at the downstream end, but the average widths of the channels formed by the inverse trapezoids are different.
  • the cross-sectional area of the supply channel 22 and its average width continuously decrease from the maximum value to the minimum value at the end.
  • the cross-sectional area of the discharge channel 23 and its average width continuously increase from a minimum value to a maximum value at the end.
  • a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape is introduced to adjust the average width of the channel.
  • the trapezoidal effect of the cross-sectional shape of the rib and the width adjustment effect of the channel will be described separately.
  • the trapezoidal effect of the cross-sectional shape of the rib portion according to the fourth embodiment is considered, it is similar to the third embodiment.
  • the cross section of the rib By setting the cross section of the rib to a trapezoid shape, the passage path of the porous rib pores of the reaction gas is shortened, and the direct rib flow is increased, which further promotes equalization of the differential pressure and the flow velocity of the cross flow in the entire flow path.
  • the contact surface between the channel and the gas diffusion layer is enlarged by using trapezoidal ribs provided on the partition plate, the flow velocity of the cross flow can be increased throughout the entire flow path.
  • the average channel widths of the reverse-trapezoidal supply-side flow path and the discharge-side flow path are gradually narrowed toward the downstream end in the supply channel 22, and the discharge-side flow path 23
  • the middle direction gradually narrows toward the upstream end, so that the increase and decrease in the differential pressure on both sides of the upstream end and the downstream end of the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path can be increased in opposite directions.
  • the differential pressure becomes small due to a decrease in the pressure of the reaction gas supplied to the channel 22 and an increase in the pressure of the reaction gas discharged from the channel 23.
  • the differential pressure becomes large due to an increase in the pressure of the reaction gas supplied to the channel 22 and a decrease in the pressure of the reaction gas discharged from the channel 23. Therefore, the flow velocity becomes smaller due to the decrease in the differential pressure at the upstream end of the flow path, and the differential pressure at the central portion does not cause a change in the flow velocity.
  • the increase in the differential pressure at the downstream end makes the flow velocity considerably larger.
  • the dotted line 5 in FIG. 16C shows the multiplication effect of the trapezoidal effect of the cross-sectional shape of the rib and the width adjustment effect of the channel.
  • the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path (the dotted line 1, the dotted line 2) of the porous rectangular rib with a constant channel width is set.
  • the semi-occluded fluid guide channel (dotted line 5) of the porous trapezoidal ribs whose channel width is adjusted and the semi-occluded fluid guide of the porous rectangular ribs whose channel width is adjusted The flow path (dotted line 3) is slightly lower than the cross-flow velocity, but it is appropriately larger than the other broken lines 1, 2, and 3, and the discharge of the reaction water generated in the entire flow path is improved.
  • the semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path provided with porous reverse trapezoidal ribs provided on the partition plate may also be adopted, or a porous structure provided with a gas diffusion layer may be used.
  • the semi-occluded fluid-guiding flow path of the quality trapezoidal rib has the same effect as described above.
  • the cathode has been described as an example, but a similar structure may be used for the anode, and the anode side and the cathode side may be different. That is, the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path on the anode side and the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path on the cathode side can be formed using different rib cross-sectional shapes. That is, if the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path structure of the third embodiment is applied, the anode-side fluid guide flow path and the cathode-side fluid guide flow path do not necessarily need to be formed with the same porosity, and may be different or combined. Different porosity.
  • anode side and the cathode side different rib shapes can be adopted, and the channel width can be changed.
  • the functions required of the anode side and the cathode side can be considered to select the structure of the fluid guide flow path that is suitable for the respective characteristics.
  • the ribs constituting the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path formed in the base material may be formed using the same porous material or different materials.
  • the porosity of the porous material can be changed according to the location.
  • the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention is only an example, and is not limited to the content described in this specification.
  • 13A and 13B are two examples of a schematic plan view of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path as another modified example 1.
  • FIG. The structure, material, method, and principle are basically the same as those of the first to fourth embodiments.
  • 13A and 13B are examples of a flow path design in which the channel widths of the downstream end of the supply-side flow path and the upstream end of the discharge-side flow path are gradually narrowed, as in the second and fourth embodiments.
  • FIGS. 14A and 14B a fuel cell including a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path to which another modified example 2 of the present invention is applied will be described using FIGS. 14A and 14B.
  • FIGS. 14A and 14B are two examples of a plan view of a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path as another modification 2.
  • FIG. The structure, material, method, and principle are basically the same as those of the first to fourth embodiments.
  • all or part of the ribs and the hooks are zigzag and / or wavy, and the zigzag and / or wavy period may be constant in the direction of the fluid guide flow path, or It is fully or locally variable, and its width is constant within the extension surface of the fuel cell unit, or it is fully or partially variable.
  • the cycle values near the ends of the reaction fluid supply port and the reaction fluid discharge port are smaller than the cycle values far from the middle of the reaction fluid supply port and the reaction fluid discharge port.
  • the width of the ribs in the extension surface of the fuel cell unit, and the width values at both ends near the reaction fluid supply port and the reaction fluid discharge port are larger than the distance away from the reaction fluid supply port and the reaction fluid discharge port. The width of the middle of the exit.
  • the fluid guide flow path formed by the ribs and the hooks shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B is not limited to the comb-shaped fluid guide flow path, and is an example of the flow path design as in the first, second, third, and fourth embodiments.
  • the flow velocity of the cross flow can be equalized and the power generation area can be suppressed.
  • the deviation of the gas reaction contributes to the discharge of water generated by the reaction in the entire flow path and improves the power generation rate.
  • the cycle values near the ends of the reaction fluid supply port and the reaction fluid discharge port are smaller than the cycle values far from the middle of the reaction fluid supply port and the reaction fluid discharge port.
  • the flow path design of the present invention is not limited to Embodiments 1 to 4, and other modified examples 1 and 2.
  • ribs made of a porous material having an arbitrary porosity can be used to form a semi-occluded fluid guide flow path as a whole or in part.
  • the arbitrary cross-sectional shape of the rib, and the channel width can be freely adjusted, the effects described below can be obtained.
  • the same pattern is used from the beginning to the end of the unit life to continuously guide the reaction gas from the inlet to the outlet only in the determined direction.
  • Some gas flow paths or completely closed flow paths formed by partitions are different.
  • the semi-closed flow path of the present invention makes the most flexible use of the rib pores existing in the ribs, and it can be considered that the reaction gas can flow in multiple directions. Freestyle flow path structure with excellent air permeability.
  • the optimal flow path for the reaction gas can also be changed according to various conditions such as temperature, pressure, flow rate, flow rate, shape, resistance, etc. This free flow shape helps to improve the power generation efficiency of the MEA reaction area, and the unit Long life.
  • the ribs by providing the ribs with pores, a semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path is realized, and a part of the reaction gas supplied to the supply-side flow path or a part of the reaction gas and reaction generated water passes through the pores of the ribs, flows out and is discharged. Side flow. Therefore, by forming a direct rib flow, the differential pressure between the upstream and downstream sides of the cross flow is reduced, and the velocity of the cross flow from the upstream end to the downstream end is close to an equal level, which can eliminate the existing closed comb-guided flow. There is a large difference in velocity between the upstream and downstream ends of the road and the midstream section. Therefore, the introduction of the porous ribs contributes to the improvement of the power generation efficiency of the MEA reaction region and the long life of the unit.
  • the feature of the present invention is not to increase the cross-flow differential pressure in the midstream section as in the prior art, but to make the pressure close to the midstream section by reducing the pressure at both ends through reverse thinking.
  • the porous material constituting the ribs is subjected to a hydrophilic treatment.
  • the water vapor contained in the reaction gas the water converted into water vapor entering the pores of the ribs seeps out of the ribs, that is, the discharge-side flow path due to the capillary phenomenon, thereby improving the dischargeability of the water generated by the reaction and contributing to the Improved power generation efficiency in the MEA reaction area.
  • the generated water retained in the occlusion region (downstream end of the supply-side flow path) at the front end of the comb-shaped supply-side flow path is converted into water vapor and passes through the ribs. Therefore, the retained water can also be discharged.
  • the shape of the rib portion of the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path can be appropriately changed according to the design specification.
  • the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path using the porous trapezoidal ribs provided on the separator is used to equalize and speed up the flow velocity of the cross flow, thereby improving the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell.
  • an inverse trapezoidal rib provided on the gas diffusion layer is used, the contact surface between the gas diffusion layer and the channel is narrowed, and the lateral flow velocity is slightly slower, but the differential pressure of the lateral flow in the entire flow path is promoted. It can be expected that the cooling effect of the reaction gas can be improved by equalizing the flow velocity.
  • a semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path of a porous inverse trapezoidal rib provided on a partition plate or a semi-occluded fluid-guided flow path of a porous trapezoidal rib provided on a gas diffusion layer may be used to obtain The same effect as described above.
  • the present invention achieves equalization of the main battery reaction from the upstream end of the flow path to the downstream end, and further promotes the surrounding battery reaction by utilizing the high cross-flow velocity at the downstream end. At the same time, the drainage of the reaction generated water in the entire flow path is higher, which contributes to the improvement of power generation efficiency in the MEA reaction area.
  • the channel shape can be formed with high accuracy and low cost.
  • the ribs constituting the semi-occluded fluid guide flow path formed between the gas diffusion layer and the separator can be attached using screen printing, spraying, coating, ejection, and transfer of a disposable print fluid guide flow path. Two-dimensional manufacturing method.
  • a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention can be used as a fuel cell for vehicle mounting. However, it can also be used outside the car.
  • the present invention is not limited to the above-described first and fourth embodiments and other modified examples 1 and 2 and can be realized by various structures without departing from the gist thereof.
  • technical features described in Embodiments 1 to 4 and other modifications 1 and 2 of the present specification can be appropriately replaced and combined.

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Fuel Cell (AREA)

Abstract

一种燃料电池单元，包括相对的第一隔板、第二隔板和层叠在所述第一和第二隔板之间的膜电极接合体，膜电极接合体包括催化剂涂覆膜和分别设于催化剂涂覆膜的第一侧和第二侧的第一气体扩散层和第二气体扩散层，电池单元还包括设在第一隔板和第一气体扩散层之间和/或第二隔板和第二气体扩散层之间的用于提供电化学反应的反应流体的流体引导流路，其中流体引导流路具有用于控制反应流体流动的肋部，肋部分隔出与反应流体供给口相通的多个第一沟道部和与反应流体排出口相通的多个第二沟道部，至少部分第一沟道部和至少部分第二沟道部相邻，肋部位于相邻的第一沟道部和第二沟道部之间的部分具有允许反应流体渗透的多孔材料。

Description

流体引导流路及具备该流体引导流路的燃料电池 技术领域
本发明涉及通过将燃料电池单元重叠成多个层叠状而构成的燃料电池，该燃料电池单元中利用阳极侧隔板和阴极侧隔板对电解质膜、阳极侧催化剂层、阴极侧催化剂层、阳极侧气体扩展层、阴极侧气体扩散层进行夹持，本发明尤其涉及具有设置于各隔板与各气体扩散层的中间位置的流体引导流路的燃料电池。
背景技术
燃料电池通过使含有氢的燃料气体与空气等含有氧的氧化气体发生电化学反应，从而能够同时产生电和热。其中，使用了固体高分子电解质膜作为电解质膜的固体高分子型燃料电池(Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell,PEFC)由于具有容易实现小型化、可在低温下工作等优点，因此作为便携用、移动体用电源备受关注。
例如，在固体高分子型燃料电池(PEFC)中具备下述电解质膜·电极接合体(CCM、MEA)，该电解质膜·电极接合体中，在由高分子离子交换膜形成的电解质膜的一个面侧配置有阳极电极，在另一个面侧配置有阴极电极。MEA通过被隔板夹持来构成发电单元。燃料电池通常通过层叠规定数量的发电单元，而后例如作为车载用燃料电池堆组装入燃料电池电气车辆。燃料电池中，通常层叠数十～数百个发电单元，而后例如作为车载用燃料电池堆来使用。
这种燃料电池中，在一个隔板的面内，朝向阳极电极设置有燃料气体的流路。同时，在另一个隔板的面内，朝向阴极电极设置有氧化气体的流路。
为了能够得到发电效率较高的燃料电池，伴随着MEA均匀且有效地利用反应区域的整体是必不可少的要素。随之而产生的是涉及用于提高发电区域的气体扩散性的流体引导流路结构的多种对策。
现有技术文献
专利文献
专利文献1：日本专利特开2012－64483号公报
专利文献2：日本专利特开2018－55790号公报
发明内容
发明所要解决的技术问题
专利文献1、2所示的是形成于隔板的闭塞梳型气体流路，其整体由致密性碳或冲压成型的金属板等气体非透过性的材料构成。存在有着眼于下述方面的技术，即：通过提高供给流路与排出流路间的压力差，来提高气体扩散层中基于横流的气体透过性。关于供给流路与排出流路间的压力差，由于与上游端和下游端相比，中游部的该压力差显著较低，因此，仅在流路的形状和宽度变更的对策中希望改善中游部的低压力差的尝试存在极限。此外，由于肋部形成加工性等限制，因此无法自由地改变流路的形状和宽度。因此，在由致密性碳或通过冲压成型得到的完全闭塞梳型气体流路中，难以使电极整体的气体反应均等化。此外，还存在伴随着发电而产生的生成水的排出、气体扩散层的间隙的滞留水的充塞等导致发电效率下降的缺点。
本发明的目的在于，提供一种包括肋部和沟道部的半闭塞流体引导流路，其具有多孔的肋部，用于使包含未反应流体、被用于反应的流体、水蒸气的反应流体能够渗透，从而使流体反应均等化。
此外，在这种反应流体能够渗透的肋部中，通过改变肋部孔隙率的大小和肋部配置，能够实现仅反应流体通过的功能或反应流体通过和反应生成水排出这两个功能。
并且，在这种反应流体能够通过的肋部中，由于能够通过改变肋部间的间隔来固定地、阶段性地、或者连续地改变沟道宽度，以及自由地变更肋部剖面形状和尺寸，因此能够容易地应对规格变更。
上述目的能够通过提供具备半闭塞的流体引导流路的发电效率高的燃料电池单元来实现，该半闭塞的流体引导流路能够不受传统制造加工限制自由地设计流体引导流路，能够容易地实现电极整体的流体反应的均等化、沟道内的生成水的排出及气体扩散层间隙的滞留水的排出。
解决技术问题所采用的技术方案
本发明的一个方面提供一种燃料电池单元，包括相对的第一隔板、第二隔板和层叠在所述第一和第二隔板之间的膜电极接合体，所述膜电极接合体包括 催化剂涂覆膜和分别设于所述催化剂涂覆膜的第一侧和第二侧的第一气体扩散层和第二气体扩散层，所述电池单元还包括设在所述第一隔板和所述第一气体扩散层之间和/或所述第二隔板和所述第二气体扩散层之间的用于提供电化学反应的反应流体的流体引导流路，其中所述流体引导流路具有用于控制所述反应流体流动的肋部，所述肋部分隔出与所述反应流体供给口相通的多个第一沟道部和与所述反应流体排出口相通的多个第二沟道部，至少部分第一沟道部和至少部分第二沟道部相邻，所述肋部位于相邻的第一沟道部和第二沟道部之间的部分具有允许所述反应流体渗透的多孔材料。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述流体引导流路是附着在对应的第一隔板面向对应的气体扩散层的表面和/或对应的气体扩散层面向对应的隔板的表面。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述多个第一沟道部和所述多个第二沟道部是交错排列。
在本发明的一实施例中，孔隙所述肋部是连续分布的梳型结构。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述肋部的一部分或全部由仅反应流体能够通过的多孔材料构成。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述肋部的多孔材料含有仅反应流体能够通过的单一尺寸的孔隙、或者多个尺寸的孔隙。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述肋部的一部分或全部由反应流体和反应生成水能够通过的多孔材料构成。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述肋部的多孔材料具备仅反应流体能够通过的第一孔隙以及反应生成水能够通过的第二孔隙，所述第二孔隙大于所述第一孔隙。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述肋部的一部分由反应流体无法通过的致密材料构成。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述肋部的多孔材料的孔隙率和/或孔隙尺寸分布设为相同。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述肋部在靠近所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的两端的孔隙率和/或孔隙尺寸大于远离所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的中部的孔隙率和/或孔隙尺寸。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述第一沟道部的截面积从所述反应流体的进口朝向下游端连续地或阶段性地减小，所述第二沟道部的截面积从上游端朝向所述反应流体的出口连续地或阶段性地增大。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述肋部在垂直于所述燃料电池单元的延伸面的截面是梯形。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述肋部的全部或局部在所述燃料电池单元的延伸面内是锯齿形和/或波浪形。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述肋部的锯齿形和/或波浪形状的周期在所述流体引导流路方向上是一定的或者是全部或局部可变的，所述肋部在所述燃料电池单元的延伸面内的宽度是一定的或者是全部或局部可变的。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部在流体引导流路方向上的锯齿形和/或者波状周期，在靠近所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的两端的周期值小于远离所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的中部的周期值。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述肋部在所述燃料电池单元的延伸面上的宽度，在靠近所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的两端的宽度值大于远离所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的中部的宽度值。
在本发明的一实施例中，位于所述第一隔板和所述第一气体扩散层之间的肋部在与所述第一隔板或所述第一气体扩散层接触的一端的轮廓是曲面，位于所述第二隔板和所述第二气体扩散层之间的肋部在与所述第二隔板和所述第二气体扩散层接触的一端的轮廓是曲面。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述肋部由相同材料形成。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述肋部的至少一部分是通过不同的多个材料的组合来形成。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述流体引导流路是以涂布、印刷、点胶、喷射或转印的方式形成于对应的隔板表面和/或气体扩散层表面。
在本发明的一实施例中，所述流体引导流路的肋部的顶面、所述第一和第二沟道部底面的部分或全部是经亲水性处理的。
附图概述
本发明的特征、性能由以下的实施例及其附图进一步描述。
图1是表示本发明的一实施方式的燃料电池堆的结构的外观图。
图2是本发明的实施方式1的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要俯视图。
图3是本发明的实施方式1的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要剖视图。
图4是表示本发明所涉及的供给侧流路和排出侧流路的压力分布的图表。
图5是表示流过本发明所涉及的供给侧流路和排出侧流路的反应气体的流量、流速的图表。
图6是本发明实施方式1的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要俯视图。
图7是本发明的实施方式2的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要俯视图。
图8A-8C是本发明的实施方式2的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要剖视图。
图9是本发明的实施方式3的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要俯视图。
图10A、10B是本发明的实施方式3的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要剖视图。
图11是本发明的实施方式4的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要俯视图。
图12A-12C是本发明的实施方式4的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要剖视图。
图13A、13B是作为本发明的变形例1的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要剖视图。
图14A、14B是作为本发明的变形例2的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要剖视图。
图15A-15D是构成本发明一实施例的半闭塞的流体引导流路的肋部剖面形状的一些示例。
图16A-16D是表示用于比较本发明一实施例的半闭塞的流体引导流路的效果的流速的图表。
标号说明：
1   电解质膜
2   阳极侧催化剂层
3   阴极侧催化剂层
4   阳极侧气体扩散层(基材)
5   阴极侧气体扩散层(基材)
6   阳极侧隔板(基材)
7   阴极侧隔板(基材)
8   单元
9   堆叠结构体
10  膜电极接合体
11  肋部
12  供给侧头部流路
13  排出侧头部流路
14  阳极侧流体引导流路
15  阴极侧流体引导流路
16  冷却流路
17  流体供给口
18  流体排出口
19  密封材料
21  沟道
22  供给沟道
23  排出沟道
本发明的较佳实施方式
此处，参照附图，举例示出优选的实施方式来详细说明本发明的燃料电池。另外，在以下的说明中，以燃料电池为固体高分子型燃料电池的情况为例进行说明。其中，本发明的一实施方式中所记载的结构构件的材质、尺寸、形状、角度、其相对配置等只要没有特别地进行特定记载，那么本发明的范围就不仅限于这些记载。
下面，参照适当的附图对本发明的一实施方式进行详细说明。在参照的附图中，图1是表示构成应用了本发明一实施方式的燃料电池单元的简要结构的剖面示意图。该燃料电池单元8包括膜电极接合体10、从两面夹持膜电极接合体10的阳极侧的隔板6和阴极侧的隔板7、位于气体扩散层4、5和隔板间的 流体引导流路14、15、以及位于隔板6和隔板7间的冷却流路16。膜电极接合体10由电解质膜1、形成在电解质膜1的各个面上的阳极侧的催化剂层2和阴极侧的催化剂层3、与上述各催化剂层相邻设置的阳极侧的气体扩散层4和阴极侧的气体扩散层5构成。
通常，燃料电池使用反应气体来进行电化学发电。本发明的一实施方式中，燃料电池是固体高分子型燃料电池，将含有氢的燃料气体、以及含有氧的氧化气体用作为反应气体。该一实施方式中，燃料电池中所使用的燃料气体是储存于储存箱的氢气，但在其他的一实施方式中，也可以是储存于吸氢合金的氢气，还可以是对碳化氢类燃料进行改质而得到的氢气。本发明的一实施方式中，燃料电池所使用的氧化气体是从外部气体取入的空气。在本发明的实施例中，作为燃料和氧化的可以不是气体，也可以是液体等其他流体。
本发明的燃料电池单元8具有由阳极催化剂层2和阴极催化剂层3夹持电解质膜1而得到的催化剂涂覆膜(catalyst coated membrane,CCM)，进一步经由从外侧夹住该CCM而得到膜·电极接合体(MEA)10的一对气体扩散层4、5，以及进一步夹住MEA 10的一对隔板6、7。在隔板6与气体扩散层4，以及隔板7与气体扩散层5之间，分别设置有半闭塞的流体引导流路14和15。在阴极侧的是氧化流体引导流路15、在阳极侧的是燃料流体引导流路14。本发明的氧化流体引导流路15和燃料流体引导流路14中，燃料气体与氧化气体的流动方向可以是彼此相对的相对流，也可以是同方向流动的平行流。
〔燃料电池的工作原理〕
燃料电池的工作原理如下所述。燃料气体被提供给阳极(被称为燃料极)，借助催化剂的帮助，电子从所提供的燃料气体中分离并向外部电路移动。这里，氢变化为氢离子(被称为质子)。另一方面，氧被提供给阴极(被称为空气极)。氧与从电解质膜通过的质子和从外部电路流入的电子进行反应从而生成水。
作为一个示例，本发明的燃料电池是下述固体高分子型燃料电池，即：电解质膜1使用固体高分子电解质，向该电解质膜1添加阳极侧催化剂层2(称为第一催化剂层)和阴极侧催化剂层3(称为第二催化剂层)，构成催化剂涂覆膜(catalyst coated membrane,CCM)。在阳极侧催化剂层2以隔着阳极侧气体扩散层4(称为第一气体扩散层)的方式附加上阳极侧隔板6(称为第一隔板)， 并在阴极侧催化剂层3以隔着阴极侧气体扩散层5(称为第二气体扩散层)的方式附加上阴极侧隔板7(称为第二隔板)，由此来构成燃料电池单元8，堆叠多个该燃料电池单元8而得到固体高分子型燃料电池。
关于本发明的一实施方式所涉及的燃料电池单元8的构成构件和与它们关联的要素，可以使用公知的基材来形成。此外，可以使用惯用技术来制作燃料电池单元8的构成构件和与它们相关联的要素。本发明的实施例中，关于公知的基材和惯用技术没有特别的限制。下面，对各构成构件简单进行说明。
〔电解质膜〕
电解质膜1由湿润状态下具有良好的质子传导性的固体高分子材料、例如氟系高分子膜制作而成。作为起电部的电解质膜1所要求具有的主要功能可列举出：良好的质子传导性、反应气体的非透过性、电子绝缘性及物理和化学高耐久性。作为本发明的实施例所使用的电解质膜，只要是由离子(质子)透过性优异且不会流过电流的材料形成的，则没有特别的限制。
〔催化剂层〕
在配置于电解质膜1的两侧的阳极侧催化剂层2中进行氢的氧化反应，在阴极侧催化剂层3中进行氧的还原反应。在阳极侧催化剂层2，促使进行氢分解成质子和电子的反应(氢氧化反应)。在阴极侧催化剂层3，促使进行由质子、电子、氧生成水的反应(氧还原反应)。本发明所使用的催化剂层没有特别的限制，可使用以往所使用的通常的材料。
〔气体扩散层〕
气体扩散层4、5具有下述三个功能。第一个是不仅使从流体引导流路流来的反应气体向流体引导流路的垂直下方扩散，还使它们扩散至肋部的垂直下方的气体扩散性功能。第二个是适度地使催化剂层内湿润，并排出过剩水的水管理功能。第三个是形成电子移动路径的集电性功能。气体扩散层4、5是具有高效地沿着电解质膜1的面方向对化学反应所需的燃料气体和氧化气体进行引导的功能的层。即，在阳极侧气体扩散层4设有能够使燃料气体扩散的流体引导流路14，在阴极侧气体扩散层5设有能够使氧化气体扩散的流体引导流路15。除了碳纸之外，由碳纤维构成的碳布或碳毡等只要具有足够的气体扩散性和导电性就没有特别的限制，可以沿用现有的燃料电池所使用的成品的气体扩 散层。
〔隔板〕
隔板是对作为发电体的燃料电池单元8彼此进行划分的薄板，在一对隔板6、7之间收纳有发电所需的电解质膜1、阳极侧催化剂层2、阴极侧催化剂层3、阳极侧气体扩散层4、5、阴极侧气体扩散层5。另外，该隔板也起到对发电得到的电进行集电的集电体的功能。隔板6和7典型的由金属制成。可以理解，隔板6和7也可以使用其他导电材料，或者是包含导电材料的复合材料。
在阳极侧形成有用于向电解质膜1提供燃料气体(氢)的燃料流体引导流路14。燃料流体引导流路14形成在阳极侧隔板6和气体扩散层4之间，形成为沿着燃料气体流动方向延伸出的凹凸状。在阴极侧形成有用于向电解质膜1提供氧化气体(空气)的氧化流体引导流路15。氧化流体引导流路15形成在阴极侧隔板7和气体扩散层5之间，形成为沿着氧化气体流动方向延伸出的凹凸状。
〔流体引导流路〕
向燃料电池提供气体的流路由条状的凸部和凹部构成。凸部被称为肋部11，经由膜电极接合体(MEA)和气体扩散层被接触，起到电的通电部的作用。凹部被称为沟道21，是从外部向燃料电池中提供气体的通路和水等的排出通路。通常，肋部11由与形成气体流路的基材相同的气体非透过性的材料构成，但在后述的该一实施方式中，肋部11的特征在于通过附着与基材不同的材质的多孔质材料来形成。另外，肋部11可以是在气体流动方向上连续的突起，或者，肋部也可以是不连续的或者零散的突起。
接着，作为流体引导流路图案的一个示例，对流路进行说明。流体引导流路可包括由肋部11限定的供给侧头部流路、沟道21以及排出侧头部流路。沟道21可包括供给沟道22和排出沟道23。供给侧头部流路与气体供给口连通，在隔板的宽度方向上延伸。多个供给沟道22从供给侧头部流路开始分支，在隔板的长边方向上大致平行地以大致直线状延伸。多个供给沟道22的下游端封闭。排出侧流路也同样。下游侧封闭的供给侧流路和上游侧封闭的排出侧流路在气体扩散层上彼此隔开间隔交替地并排设置。
提供给供给侧流路的气体从供给侧流路进入气体扩散层，在通过其内部之 后，流入相邻的排出侧流路。将该流动的情况称为“横流”。通过这种强制对流，气体催化剂层附近的气体浓度分布提高，因此能够提高气体扩散性。
由此，通过层叠膜电极接合体、一对气体扩散层、一对隔板来构成燃料电池堆。
另外，在燃料电池堆中，在隔板与固体高分子电解质膜之间、或者燃料电池单元和与之相邻的其他的燃料电池单元之间配置有气体密封材料19，但本说明书中省略了它们的记载。
此外，在燃料电池堆中，配置有在构成堆时起到用于连结各单位的连结单元的作用的歧管，但本说明书中省略了它们的记载。
此外，在设置有使反应气体流通的流体引导流路的面的相反侧的隔板面设置有使在燃料电池堆运行使用于冷却燃料电池堆的制冷剂(例如，冷却水等)流通的冷却介质用流路，但本说明书中省略了该记载。
以上本发明中构成构件及与它们相关联的要素的形态不限于上述结构，可适当进行变更。
以下，参照附图，对用于实施本发明的方式进行说明。另外，在各图中，对相同或相当的部分标注相同的标号，并适当地简化或省略其重复说明。需要注意的是，这些附图的尺寸比率为了便于说明而进行了夸大，有时会与实际的比率不同，并没有采用正确的比例尺，与实际相比进行了放大显示。
进一步对本发明的一实施方式所涉及的半闭塞的流体引导流路的结构进行详细说明。这里，为了简化说明，在没有特别限制的情况下阳极侧流体引导流路和阴极侧流体引导流路具有相同的结构。因此，在对它们共通的事项进行说明的情况下，将它们简称为“流体引导流路”。此外，本说明书中所提到的“反应气体”包含燃料气体、氧化气体、水蒸气、以及包含其他气体的流体。“基材”是形成有本发明的半闭塞的流体引导流路的基板(隔板6、7、气体扩散层4、5)。
实施方式1
以下，使用图1～6，对本发明的实施方式1的具备半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的燃料电池进行说明。另外，本发明不仅仅限于实施方式1。
在本发明的实施方式1所涉及的具备半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的燃料电 池中，如图1～6所示，半闭塞的流体引导流路的特征在于，使用具有规定的孔隙率的多孔质材料(以下，称为高多孔材料、低多孔材料)来形成。以下，对本实施方式1中具有使用多孔材料形成的肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路的结构、物性及原理进行说明。
本实施方式1中，使用多孔材料形成的肋部11的剖面形状采用矩形。此外，本实施方式1中将沟道宽度设为均等。本实施方式1中，为了进行比较，着重关注使用孔隙率(porosity)不同的多孔质的肋部11构成的半闭塞的流体引导流路。
图2是本发明的实施方式1的半闭塞梳型的的流体引导流路的简要俯视图。根据图2，本实施方式的燃料电池中的半闭塞的流体引导流路中，上游端为供给侧头部流路12，下游端为排出侧头部流路13，中部为交替分布的供给沟道22(称为第一沟道)和排出沟道23(称为第二沟道)。两个相邻的梳型流体引导流路的沟道部形成为彼此咬合。供给侧流路的供给沟道22与歧管的反应气体，例如氧气供给口17相连接，排出侧流路的排出沟道23与歧管的反应气体，例如氧气排出口18相连接。供给沟道22和供给沟道23隔着肋部11交替形成，作为槽状的凹部彼此独立而并不相连，供给沟道22和排出沟道23各自的末端被封闭。
需要指出是，尽管本实施例中，所有的供给沟道22和排出沟道23交替分布，但可以理解，这种方式是示例性的。本发明的实施方式中，只要有一部分供给沟道22和一部分排出沟道23相邻，即可促成反应气体的横流。
图3是放大本发明的实施方式1的半闭塞的流体引导流路的一部分而得到的简要剖视图II-II。由图3可知，构成半闭塞的流体引导流路的肋部11形成在表面平滑的基材(气体扩散层4与隔板6或气体扩散层5和隔板7)之间。本实施方式的半闭塞的流体引导流路形成在气体扩散层4、5和隔板6、7的中间位置，并没有设置在气体扩散层内，也没有与隔板一体化。本实施方式的半闭塞的流体引导流路形成在基材表面，是不与基材一体化的流体引导流路，若设为其他的方式，则也可以作为气体扩散层或隔板的附加流路来形成。
本实施方式的半闭塞流路中的反应气体的流动由在沟道的气体扩散层面方向上流动的一次流动(图3的箭头①)、以及在沟道的肋部侧面方向上流动 的反应气体的两个二次流动(图3的箭头②和箭头③)构成。一次流动是下述横流(图3的箭头①)：反应气体从歧管的供给口17(参考图2)注入，在供给沟道22中流动，它的大部分流入气体扩散层4、5，在引起电池主反应之后，按压出排出沟道23，从歧管的排出口18进行排气。本实施方式的半闭塞梳型流路中反应气体的两个二次流动是下述流动：反应气体从歧管的供给口17注入，在供给沟道22中流动，它的一部分在通过存在于肋部11的孔隙之后，向气体扩散层渗透的由箭头③所示的流动；以及分支成直接按压至排出沟道23的由箭头②所示的流动，而后从歧管的排出口18进行排气。本说明书中，将直接经由肋部进行的二次流动称为“直接肋流”。
此外，图3中，用箭头示出了在交替设置的供给沟道22和排出沟道23的周边的反应气体的流线。图3中，箭头的大小表示横流和直接肋流的大小。箭头①所示的流线表示反应气体从供给沟道22向气体扩散层4、5连通，在电池主反应后，未反应气体(包含水蒸气)和反应生成水被按压出排出沟道23这样的横流。箭头②和箭头③所示的流线是直接肋流，是反应气体或反应气体和反应生成水从供给沟道22渗透至多孔质肋部然后进行分支后的两个分支流。箭头②所示的主要分支流中，反应气体或反应气体和反应生成水通过肋部，并排出至排出沟道23。箭头③所示的其他分支流通过气体扩散层，与促进电池主反应的流动合流。并且，箭头③所示的流动促进与肋部11相接的周围的生成水的排出。
对本实施方式所涉及的多孔质材料的特性进行详细叙述。构成本实施方式的半闭塞的流体引导流路的肋部中包含有不透过反应气体的“致密材料”、以及使反应气体透过及/或使生成水排出的“多孔材料”。肋部的“致密材料”部由没有孔隙或孔隙非常少的不透过反应气体的导电材料构成。肋部的“多孔材料”部中，其内部的孔隙是合成多孔材料的导电性粒子的凝聚体的间隙，可通过改变大小不同的导电性粒子数和分布来控制其孔隙率和孔隙直径。“低多孔材料”是使反应气体透过的具有较低孔隙率和较小的孔隙直径的导电材料。“高多孔材料”是同时使反应气体透过和生成水排出的具有较高孔隙率和较大孔隙直径的导电材料。具有较大孔隙直径的“高多孔材料”可应用不含有“低多孔材料”的较小孔隙直径的情况、以及既引入这样的较小孔隙直径也包含较大孔 隙直径的含有多个尺寸的孔隙直径的情况。粉末导电材料使用金属粉末、碳粉末、石墨烯复合粉末或者其他粉末等形成的材料。
对构成能够使反应气体或反应气体和反应水通过这些孔隙的肋部11的该多孔质材料实施亲水性处理。本实施方式中，利用具有这种气体通过性及/或反应水的排出性的肋部材料，使供给沟道22和排出沟道23隔开，因此，能够使通过存在于该多孔质材料的无数的孔隙的一部分反应气体作为直接肋流而通过。由于利用上述的多孔材料构成肋部，因此，本实施方式的流体引导流路的主要特征在于不是完全闭塞型，而是半闭塞的流路。
图15A-15D示出了使用多孔质材料形成的肋部11的剖面形状。如图15A-15D所示，定义肋部剖面形状的尺寸值中包含有上边、下边、高度、角度α、角度β。通过对定义肋部剖面形状的这些尺寸值任意地进行变更，从而能够形成由各种剖面形状形成的肋部，并且定义肋部剖面形状的这些尺寸值也是对作为沟道部的空间的宽度、高度产生影响的值。
另外，本发明中构成半闭塞的流体引导流路的肋部剖面形状不限于图15A-15D所示的剖面形状，作为其形状的种类是无限的，因此，在此处对它们的全部进行公开实际上是不可能的。作为本说明书中所提及的肋部剖面形状，作为典型例而仅列举了矩形和梯形，但也可以包含其他的多边形、半圆、半椭圆状、半长圆状等，无视这些形状的表里、方向、大小的比率的不同，作为肋部剖面形状的“形”它们是全部相同的，它们的全部均包含在本发明的权利要求书范围内。即，本发明的肋部剖面形状中包含有与本发明的说明书所记载的形状具有相似关系的所有剖面形状。具体而言，矩形、梯形、具有满足其他的相似条件的相似关系的所有的形状，加上它们的镜像，均包含在构成本发明的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的肋部剖面形状中。
虽然直接测定通过多孔质体内的反应气体的流动在技术上较为困难，但由于沟道内的气体的流动很大程度取决于气体扩散层和肋部材料各自的孔隙率和孔隙直径分布的差，因此，对于有多大程度的量的反应气体透过肋部11进行一定程度的推定。实际所使用的透过反应气体的肋部材料的孔隙率与气体扩散层的孔隙率相比，显著较低。对于孔隙直径，与气体扩散层的孔隙直径相比，肋部材料的孔隙直径非常小。此外，兼具反应气体的透过性和反应水的排出性 的肋部材料的孔隙率与气体扩散层相比，显著较低。用于进行反应水的排出的孔隙直径非常小。此外，排出侧的压力是供给侧的压力的几分之一的程度或其以下。因此，例如在将供给量设为100％时，反应气体从供给沟道22向排出沟道23扩散的路径及其比例如下所述。(a)流过供给沟道22的反应气体量的70～90％以上直接通过位于其上部的气体扩散层，(b)在MEA中未反应的反应气体的10％以下被按压出排出沟道23，(c)流过供给沟道22的反应气体量的10～30％以下透过存在于肋部的孔隙，(d)其一部分(10％以下)向肋部垂直下方或上方的气体扩散层移动，(e)通过肋部的孔隙并向排出沟道23排出的反应气体为5～20％以下，其中的一半或一半以上的反应气体被排出至外部。即，整体的2～3成程度以下的反应气体经由肋部与排出沟道23或气体扩散层连通。以上只是一个示例，通过控制肋部的孔隙率和孔隙直径，能够调整渗透到肋部11的孔隙的反应气体的流量。
参照将本发明所涉及的半闭塞流量的压力分布可视化的图4的图表，边对以没有孔隙(气体非透过)的方式形成的肋部的事例(实线)、用低多孔材料形成的肋部的事例(低孔隙率、虚线)、以及用高多孔材料形成的肋部的事例(高孔隙率、虚线)进行比较，边对各流路内的压力的情况进行说明。
图4中，图表上的实线(a)、(b)、(c)示出将由没有孔隙且剖面形状为矩形的肋部形成的完全闭塞流路作为基准，上游侧和下游侧之间的各个供给沟道压力分布、排出沟道的压力分布以及由它们的差形成的差压分布。同样地，虚线(d)、(e)、(f)示出由使用低多孔材料形成的剖面形状为矩形的肋部构成的半闭塞流路中上游侧和下游侧之间的各个供给沟道压力分布、排出沟道的压力分布以及由它们的差构成的差压分布。虚线(g)、(h)、(i)示出由使用高多孔材料形成的剖面形状为矩形的肋部构成的半闭塞流路中上游侧和下游侧之间的各个供给沟道压力分布、排出沟道的压力分布以及由它们的差构成的差压分布。
图4中，实线(a)是表示由没有孔隙的肋部形成的完全闭流路的供给侧的流路方向的流路内压力变化的曲线。如实线(a)所示，供给沟道22的上游端的压力最高，该压力到供给沟道22的中游部为止急剧下降，然后继续缓缓下降直到下游端为止。实线(b)是表示由没有孔隙的肋部形成的完全闭塞梳型流路的排出侧的流路方向的流路内压力变化的曲线。如实线(b)所示，对比鲜明地， 排出沟道23的上游端的压力朝向排出沟道23的下游端到中游部为止没有大幅下降，而后急剧下降直到下游端。由供给侧流路的压力(实线(a))与排出侧流路的压力(实线(b))的差构成的流路方向的差压分布用实线(c)的曲线来表示。如实线(c)所示，由于供给沟道22与排出沟道23的差压与上游端和下游端相比在中游部显著变低，因此，可知中游部的横流的流速或流路极低，有碍电池主反应的进行。
图4中，虚线(d)是表示由使用低多孔材料形成的剖面形状为矩形的肋部形成的半闭塞的流体引导流路中供给侧流路的流路方向的压力分布的曲线。如虚线(d)所示，关于供给沟道22的流路方向的压力分布，根据供给沟道22与排出沟道23的压力差，一部分的供给反应气体通过低多孔材料(直接肋流)，因此压力分布发生变化。与实线(a)所示的完全闭塞流路的供给沟道22的流路方向的压力变化相比，中游部的压力稍稍下降，而上游端和下游端两侧的压力大幅下降。
另一方面，虚线(e)是表示由使用低多孔材料形成的剖面形状为矩形的肋部形成的半闭塞的流体引导流路中排出侧流路的流路方向的压力变化的曲线。如虚线(e)所示，关于排出沟道23的流路方向的压力分布，与实线(b)所示的完全闭塞流路的排出沟道23的流路方向的压力变化相比，根据供给沟道22与排出沟道23的压力差，反应气体通过低多孔材料，并流入排出沟道23(直接肋流)，因此，虽然压力分布相似，但与中游部的压力上升相比，上游端和下游端的两侧的压力上升大。
因此，虚线(f)是表示由使用低多孔材料形成的剖面形状为矩形的肋部形成的半闭塞的流体引导流路中供给侧流路压力(虚线(d))与排出侧流路的压力(虚线(e))的差所构成的流路方向的差压分布的曲线。如虚线(f)所示，供给沟道22与排出沟道23的差压与实线(c)所示的完全闭塞流路的差压相比，在中游部稍稍降低，在上游端和下游端大幅降低。通过使两端侧的差压接近中游部的差压值，可力图实现流路方向的差压分布的均等化。由此，中游部的横流的流速或流量较低从而妨碍电池主反应的进行的问题得到大幅改善。
图4中，虚线(g)是表示由使用高多孔材料形成的剖面形状为矩形的肋部形成的半闭塞的流体引导流路中供给侧流路的流路方向的压力分布的曲线。如虚 线(g)所示，关于供给沟道22的流路方向的压力分布，根据供给沟道22与排出沟道23的压力差，反应气体和反应水均通过高多孔材料(直接肋流)，因此压力分布发生变化。与虚线(d)所示的由低多孔材料形成的半闭塞的流体引导流路的供给沟道22的流路方向的压力变化相比，中游部的压力稍稍下降，而上游端和下游端两侧的压力大幅下降。
另一方面，虚线(h)是表示由使用高多孔材料形成的剖面形状为矩形的肋部形成的半闭塞的流体引导流路中排出侧流路的流路方向的压力变化的曲线。如虚线(h)所示，关于排出沟道23的流路方向的压力分布，根据供给沟道22与排出沟道23的压力差，反应气体和反应水均通过高多孔材料，并流入排出沟道23(直接肋流)，因此，与虚线(e)所示的由低多孔材料形成的半闭塞的流体引导流路的排出沟道23的流路方向的压力分布相比，示出更大的压力值。虽然两者的压力分布相似，但关于上游端和下游端的两端侧的压力，由高多孔材料形成的排出沟道23的值比由低多孔材料形成的排出沟道23的值要高。
因此，虚线(i)是表示由使用高多孔材料形成的剖面形状为矩形的肋部构成的半闭塞的流体引导流路中供给侧流路压力(虚线(g))与上述的排出侧流路的压力(虚线(h))的差压的流路方向的分布的曲线。如虚线(i)所示，关于供给沟道22与排出沟道23的差压，与虚线(f)所示的由低多孔材料形成的半闭塞的流体引导流路的差压相比，在中游部稍稍变高，在上游和下游的两端侧大幅下降，示出与中游部的差压相接近的值。因此，可力图实现流路方向的差分分布的均等化。由此，中游部的横流的流速或流量较低从而妨碍电池主反应的进行的问题得以解决。
对图4中所绘制的表示供给沟道22与排出沟道23之间的流路方向的差压分布的没有孔隙的曲线(c)、低多孔材料的曲线(f)、高多孔材料的曲线(i)分别进行比较后得到的结果是，低多孔的曲线(f)具有比没有孔隙的曲线(c)要大的曲率半径。在实施方式1的由低多孔材料形成的肋部的事例中，所构成的半闭塞流路的上游端和下游端的两侧的差压值与中游部间的差压值的差异极小。并且，可知高多孔的曲线(i)具有最大的曲率半径，绘制了接近于直线的曲线。即，在实施方式1的由高多孔材料形成的肋部的事例中，由高多孔的肋部构成的半闭塞流路的流路方向的差压分布最为均等，可认为接近于基本相同的差压值。因 此，本实施方式的半闭塞流路中，由于利用多孔质材料来形成肋部，尤其是若利用高多孔的肋部来形成，则可获得差压的流路方向的变化显著变小的优选结果。
本实施方式的半闭塞流路中，在流体引导流路的供给侧，由于由外部施加了压力，因此能够使供给侧的压力始终较高。另一方面，为了提高半闭塞流路的排出侧流路的压力，除了反应气体和反应生成水从气体扩散层移动的横流之外，还通过经由肋部孔隙，从供给沟道22一部分的反应气体或反应气体和反应生成水通过，并流入排出沟道23的直接肋流的两个流动来实行。但是，排出侧流路的压力值不会高于供给侧流路的最低压力值。
本发明的实施方式1的半闭塞流路的特征在于，通过具备肋部孔隙，所供给的气体的一部分从压力较高的供给沟道22向压力较低的排出沟道23排出。作为气体的反应气体从肋部孔隙排出是指，反应气体(未反应或反应完成)不经由气体扩散层直接从供给侧流路向排出侧流路移动。由于存在这种直接肋流，供给侧流路与排出侧流路的流路方向的压力变化变小。若利用高多孔材料形成肋部，则能够进一步减小两流路的流路方向的压力变化，其结果是，能够实现可使由供给侧流路压力与排出侧流路压力的差构成的流路方向的差压分布均等化的半闭塞的梳型流体引导流路。本实施方式中，反应气体作为直接肋流排出至排出侧流路，因此，能够解决在利用没有孔隙的肋部形成的流体引导流路中出现的上游端和下游端两侧的差压与中游部的差压的过剩的差所带来的问题。
生成水有滞留于下游端的倾向。与位于上游端的肋部的孔隙相比，尤其是位于下游端的肋部的孔隙被以成膜的方式附着于肋部表面的生成水阻碍而无法起到通气孔的作用的可能性较高。即使在面对这种情况时，在供给侧流路中，尤其在阴侧的供给侧流路中，在压力注入时，附着于肋部表面的水滴被吹走，从而可以压出水分并带走。此外，在半闭塞流路中，尤其在阴极，由于处于空气始终移动的状态，因此即使认为导入了天然的换气机构也并不过分，利用始终移动的空气，具有吹走过剩的水分的干燥效果。并且，由于毛细管效果，因此会出现变化为水蒸气而进入到孔隙的水分从肋部渗出的现象。通过提高供给侧流路的反应气体的压力，能够提高多孔质肋部的水分排出力。另外，本实施 方式中，对肋部整体设置了孔隙，但可以根据部位的不同而将孔隙率设为不同，也可以局部使用没有孔隙的致密性较高的材料。
参照将本发明所涉及的半闭塞流路的反应气体的流速的变动可视化后得到的图5的图表，边比较没有孔隙的肋部的事例、低多孔材料的肋部的事例、以及高多孔材料的肋部的事例，边对各流路内的流速或流量的状态进行详细叙述。在图5的表示横流的流路方向的流速分布的图中，作为基准例，图表上所绘制的实线示出了由剖面形状为矩形且没有孔隙的肋部所形成的完全闭塞流路中的流路方向的流速分布。虚线示出由使用高/低多孔材料形成的剖面形状为矩形的肋部构成的半闭塞流路中的流路方向的流速分布。这里所说的流速是指供给侧流路与排出侧流路之间引起的横流的速度。
图5所示的横流的流速在很大程度上取决于图4所示的供给侧流路压力与排出侧流路压力的差压的大小。该差压越大，流速也越大。若不考虑流体密度变化等影响因子，则横流的流速与该差压的1/2幂程度成比例。此外，也可以不考虑流体的压缩性和粘性等影响因子，若流动的截面积相同，则流速与流量成正比，考虑相同的意思，即处于不需要特别进行区分的关系。
在图5的横流的流路方向的流速分布中，如实线的曲线所示，上游端的流速和下游端的流速基本为相同程度，中游部的流速显著地大幅下降。这是由于由没有孔隙的肋部形成的流体引导流路中引起的上游端和下游端的两侧的差压与中游部的差压之间过剩的差所引起的。
在图5的横流的流路方向的流速分布中，虚线①的曲线示出比实线的曲线要大的曲率半径，上游端的流速、下游端的两侧的流速、以及中游部的流速间的差变小。这是因为由于导入了低多孔材料肋部来形成半闭塞的流体引导流路，从而两侧的差压与中游部的差压间的差得到了抑制。
在图5的横流的流路方向的流速分布中，可知虚线②的曲线示出比虚线①的曲线要大的曲率半径，上游端的流速、下游端的两侧的流速、以及中游部的流速间的显著的差几乎消失。即，全流路内的横流的流速基本变为相同。这可理解为由于形成导入了高多孔材料的肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路，因此两侧差压与中游部的差压间的差变得非常小，与导入了低多孔材料肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路相比能够消除上述差压的差。
图16A-16D是表示肋部的多孔质、流路的宽度和肋部剖面形状对反应气体的流速产生的效果的图表。实线的曲线是表示由剖面形状为矩形的肋部以无孔隙的方式形成的完全闭塞的流体引导流路中的流速变化的曲线。如实线的曲线所示，上游端的流速和下游端的流速基本为相同水平，中游部的流速大幅下降。代表本实施方式1的虚线①所示的曲线是表示由使用多孔材料形成的剖面形状为矩形的肋部所形成的、半闭塞的流体引导流路的流速变化的曲线。虚线①的曲线虽然与实线的曲线相似，但示出更大的曲率半径，中游部相对于向端部的流速的减少比以无孔隙方式形成的完全闭塞的流体引导流路要小。如图16D所示，可知若将歧管的供给口附近的流速或流量保持在相同水准，则由使用了多孔材料的肋部形成的半闭塞的流体引导流路的中游部的流速比完全闭塞的流体引导流路要高。
总之，根据本实施方式1的具备半闭塞的流体引导流路的燃料电池，通过将构成流体引导流路的肋部形成为多孔质，从而实现了反应气体通过性能优异的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路。并且，根据本实施方式1的具备半闭塞的流体引导流路的燃料电池，由于同时进行反应气体和生成水的透过，因此，从流路设计的观点出发，更希望存在于肋部孔隙的一部分或全部具有较大的孔隙直径、利用孔隙率较高的高多孔材料来形成肋部。
如上所述，根据本实施方式1所涉及的具备半闭塞的流体引导流路的燃料电池，由于具备具有一部分反应气体能够通过的多孔质肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路，因此，利用通过多孔质肋部的孔隙并从供给侧流路排出的反应气体，供给侧与排出侧流路的差压分布以及流路整体流速接近于均等水平，因此，与由没有孔隙的肋部形成的完全闭塞流体引导流路相比，大幅抑制了发电区域的气体反应的偏差，可有助于发电率提高。
关于本实施方式1的半闭塞的流体引导流路结构，以阴极为例进行了说明，但对于阳极也可以使用类似的结构，阳极侧和阴极侧也可以不同。即，可以使用不同的多孔材料来形成阳极侧的半闭塞的流体引导流路的肋部和阴极侧的半闭塞的流体引导流路的肋部。即，若应用本实施方式1的半闭塞的流体引导流路结构，则构成阳极侧的半闭塞的流体引导流路的肋部与构成阴极侧的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的肋部未必需要以相同的孔隙率来形成，可以不同，也 可以组合来形成。此外，在阳极侧和阴极侧，可以采用不同的肋部形状，并对沟道宽度进行改变。可以考虑阳极侧和阴极侧各自所要求的功能，来选择与各自的特性相适应的流体引导流路的结构。
作为本实施方式1的半闭塞的流体引导流路的形成方法，只要是能够高精度地形成上述流路形状的方法即可，没有特别的限制。优选在气体扩散层4、5与隔板6、7的中间位置附着流体引导流路的方法。附着包含有印刷(printing)、喷射(injecting)、涂布(coating)、点胶(dispensing)以及转印(transfering)等方法。在此，印刷的方式可为丝网印刷(screen printing)。
本实施方式1中，构成形成于基材(气体扩散层、隔板)的半闭塞的流体引导流路的肋部可以使用相同的多孔材料形成，也可以使用不同的材料，并且也可以根据部位的不同来改变多孔材料的孔隙率。图6是本发明实施方式1的孔隙率高低不同或/和孔隙尺寸不同的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要俯视图。在阳极侧和阴极侧的肋部，可以采用比中间部的肋部高的孔隙率的材料，使两侧的差压与中游部的差压间的差得到了进一步抑制。即，上游端的流速、下游端的两侧的流速、以及中游部的流速间的差变小，容易使电池主反应的均等化得以实现。此外、为了降低生成水有滞留于下游端的倾向，下游端的肋部也可以进一步采用比上游端的肋部大的孔隙直径的材料，使水蒸气和生成水容易通过下游端的肋部、提高多孔质肋部的水分排出力。此外，作为能够用于形成本实施方式1的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的物质，只要能够对所产生的电进行集电、具有气体透过性、且所形成的流路有助于气体扩散性的提高，就没有特别的限制。
另外，关于作为本发明的基材起作用的气体扩散层和隔板的厚度，没有特别的限制，考虑气体扩散性、排水性、冷却效果等来适当决定即可。
如上所述，本发明的实施方式1所涉及的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路只是一个示例，并不限定于本说明书所记载的内容。
实施方式2
接着，使用图7、8，对本发明的实施方式2的具备沟道宽度变化的半闭塞的流体引导流路的燃料电池进行说明。另外，本发明不仅仅限于实施方式2。
在上述实施方式1中，以下述情况为例进行了叙述，即：构成半闭塞的流 体引导流路的肋部由几个具有孔隙率和孔隙尺寸的多孔材料形成，其肋部剖面形状为矩形。在本发明的实施方式2所涉及的具备半闭塞的流体引导流路的燃料电池中，如图7、8所示，其主要不同点在于，构成流体引导流路的肋部由高多孔材料形成，并对其沟道宽度实施了局部的改变，其他的多孔质材料的物性、肋部孔隙、肋部的剖面形状、流路的压力、流速和流量的变化及原理与图1～6所示的实施方式1基本相同。因此，此处省略。另外，对与本发明的实施方式1中所述的图1～6的内容相重复的部分标注相同的标号，并省略其一部分的说明。
本实施方式2中，使用多孔材料形成的肋部的剖面形状采用矩形。并且，本实施方式2中，使供给侧流路的供给沟道宽度朝向下游端缓缓变窄，且使排出侧流路的排出沟道宽度朝向上游端缓缓变窄。
图7是本发明的实施方式2的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的简要俯视图。关于该流路的俯视结构，由于与实施方式1中所说明的一致，因此省略说明，但主要的不同点在于，使在隔板的长边方向上延伸的供给沟道22在供给沟道22中朝向下游端缓缓变窄，排出沟道23的沟道宽度在排出沟道23中朝向上游端缓缓变窄。
图8A-8C是本发明的实施方式2的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要剖视图。关于其基本的流路剖面结构，由于与实施方式1中所说明的一致，因此省略，但在实施方式2中，可知使在隔板的长边方向上延伸的供给侧流路和排出侧流路的沟道宽度分别在供给沟道22中朝向下游端逐渐变窄，在排出沟道23中朝向上游端逐渐变窄。
由该剖视图可知，在上游端的肋部、中游部的肋部、下游端的肋部中，剖面形状和尺寸相同，但所形成的沟道的宽度不同。随着沿流路方向从上游端接近下游端，供给沟道22的截面积与其宽度从最大值连续地减少，成为末端的最小值。与此相对照地，随着沿流路方向从上游端接近下游端，排出沟道23的截面积与其宽度从最小值连续地增加，在末端成为最大值。
本实施方式2中，分别使供给沟道22和排出沟道23的沟道宽度在供给侧流路中朝向下游端变窄，在排出侧流路中朝向上游端变窄。若沟道高度相同，则沟道的截面积也随着沟道宽度变窄而减小。这就相当于气体的体积(沟道的 体积)在供给侧流路中朝向下游端变小，在排出侧流路中朝向上游端变小。通过减小沟道的体积，在供给侧沟道22的下游端以及排出沟道23的上游端，能够增加反应气体的压力。
对照地，在上述的流路设计中，供给沟道22和排出沟道23的沟道宽度分别在供给侧流路中朝向上游端变广，在排出侧流路中朝向下游端变广。若沟道高度相同，则沟道的截面积也随着沟道宽度变广而增大。这就相当于气体的体积(沟道的体积)在供给侧流路中朝向上游端变大，在排出侧流路中朝向下游端变大。通过增大沟道的体积，在供给沟道22的上游端以及排出沟道23的下游端，能够减小反应气体的压力。
因此，本实施方式2中，通过使供给侧流路和排出侧流路的沟道宽度分别在供给沟道22中朝向下游端逐渐变窄，在排出沟道23中朝向上游端逐渐变窄，从而能够使半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的上游端和下游端的两侧差压的增减彼此朝向相反方向扩大。在流路的上游端，由于供给沟道22的反应气体压力的减少和排出沟道23的反应气体的压力的增加而使得差压变小。另一方面，在流路的下游端，由于供给沟道22的反应气体压力的增加和排出沟道23的反应气体的压力的减少而使得差压变大。此外，在中游部的正中，由于沟道的截面积和沟道宽度没有变化，因此，差压也没有变化。
图16A-16D是表示肋部的多孔质、流路宽度和肋部剖面形状对反应气体的流速产生的效果的图表。代表本实施方式2的虚线③所示的曲线是表示由使用多孔材料形成的剖面形状为矩形的肋部所形成的、并且使沟道宽度改变后的半闭塞的流体引导流路中流路方向上的反应气体的流速分布的曲线。代表实施方式1的虚线①所示的曲线是使用了剖面形状为矩形的多孔质肋部的流路方向上的反应气体的流速分布。如图16B所示，虚线③与虚线①相比，由于流路的上游端的横流的差压的减少而使得流速减小，中央部的差压没有产生流速变化，由于下游端的横流的差压的增加而使得流速变得相当大。
如图16D所示，若将歧管的供给口附近的流速或流路保持在相同水准，则沟道宽度改变后的多孔质矩形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路(虚线③)与沟道宽度一定的多孔质矩形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路(虚线①)相比，流路上游端与中央部的横流流速的差更小，取而代之地，下游端的横流流速更高。即， 从半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的上游端朝向下游端电池主反应的均等化得以实现，在利用下游端的高横流流速进一步促进周围的电池反应的同时，整体流路的反应生成水的排出性变得更高。
总之，根据具备本实施方式2的半闭塞的流体引导流路的燃料电池，通过将构成流体引导流路的肋部设为多孔质，并且，使供给侧流路和排出侧流路的沟道宽度在供给侧流路中朝向下游端逐渐变窄，在排出侧流路中朝向上游端逐渐变窄，从而实现了沟道宽度变化的半闭塞的流体引导流路。
如上所述，根据具备本实施方式2的半闭塞的流体引导流路的燃料电池，由于使供给侧流路和排出侧流路的沟道宽度在供给沟道22中朝向下游端变窄，在排出沟道23中朝向下游端变广，因此，由于下游端的横流的差压的增加，流速变得相当大，能够强力地排出具有滞留于阴极侧的下游端的强烈倾向的反应水。此外，由于在排水沟道23中使之朝向下游端变广，因此可得到容易进行排水的半闭塞的流体引导流路。
关于本实施方式2的半闭塞的流体引导流路结构，以阴极为例进行了说明，但对于阳极也可以使用类似的结构，阳极侧和阴极侧也可以不同。即，可以使用不同的多孔材料来形成阳极侧的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的肋部和阴极侧的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的肋部。即，若应用本实施方式2的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路结构，则构成阳极侧的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的肋部与构成阴极侧的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的肋部未必需要以相同的孔隙率来形成，可以不同，也可以组合不同的孔隙率。此外，在阳极侧和阴极侧，可以采用不同的肋部形状，并对沟道宽度进行改变。可以考虑阳极侧和阴极侧各自所要求的功能，来选择与各自的特性相适应的流体引导流路的结构。
作为本实施方式2的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的形成方法，只要是能够有一定精度地形成上述流路形状的方法即可，没有特别的限制。优选在气体扩散层4、5与隔板6、7的中间位置附着流体引导流路的方法。附着包含有印刷(printing)、喷射(injecting)、涂布(coating)、点胶(dispensing)以及转印(transfering)等方法。在此，印刷的方式可为丝网印刷(screen printing)。
本实施方式2中，构成形成于基材(气体扩散层、隔板)的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的肋部可以使用相同的多孔材料形成，也可以使用不同的材料形 成。此外，可以根据部位的不同来改变多孔材料的孔隙率。作为能够用于形成本实施方式2的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的物质，只要能够对所产生的电进行集电、具有气体透过性、且所形成的流路有助于气体扩散性的提高，就没有特别的限制。
另外，关于作为本发明的基材起作用的气体扩散层和隔板的厚度，没有特别的限制，考虑气体扩散性、排水性、冷却效果等来适当决定即可。
如上所述，本发明的实施方式2所涉及的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路只是一个示例，并不限定于本说明书所记载的内容。
实施方式3
接着，使用图9、10，对本发明的实施方式3的具备梯形剖面肋部的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的燃料电池进行说明。另外，本发明不仅仅限于实施方式3。
上述的实施方式1、2中，以下述情况为例进行了叙述，即：构成半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的肋部由多孔材料形成，且对剖面矩形肋部的孔隙率和孔隙尺寸进行了改变、以及对沟道宽度进行了调节。在具备本发明的实施方式3所涉及的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的燃料电池中，如图9～10所示，其主要不同点在于，构成流体引导流路的肋部由多孔材料形成，其沟道宽度均等，且将肋部剖面形状设为梯形(以及逆梯形)，其他的多孔质材料的结构和物性、肋部孔隙、肋部的剖面形状、流路的压力、流速和流量的变化等与图1～8所示的实施方式1、2基本相同。另外，对与本发明的实施方式1、2中所述的图1～8的内容相重复的部分标注相同的标号，并省略其一部分的说明。
图9是本发明的实施方式3的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的简要俯视图，图10A、10B是该实施方式3的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的简要剖视图。关于该流路的俯视结构，由于与实施方式1中所说明的一致，因此省略，但主要不同点在于，肋部剖面形状为梯形或逆梯形，因此沟道宽度在与气体扩散层相接的面处，分别变广或变窄。
如图10A所示，肋部的剖面形状为梯形，成为设在隔板上的梯形肋部。
另一方面，如图10B所示，肋部的剖面形状为逆梯形，成为设在气体扩散层上的逆梯形肋部。若是设在隔板上的梯形肋部，则气体扩散层与梯形肋部相 接的区域变窄，气体扩散层与沟道的接触面变广。若是设在气体扩散层上的逆梯形肋部，则气体扩散层与逆梯形肋部相接的区域变广，气体扩散层与沟道的接触面变窄。
如图10A所示，在设在隔板上的梯形肋部的实施方式3中，气体扩散层与沟道的接触面变广，向气体扩散层的气体渗透更为容易，横流(流动①)的流速在整个流路中变大。
另一方面，关于直接肋流，通过多孔质肋部从供给沟道22流出至排出沟道23的反应气体流动②是直接肋流的主流，通过将肋部截面积设为相同且将肋部形状设为梯形，随着多孔质肋部的反应气体通过的路径变短，供给沟道22和排出沟道23的直接肋流差压变小。即，在差压较大的上游端和下游端，通过采用梯形肋部，从而差压得到抑制，能够接近于中游部的差压，实现了横流的流速的均等化。
另一方面，关于从多孔质肋部流出至气体扩散层的反应气体流动③，从肋部垂直下方向气体扩散层进行的反应气体的渗透因与梯形肋部的接触面减小而减少。并且，该流动③是直接肋流的原本的一部分，在整个反应气体流动中所占的比例极低。即，反应气体流动③虽然因采用了梯形肋部而发生了变化，但对横流的流速带来的影响很小。
图16A-16D是表示肋部的多孔质、流路宽度和肋部剖面形状对反应气体的流速产生的效果的图表。代表本实施方式3的虚线④所示的曲线是表示由使用多孔材料形成的剖面形状为梯形的肋部所形成的、半闭塞的流体引导流路中流路方向上的反应气体的流速分布的曲线。代表实施方式1的虚线①所示的曲线是使用了多孔质矩形肋部的流路方向上的反应气体的流速分布。图16A的虚线④示出，与虚线①相比，由于流路的上游端和下游端的两侧的横流的差压的减少而使得流速变大，中央部的差压所造成的流速变化较小。由于流路的上游端和下游端的两侧的横流的差压接近于中游部的差压，因此可实现横流的流速的均等化。
如图16D所示，若将歧管的供给口附近的流速或流量保持在相同水准，则多孔质梯形肋部的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路(虚线④)与多孔质矩形肋部的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路(虚线①)相比，流路上游端和下游端的两侧与中 央部的横流流速的差变小。即，在使用了具有与多孔质矩形肋部的高多孔化相同的作用的多孔质梯形肋部的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路中，从上游端向下游端电池主反应的均等化在整个流路中得以实现，更进一步促进了电池反应。
如上所述，通过将肋部剖面形状设为梯形，能够任意地调整肋部与气体扩散层和隔板的接触面，随之也能够任意地调整沟道宽度。在使用了设在气体扩散层上的逆梯形多孔质肋部的实施方式3中，气体扩散层与沟道的接触面变窄，向气体扩散层的气体渗透性更小，横流(流动①)的流速整体变慢。
另一方面，关于直接肋流，②通过多孔质肋部从供给沟道22流出至排出沟道23的反应气体流动②中，即使将肋部截面积设为与上述相同且将肋部形状设为梯形，由于多孔质肋部的反应气体通过的路径变短，因此供给沟道22和排出沟道23的直接肋流差压变小。即，在差压较大的上游端和下游端，通过采用逆梯形肋部，从而差压得到抑制，能够接近于中游部的差压，实现了横流的流速的均等化。另一方面，从多孔质肋部向气体扩散层流出的反应气体流动③因从肋部垂直下方向气体扩散层进行的反应气体的渗透面积的增加而稍有变大，但在直接肋流中所占的比例极低，对横流的流速带来的影响很小。
根据具备本实施方式3的半闭塞的流体引导流路的燃料电池，通过将构成流体引导流路的肋部设为多孔质，将肋部剖面形状设为设在隔板上的梯形，或者设为设在气体扩散层上的逆梯形，从而实现了能够扩大或缩小沟道与气体扩散层的接触面的半闭塞的流体引导流路。
如上所述，根据具备本实施方式3的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的燃料电池，由于具备具备一部分反应气体能够渗透的多孔质肋部的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路，因此，在因反应气体通过多孔质肋部孔隙而产生的横流的差压和流速的均等化的基础上，通过将肋部剖面形状设为梯形，使得反应气体的多孔质肋部孔隙的通过路径变短，直接肋流变大，从而更进一步促进了流路整体的横流的差压和流速的均等化。并且，通过使用设在隔板上的梯形肋部，扩大了沟道与气体扩散层的接触面，因此，能够在整个流路中使横流的流速变大。即，使用了多孔质梯形肋部的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路中，由于横流的流速的均等化和快速化，从而能够提高燃料电池的发电效率。另一方面，在使用设在气体扩散层上的逆梯形肋部的情况下，气体扩散层与沟道的接触面变窄，横流流 速稍稍变慢，但促进了流路整体的横流的差压和流速的均等化，可期待获得反应气体的冷却效果的改善效果。
关于本实施方式3的半闭塞的流体引导流路结构，同样，也可以采用设在隔板上的多孔质逆梯形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路，或者采用设在气体扩散层上的多孔质梯形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路，得到上述同样的效果。
关于本实施方式3的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路结构，以阴极为例进行了说明，但对于阳极也可以使用类似的结构，阳极侧和阴极侧也可以不同。即，可以使用不同的肋部剖面形状来形成阳极侧的半闭塞的流体引导流路、以及阴极侧的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路。即，若应用本实施方式3的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路结构，则阳极侧的流体引导流路和阴极侧的流体引导流路未必需要以相同的孔隙率来形成，可以不同，也可以组合不同的孔隙率。此外，在阳极侧和阴极侧，可以采用不同的肋部形状，并对沟道宽度进行改变。可以考虑阳极侧和阴极侧各自所要求的功能，来选择与各自的特性相适应的流体引导流路的结构。
本实施方式3中，构成形成于基材(气体扩散层、隔板)的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的肋部可以使用相同的多孔材料形成，也可以使用不同的材料。此外，可以根据部位的不同来改变多孔材料的孔隙率。作为能够用于形成本实施方式3的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的物质，只要能够对所产生的电进行集电、具有气体透过性、且所形成的流路有助于气体扩散性的提高，就没有特别的限制。
如上所述，本发明的实施方式3所涉及的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路只是一个示例，并不限定于本说明书所记载的内容。
实施方式4
接着，使用图11、12，对本发明的实施方式4的具备沟道宽度变化和梯形剖面肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路的燃料电池进行说明。另外，本发明不仅仅限于实施方式4。
上述的实施方式1～3中，以下述情况为例进行了叙述，即：构成半闭塞的流体引导流路的肋部由具有规定的孔隙率的多孔材料形成，且对孔隙率和孔隙尺寸进行了改变、对沟道宽度进行了调节、以及肋部剖面形状为矩形或梯形。 在具备本发明的实施方式4所涉及的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的燃料电池中，如图11～12所示，主要的不同点在于，构成流体引导流路的肋部由多孔材料形成，肋部剖面形状设为梯形，并使供给侧流路、排出侧流路的沟道宽度朝向下游端、上游端变窄来实施，其他的结构和物性、肋部剖面形状、压力分布、反应气体的流速、以及原理与已在实施方式1中说明的相同，因此此处省略。
本实施方式4中，使用多孔材料形成的肋部的剖面形状采用坐于隔板上的梯形。并且，本实施方式4中，使供给侧流路的沟道宽度朝向下游端缓缓变窄。使排出侧流路的沟道宽度朝向上游端缓缓变窄。
图11是本发明的实施方式4的半闭塞梳型的流体引导流路的简要俯视图。关于其流路的俯视结构，由于与实施方式1中所说明的相一致，因此省略，但与实施方式3相似，主要的不同点在于，使在隔板的长边方向上延伸的供给侧流路和排出侧流路的沟道宽度在供给侧流路中朝向下游端缓缓变窄，在排出侧流路中朝向上游端缓缓变窄。
图12A-12C是本发明的实施方式4的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要剖视图。关于其基本的流路剖面结构，由于与实施方式1中所说明的相一致，因此省略，但可知在实施方式4中，肋部剖面形状为梯形，且与使用了矩形肋部的实施方式3相似，使在隔板的长边方向上延伸的供给侧流路和排出侧流路的沟道宽度在供给侧流路中朝向下游端逐渐变窄，在排出侧流路中朝向上游端逐渐变窄。
由该剖视图可知，在上游端的肋部、中游部的肋部、下游端的肋部中，梯形的剖面形状和尺寸相同，但所形成的逆梯形的沟道的平均宽度不同。随着沿流路方向从上游端接近下游端，供给沟道22的截面积与其平均宽度从最大值连续地减少，成为末端的最小值。与此相对照地，随着沿流路方向从上游端接近下游端，排出沟道23的截面积与其平均宽度从最小值连续地增加，成为末端的最大值。
本实施方式4中，引入了将肋部剖面形状设为梯形，对沟道的平均宽度进行调节。将肋部剖面形状的梯形效果和沟道的宽度调节效果分开来进行说明。
在仅考虑本实施方式4的肋部剖面形状的梯形效果的情况下，与实施方式3相似。通过将肋部剖面形状设为梯形，反应气体的多孔质肋部孔隙的通过路径变短，直接肋流变大，更进一步促进了流路整体的横流的差压和流速的均等 化。并且，通过使用设在隔板上的梯形肋部，扩大了沟道与气体扩散层的接触面，因此，能够在整个流路中使横流的流速变大。
在仅考虑本实施方式4的沟道的宽度调节效果的情况下，与实施方式2相似。通过使用设在隔板上的梯形肋部，使逆梯形的供给侧流路和排出侧流路的沟道平均宽度分别在供给沟道22中朝向下游端逐渐变窄，在排出侧流路23中朝向上游端逐渐变窄，从而能够使半闭塞的流体引导流路的上游端和下游端的两侧的差压的增减彼此朝向相反方向扩大。在流路的上游端，由于供给沟道22的反应气体压力的减少和排出沟道23的反应气体的压力的增加而使得差压变小。另一方面，在流路的下游端，由于供给沟道22的反应气体压力的增加和排出沟道23的反应气体的压力的减少而使得差压变大。因此，由于流路的上游端的横流的差压的减少而使得流速变小，中央部的差压没有产生流速变化，由于下游端的横流的差压的增加而使得流速变得相当大。
图16C的虚线⑤示出肋部剖面形状的梯形效果与沟道的宽度调节效果叠加的相乘效果。在利用多孔质梯形肋部实现了从上游端向下游端的整个流路的横流的流速的均等化和快速化的基础上，通过进行沟道的宽度调节，更进一步促进了从上游端到下游端的电池主反应的均等化，由于下游端的高横流流速，整个流路的反应生成水的排出性更高。
如图16D所示，若将歧管的供给口附近的流速或流路设为相同水准，则与沟道宽度一定的多孔质矩形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路(虚线①、虚线②)、对沟道宽度进行了调节的多孔质矩形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路(虚线③)、以及沟道宽度为一定的多孔质梯形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路(虚线④)相比，对沟道宽度进行了调节的多孔质梯形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路(虚线⑤)实现了从上游端向下游端的横流的流速的均等化，并示出较大的流速。此外，在下游端，对沟道宽度进行了调节的多孔质梯形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路(虚线⑤)与对沟道宽度进行调节的多孔质矩形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路(虚线③)相比，虽然横流流速稍稍降低，但比其他的虚线①、②、③适当地增大，整个流路的反应生成水的排出性提高。
关于本实施方式4的半闭塞流体引导流路结构，同样，也可以采用设在隔板上的多孔质逆梯形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路，或者采用设在气体扩散层 上的多孔质梯形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路，得到上述同样的效果。
关于本实施方式4的半闭塞的流体引导流路结构，以阴极为例进行了说明，但对于阳极也可以使用类似的结构，阳极侧和阴极侧也可以不同。即，可以使用不同的肋部剖面形状来形成阳极侧的半闭塞的流体引导流路、以及阴极侧的半闭塞的流体引导流路。即，若应用本实施方式3的半闭塞的流体引导流路结构，则阳极侧的流体引导流路和阴极侧的流体引导流路未必需要以相同的孔隙率来形成，可以不同，也可以组合不同的孔隙率。此外，在阳极侧和阴极侧，可以采用不同的肋部形状，并对沟道宽度进行改变。可以考虑阳极侧和阴极侧各自所要求的功能，来选择与各自的特性相适应的流体引导流路的结构。
本实施方式4中，构成形成于基材(气体扩散层、隔板)的半闭塞的流体引导流路的肋部可以使用相同的多孔材料形成，也可以使用不同的材料。此外，可以根据部位的不同来改变多孔材料的孔隙率。作为能够用于形成本实施方式3的半闭塞的流体引导流路的物质，只要能够对所产生的电进行集电、具有气体透过性、且所形成的流路有助于气体扩散性的提高，就没有特别的限制。
如上所述，本发明的实施方式4所涉及的半闭塞的流体引导流路只是一个示例，并不限定于本说明书所记载的内容。
上述各实施方式1～4所记载的示例中，对各个独立的结构进行了说明。也能够通过适当组合各实施方式1～4来实施。
其他变形例1
接着，使用图13A、13B，对具备应用了本发明的其他变形例1的半闭塞的流体引导流路的燃料电池进行说明。
图13A、13B所示的是作为其他变形例1的半闭塞的流体引导流路的简要俯视图的两个示例。关于其结构、材质、方式、原理，与实施方式1～4基本相同。根据图13A、13B的俯视图，与本实施方式2、4同样地，是使供给侧流路的下游端和排出侧流路的上游端的沟道宽度逐渐变窄的流路设计的一个示例。
其他变形例2
接着，使用图14A、14B，对具备应用了本发明的其他变形例2的半闭塞的流体引导流路的燃料电池进行说明。
图14A、14B所示的是作为其他变形例2的半闭塞的流体引导流路的俯视图的两个示例。关于其结构、材质、方式、原理，与实施方式1～4基本相同。根据图14A、14B的俯视图，肋部和勾道的全部或局部是锯齿形和/或者波状的,其锯齿形和/或者波状的周期在所述流体引导流路方向上可以是一定的，或者是全部或局部可变的,其宽度在所述燃料电池单元的延伸面内是一定的，或者是全部或局部可变的。如图14A、14B所示，在靠近所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的两端的周期值小于远离所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的中部的周期值。肋部的在所述燃料电池单元的延伸面内的宽度，在靠近所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的两端的宽度值大于远离所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的中部的宽度值。
不限于梳型的流体引导流路，图14A、14B所示的肋部和勾道所形成的流体引导流路与本实施方式1、2、3、4同样地是流路设计的一个示例。可以通过改变孔隙的大小和孔隙率的大小，改变肋部和勾道的俯视平面方向的宽度，改变肋部和勾道的剖面方向的宽度，实现横流的流速的均等化，抑制了发电区域的气体反应的偏差，助于整个流路的反应生成水的排出性，提高发电率。在靠近所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的两端的周期值小于远离所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的中部的周期值。
本发明的流路设计不限于实施方式1～4、其他变形例1、2。
发明效果
另外，本发明的实施方式1～4、其他变形例1、2如上所述，能够通过整体上或局部组合构成半闭塞的流体引导流路的由具有任意的孔隙率的多孔材料形成的肋部和任意的肋部剖面形状，来自由地调整沟道宽度，因此可获得以下说明的效果。
与不观察MEA反应区域的实际的使用量，而在单元寿命的最开始到最后均以相同的图案从入口到出口仅向所决定的方向持续引导反应气体的利用金属模具形成于隔板的现有的气体流路或者由隔板形成的完全闭塞流路不同，本发明的半闭塞流路最大程度地灵活运用存在于肋部的肋部孔隙，并且，可认为是反应气体能够向多方向流动的通气性优异的自由形式(freestyle)的流路结构。还可以根据温度、压力、流量、流速、形状、阻力等各条件来改变对反应 气体而言最佳的流路，从而这种自由的流动形状有助于MEA反应区域的发电效率的提高、单元的长寿命。
根据本发明，通过使肋部具备孔隙，从而实现半闭塞的流体引导流路，提供给供给侧流路的反应气体的一部分或反应气体和反应生成水的一部分通过肋部的孔隙，并流出排出侧流路。由此，通过形成直接肋流，减少的上游端与下游端两侧的横流的差压，从上游端朝向下游端横流的流速接近于均等水平，可消除现有的闭塞的梳型流体引导流路中上游端和下游端的两侧与中游部的较大的流速差。由此，通过导入多孔质肋部，有助于MEA反应区域的发电效率的提高，单元的长寿命。
本发明的特征不在于像现有那样提高中游部的横流的差压这一举措，而在于通过反向思维，通过降低两端部的压力，来使得与中游部的压力相接近这一点。
对构成肋部的该多孔质材料实施亲水性处理。作为反应气体所包含的水蒸气，转化为水蒸气进入到肋部孔隙的水因毛细管现象而渗出至肋部的外部即排出侧流路，从而能够提高反应生成水的排出性，有助于MEA反应区域的发电效率的提高。
此外，滞留于梳型的供给侧流路的前端的闭塞区域(供给侧流路的下游端)的生成水转化为水蒸气，并通过肋部，因此，也能够使滞留水排出。
本发明能够根据设计规格来适当地改变半闭塞的流体引导流路的肋部形状。采用使用了设在隔板上的多孔质梯形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路，由于使得横流的流速的均等化和快速化，从而能够提高燃料电池的发电效率。另一方面，在使用设在气体扩散层上的逆梯形肋部的情况下，气体扩散层与沟道的接触面变窄，横流流速稍稍变慢，但促进了流路整体的横流的差压和流速的均等化，可期待获得反应气体的冷却效果的改善效果。同样，也可以采用设在隔板上的多孔质逆梯形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路，或者采用设在气体扩散层上的多孔质梯形肋部的半闭塞的流体引导流路，得到上述同样的效果。
本发明通过调节半闭塞的流体引导流路的肋部宽度，实现了从流路的上游端到下游端电池主反应的均等化，利用下游端的高横流流速进一步促进了周围的电池反应，与此同时，整个流路的反应生成水的排水性更高，有助于MEA 反应区域的发电效率的提高。
通过适当组合本发明的肋部形状，能够以高精度、低成本来形成沟道形状。构成形成于气体扩散层和隔板之间的半闭塞的流体引导流路的肋部能够使用一次性印刷流体引导流路的丝网印刷、喷射、涂布、吐出、以及转印等进行附着的二维制造方法。
以上，通过若干实施方式对本发明进行了说明，但本发明并不限于此，在本发明的要旨的范围内可进行各种变形。
工业上的实用性
本发明的一实施方式的燃料电池可作为车辆搭载用的燃料电池来使用。但是，也可以用于汽车以外的情况。
本发明不限于上述实施方式1、4、其他变形例1、2，在不脱离其要旨的范围内可通过各种结构来得以实现。例如，为了解决上述问题及效果的一部分或全部，能够适当地替换、组合本发明说明书的实施方式1～4、其他变形例1、2所记载的技术特征。
虽然本发明已参照当前的具体实施例来描述，但是本技术领域中的普通技术人员应当认识到，以上的实施例仅是用来说明本发明，在没有脱离本发明精神的情况下还可作出各种等效的变化或替换，因此，只要在本发明的实质精神范围内对上述实施例的变化、变型都将落在本申请的权利要求书的范围内。

Claims (22)

  1. 一种燃料电池单元，包括相对的第一隔板、第二隔板和层叠在所述第一和第二隔板之间的膜电极接合体，所述膜电极接合体包括催化剂涂覆膜和分别设于所述催化剂涂覆膜的第一侧和第二侧的第一气体扩散层和第二气体扩散层，所述电池单元还包括设在所述第一隔板和所述第一气体扩散层之间和/或所述第二隔板和所述第二气体扩散层之间的用于提供电化学反应的反应流体的流体引导流路，
    其中所述流体引导流路具有用于控制所述反应流体流动的肋部，所述肋部分隔出与所述反应流体供给口相通的多个第一沟道部和与所述反应流体排出口相通的多个第二沟道部，至少部分第一沟道部和至少部分第二沟道部相邻，所述肋部位于相邻的第一沟道部和第二沟道部之间的部分具有允许所述反应流体渗透的多孔材料。
  2. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述流体引导流路是附着在对应的第一隔板面向对应的气体扩散层的表面和/或对应的气体扩散层面向对应的隔板的表面。
  3. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述多个第一沟道部和所述多个第二沟道部是交错排列。
  4. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部是连续分布的梳型结构。
  5. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部的一部分或全部由仅反应流体能够通过的多孔材料构成。
  6. 如权利要求5所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部的多孔材料含有仅反应流体能够通过的单一尺寸的孔隙、或者多个尺寸的孔隙。
  7. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部的一部分或全部由反应流体和反应生成水能够通过的多孔材料构成。
  8. 如权利要求7所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部的多孔材料具备仅反应流体能够通过的第一孔隙以及反应生成水能够通过的第二孔隙，所述第二孔隙大于所述第一孔隙。
  9. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部的一部分由反应流体无法通过的致密材料构成。
  10. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部的多孔材料的孔隙率和/或孔隙尺寸分布设为相同。
  11. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部在靠近所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的两端的孔隙率和/或孔隙尺寸大于远离所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的中部的孔隙率和/或孔隙尺寸。
  12. 孔隙如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述第一沟道部的截面积从所述反应流体的进口朝向下游端连续地或阶段性地减小，所述第二沟道部的截面积从上游端朝向所述反应流体的出口连续地或阶段性地增大。
  13. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部在垂直于所述燃料电池单元的延伸面的截面是梯形。
  14. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部的全部或局部在所述燃料电池单元的延伸面内是锯齿形和/或波浪形。
  15. 如权利要求14所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部的锯齿形和/或波浪形的周期在所述流体引导流路方向上是一定的或者是全部或局部可变的，所述肋部在所述燃料电池单元的延伸面内的宽度是一定的或者是全部或局部可变的。
  16. 如权利要求15所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部在流体引导流路方向上的锯齿形和/或者波浪形周期，在靠近所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的两端的周期值小于远离所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的中部的周期值。
  17. 如权利要求15所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部在所述燃料电池单元的延伸面上的宽度，在靠近所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的两端的宽度值大于远离所述反应流体供给口和所述反应流体排出口的中部的宽度值。
  18. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中位于所述第一隔板和所述第一气体扩散层之间的肋部在与所述第一隔板或所述第一气体扩散层接触的一端的轮廓是曲面，位于所述第二隔板和所述第二气体扩散层之间的肋部在与所 述第二隔板或所述第二气体扩散层接触的一端的轮廓是曲面。
  19. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部由相同材料形成。
  20. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述肋部的至少一部分是通过不同的多个材料的组合来形成。
  21. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述流体引导流路是以涂布、印刷、点胶、喷射或转印的方式形成于对应的隔板表面和/或气体扩散层表面。
  22. 如权利要求1所述的燃料电池单元，其中所述流体引导流路的肋部的顶面、所述第一和第二沟道部底面的部分或全部是经亲水性处理的。
PCT/CN2018/106139 2018-09-18 2018-09-18 流体引导流路及具备该流体引导流路的燃料电池 WO2020056580A1 (zh)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201880097789.3A CN112771700B (zh) 2018-09-18 2018-09-18 流体引导流路及具备该流体引导流路的燃料电池
PCT/CN2018/106139 WO2020056580A1 (zh) 2018-09-18 2018-09-18 流体引导流路及具备该流体引导流路的燃料电池

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/CN2018/106139 WO2020056580A1 (zh) 2018-09-18 2018-09-18 流体引导流路及具备该流体引导流路的燃料电池

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2020056580A1 true WO2020056580A1 (zh) 2020-03-26

Family

ID=69888038

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/CN2018/106139 WO2020056580A1 (zh) 2018-09-18 2018-09-18 流体引导流路及具备该流体引导流路的燃料电池

Country Status (2)

Country Link
CN (1) CN112771700B (zh)
WO (1) WO2020056580A1 (zh)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101393993A (zh) * 2007-09-19 2009-03-25 上海清能燃料电池技术有限公司 一种燃料电池的装配结构及方法
JP2009272166A (ja) * 2008-05-08 2009-11-19 Nissan Motor Co Ltd 燃料電池
CN101946349A (zh) * 2008-06-16 2011-01-12 丰田车体株式会社 气体流路形成部件、制造气体流路形成部件的方法及气体流路形成部件的成形装置
CN102782918A (zh) * 2011-02-21 2012-11-14 丰田自动车株式会社 燃料电池

Family Cites Families (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH09161827A (ja) * 1995-12-11 1997-06-20 Fuji Electric Co Ltd 固体高分子電解質型燃料電池
JP3804503B2 (ja) * 2001-09-28 2006-08-02 日産自動車株式会社 燃料電池セパレータ
JP2005322595A (ja) * 2004-05-11 2005-11-17 Toyota Motor Corp 燃料電池
JP2006114387A (ja) * 2004-10-15 2006-04-27 Toyota Motor Corp 燃料電池
JP2010232083A (ja) * 2009-03-27 2010-10-14 Toyota Motor Corp 燃料電池
JP2010251061A (ja) * 2009-04-14 2010-11-04 Toyota Motor Corp 燃料電池
JP2011009147A (ja) * 2009-06-29 2011-01-13 Tokai Carbon Co Ltd 燃料電池用セパレータの製造方法
JP5011362B2 (ja) * 2009-09-30 2012-08-29 株式会社日立製作所 燃料電池用バイポーラープレートおよび燃料電池
JP2017168227A (ja) * 2016-03-14 2017-09-21 パナソニックＩｐマネジメント株式会社 燃料電池用ガス拡散層および燃料電池
JP2018097948A (ja) * 2016-12-09 2018-06-21 三菱自動車工業株式会社 燃料電池

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101393993A (zh) * 2007-09-19 2009-03-25 上海清能燃料电池技术有限公司 一种燃料电池的装配结构及方法
JP2009272166A (ja) * 2008-05-08 2009-11-19 Nissan Motor Co Ltd 燃料電池
CN101946349A (zh) * 2008-06-16 2011-01-12 丰田车体株式会社 气体流路形成部件、制造气体流路形成部件的方法及气体流路形成部件的成形装置
CN102782918A (zh) * 2011-02-21 2012-11-14 丰田自动车株式会社 燃料电池

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN112771700A (zh) 2021-05-07
CN112771700B (zh) 2023-07-25

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US8318380B2 (en) Fuel cell and vehicle having fuel cell
JP5500254B2 (ja) 燃料電池
JP6534015B2 (ja) 燃料電池のためのセパレータおよびセル・スタック
JP2000149977A (ja) 燃料電池スタック
WO2009010853A2 (en) Fuel cell performing anode dead-end operation with improved water management
JP2019509590A (ja) 非対称シール形成セクションを有するバイポーラプレートおよびこのようなバイポーラプレートを有する燃料電池スタック
WO2011099399A1 (ja) 燃料電池
JP2009081061A (ja) 燃料電池
JP5321086B2 (ja) 燃料電池
JP3551810B2 (ja) 燃料電池用ガスセパレータおよび燃料電池並びに燃料電池におけるガスの流通方法
KR101347769B1 (ko) 연료 전지
JP2011018525A (ja) 燃料電池および燃料電池システム
JPH0950819A (ja) 固体高分子電解質型燃料電池
JP2012064483A (ja) 燃料電池のガス流路構造、燃料電池の流路構造、燃料電池用セパレータ、および、燃料電池の冷媒流量制御装置
JP5274908B2 (ja) 燃料電池スタック
JP2011076973A (ja) 燃料電池
JP2020136218A (ja) 燃料電池セル及び燃料電池セルスタック
WO2020056580A1 (zh) 流体引导流路及具备该流体引导流路的燃料电池
JP2011044297A (ja) 燃料電池
JP4340417B2 (ja) 高分子電解質型燃料電池
KR102604253B1 (ko) 바이폴라 플레이트를 갖는 연료 전지 스택, 및 연료 전지 시스템
JP5286070B2 (ja) 燃料電池セパレータ
JP6750480B2 (ja) 燃料電池
JP5278393B2 (ja) 燃料電池
US8916313B2 (en) Fuel cell

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 18934228

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 18934228

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1