JP-2026075360-A - Fuel cell separators and fuel cell cells

JP2026075360AJP 2026075360 AJP2026075360 AJP 2026075360AJP-2026075360-A

Abstract

[Challenge] To effectively improve power generation efficiency. [Solution] A flow path 18 is formed between the main body 15 and the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly of the separator 14 of the fuel cell cell. The main body 15 is divided into central regions AC1, AC2, AC3 and turn regions AT1, AT2. The central regions extend along the long side of the main body 15 and are arranged in the direction of the short side. The turn regions extend in the direction of the short side and are located corresponding to the longitudinal ends of adjacent central regions. The flow path 18 is formed by a central flow path section 18a that passes through a plurality of central regions in the longitudinal direction, and a turn flow path section 18b that passes through the turn regions and connects the central flow path sections 18a of adjacent central regions. The flow path 18 is formed between a plurality of ribs 19 in the main body 15. A plurality of central flow path sections 18a are formed in the central regions, and a plurality of ribs 19 are formed so that the turn flow path section 18b in the turn regions is connected to the plurality of central flow path sections 18a in the central regions. [Selection Diagram] Figure 3

Inventors

青野晴之
河邉聡
犬飼亮弘
土井健介

Assignees

トヨタ紡織株式会社

Dates

Publication Date: 20260508
Application Date: 20241022

Claims (6)

It comprises a rectangular plate-shaped body that can be positioned on both sides in the thickness direction of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly, The main body forms a channel for flowing gas between itself and the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly, The main body is divided into a central region and a turning region. The central region extends along one side of the main body and is aligned in the direction of another side of the main body that intersects with that side. The turn region extends along the other side and is located corresponding to the longitudinal ends of adjacent central regions. In a fuel cell separator, the flow path is formed by a central flow path section passing through a plurality of central regions in the longitudinal direction, and a turn flow path section passing through the turn region and connecting the central flow path sections of adjacent central regions, The main body has a plurality of ribs that protrude toward the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and come into contact with the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly. The flow path is formed between a plurality of ribs, A fuel cell separator in which a plurality of central flow channels are formed within the central region, and a plurality of ribs are formed such that the turn flow channels within the turn region are connected to the plurality of central flow channels within the central region.
The fuel cell separator according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of ribs in the main body are formed such that there are multiple turn flow channels in the turn region.
The fuel cell separator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of ribs are formed such that the flow width of the central flow channel and the flow width of the turn flow channel are constant.
The multiple central regions are the first central region, the second central region, and the third central region. The aforementioned turn regions are the first turn region and the second turn region, The turn channel portion within the first turn region connects the central channel portions of the adjacent first central region and second central region at one end of their respective longitudinal directions. The turn channel portion within the second turn region connects the central channel portions of the adjacent second central region and the third central region at their other ends in the longitudinal direction. A fuel cell separator according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of ribs are formed such that the number of central flow channels in the first central region, the number of central flow channels in the second central region, and the number of central flow channels in the third central region are the same, and the number of turn flow channels in the first turn region and the number of turn flow channels in the second turn region are the same.
The fuel cell separator according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of ribs are formed on the main body to extend in a wave-like manner.
The membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly is sandwiched from both sides in the thickness direction by two rectangular plate-shaped separators with their front and back sides reversed. A flow channel for gas is formed between the separator and the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly. The separator is divided into a central region and a turn region. The central region extends along one side of the separator and is aligned in the direction of the other side of the separator that intersects with the aforementioned side. The turn region extends along the other side and is located corresponding to the longitudinal ends of adjacent central regions. In a fuel cell, the flow path is formed by a central flow path section passing through a plurality of central regions in the longitudinal direction, and a turn flow path section passing through the turn region and connecting the central flow path sections of adjacent central regions. The separator has a plurality of ribs that protrude toward the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and come into contact with the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly. The flow path is formed between a plurality of ribs, A fuel cell in which a plurality of central flow channels are formed within the central region, and a plurality of ribs are formed such that the turn flow channels within the turn region are connected to the plurality of central flow channels within the central region.

Description

This disclosure relates to fuel cell separators and fuel cell cells. As shown in Patent Document 1, a fuel cell cell stack is formed by stacking fuel cell cells in the thickness direction. The fuel cell is formed by sandwiching a membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly from both sides in the thickness direction with a rectangular plate-shaped separator. The fuel cell separator has a body with multiple ribs extending in parallel. The ribs protrude from the body and contact the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly. The body forms a flow path for gas between itself and the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and between the multiple ribs. A fuel gas, such as hydrogen, flows through the channel between the separator located on the anode side of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and the anode side of the assembly. Similarly, an oxidizing gas, such as air, flows through the channel between the separator located on the cathode side of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and the cathode side of the assembly. In a fuel cell cell, electricity is generated based on the reaction between the fuel gas and the oxidizing gas in the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly. The separator body is divided into a central region and a turn region. The central region extends along one side of the body and is aligned with the direction of another side that intersects with the aforementioned side. The turn region extends along the other side, corresponding to the longitudinal ends of adjacent central regions. The flow path is formed by central flow sections that pass through multiple central regions in the longitudinal direction, and turn flow sections that pass through the turn region and connect the central flow sections of adjacent central regions. Multiple such flow paths, consisting of central and turn flow sections, are formed in parallel. That is, multiple ribs are formed on the body to allow for the formation of these multiple flow paths. In a fuel cell cell, the anode-side separator and the cathode-side separator are identical, but with their front and back sides reversed. In this case, the direction of fuel gas flow through the central channel of the anode-side channel in the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly is opposite to the direction of oxidizing gas flow through the central channel of the cathode-side channel in the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-190795 This is an exploded perspective view showing a fuel cell.This is a cross-sectional view showing a cell stack formed by stacking fuel cell cells as shown in Figure 1.This is a plan view showing the main body of the separator in Figure 1 as seen from the front side.This is a plan view showing the main body of the separator in Figure 1 as seen from the back side.Figure 1 is a plan view showing the anode-side separator and cathode-side separator in the fuel cell cell superimposed.Figures 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams showing cross-sections of the turn channel section and its surrounding area within the turn region of the separator.This is a plan view showing a comparative example of a separator. Hereinafter, an embodiment of a fuel cell separator and a fuel cell cell will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. Figure 1 shows a fuel cell cell 11 for forming a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell cell 11 comprises a resin plate 12, a membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly 13, and a separator 14. The resin plate 12 is formed in the shape of a rectangular frame. The outer edge of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly 13 is joined to the resin plate 12. The resin plate 12 and the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly 13 are sandwiched between separators 14, which are positioned on both sides in the thickness direction. The separator 14 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate corresponding to the outer shape of the resin plate 12. The fuel cell stack is formed by stacking the aforementioned fuel cell cells 11 in the thickness direction. Multiple holes 16 are formed in the resin plate 12 and separator 14 of the fuel cell cell 11. Three of the multiple holes 16 are located at one end of the long side of the fuel cell cell 11, and the other three are located at the other end of the long side of the fuel cell cell 11. The multiple holes 16 form pairs, with one pair on one long side of the fuel cell cell 11 and the other pair on the other long side. Each pair of holes 16 is used to allow fluids such as fuel gas (hydrogen, etc.), oxidizing gas (air, etc.), and refrigerant (cooling water, etc.) to flow. The separator 14 comprises a body 15 formed in the shape of a rectangular plate from a metal such as stainless steel, titanium, or aluminum. Multiple ribs 19 are formed in parallel on the body 15. A sealing member 17 is positioned between the body 15 of the separator 14 and the resin plate 12. The sealing