KR-20260065015-A - SEPARATOR FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICE, ELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICE

KR20260065015AKR 20260065015 AKR20260065015 AKR 20260065015AKR-20260065015-A

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a separator for an electrochemical device comprising a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a plurality of first flow paths connected to the fluid inlet, and a plurality of second flow paths connected to the fluid outlet and the first flow paths, wherein in a connection area where the first and second flow paths are connected, two adjacent second flow paths are connected to one first flow path, and two adjacent first flow paths are commonly connected to one second flow path.

Inventors

김명훈
정선일
유석호

Assignees

삼성전기주식회사

Dates

Publication Date: 20260508
Application Date: 20241031

Claims (16)

Fluid inlet; Fluid outlet; A plurality of first fluid passages connected to the above fluid inlet; and It includes a plurality of second fluid passages connected to the fluid outlet and the first fluid passage; A separator for an electrochemical device, wherein in a connection area where the first and second channels are connected, two adjacent second channels are connected to one first channel, and the two adjacent first channels are commonly connected to one second channel.
In paragraph 1, The above plurality of first channels are linear channels, separator plates for electrochemical devices.
In paragraph 1, The above plurality of second flow paths are linear flow paths for separators for electrochemical devices.
In paragraph 1, A separator for an electrochemical device in which the number of the plurality of second flow paths is greater than the number of the plurality of first flow paths.
In paragraph 1, A separator for an electrochemical device in which the number of the plurality of second channels is one more than the number of the plurality of first channels.
In paragraph 1, When the direction from the fluid inlet toward the fluid outlet is called the first direction, A separator for an electrochemical device in which the length of the second flow path is longer than the length of the first flow path based on the length of the first direction.
In paragraph 6, A separator for an electrochemical device in which the ratio of the length of the first flow path to the length of the second flow path is 3:7 to 4:6.
In paragraph 1, When the direction from the fluid inlet toward the fluid outlet is called the first direction, A separator for an electrochemical device in which the width of the first flow path is narrower than the width of the wall placed between adjacent first flow paths based on the length of the second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
In paragraph 8, A separator for an electrochemical device in which the width of the above wall is at least twice the width of the above first flow path.
In paragraph 8, A separator for an electrochemical device in which the width of the first Euro and the width of the wall are in a ratio of 1:2 to 1:3.
In paragraph 8, The above first and second channels are separators for an electrochemical device having substantially the same width.
In paragraph 1, A separator for an electrochemical device further comprising a connecting channel connecting the first and second channels.
In Paragraph 12, When the direction from the fluid inlet toward the fluid outlet is called the first direction, The above connecting channel is a separator for an electrochemical device extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
In paragraph 1, The second path is directly connected to the first path and is a separator for an electrochemical device that extends in a direction inclined with respect to the first path.
Multiple separator plates; and It includes an electrochemical cell disposed between the plurality of separator plates above, and At least one of the plurality of separator plates above is, It includes a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a plurality of first flow paths connected to the fluid inlet, and a plurality of second flow paths connected to the fluid outlet and the first flow paths. An electrochemical device in which, in a connection area where the first and second channels are connected, two adjacent second channels are connected to one first channel, and the two adjacent first channels are commonly connected to one second channel.
In paragraph 15, The above electrochemical cell is an electrochemical device comprising first and second catalytic electrodes and a polymer electrolyte membrane disposed between the first and second catalytic electrodes.

Description

Separator for Electrochemical Device and Electrochemical Device The present invention relates to a separator for an electrochemical device and an electrochemical device. Electrochemical devices include fuel cells that generate electrical energy by electrochemically reacting a fuel (hydrogen) and an oxidant (pure oxygen or oxygen from the air), and electrolysis cells that generate hydrogen and oxygen through the electrolysis of water. As examples of such electrochemical devices, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis cells (PEMECs) are attracting attention as eco-friendly energy source devices utilizing hydrogen due to their high efficiency and the possibility of miniaturization. Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells and polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis cells generally comprise a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) in which a polymer electrolyte membrane is disposed between catalyst electrodes. Additionally, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and solid oxide water electrolysis cells (SOECs) comprise a cell composed of an air electrode, a fuel electrode, and a solid electrolyte having oxygen ion conductivity, wherein the cell can be referred to as a solid oxide cell. A solid oxide cell produces electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction or produces hydrogen by electrolyzing water through the reverse reaction of a solid oxide fuel cell. In addition to these, other types of fuel cells or water electrolysis cells, such as phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC), alkaline fuel cells (AFC), and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC), are also used as a form of electrochemical device. Electrochemical devices are typically utilized in a stacked structure where a unit cell is positioned between a pair of separator plates, wherein the separator plates form channels through which fluids can flow. Fluids such as water, water vapor, hydrogen, and oxygen gas can flow through these channels, and the direction, velocity, and flow rate of the fluid significantly affect the performance of the electrochemical device. Therefore, research to optimize the size and shape of these channels has recently been conducted in this technical field. FIGS. 1 and FIGS. 2 schematically illustrate the external appearance of a separator for an electrochemical device according to one embodiment of the present invention and correspond to a perspective view and a plan view, respectively. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 2. Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 2. FIG. 5 shows a separator for an electrochemical device according to a modified embodiment corresponding to FIG. 4. Figure 6 is a graph showing the relationship between current density and voltage according to the flow path shape of the separator. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an electrochemical device with a separator plate applied according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a membrane-electrode assembly that can be applied to an electrochemical device. Figure 9 shows an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 8. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to specific embodiments and the attached drawings. However, embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various different forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clearer explanation, and elements indicated by the same reference numerals in the drawings are the same elements. Furthermore, in order to clearly explain the invention in the drawings, parts irrelevant to the explanation are omitted, and thicknesses are enlarged to clearly represent various layers and regions. Components with identical functions within the scope of the same concept are described using the same reference numerals. Moreover, throughout the specification, when a part is described as "comprising" a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. FIGS. 1 and FIGS. 2 schematically illustrate the external appearance of a separator for an electrochemical device according to one embodiment of the present invention and correspond to a perspective view and a plan view, respectively. FIGS. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of FIGS. 2, and FIGS. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIGS. 2. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a separator plate (100, hereinafter referred to as "separator plate for electrochemical device" or "separator plate") according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a fluid inlet (I), a fluid outlet (O), a plurality of first flow paths (110), and a plurality o