JPH0935726A - Gas plate, cooling plate for fuel cell, and fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent gas leak and cooling water leak by covering a gas introducing end part and a gas exhausting end part of a gas flow path groove connected to a gas manifold with a plane plate so as to form tunnel structure. SOLUTION: In a gas plate 3 of a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, a gas introducing end part 9 and a gas exhausting end part 10 of a gas flow path groove 5 connected to a gas manifold are covered with a plane plate so as to form tunnel structure. Hanging down of a Nafion membrane and gaskets on its both surfaces to the gas introducing end part 9 and the gas exhausting end part 10 of the gas flow path groove 5 is prevented. A gap is not produced between an upper plate and the gas plate 3, and leak of gas flowing through the gas flow path groove of the upper plate is prevented.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improved gas plate and cooling plate for a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and a fuel cell using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a stack of a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, as shown in FIG.
A gas plate 3 and a cooling plate 4 each made of a carbon plate which is an intermediate plate with a sealing material 2 interposed on both sides of
Is arranged. By the way, in the gas plate 3 and the cooling plate 4, when the gas and the cooling water flow through the gas passage groove 5 and the cooling water passage groove 6, respectively, the Nafion membrane 1 and the sealing materials 2 on both sides thereof are located on the lower side. As shown in FIG. 10, the gas passage groove 5 or the cooling water passage groove 6 of FIG.
The gas inside will leak.

[0003]

Therefore, the present invention prevents the Nafion membrane and the packings on both sides thereof from dripping into the end portions of the gas passage groove and the cooling water passage groove, and prevents gas leakage and cooling water leakage. An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell gas plate, a cooling plate, and a fuel cell that can be prevented.

[0004]

A gas plate for a fuel cell according to the present invention for solving the above problems is a gas plate for a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, in which gas is introduced into a gas passage groove connected to a gas manifold. It is characterized in that the end portion and the gas discharge end portion are covered with a flat plate and have a tunnel structure. A cooling plate for a fuel cell of the present invention is a cooling plate for a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, in which a cooling water introducing end and a cooling water draining end of a cooling water passage groove connected to a manifold are covered with a flat plate and have a tunnel structure. It is characterized by that. The fuel cell of the present invention uses the fuel cell gas plate and the fuel cell cooling plate, and appropriately stacks them with a Nafion membrane interposed therebetween,
It is an assembled structure.

[0005]

In the fuel cell gas plate of the present invention constructed as described above, the gas introduction end and the gas discharge end of the gas passage groove are formed, and the fuel cell cooling plate of the present invention is formed in the cooling water passage groove. Since the cooling water inlet end and the cooling water discharge end of each are flat by being covered with flat plates, in a fuel cell assembled by stacking these, the Nafion membrane and packings on both sides thereof are Since it does not fall into both ends of the gas passage groove or both ends of the cooling water passage groove, no gap is created between the upper plate and the gas passage groove of the upper plate, and the gas leaks and cools. There is no leakage.

[0006]

EXAMPLE An example of the gas plate for a fuel cell of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the gas plate 3 of the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell shown in FIG. And a plurality of parallel gas passage grooves 5 for H ₂ gas, which are connected at right angles on the surface, are provided with recesses 11 having a depth twice that of the gas passage grooves 5 at the gas introduction end 9 and the gas discharge end 10. At the same depth as the gas passage groove 5 on both sides of 11,
The width of the gas manifold 8 is shorter than the length of the recess 11,
8 is provided with a step portion 12 in parallel, a strip-shaped flat plate 13 is fitted and fixed to the step portion 12, and the gas introduction end portion 9 and the gas discharge end portion 10 are provided.
Is covered with a flat plate 13 and a recess 11 forms a tunnel structure. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of gas passage grooves 15 for parallel O ₂ gas, which are connected to the gas manifolds 14 at the upper and lower sides on the back surface of the gas plate 3 at right angles, are provided with gas introduction ends 16 and gas discharge ends. A recess 18 having a depth twice that of the gas passage groove 15 is provided in the portion 17, and both sides of each recess 18 are provided on both sides of the recess 18.
A step portion 19 is provided in parallel with the gas manifolds 14 and 14 with the same depth as and a width shorter than the length of the concave portion 18, and a band-shaped flat plate 20 is fitted and fixed to the step portion 19, and the gas introduction end portion is provided. The flat plate 20 covers the gas discharge end 16 and the gas discharge end 17, and the recess 18 forms a tunnel structure.

Next, one embodiment of the cooling plate for a fuel cell of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the cooling plate 4 of the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell shown in FIG. At the end of the cooling water inlet channel 24 and the cooling water outlet channel 25, which are connected to the cooling water manifold 22 at the lower right side and the cooling water channel 23 at the center obliquely on the surface, double the depth and shorter than that. The recess 26 is provided and each recess
Stepped portions 27 having the same depth and wide width as the cooling water introduction passage 24 and the cooling water discharge passage 25 are provided on both sides of the 26, and a flat plate 28 is fitted and fixed to the stepped portions 27, and the cooling water introduction passage 24 is formed. And cooling water discharge channel 25
A flat plate 28 covers the end of the and the recess 26 forms a tunnel structure. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a large number of parallel H ₂ gas or O ₂ gas passage grooves 1 are formed on the back surface of the cooling plate 4 so as to extend perpendicularly to the gas manifolds 14 ', 14' on both upper and lower sides.
The gas introduction end 16 'and the gas discharge end 17' of the 5'are provided with a recess 18 'having a depth twice that of the gas passage groove 15' and each recess.
Both sides of 18 'have the same depth as the gas passage groove 15' and a recess 18 '.
A step portion 19 'having a width shorter than the length of the gas manifold 14', 14 'in parallel with the gas manifold 14', 14 ' Discharge end 1
7'is covered with a flat plate 20 ', and a recess 18' forms a tunnel structure.

Therefore, using the fuel cell gas plate and the fuel cell cooling plate of the embodiment configured as described above, the surface on the gas passage groove 5 side shown in FIG. 1 and the cooling water passage groove shown in FIG. 3 are used. As shown in FIG. 6, in which the packing (seal plate) 29 shown in FIG. 5 is arranged on both sides between the 23 side and the Nafion film 30, the Nafion film 30 is laminated and tightened to be integrated.
A single-layer fuel cell 31 shown in was produced.

Similarly, a large number of fuel cells 32 are laminated and fastened to form a multi-layer (10 layers) fuel cell 32 shown in FIG. In the single-layer and multi-layer fuel cells 31 and 32 manufactured as described above, the gas introduction ends 9 and 16 and the gas discharge ends 10 and 17 of the gas passage grooves 5 and 15 of the gas plate 3 are also cooled. Cooling water introduction passage 24 and cooling water discharge passage of the cooling water passage groove 23 of the plate 4
Since the end portion of 25 and the gas introduction end portion 16 'and the gas discharge end portion 17' of the gas passage groove 15 'are covered with the flat plates 20 and 20' to be flat, the Nafion film 30 and both surfaces thereof are formed. The packing (seal plate) 29 of the above-mentioned structure leans into the gas introduction end portion 9 and the gas discharge end portion 10 of the gas passage groove 5 and the end portions of the cooling water introduction passage 24 and the cooling water discharge passage 25 of the cooling water passage groove 23. There is no.
Therefore, a gap is not formed between the upper plate and the gas flowing in the gas passage groove of the upper plate does not leak.

The gas passage groove 5 of the gas plate 3,
The H ₂ and O ₂ gas flowing through 15, the cooling water flowing through the cooling water passage groove 23 of the cooling plate 4, and the H ₂ or O ₂ gas flowing through the gas passage groove 15 ′ are flat plates at their respective inlet and outlet ends. 13, 2
Recesses 11, 18, 26, 1 which are the lower tunnels of 0, 28, 20 '
It flows through 8 ', so there is no problem.

[0011]

As can be seen from the above description, in the fuel cell gas plate and cooling plate of the present invention, both ends of the gas passage groove and both ends of the cooling water passage groove are formed flat by being covered with a flat plate. The fuel cell of the present invention has a tunnel structure and a packing (seal plate) and a Nafion membrane interposed therebetween, and is assembled by tightening and integrating the Nafion membrane and both surfaces thereof. The packing (seal plate) is prevented from falling into both ends of the gas passage groove or the cooling water passage groove, and no gap is generated, so that gas leakage and cooling water leakage are prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front side perspective view showing an embodiment of a fuel cell gas plate of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a back surface side of the fuel cell gas plate of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view showing an embodiment of a fuel cell cooling plate of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the back surface side of the fuel cell cooling plate of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a packing (seal plate).

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a Nafion membrane having packings (seal plates) on both sides.

FIG. 7 shows a single layer fuel cell according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a multi-layer fuel cell according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of a gas plate and a cooling plate in a stack of a conventional solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state where a gas leak occurs in FIG. 9.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Gas plate 4 Cooling plate 5, 15, 15 'Gas passage groove 8, 14, 14' Gas manifold 9, 16, 16 'Gas inlet end 10, 17, 17' Gas exhaust end 11, 18, 18 'Recess 12, 19, 19 'Step portion 13, 20, 20' Flat plate 21, 22 Cooling water manifold 23 Cooling water passage groove 24 Cooling water inlet passage 25 Cooling water discharge passage 26 Recessed portion 27 Step portion 28 Flat plate 29 Packing (seal plate) 30 Nafion Membrane 31 Single-Layer Fuel Cell 32 Multi-Layer Fuel Cell

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A gas plate for a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, characterized in that the gas inlet end and the gas exhaust end of the gas passage groove connected to the gas manifold are covered with a flat plate and have a tunnel structure. Gas plate for fuel cell. 2. A cooling plate for a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, wherein a cooling water inlet end and a cooling water discharge end of a cooling water passage groove connected to a cooling water manifold are covered with a flat plate and have a tunnel structure. A cooling plate for a fuel cell, which is characterized by: 3. A gas plate having a tunnel structure in which the gas introduction end and the gas discharge end of the gas passage groove connected to the gas manifold are covered with a flat plate, and the cooling water introduction end and the cooling water of the cooling water passage groove connected to the manifold. A fuel cell in which a discharge plate is covered with a flat plate, a cooling plate having a tunnel structure is used, and a packing and a Nafion membrane are appropriately laminated to form a laminated structure.