Separator, and fuel cell stack comprising the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10923737-B2
Application number	US-201716320416-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2017
Priority date	Aug 12, 2016
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

A fuel cell including a separator having a plurality of unit bodies continuously arranged along a first direction and arranged apart at predetermined intervals along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, wherein each of the unit bodies has a wedge shape having a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, connected at a predetermined angle at a vertex portion and two unit bodies adjacent along the second direction are arranged so that each vertex portion is not coaxially located with respect to a virtual line parallel to the second direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A separator comprising a plurality of unit bodies continuously arranged along a first direction and arranged apart at predetermined intervals along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and a connecting portion connecting two unit bodies adjacent along the second direction,
wherein each of the unit bodies has a wedge shape having a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, connected at a predetermined angle at a vertex portion,
wherein two unit bodies adjacent along the second direction are arranged so that each vertex portion is not coaxially located with respect to a virtual line parallel to the second direction, and
wherein the connecting portion comprises at least two inclined portions for connecting the first inclined surfaces of the two unit bodies adjacent along the second direction.

2. The separator according to claim 1 ,
wherein a trough is formed between two unit bodies adjacent along the first direction by the first and second inclined surfaces.

3. The separator according to claim 2 ,
wherein said trough has a “V” shape.

4. The separator according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface of each unit body are formed to have inclination angles different from each other.

5. The separator according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface of each unit body are formed to have areas different from each other.

6. The separator according to claim 1 ,
wherein each vertex portion is formed as a line.

7. The separator according to claim 1 ,
wherein each vertex portion is formed as a surface.

8. The separator according to claim 1 ,
wherein the connecting portion is provided to be bent at least twice or more.

9. The separator according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least two adjacent inclined portions are formed for at least one of inclination angles and areas to be different from each other.

10. The separator according to claim 8 ,
wherein a first drain hole is formed in at least some regions of the connecting portion.

11. The separator according to claim 2 ,
wherein a second drain hole is formed in at least some regions of said trough.

12. A fuel cell stack comprising:
a membrane-electrode assembly;
a gas diffusion layer provided on one side of the membrane-electrode assembly; and
a separator disposed so that at least some regions of the separator are in contact with the gas diffusion layer,
wherein said separator comprises a plurality of unit bodies continuously arranged along a first direction and arranged apart at predetermined intervals along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and a connecting portion connecting two unit bodies adjacent along the second direction,
wherein each of the unit bodies has a wedge shape having a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, connected at a predetermined angle at a vertex portion,
wherein two unit bodies adjacent along the second direction are arranged so that their respective vertex portions are not coaxially located with respect to a virtual line parallel to the second direction, and
wherein the connecting portion comprises at least two inclined portions for connecting the first inclined surfaces of the two unit bodies adjacent along the second direction.

13. The fuel cell stack according to claim 12 ,
wherein each vertex portion in contact with said gas diffusion layer is formed as a line or a surface.

14. The fuel cell stack according to claim 12 ,
wherein the separator is disposed so that a reaction gas flows along the second direction.

15. The fuel cell stack according to claim 12 ,
wherein in the separator, a trough is formed between two unit bodies adjacent along the first direction by the first and second inclined surfaces.

16. The fuel cell stack according to claim 15 ,
wherein the connecting portion is provided to be bent at least twice or more.

17. The fuel cell stack according to claim 16 ,
wherein a drain hole for flow of condensed water is formed in at least one of the trough and the connecting portion.

18. The separator according to claim 1 , wherein all of the unit bodies project in a same direction from a same side of the separator.

19. The fuel cell stack according to claim 12 , wherein all of the unit bodies project in a same direction from a same side of the separator.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Jung Hye Mi
• Yang Jae Choon

Classifications

• H01M8/026 Primary

  characterised by grooves, e.g. their pitch or depth · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/1018

  Polymeric electrolyte materials · CPC title

• H01M8/1004

  characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/2483

  characterised by internal manifolds · CPC title