Fuel cell and fuel cell stack comprising same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11489173-B2
Application number	US-201915733531-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2019
Priority date	Feb 22, 2018
Publication date	Nov 1, 2022
Grant date	Nov 1, 2022

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fuel cell and a fuel cell stack comprising the same, and according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fuel cell comprising a membrane-electrode assembly having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein an anode electrode and a cathode electrode are each disposed on the first surface; an end plate disposed apart at a predetermined interval on the second surface; a first gas diffusion layer disposed on the anode electrode; a second gas diffusion layer disposed on the cathode electrode; a first separating plate disposed on the first gas diffusion layer and having a plurality of flow channels; and a second separating plate disposed on the second gas diffusion layer and having a plurality of flow channels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell comprising:
a membrane-electrode assembly comprising a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface, wherein an anode electrode and a cathode electrode are each on the first surface of the membrane-electrode assembly;
an end plate spaced apart from the second surface of the membrane-electrode assembly by a predetermined distance;
a first gas diffusion layer on the anode electrode;
a second gas diffusion layer on the cathode electrode;
a first separating plate on the first gas diffusion layer, wherein the first separating plate comprises a plurality of first flow channels; and
a second separating plate on the second gas diffusion layer, wherein the second separating plate comprises a plurality of second flow channels.

2. The fuel cell according to claim 1 ,
wherein a space for a flow of cooling water is provided between the end plate and the second surface of the membrane-electrode assembly.

3. The fuel cell according to claim 2 ,
further comprising a channel member in the space, wherein the channel member is configured to guide the flow of the cooling water.

4. The fuel cell according to claim 3 ,
wherein the channel member comprises a mesh member.

5. The fuel cell according to claim 1 ,
further comprising at least one first gasket for individually sealing the first gas diffusion layer and the second gas diffusion layer.

6. The fuel cell according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a first gasket including a first opening in which the first gas diffusion layer is accommodated and a second opening in which the second gas diffusion layer is accommodated.

7. The fuel cell according to claim 1 ,
further comprising an insulating member between the first separating plate and the second separating plate.

8. The fuel cell according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a second gasket between the end plate and the second surface of the membrane-electrode assembly.

9. The fuel cell according to claim 1 ,
wherein the end plate comprises an electrical insulation material.

10. A fuel cell stack comprising the fuel cell according to claim 1 .

11. The fuel cell according to claim 6 , wherein the first gasket is between the membrane-electrode assembly and the first and second separating plates, and the first gasket contacts the membrane-electrode assembly and the first and second separating plates.

12. The fuel cell according to claim 7 , wherein the insulating member comprises an acrylic, polycarbonate, polytetrafluoroethylene, or polyvinyl chloride.

13. The fuel cell according to claim 8 , wherein the second gasket contacts an edge portion of the end plate and an edge portion of the second surface of the membrane-electrode assembly, and
wherein a space for a flow of cooling water is provided by the end plate, the second surface of the membrane-electrode assembly, and the second gasket.

14. The fuel cell according to claim 9 , wherein the end plate comprises an acrylic, polycarbonate, polytetrafluoroethylene, or polyvinyl chloride.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Yun Sung Hyun
• Park Joo Yong
• Kim Do Young
• Kim Woon Jo
• Kang Kyung Mun
• Yang Jae Choon

Classifications

• H01M8/1004

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

• H01M8/04029

  Heat exchange using liquids · CPC title

• H01M8/0273

  with sealing or supporting means in the form of a frame · CPC title

• H01M8/242

  comprising framed electrodes or intermediary frame-like gaskets (H01M8/2425, H01M8/244 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/0258 Primary

  characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant · CPC title