Fuel cell and fuel cell stack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015372334-A1
Application number	US-201314764758-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 26, 2013
Priority date	Jan 31, 2013
Publication date	Dec 24, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell including a pair of connectors ( 12, 13 ); a single cell ( 20 ) having an electrolyte layer ( 2 ) and electrode layers ( 14, 15 ); and current-collecting members ( 18, 19 ) disposed between the electrode layers and the connectors ( 12, 13 ), respectively. The current-collecting members ( 19 ) corresponding to at least the one electrode layer ( 15 ) has connector contact portions ( 19 a ) in contact with the connector ( 13 ), cell contact portions ( 19 b ) in contact with the electrode layer ( 15 ), connection portions ( 19 c ) connecting corresponding connector contact portions ( 19 a ) and cell contact portions ( 19 b ), and a spacer ( 58 ) disposed between the connector contact portions ( 19 a ) and cell contact portion ( 19 b ). An end of the spacer ( 58 ) located opposite the connection portions ( 19 c ) recedes from the ends of the cell contact portions ( 19 b ) located opposite the connection portions ( 19 c ) and from the ends of the connector contact portions ( 19 a ) located opposite the connection portions ( 19 c ).

First claim

1 - 13 . (canceled)

14 . A fuel cell comprising:
a pair of interconnectors; a single cell located between the interconnectors and having a plate-like electrolyte layer and electrode layers formed on upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the electrolyte layer; and current-collecting members disposed between the electrode layers and the interconnectors, respectively, and adapted to electrically connect the corresponding electrode layers and interconnectors; the fuel cell being characterized in that the current-collecting member corresponding to at least one of the electrode layers comprises a connector contact portion in contact with the interconnector, a cell contact portion in contact with the electrode layer of the single cell, a connection portion connecting the connector contact portion and the cell contact portion, and a spacer disposed between the connector contact portion and the cell contact portion; and an end of the spacer located opposite the connection portion recedes from an end of the cell contact portion located opposite the connection portion and from an end of the connector contact portion located opposite the connection portion.

15 . A fuel cell according to claim 14 , wherein one of or both of the connector contact portion and the cell contact portion have a warp end formed at a side opposite the connection portion for engagement with an edge of the spacer.

16 . A fuel cell according to claim 15 , wherein the warp end is formed through shear deformation which occurs when at least one of the connector contact portion and the cell contact portion is stamped from a metal sheet.

17 . A fuel cell according to claim 14 , wherein, as viewed in plane, at least a portion of the current-collecting member opposite the current-collecting member corresponding to the one electrode layer is in contact with the other electrode layer in a region where the spacer is in contact with the cell contact portion and with the connector contact portion.

18 . A fuel cell according to claim 14 , wherein the entire region of the spacer as viewed in plane is contained, as viewed in plane, in a region of contact between the cell contact portion and the electrode layer.

19 . A fuel cell according to claim 14 , wherein the spacer is of at least one of mica, alumina felt, vermiculite, carbon fiber, silicon carbide fiber, and silica.

20 . A fuel cell according to claim 14 , further comprising a tightening member for unitarily tightening a stack of the interconnectors, the single cell, and the current-collecting members, wherein the tightening member and the spacer press the cell contact portion of the current-collecting member against the single cell and the connector contact portion of the current-collecting member against the interconnector.

21 . A fuel cell according to claim 20 , wherein the spacer is higher in thermal expansion coefficient in a tightening direction than the tightening member.

22 . A fuel cell according to claim 14 , wherein the current-collecting members are formed of a porous metal, a metal mesh, wire, or a punched metal.

23 . A fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the cell contact portion of the current-collecting member is joined to a surface of the electrode layer of the single cell.

24 . A fuel cell according to claim 14 , wherein the connector contact portion of the current-collecting member is joined to the interconnector.

25 . A fuel cell according to claim 14 , wherein the current-collecting member is disposed between the electrode layer corresponding to fuel gas and the interconnector and is formed of Ni or an Ni alloy.

26 . A fuel cell stack characterized in that a plurality of the fuel cells according to claim 14 are stacked and fixed together by the tightening member.

27 . A fuel cell according to claim 14 , wherein the electrolyte layer assumes a plate-like form.

28 . A fuel cell according to claim 15 , wherein the warp end is engaged with an edge of the spacer.

Assignees

• Ngk Spark Plug Co

Inventors

• Yagi Hiroaki
• Sato Yoshikuni
• Hotta Nobuyuki

Classifications

• H01M8/248 Primary

  Means for compression of the fuel cell stacks · CPC title

• H01M8/1004

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

• H01M8/0297

  Arrangements for joining electrodes, reservoir layers, heat exchange units or bipolar separators to each other (H01M8/0271 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/0202

  Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors · CPC title

• H01M8/2404

  Processes or apparatus for grouping fuel cells · CPC title