Modular fuel cell structure, casing of the same, and fuel cell system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017214066-A1
Application number	US-201615387940-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 22, 2016
Priority date	Jan 21, 2016
Publication date	Jul 27, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A modular fuel cell structure includes an anode conductive sheet, an air electrode sheet, a separating membrane, and a cathode conductive sheet stacked on a casing. The casing has a reaction vessel, and also has a first, a second, and a third flow passages, which all communicates with the reaction vessel, and are all independent. Said modular structure forms a fuel cell system with a first storage tank, a second storage tank, a retrieval device, and a feeding device which controls the first and the second storage tanks to deliver a first and a second materials to the casing. The first and the second materials are respectively injected into the reaction vessel for reaction through the first and the second flow passages, and then exhausted to the retrieval device through the third flow passage after the reaction. With the independent flow passages, the efficiency of power generation could be improved.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A modular fuel cell structure, which is adapted for injecting a first material and a second material for reaction; comprising:
a casing, which has a reaction vessel recessed into a surface thereof, and has a first flow passage, a second flow passage, and a third flow passage provided therein, which all communicate with the reaction vessel, wherein the first flow passage is adapted for delivering the first material into the reaction vessel, the second flow passage is adapted for delivering the second material into the reaction vessel, and the third flow passage is adapted to exhaust the first material and the second material out from the reaction vessel after reaction; an anode conductive sheet disposed in the reaction vessel; an air electrode sheet disposed on a side of the anode conductive sheet opposite to the reaction vessel; a separating membrane disposed between the anode conductive sheet and the air electrode sheet to electrically separate the anode conductive sheet and the air electrode sheet; and a cathode conductive sheet disposed on the air electrode sheet, wherein the cathode conductive sheet is electrically connected to the air electrode sheet.

2 . The modular fuel cell structure of claim 1 , wherein the casing has a first surface, a second surfaces opposite to the first surface, a first end face, and a second end face opposite to the first end face; the first end face and the second end face are both connected to the first surface and the second surface, wherein the reaction vessel is formed on the first surface, and is recessed in a direction toward the second surface; one end of the first flow passage is exposed on a side of the casing near the first end face, while another end thereof communicates with a side of the reaction vessel near the second end face; one end of the second flow passage is exposed on the side of the casing near the first end face, while another end thereof communicates with another side of the reaction vessel near the first end face; one end of the third flow passage communicates with the another side of the reaction vessel near the first end face, while another end thereof exposed on the side of the casing near the first end face.

3 . The modular fuel cell structure of claim 2 , wherein the casing has a first wall, a second wall facing the first wall, a third wall, and a fourth wall facing the third wall in the reaction vessel thereof; the third wall and the fourth wall are both connected to the first wall and the second wall, and respectively correspond to the first end face and the second end face; the another end of the first flow passage which communicates with the reaction vessel is either on the first wall, on the second wall, or both, and is near the fourth wall;
the another end of the second flow passage which communicates with the reaction vessel is on the third wall; the end of the third flow passage which communicates with the reaction vessel is on the second wall.

4 . The modular fuel cell structure of claim 2 , wherein the casing further has two opposing side surfaces provided on the two opposite sides thereof; a periphery of each of the side surfaces is connected to the first surface, the second surface, the first end face, and the second end face, wherein a distance between the two side surfaces gradually decreases in a direction from the first surface toward the second surface.

5 . The modular fuel cell structure of claim 4 , wherein an included angle between each of the side surfaces and the second surface is 120 degrees.

6 . The modular fuel cell structure of claim 2 , further comprising two wing plates provided on the first surface, each of which respectively stands one of two opposite lateral edges of the first surface, and extends in a direction from the first end face toward the second end face, wherein the air electrode sheet, the separating membrane, and the cathode conductive sheet are confined between the wing plates.

7 . The modular fuel cell structure of claim 1 , wherein the casing has a slit communicating with the reaction vessel; the anode conductive sheet comprises an anode reaction portion and an anode conduct portion which are connected to each other; the anode reaction portion is disposed in the reaction vessel, while the anode conduct portion extends into the slit, and extends out of the casing through the slit.

8 . The modular fuel cell structure of claim 1 , further comprising an anode conductive grid disposed between the anode conductive sheet and the separating membrane to cover the anode conductive sheet, wherein the anode conductive grid has at least one folded edge, which is bent in a direction toward the anode conductive sheet, extending into the reaction vessel.

9 . The modular fuel cell structure of claim 1 , further comprising a liner disposed between the separating membrane and the reaction vessel, wherein the liner has an opening corresponding to the reaction vessel.

10 . The modular fuel cell structure of claim 1 , further comprising a cover plate disposed on a side of the cathode conductive sheet opposite to the air electrode sheet, wherein the cover plate is fixed to the casing; the anode conductive sheet, the air electrode sheet, the separating membrane, and the cathode conductive sheet are clamped and fixed between the casing and the cover plate.

11 . The modular fuel cell structure of claim 1 , wherein the air electrode sheet comprises a plate and a waterproof membrane; the waterproof membrane is disposed on the plate, with a part of the plate being exposed out; the cathode conductive sheet comprises a cathode reaction portion and a hollow portion, wherein the hollow portion corresponds to the waterproof membrane, and the cathode reaction portion is in contact with the part of plate which is exposed out.

12 . A casing of a modular fuel cell adapted for injecting a first material and a second material for reaction, wherein the casing has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first end face, and a second end face opposite to the first end face; the first end face and the second end face are both connected to the first surface and the second surface; comprising:
a reaction vessel, which is provided on the first surface, and is recessed in a direction toward the second surface, wherein the reaction vessel is adapted for mixing the first material and the second material; a first flow passage adapted for delivering the first material into the reaction vessel, wherein one end of the first flow passage is exposed on a side of the casing near the first end face, and another end thereof communicates with a side of the reaction vessel near the second end face; a second flow passage adapted for delivering the second material into the reaction vessel, one end of the second flow passage is exposed on the side of the casing near the first end face, and another end thereof communicates with another side of the reaction vessel near the first end face; and a third flow passage, wherein one end of the third flow passage communicates with the side of the reaction vessel near the first end face, and another end thereof is exposed on the side of the casing near the first end face; the third flow passage is adapted to exhaust the first material and the second material out from the reaction vessel after reaction.

13 . The casing of claim 12 , further comprising a first wall, a second wall facing the first wall, a third wall, and a fourth wall facing the third wall in the reaction vessel, wherein the third wall and the fourth wall are both connected to the first wall and the second wall, and respectively correspond to th

Assignees

• Univ Nat Taipei Technology

Inventors

• Huang Kuohsiu David
• Hsu Ting-Wei

Classifications

• H01M8/04201 Primary

  Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes · CPC title

• H01M12/08

  composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type · CPC title

• H01M8/04276

  Arrangements for managing the electrolyte stream, e.g. heat exchange · CPC title

• H01M4/8803

  Supports for the deposition of the catalytic active composition (H01M4/90 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/188

  by recharging of redox couples containing fluids; Redox flow type batteries · CPC title