Separator of fuel cell and fuel cell having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017358804-A1
Application number	US-201615366955-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 1, 2016
Priority date	Jun 9, 2016
Publication date	Dec 14, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A separator for a fuel cell includes a plurality of channels; and an inlet hole and an outlet hole formed in a first side and a second side of the plurality of channels, respectively, such that a reaction gas flows into and out from the separator to be exposed to a reaction surface including a membrane electrode assembly. The inlet hole is larger in size than the outlet hole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A separator for a fuel cell comprising:
a plurality of channels; and an inlet hole and an outlet hole formed in a first side and a second side of the plurality of channels, respectively, such that a reaction gas flows into and out from the separator to be exposed to a reaction surface including a membrane electrode assembly, wherein the inlet hole is larger in size than the outlet hole.

2 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the inlet hole and the outlet hole are formed such that the reaction gas flowing into and out from the separator perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the plurality of channels is guided to the reaction surface.

3 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of inlet holes and outlet holes is formed in the longitudinal direction of the channel and centers of the inlet holes and the outlet holes are not aligned.

4 . The separator of claim 3 , wherein the centers of the inlet holes are positioned higher above the reaction surface than the centers of the outlet holes.

5 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the inlet holes and the outlet holes have different shapes.

6 . The separator of claim 5 , wherein the inlet holes are have a rectangular shape and the outlet holes have an elliptical shape.

7 . The separator of claim 6 , wherein lengths of a long axis and a short axis of the outlet holes are ½ or more of lengths of a long axis and a short axis of the inlet holes, respectively.

8 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the separator is wavy, and the first side is an inclined side through which the reaction gas flows into the separator and the second side is an inclined side through which the reaction gas flows out from the separator.

9 . A separator comprising:
a plurality of channels; and an inlet hole and an outlet hole formed in a first side and a second side of the channels such that a reaction gas flows into and out from the separator, wherein the inlet holes are larger in size than the outlet holes at an upstream side of the channels.

10 . The separator of claim 8 , wherein a difference in size between an inlet hole and an outlet hole at a downstream side of the channels through which the reaction gas is discharged is smaller than a difference in size between an inlet hole and an outlet hole at an upstream side of the channels.

11 . A fuel cell comprising:
a separator for a fuel cell including a plurality of channels, and an inlet hole and an outlet hole respectively formed in a first side and a second side of the plurality of channels such that a reaction gas flows into and out from the separator, the inlet hole being larger in size than the outlet hole; and a gas diffusion layer disposed between a bottom of the separator and a membrane electrode assembly and activating and guiding a reaction gas flowing inside through the inlet hole to the membrane electrode assembly.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jin Sang Mun
• Yang Yoo Chang

Classifications

• H01M8/0256

  Vias, i.e. connectors passing through the separator material · CPC title

• H01M8/1004

  characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes 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

• H01M4/94

  Non-porous diffusion electrodes, e.g. palladium membranes, ion exchange membranes · CPC title

• H01M2250/30

  Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title