Fuel cell stack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9343752-B2
Application number	US-201414183523-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2014
Priority date	Feb 20, 2013
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

A fuel cell stack includes a stacked body which includes separators and a membrane electrode assembly. A first terminal plate, a first insulator, and a first end plate are disposed at a first end of the stacked body. A second terminal plate, a second insulator, and a second end plate are disposed at a second end of the stacked body. Each of the first terminal plate and the second terminal plate is provided in a first recessed portion formed in each of the first insulator and the second insulator. Each of the first and second insulators includes an outer peripheral part and a protrusion and recess portion in the outer peripheral part which is in contact with each of the separators that is disposed at the first and second ends. The protrusion and recess portion has a shape corresponding to a protrusion and recess shape of the separator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell stack comprising:
a stacked body comprising a plurality of separators and a membrane electrode assembly which are stacked in a stacking direction, the membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the electrolyte membrane therebetween, the stacked body having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end in the stacking direction;
a first terminal plate, a first insulator, and a first end plate disposed at the first end of the stacked body;
a second terminal plate, a second insulator, and a second end plate disposed at the second end of the stacked body;
each of the first terminal plate and the second terminal plate being provided in a first recessed portion formed in each of the first insulator and the second insulator; and
each of the first insulator and the second insulator including an outer peripheral part and a protrusion and recess portion in the outer peripheral part which is in contact with each of the separators that is disposed at the first end and the second end of the stacked body, the protrusion and recess portion having a shape corresponding to a protrusion and recess shape of the separator,
wherein at least a recess portion of the protrusion and recess portion contacts a corresponding protruding portion of each of the separators disposed at the first end and the second end of the stacked body, or at least a protruding portion of the protrusion and recess portion contacts a corresponding recess portion of each of the separators disposed at the first end and the second end of the stacked body.

2. The fuel cell stack according to claim 1 ,
wherein a reactant gas manifold through which a reactant gas flows in the stacking direction is formed in each of the separators, the reactant gas being a fuel gas or an oxidant gas,
wherein a reactant gas channel and a buffer portion are formed between each of the separators and the membrane electrode assembly, the reactant gas channel allowing the reactant gas to flow therethrough in an in-plane direction of the separators, the buffer portion connecting the reactant gas channel and the reactant gas manifold to each other, and
wherein the protrusion and recess portion at least includes a first protruding portion that corresponds to the buffer portion.

3. The fuel cell stack according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first protruding portion has a flat upper surface and a shape corresponding to the buffer portion.

4. The fuel cell stack according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the separators includes a sealing member that suppresses leakage of a fluid that is at least one of a fuel gas, an oxidant gas, and a coolant, and
wherein the protrusion and recess portion at least includes a second recessed portion that contacts the sealing member.

5. The fuel cell stack according to claim 4 ,
wherein the second recessed portion has a flat bottom surface.

6. The fuel cell stack according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion and recess portion includes a first protruding portion that corresponds to a buffer portion and a second recessed portion that surrounds the first protruding portion.

7. The fuel cell stack according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion and recess portion of the first insulator includes a second recessed portion that surrounds a reactant gas manifold formed in the first insulator.

8. The fuel cell stack according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion and recess portion at least includes a first protruding portion and a second protruding portion, the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion being aligned along an axial direction of the insulator.

9. The fuel cell stack according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of separators includes at least three separators, the at least three separators including:
the separators disposed at the first end and the second end of the stacked body; and
a separator disposed within a power generation unit of the fuel cell stack.

10. A fuel cell stack comprising:
a stacked body comprising a plurality of separators and a membrane electrode assembly which are stacked in a stacking direction, the membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the electrolyte membrane therebetween, the stacked body having an end in the stacking direction;
a terminal plate, an insulator, and an end plate disposed at the end of the stacked body;
the terminal plate being provided in a recessed portion formed in the insulator; and
the insulator including an outer peripheral part and a protrusion and recess portion in the outer peripheral part which is in contact with one of the separators that is disposed at the end of the stacked body, the protrusion and recess portion having a shape corresponding to a protrusion and recess shape of the one of the separators,
wherein at least a recess portion of the protrusion and recess portion contacts a corresponding protruding portion of the separator disposed at the end of the stacked body, or at least a protruding portion of the protrusion and recess portion contacts a corresponding recessed portion of the separator disposed at the end the stacked body.

11. The fuel cell stack according to claim 10 , wherein the protrusion and recess portion includes a first protruding portion that corresponds to a buffer portion and a second recessed portion that surrounds the first protruding portion.

12. The fuel cell stack according to claim 10 , wherein the protrusion and recess portion of the insulator includes a second recessed portion that surrounds a reactant gas manifold formed in the insulator.

13. A fuel cell stack comprising:
a stacked body comprising a plurality of separators and a membrane electrode assembly which are stacked in a stacking direction, the membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the electrolyte membrane therebetween, the stacked body having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end in the stacking direction;
a first terminal plate, a first insulator, and a first end plate disposed at the first end of the stacked body;
a second terminal plate, a second insulator, and a second end plate disposed at the second end of the stacked body;
each of the first terminal plate and the second terminal plate being provided in a first recessed portion formed in each of the first insulator and the second insulator; and
each of the first insulator and the second insulator including an outer peripheral part and a protrusion and recess portion in the outer peripheral part which is in contact with each of the separators that is disposed at the first end and the second end of the stacked body, the protrusion and recess portion having a shape corresponding to a protrusion and recess shape of the separator,
wherein a reactant gas manifold through which a reactant gas flows in the stacking direction is formed in each of the separators, the reactant gas being a fuel gas or an oxidant gas,
wherein a reactant gas channel and a buffer portion are formed between each of the separators and the membrane electrode assembly, the reactant gas channel allowing the reactant gas to flow therethrough in an in-plane direction of the separators, the buffer portion connecting the reactant gas channel and the reactant gas manifold to each other,
wherein the protrusion and recess portion at least includes a first protruding portion that corresponds to the buffer portion,
wherein convex and concave are formed at a lower end of the reactant gas channel, the convex and concave alternately protruding from a first surface and a second

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Terada Eri
• Ishida Kentaro

Classifications

• H01M8/2483

  characterised by internal manifolds · CPC title

• H01M8/0267

  having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels · CPC title

• H01M8/2465

  Details of groupings of fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/242

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

• H01M8/0276

  Sealing means characterised by their form (H01M8/0273 takes precedence) · CPC title