Fuel cell stack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9413028-B2
Application number	US-201113989863-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2011
Priority date	Dec 21, 2010
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A fuel cell stack is provided that comprises a laminate obtained from unit cells of rectangular plates, end plates disposed at both end surfaces of the laminate, and a pair of reinforcing plates disposed on a first and third outer peripheral surfaces, wherein the respective end plates and reinforcing plates are connected. Each reinforcing plate has a base plate covering that covers the first or third outer peripheral surface of the laminate, and a pair of holding portions that cover the second and fourth outer peripheral surfaces of the laminate partly. Each holding portion supports the laminate as a spring element, and the spring elements are attached in the direction of displacement of the laminate. As a result, the resonant frequency of the laminate is increased and vibration resistance is improved without increasing the parts count.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fuel cell stack comprising:
a laminate formed by stacking a plurality of unit cells of rectangular plate shape between end plates disposed on both end surfaces of the laminate in a cell stacking direction, four surfaces parallel to the cell stacking direction of the laminate being defined as a first outer peripheral surface located on a right side, a second peripheral surface located on an upper side, a third outer peripheral surface on a left side, and a fourth outer peripheral surface on a lower side;
a pair of reinforcing plates provided on a first outer peripheral surface and a third outer peripheral surface, respectively, with both end plates being connected to each reinforcing plate; and
a pair of fastening plates respectively covering the second outer peripheral surface and the fourth outer peripheral surface of the laminate with both end plates being connected to each fastening plate, wherein each reinforcing plate comprises:
a base portion for each reinforcing plate covering the first outer peripheral surface or the third outer peripheral surface of the laminate; and
a pair of holding portions extending perpendicularly from the base portion and integrally structured with the base portion to partially cover the second outer peripheral surface and the fourth outer peripheral surface of the laminate, each of the pair of holding portions having a protruding portion in the form of a groove along the cell stacking direction and protruding toward the laminate, each holding portion configured to support the laminate as a spring element with a load point at the protruding portion.

2. The fuel cell stack claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fastening plate is interposed between the holding portion of each reinforcing plate and the laminate.

3. The fuel cell stack claimed in claim 1 , wherein each fastening plate is provided with a protruding portion protruding toward the holding portion where each fastening plate overlaps with a respective holding portion.

4. The fuel cell stack claimed in claim 3 , wherein each fastening plate is provided with a protruding portion protruding toward the laminate, the protruding portion of each holding portion and the protruding portion of a respective fastening plate abut against each other in a cross section of the reinforcing plate perpendicular to the cell stacking direction, and wherein the protruding portion of the fastening plate is formed in a rib along the cell stacking direction, and the rib is formed as a beam structure with a contact position of the protruding portion of a counterpart being a load point.

5. The fuel cell stack claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing plate is attached to the laminate in a state in which the holding portion is bent.

6. The fuel cell stack claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing plate is provided with the holding portion at least at an antinode position in the cell stacking direction.

7. The fuel cell stack claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing plate is provided with a plurality of holding portions in the cell stacking direction.

8. The fuel cell stack claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a pair of fastening plates covering the second outer peripheral surface and the fourth outer peripheral surface with both end plates being connected to each fastening plate respectively, and a ventilation space is provided to be communicative with an outside between the second outer peripheral surface and the fourth outer peripheral surface of the laminate and each fastening plate.

9. The fuel cell stack claimed in claim 8 , wherein the ventilation space formed between the laminate and the fastening plate is sized to have a distance larger than a sum of one half of a displacement amount of the laminate upon vibration and one half of a displacement amount of the fastening plate.

10. The fuel cell stack claimed in claim 8 , wherein each fastening plate is provided with a protruding portion protruding toward the holding portion where each fastening plate overlaps the holding portion, the protruding portion provided at least on an end thereof with a vent opening to the outside from the ventilation space.

11. The fuel cell stack claimed in claim 3 , wherein the unit cell has a power generating unit in a center and a manifold for circulating reaction gas on both sides of the power generating unit, and the protruding portion imparts a clamping force to the laminate at a location of a frame forming a circumference of the power generating unit and the manifold.

12. The fuel cell stack claimed in claim 8 , wherein the fuel cell stack is installed on a vehicle as a vehicle driving power source, and a vent opening to the outside from the ventilation space opens in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

13. The fuel cell stack claimed in claim 10 , wherein the vent opening opens toward a rear of a vehicle.

Assignees

• Ichihara Keiji
• Numao Yasuhiro
• Uehara Sigetaka
• Nissan Motor

Inventors

• Ichihara Keiji
• Numao Yasuhiro
• Uehara Sigetaka

Classifications

• H01M8/247

  Arrangements for tightening a stack, for accommodation of a stack in a tank or for assembling different tanks · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/2475 Primary

  Enclosures, casings or containers of fuel cell stacks · CPC title

• H01M8/248

  Means for compression of the fuel cell stacks · CPC title