Fuel cell stack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9425477-B2
Application number	US-201414458755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2014
Priority date	Dec 30, 2013
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

A fuel cell stack is provided that includes a fuel cell stack module and an enclosure. The fuel cell stack module includes end plates and coupling bars coupled to the end plates. The enclosure includes an upper enclosure covering a front surface, an upper surface, and a back surface of the fuel cell stack module, a lower enclosure covering the front surface, a lower surface, and the back surface of the fuel stack module, a left enclosure fixed to one of the end plates, and a right enclosure fixed to the other of the end plates. The upper enclosure and the lower enclosure are coupled to protruding portions of the left enclosure and the right enclosure and bent toward the surfaces of the fuel cell stack module so as to be in surface contact with the surfaces of the fuel cell stack module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell stack comprising:
a fuel cell stack module including end plates coupled to opposite side surfaces of a stack of fuel cells, respectively, and coupling bars coupled to the end plates; and
an enclosure including
an upper enclosure covering a portion of a front surface, an upper surface, and a portion of the back surface of the fuel cell stack module,
a lower enclosure covering a portion of the front surface, a lower surface, and a portion of the back surface of the fuel stack module,
a left enclosure fixed to one of the end plates, and
a right enclosure fixed to the other one of the end plates,

wherein each of the upper enclosure and the lower enclosure are coupled to protruding portions of both the left enclosure and the right enclosure, wherein the protruding portions protrude forwards and backwards at side ends of each of a front and a back surface of the fuel cell stack module, and
wherein the upper enclosure and the lower enclosure are bent toward surfaces of the fuel cell stack module from the protruding portions and are in surface contact with the surfaces of the fuel cell stack module.

2. The fuel cell stack according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least a portion of an upper surface of the upper enclosure is in surface contact with the upper surface of the fuel cell stack module.

3. The fuel cell stack according to claim 2 ,
wherein the portion of the upper surface of the upper enclosure which is in contact with the upper surface of the fuel stack module is a corner portion between the front surface and the upper surface of the fuel cell stack module.

4. The fuel cell stack according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least a portion of a lower surface of the lower enclosure is in surface contact with the lower surface of the fuel cell stack.

5. The fuel cell stack according to claim 4 ,
wherein the portion of the lower surface of the lower enclosure which is in contact with the lower surface of the fuel stack is a corner portion between the front surface and the lower surface of the fuel cell stack module.

6. The fuel cell stack according to claim 1 ,
wherein a corner portion between a front surface or back surface and an upper surface of the upper enclosure is in surface contact with a corner portion between the front surface or back surface and the upper surface of the fuel cell stack module.

7. The fuel cell stack according to claim 1 ,
wherein a corner portion between a front surface or back surface and a lower surface of the lower enclosure is in surface contact with a corner portion between the front surface or back surface and the lower surface of the fuel cell stack.

8. The fuel cell stack according to claim 1 ,
wherein the left enclosure is integrated with a first end plate and the right enclosure is integrated with a second end plate.

9. A fuel cell stack comprising:
a fuel stack module including end plates coupled to opposite two side surfaces of a stack of fuel cells and coupling bars coupled to the end plates; and
an enclosure including:
an upper enclosure covering a portion of a front surface, an upper surface, and a portion of a back surface of the fuel cell stack module,
a lower enclosure covering a portion of the front surface, a lower surface, and a portion of the back surface of the fuel cell stack,
a left enclosure fixed to one of the end plates, and
a right enclosure fixed to the other of the end plates,

wherein the upper enclosure and the lower enclosure are bent from the end plates toward surfaces of the fuel cell stack module in a manner of conforming to step portions formed by the stack of fuel cells and the end plates of the fuel cell stack module so that the upper enclosure and the lower enclosure are in surface contact with at least part of the fuel cell stack module.

10. The fuel cell stack according to claim 9 ,
wherein at least a portion of an upper surface of the upper enclosure is in surface contact with the upper surface of the fuel cell stack module.

11. The fuel cell stack according to claim 10 ,
wherein the portion of the upper surface of the upper enclosure which is in contact with the upper surface of the fuel stack module is a corner portion between the front surface and the upper surface of the fuel cell stack module.

12. The fuel cell stack according to claim 9 ,
wherein at least a portion of a lower surface of the lower enclosure is in surface contact with the lower surface of the fuel cell stack.

13. The fuel cell stack according to claim 12 ,
wherein the portion of the lower surface of the lower enclosure which is in contact with the lower surface of the fuel stack is a corner portion between the front surface and the lower surface of the fuel cell stack module.

14. The fuel cell stack according to claim 9 ,
wherein a corner portion between a front surface or back surface and an upper surface of the upper enclosure is in surface contact with a corner portion between the front surface or back surface and the upper surface of the fuel cell stack module.

15. The fuel cell stack according to claim 9 ,
wherein a corner portion between a front surface or back surface and a lower surface of the lower enclosure is in surface contact with a corner portion between the front surface or back surface and the lower surface of the fuel cell stack.

16. The fuel cell stack according to claim 9 ,
wherein the left enclosure is integrated with a first end plate and the right enclosure is integrated with a second end plate.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Duck Whan
• Kum Young Bum
• Suh Jung Do
• Heo Yong Suk
• Yu Jung Han

Classifications

• H01M8/2475 Primary

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

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/248

  Means for compression of the fuel cell stacks · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

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

• Y02T90/32

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic