Fuel cell stack enclosure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9871261-B2
Application number	US-201615160106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2016
Priority date	Dec 9, 2015
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

A fuel cell stack enclosure includes: a lower housing disposed under a fuel cell stack and having a bottom plate portion provided with a water outlet therein; a sealing cap closing the water outlet from an outside of the lower housing; and an elastic member elastically pulling the sealing cap toward the bottom plate portion of the lower housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell stack enclosure, comprising:
a lower housing disposed under a fuel cell stack and having a bottom plate portion with a water outlet therein;
a sealing cap closing the water outlet from an outside of the lower housing; and
an elastic member elastically pulling the sealing cap toward the bottom plate portion of the lower housing.

2. The fuel cell stack enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein since a periphery portion of a lower portion of the lower housing tapers to a lower end thereof, the lower housing has an inclined portion that slopes down from the periphery portion of the lower housing and an end of the bottom plate portion is connected to an end of the inclined portion.

3. The fuel cell stack enclosure according to claim 2 , wherein the inclined portion and the bottom plate portion are connected to form a storage space thereon to store water that is collected in the fuel cell stack enclosure.

4. The fuel cell stack enclosure according to claim 3 , wherein the elastic member extends to push the sealing cap downward when a weight of water stored in the storage space reaches or exceeds a reference value, and thus, the sealing cap is opened so that the stored water is discharged out of the fuel cell stack enclosure.

5. The fuel cell stack enclosure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a dehydration member disposed between the fuel cell stack and the bottom plate portion of the lower housing.

6. The fuel cell stack enclosure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a filter member disposed between the fuel cell stack and the bottom plate portion of the lower housing.

7. The fuel cell stack enclosure according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a dehydration member disposed between the filter member and the bottom plate portion of the lower housing.

8. The fuel cell stack enclosure according to claim 6 , wherein the filter member is a porous film, unwoven cloth, or paper.

9. The fuel cell stack enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the water outlet has a cylindrical shape and extends from a lower surface of the bottom plate portion of the lower housing.

10. The fuel cell stack enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic member includes:
a flat portion having a larger diameter than that of the water outlet; and
a protrusion extending from the flat portion to an inside of the water outlet so that a side surface of the protrusion faces an inner surface of the water outlet.

11. A fuel cell stack enclosure, comprising:
a lower housing disposed under a fuel cell stack and having a bottom plate portion provided with a water outlet formed therein;
a sealing cap closing the water outlet from an outside of the lower housing;
an elastic member elastically pulling the sealing cap toward the bottom plate portion of the lower housing;
a filter member disposed between the fuel cell stack and the bottom plate portion of the lower housing; and
a dehydration member disposed between the filter member and the bottom plate portion of the lower housing,
wherein the elastic member extends to push the sealing cap down by water so that the water is discharged out of the fuel cell stack enclosure when a weight of the water stored in the lower housing reaches or exceeds a reference value.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Wooshin Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yu Jung Han
• Noh Young Woo
• Suh Jung Do
• Kim Duck Whan
• Kum Young Bum
• Lee Chang Jun
• Lee Tae Min
• Choi Yong Woo

Classifications

• H01M8/2465

  Details of groupings of fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04291 Primary

  Arrangements for managing water in solid electrolyte fuel cell systems (H01M8/04119 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/2475

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

• H01M8/247 Primary

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

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title