Fuel cell with spatial structural MEA (membrane electrode assembly)

Abstract

The invention discloses a fuel cell with spatial structural MEA (membrane electrode assembly). The fuel cell comprises the spatial structural MEA, diffusion layers, reaction gas flow channels, pole plates and water flow channels. The spatial structural MEA is of a square-crossing or crossed or honeycomb netted structure; the diffusion layers are of square tubular structures and are embedded inside the MEA or are enclosed by the MEA and the pole plates; spiral flow guide plates are arranged on the inner walls of the reaction gas flow channels; reaction gas can flow along the spiral flow guide plates on the inner walls of the flow channels and can flow into gas diffusion layers via small holes formed in the surfaces of the walls of reaction gas flow channels; the diffusion layers comprise the reaction gas diffusion layers and water vapor adsorption layers; the pole plates are arranged outside the diffusion layers; the water flow channels include cooling water flow channels and drain flow channels, and generated water can be adsorbed by the water vapor adsorption layers and can flow into the drain flow channels. The fuel cell has the advantages that the reaction activity areas can be effectively enlarged, the reaction gas delivery capacity can be improved, the power density of the unit volume can be increased, flooding can be reduced, and accordingly the gas can be sufficiently utilized; the quantities of single chips of fuel cell stacks can be reduced if the MEA fuel cell is applied to the fuel cell stacks, the volumes of the fuel cell stacks can be reduced, the fuel cell stack arrangement flexibility can be improved, and actual application of the MEA fuel cell can be expanded.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to the field of fuel cells, in particular to a fuel cell with a space structure of an MEA. Background technique [0002] A fuel cell is a power generation device that releases electrical energy from the chemical energy in fuel through an electrochemical reaction. Compared with traditional heat engines, fuel cells do not have combustion and heat release links, and are not limited by the Carnot cycle. The energy utilization rate can reach more than 50%, while the energy utilization rate of ordinary heat engines is below 40%. As long as there is continuous fuel input, the fuel cell can continuously output electric energy, and there is no charging process of the battery. [0003] Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has the advantages of low-temperature cold start, high conversion efficiency, high volume specific power density, and non-polluting products, and is favored by various countries. In recent years, with the developme...

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Problems solved by technology

[0005] In the design of the fuel cell flow field, the design of the gas and cooling water flow field is very important. The inlet and outlet of the reaction gas are blocked, and the gas cannot reach each electrode of the stack smoothly, causing uneven current density and degrading battery performance. The unreasonable design of the fluid inlet and outlet leads to the obstruction of the inlet or outlet of the cooling fluid, which will cause the product water in the electrode reaction to not be discharged smoothly, resulting in local heating of the battery and affecting the performance of the battery stack

For a traditional fuel cell, the flow field plate is in contact with the diffusion layer, and the cooling water flow channels and the reaction gas flow channels are arranged alternately, which will cause part of the contact surface of the gas flow channels to be occupied by the wall of the water flow channels, such as Image 6 , which increases the transmission resistance of gas entering the diffusion layer and affects the direct transmission of gas

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