Polar plate, fuel cell and heat exchange method of fuel cell

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of fuel cells, in particular to a polar plate, a fuel cell and a heat exchange method of the fuel cell. The polar plate comprises: a polar plate body having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface and the second surface are respectively located on two sides of the polar plate body, the first surface is provided with a reaction area, and the reaction area is used for providing a space for electrochemical reaction; a heat exchange flow field is arranged on the second surface, the heat exchange flow field comprises an inlet area and a heat exchange area, a projection of the reaction area along the thickness direction of the polar plate body is located in the range of the heat exchange area, a heat exchange medium flows from the inlet area to the heat exchange area, and the heat exchange medium exchanges heat with the polar plate body to adjust the temperature of the reaction area; wherein the heat exchange flow field further comprises a transition area and a gas chamber area, the inlet area and the heat exchange area are communicated through the transition area, the gas chamber area is located above the heat exchange area and is connected with the transition area, so that the bubbles in the heat exchange medium rise in the transition area under the action of buoyancy and enter the gas chamber area, and thus the problem that the bubbles cause local overheating of the reaction area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of fuel cell technology, and more specifically, to an electrode plate, a fuel cell, and a heat exchange method for the fuel cell. Background Technology

[0002] A fuel cell is generally composed of multiple fuel cell cells stacked together. Each fuel cell cell is filled with a reactant gas (such as hydrogen or air) to carry out an electrochemical reaction and generate an electric current. Each fuel cell cell includes two plates, and each plate has a reaction zone on the side facing inward. The reaction zone has multiple grooves spaced apart, which serve as gas channels for the reactant gas to flow. The electrochemical reaction mainly occurs near the reaction zone.

[0003] Electrochemical reactions generate heat, leading to temperature increases that affect fuel cell performance and lifespan. To maintain a suitable temperature, current methods primarily involve creating a heat exchange flow field on the outer side of the electrode plate facing the fuel cell. The heat exchange medium flows within this field, reducing the fuel cell temperature through heat exchange. Specifically, on the side of each electrode plate facing away from the fuel cell, the corresponding gas flow channel is a protrusion, and a groove is formed between adjacent gas flow channels. This groove serves as a heat exchange channel for the heat exchange medium.

[0004] In practical applications, heat exchange channel blockage can occur, which can easily lead to localized overheating in fuel cell units, affecting fuel cell performance and lifespan. How to avoid heat exchange channel blockage and prevent localized overheating is a pressing technical problem that needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Research has found that the heat exchange medium sometimes contains air bubbles, which can easily clog the heat exchange channels after entering them.

[0006] This application aims to provide an electrode plate, a fuel cell, and a heat exchange method for the fuel cell to alleviate the problem of heat exchange channels being blocked by air bubbles, so as to prevent local overheating of the fuel cell.

[0007] The embodiments of this application are implemented as follows:

[0008] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an electrode plate for a fuel cell cell, the electrode plate comprising:

[0009] The electrode body has a first surface and a second surface, the first surface and the second surface are respectively located on both sides of the electrode body, the first surface is provided with a reaction zone, the reaction zone is used to provide space for electrochemical reaction;

[0010] A heat exchange flow field is disposed on the second surface. The heat exchange flow field includes an inlet area and a heat exchange area. The projection of the reaction zone along the thickness direction of the electrode body is located within the range of the heat exchange area. The heat exchange medium flows from the inlet area to the heat exchange area and exchanges heat with the electrode body to regulate the temperature of the reaction zone.

[0011] The heat exchange flow field further includes a transition zone and a gas chamber zone. The inlet zone and the heat exchange zone are connected through the transition zone. The gas chamber zone is located above the heat exchange zone and is connected to the transition zone, so that the bubbles in the heat exchange medium are lifted by buoyancy in the transition zone and enter the gas chamber zone.

[0012] In the technical solution provided in this application, the heat exchange zone is the area corresponding to the reaction zone, and the gas chamber zone is staggered from the reaction zone. Since the bubbles in the heat exchange medium mainly enter the gas chamber zone of the heat exchange flow field, and the content of bubbles in the heat exchange medium entering the heat exchange zone is greatly reduced, the bubbles have little impact on the temperature of the reaction zone, and the flow channels in the heat exchange zone are not easily blocked by bubbles, thus alleviating the problem of local overheating caused by the blockage of the heat exchange flow channels by bubbles.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, the electrode plate further includes:

[0014] An exhaust channel is disposed on the second surface, one end of which is connected to the gas chamber area and the other end is connected to the exhaust manifold of the fuel cell.

[0015] In the above technical solution, the air bubbles in the gas chamber area are discharged independently through the exhaust channel, further preventing air bubbles from entering the heat exchange area and causing blockage.

[0016] In one embodiment of this application, the exhaust channel is connected to one end of the exhaust manifold of the fuel cell, which is higher than the end of the exhaust channel connected to the gas chamber region.

[0017] In the above technical solution, the inlet of the exhaust channel is lower than the outlet, and the outlet of the exhaust channel is located above the liquid surface of the heat exchange medium in the heat exchange flow field. Bubbles with lower density can easily rise along the exhaust channel and be discharged from the gas chamber.

[0018] In one embodiment of this application, the gas chamber region is arranged in a cone shape, with the larger end of the cone connected to the transition region and the smaller end of the cone connected to the exhaust manifold of the fuel cell.

[0019] In the above technical solution, bubbles can easily enter the gas chamber area from the larger end of the cone and converge towards the smaller end, making it easy to collect and discharge the bubbles.

[0020] In one embodiment of this application, the heat exchange flow field further includes:

[0021] The first outlet area is connected to the heat exchange area to allow the heat exchange medium of the heat exchange area to flow out.

[0022] The second outlet area is connected to the gas chamber area to allow the bubbles in the gas chamber area to flow out.

[0023] In the above technical solution, by setting corresponding outlet areas for the heat exchange zone and the gas chamber zone respectively, the contents of the heat exchange zone and the contents of the gas chamber zone are discharged independently, which further avoids the impact of bubbles on the heat exchange zone. It also facilitates the opening and closing control or flow control of the first outlet zone and the second outlet zone respectively, so as to adjust the internal pressure of the heat exchange flow field and switch the pressure outlet, which is beneficial to control the collection and discharge of bubbles.

[0024] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a fuel cell, which includes:

[0025] Multiple battery cells stacked together, each battery cell including the electrode plate described in any one of the first aspects;

[0026] The first discharge manifold is connected to the heat exchange zone of the electrode plate to discharge the heat exchange medium;

[0027] The second discharge manifold is connected to the gas chamber area of ​​the electrode plate to discharge bubbles;

[0028] The first valve is used to regulate the flow rate of the first discharge manifold;

[0029] The second valve is used to regulate the flow rate of the second discharge manifold.

[0030] In the fuel cell provided in this application embodiment, the heat exchange zone corresponding to the reaction zone of each cell is characterized by being less prone to blockage and having high heat exchange efficiency. Each cell is less prone to local overheating, resulting in better fuel cell performance and longer lifespan.

[0031] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a heat exchange method for a fuel cell, used in the fuel cell described in the second aspect, the heat exchange method comprising:

[0032] Separation steps: Open the first valve to open the first discharge manifold, so that the heat exchange medium flows from the inlet area through the transition area to the heat exchange area in the heat exchange flow field of each plate, thereby causing at least some of the bubbles in the heat exchange medium to rise under the action of buoyancy and enter the gas chamber area located above the heat exchange area from the transition area.

[0033] Discharge procedure: Open the second valve to open the second discharge manifold, allowing the air bubbles in the gas chamber area to be discharged from the second discharge manifold.

[0034] In the heat exchange method provided in this application, during the heat exchange process of the heat exchange medium flow, bubbles in the heat exchange medium separate and rise in the transition zone and enter the gas chamber zone, mitigating the impact of bubbles on the heat exchange zone. This results in better heat exchange performance in the heat exchange zone, reduces the likelihood of blockage leading to localized overheating, and ensures higher safety. Simultaneously, a discharge step removes the concentrated bubbles in the gas chamber zone, reducing the gas in the heat exchange flow field and ensuring subsequent bubble collection. Therefore, by alternating or simultaneously performing the separation and discharge steps, this application can effectively mitigate the impact of bubbles on the heat exchange zone and reaction zone, avoiding the problem of localized overheating in the fuel cell.

[0035] In one embodiment of this application, during the discharge step, the first valve is adjusted to reduce the flow rate of the first discharge manifold.

[0036] In the above technical solution, by adjusting the first valve to reduce the flow rate of the first discharge manifold, the liquid level of the heat exchange medium in the heat exchange flow field rises rapidly or the internal pressure of the heat exchange flow field increases, so as to quickly squeeze the bubbles from the gas chamber area to the second discharge manifold and accelerate the speed of bubble discharge.

[0037] In one embodiment of this application, during the separation step, the second valve is adjusted to reduce the flow rate of the second discharge manifold;

[0038] After a certain volume of bubbles has been stored in the gas chamber area, the discharge step is performed. In the discharge step, the second valve is adjusted to increase the flow rate of the second discharge manifold.

[0039] In the above technical solution, reducing the flow rate of the second discharge manifold in the separation step ensures that most of the heat exchange medium flows along the inlet zone, transition zone, heat exchange zone, and second outlet zone, while a small portion of the heat exchange medium pushes the bubbles towards the gas chamber zone and the first outlet zone. This ensures a better heat exchange effect and allows for better bubble collection. Furthermore, some bubbles can be discharged during the separation step, extending the time it takes for the gas chamber zone to reach the set bubble storage capacity. In the discharge step, increasing the flow rate of the second discharge manifold increases the flow area to prevent large bubbles from clogging the opening of the second valve, improving the exhaust effect and accelerating bubble discharge.

[0040] In one embodiment of this application, during the separation step, the heat exchange flow field has a first internal pressure; the pressure threshold of the second valve is greater than the first internal pressure.

[0041] In the above technical solution, since the second valve is closed or partially closed to reduce the flow rate during the separation step, the second valve is subjected to greater pressure during the separation step. By setting the pressure threshold of the second valve to be greater than the first internal pressure, the second valve is prevented from being damaged or failing due to excessive pressure during the separation step. This ensures that a large proportion of the heat exchange medium in the heat exchange flow field enters the heat exchange zone, thereby ensuring the heat exchange effect. Attached Figure Description

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a top view schematic diagram of a fuel cell provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fuel cell provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 3 A top view schematic diagram of an electrode plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the first surface of an electrode plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the second surface of an electrode plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a heat exchange method for a fuel cell provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0049] Icons: 1000 - Fuel cell, 100 - Cell, 101 - Plate, 1011 - First surface, 1012 - Second surface, 102 - Diffusion reaction layer, 200 - Liquid supply manifold, 301 - First exhaust manifold, 302 - Second exhaust manifold, 401 - First valve, 402 - Second valve, 500 - Reaction zone, 600 - Heat exchange flow field, 601 - Inlet zone, 602 - Transition zone, 603 - Heat exchange zone, 604 - Gas chamber zone, 6051 - First outlet zone, 6052 - Second outlet zone, 606 - Exhaust flow channel. Detailed Implementation

[0050] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0051] A fuel cell 1000 is a chemical device that directly converts the chemical energy of fuel into electrical energy. For example...Figure 1 As shown, the fuel cell 1000 includes multiple stacked cell units 100. Figure 2 As shown, each battery cell 100 includes two electrode plates 101.

[0052] like Figure 3 As shown, this application embodiment provides an electrode plate 101, which includes an electrode plate 101 body. The electrode plate 101 body has a first surface 1011 and a second surface 1012, which are located on both sides of the electrode plate 101 body.

[0053] like Figure 4 As shown, the first surface 1011 is the side facing the interior of the battery cell 100. The first surface 1011 is provided with a gas flow field, which includes a reaction zone 500. The reaction zone 500 is provided with a plurality of gas flow channels so that the reaction gas is transported along the plurality of gas flow channels.

[0054] The battery cell 100 generally also includes a diffusion reaction layer 102, which generally includes two gas diffusion layers, two catalyst layers and a proton exchange membrane. The two catalyst layers are respectively disposed on both sides of the proton exchange membrane, and the two gas diffusion layers are respectively disposed on the surface of the two catalyst layers.

[0055] In this embodiment, the catalyst layer in at least the diffusion reaction layer 102 is projected along the thickness direction of the electrode plate 101 body within the reaction zone 500. During the transport of the reactant gas in the gas flow channel of the reaction zone 500, it diffuses to the diffusion reaction layer 102, generating an electrochemical reaction through the catalyst layer. In other words, the catalyst layer in at least the diffusion reaction layer 102 is entirely located within the space formed by the reaction zones 500 of the two electrode plates 101; conversely, the reaction zone 500 provides space for the electrochemical reaction to take place.

[0056] There are various ways to form the gas flow channels. For example, several partition plates can be set on the surface of the electrode plate 101 body to divide the reaction zone 500 into several heat exchange channels. Alternatively, several heat exchange channels can be formed on the surface of the electrode plate 101 body by means of stamping or etching.

[0057] like Figure 5 As shown, the second surface 1012 is the side facing the outside of the battery cell 100. The second surface 1012 is provided with a heat exchange flow field 600, which includes an inlet region 601, a transition region 602, a heat exchange region 603, and a gas chamber region 604.

[0058] Fuel cell 1000 typically has a liquid supply manifold 200, such as Figure 2As shown, the liquid supply manifold 200 is a channel inside the fuel cell 1000, used to supply heat exchange medium to the heat exchange flow field 600. The liquid supply manifold 200 can be a one-piece structure, for example, a one-piece pipe can be used as the liquid supply manifold 200. Through holes are provided in each structural layer of the fuel cell 1000 (such as electrode plate 101, proton exchange membrane, etc.) along the thickness direction. The liquid supply manifold 200 passes through the through holes of each layer in sequence. An opening is provided on the side wall of the liquid supply manifold 200 to connect with the heat exchange flow field 600. Alternatively, the liquid supply manifold 200 can be a split structure. For example, through holes extending along the thickness direction can be provided in each structural layer of the fuel cell 1000 (such as electrode 101, proton exchange membrane, etc.). The structural layers are stacked and sealed in sequence by a sealing gasket, so that the through holes of each structural layer are connected in sequence to form the liquid supply manifold 200. The sidewall of the liquid supply manifold 200 has an opening (such as an opening in the sidewall of the through hole of the sealing gasket or electrode 101) to connect to the heat exchange flow field 600.

[0059] The inlet region 601 of the heat exchange flow field 600 is a through hole provided on the electrode plate 101 for the liquid supply manifold 200 to pass through, or for forming the liquid supply manifold 200. The heat exchange medium can enter the heat exchange flow field 600 from the inlet region 601.

[0060] The inlet zone 601 and the heat exchange zone 603 are connected through the transition zone 602. The heat exchange zone 603 is provided with several heat exchange channels. After the heat exchange medium enters the heat exchange flow field 600 from the inlet zone 601, it enters the heat exchange zone 603 through the transition zone 602, so that the heat exchange medium is roughly evenly distributed in several heat exchange channels and flows along the heat exchange channels.

[0061] The air chamber region 604 is located above the heat exchange region 603 and is connected to the transition region 602. The vertical direction mentioned in this application refers to the vertical direction, i.e., the direction of gravity. When the heat exchange medium passes through the transition region 602, the air bubbles in the heat exchange medium rise under the action of buoyancy and enter the upper air chamber region 604.

[0062] The projection of the reaction zone 500 along the thickness direction of the electrode plate 101 body is located within the range of the heat exchange zone 603. That is to say, the position of the reaction zone 500 corresponds to the position of the heat exchange zone 603, and the area of ​​the heat exchange zone 603 is greater than or equal to the area of ​​the reaction zone 500.

[0063] Since the heat generated by the electrochemical reaction mainly acts on the reaction zone 500 of the electrode 101, and the heat exchange channel of the reaction zone 500 is a structure that is easily blocked by bubbles, the reaction zone 500 is the area where the electrode 101 is prone to overheating.

[0064] In this embodiment, the air bubbles in the heat exchange medium mainly enter the air chamber region 604 of the heat exchange flow field 600, and the content of air bubbles in the heat exchange medium entering the heat exchange zone 603 is greatly reduced. The heat exchange channels in the heat exchange zone 603 are not easily blocked by air bubbles, and the heat exchange medium can flow smoothly in the heat exchange channels, so that the heat exchange zone 603 maintains a high heat exchange efficiency. The projection of the reaction zone 500 along the thickness direction of the electrode plate 101 body is located within the range of the heat exchange zone 603. Therefore, the heat exchange medium can quickly remove the heat from the reaction zone 500, alleviating the problem of local overheating caused by air bubble blockage in the heat exchange channels in the prior art.

[0065] It should be noted that the technical solution provided in this application embodiment is applicable not only to scenarios where the temperature of the electrode plate 101 is reduced, but also to scenarios where the temperature of the electrode plate 101 is increased through a heat exchange medium. In the heating scenario, it can alleviate the problem of localized low temperatures caused by air bubbles blocking the heat exchange channel, ensuring that the entire reaction zone 500 is at a suitable operating temperature.

[0066] In some embodiments, the gas chamber region 604 and the heat exchange region 603 share an outlet region. The bubbles bypass the heat exchange region 603 and flow out of the heat exchange flow field 600 through the gas chamber region 604, so as to prevent the bubbles from blocking the heat exchange flow channel of the heat exchange region 603 and causing local overheating.

[0067] In other embodiments, the air chamber region 604 and the heat exchange region 603 are respectively provided with an outlet region.

[0068] like Figure 5 As shown, the heat exchange flow field 600 also includes a first outlet region 6051 and a second outlet region 6052. The first outlet region 6051 is connected to the heat exchange region 603 to allow the heat exchange medium of the heat exchange region 603 to flow out. The second outlet region 6052 is connected to the gas chamber region 604 to allow the bubbles of the gas chamber region 604 to flow out.

[0069] The contents of the gas chamber region 604 may include a mixture of heat exchange medium and bubbles; when the bubble content is high, the heat exchange medium in the gas chamber region 604 may also be squeezed out by the gas, causing the gas chamber region 604 to be filled with gas; while when there are no bubbles in the heat exchange medium, the gas chamber region 604 may also be filled with the heat exchange medium. Therefore, the contents flowing out of the gas chamber region 604 may be a mixture of heat exchange medium and bubbles, gas only, or heat exchange medium only.

[0070] By setting corresponding outlet areas for heat exchange zone 603 and air chamber zone 604 respectively, the contents of heat exchange zone 603 and air chamber zone 604 are discharged independently, further avoiding the impact of air bubbles on heat exchange zone 603. For example, it avoids the adverse effects of air bubbles blocking the outlet area on the flowability of the heat exchange medium in heat exchange zone 603.

[0071] In addition, by controlling the opening and closing or flow of the first outlet zone 6051 and the second outlet zone 6052 respectively, the internal pressure of the heat exchange flow field 600 can be adjusted and the pressure outlet can be switched, which is beneficial to controlling the collection and discharge of bubbles.

[0072] Under normal operating conditions of the fuel cell 1000, increasing the flow rate of the first outlet zone 6051 and decreasing the flow rate of the second outlet zone 6052 reduces the proportion of heat exchange medium flowing out of the gas chamber zone 604 and increases the proportion of heat exchange medium flowing out of the heat exchange zone 603, resulting in better heat exchange performance in the reaction zone 500.

[0073] In some embodiments, the second outlet region 6052 is positioned higher than the first outlet region 6051. That is, in the direction of gravity, the second outlet region 6052 is higher than the first outlet region 6051, making it easier for bubbles floating above the heat exchange flow field 600 to be discharged. In the prior art, the outlet of the heat exchange flow field is generally located in the middle position to make the distance between each heat exchange channel and the outlet relatively balanced, which also makes it difficult for bubbles to be completely discharged. However, the embodiments of this application, by setting the first outlet region 6051 and the second outlet region 6052, and making the second outlet region 6052 higher, facilitates the discharge of bubbles floating above.

[0074] The fuel cell 1000 generally also has an exhaust manifold, which is an internal channel of the fuel cell 1000 used to discharge the heat exchange medium from the heat exchange flow field 600. The exhaust manifold can be a one-piece structure, for example, using a single pipe as the exhaust manifold. Through-holes extending along the thickness direction are provided in each structural layer of the fuel cell 1000 (such as electrode plates 101, proton exchange membranes, etc.). The exhaust manifold passes through the through-holes of each layer sequentially, and openings are provided on the sidewalls of the exhaust manifold to connect with the heat exchange flow field 600. Alternatively, the exhaust manifold can be a split structure. For example, through-holes extending along the thickness direction are provided in each structural layer of the fuel cell 1000 (such as electrode plates 101, proton exchange membranes, etc.). The structural layers are stacked and sealed sequentially using sealing gaskets, thereby connecting the through-holes of each structural layer to form the exhaust manifold. The sidewalls of the exhaust manifold have openings (such as openings on the sidewalls of the through-holes in the sealing gaskets or electrode plates 101) to connect with the heat exchange flow field 600.

[0075] The outlet region of the heat exchange flow field 600 is a through hole provided on the electrode plate 101 for the passage of a discharge manifold, or the outlet region is used to form a discharge manifold. The heat exchange medium leaves the heat exchange flow field 600 from the outlet region and enters the discharge manifold.

[0076] In an embodiment where the heat exchange flow field 600 includes a first outlet region 6051 and a second outlet region 6052, such as Figure 2As shown, the fuel cell 1000 includes a first emission manifold 301 and a second emission manifold 302. The first emission manifold 301 extends through a first outlet region 6051, or the first outlet region 6051 is used to form the first emission manifold 301. The second emission manifold 302 extends through a second outlet region 6052, or the second outlet region 6052 is used to form the second emission manifold 302.

[0077] The heat exchange flow field 600 also includes an exhaust channel 606, which is disposed on the second surface 1012. One end of the exhaust channel 606 is connected to the gas chamber region 604, and the other end is connected to the exhaust manifold of the fuel cell 1000. That is, in the embodiment where the gas chamber region 604 and the heat exchange region 603 share an outlet, the gas chamber region 604 is connected to the exhaust manifold of the battery through the exhaust channel 606; in the embodiment where the gas chamber region 604 and the heat exchange region 603 have separate outlets, the gas chamber region 604 is connected to the first exhaust manifold 301 through the exhaust channel 606.

[0078] The exhaust channel 606 is connected to one end of the exhaust manifold of the fuel cell 1000, and is higher than the end of the exhaust channel 606 connected to the gas chamber region 604. The inlet of the exhaust channel 606 is lower than the outlet, and the outlet of the exhaust channel 606 is located above the liquid surface of the heat exchange medium in the heat exchange flow field 600. The low-density bubbles can easily rise along the exhaust channel 606 and be discharged from the gas chamber, which is conducive to the complete discharge of bubbles from the heat exchange flow field 600.

[0079] In some embodiments, the gas chamber region 604 is cone-shaped, with the larger end of the cone connected to the transition region 602 and the smaller end connected to the exhaust manifold of the fuel cell 1000. Air bubbles easily enter the gas chamber region 604 from the larger end of the cone and converge towards the smaller end, facilitating bubble discharge.

[0080] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a fuel cell 1000, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the fuel cell 1000 includes a plurality of battery cells 100, which are stacked together. Each battery cell 100 includes an electrode plate 101 provided in the above embodiments. That is, at least one electrode plate 101 of each battery cell 100 is the electrode plate 101 provided in the above embodiments.

[0081] The stacking direction of multiple battery cells 100 is horizontal, and each electrode plate 101 is parallel to the vertical plane, so that the gas chamber region 604 is located above the heat exchange region 603.

[0082] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the fuel cell 1000 also includes a first exhaust manifold 301, a second exhaust manifold 302, a first valve 401, and a second valve 402.

[0083] The first discharge manifold 301 is connected to the heat exchange zone 603 of the electrode plate 101. The first valve 401 is used to regulate the flow rate of the first discharge manifold 301. When the first valve 401 opens the first discharge manifold 301, the heat exchange medium can be discharged from the heat exchange flow field 600 from the first discharge manifold 301, and the first valve 401 can control the flow rate of the first discharge manifold 301.

[0084] The second discharge manifold 302 is connected to the gas chamber region 604 of the electrode plate 101. The second valve 402 is used to regulate the flow rate of the second discharge manifold 302. When the second valve 402 opens the second discharge manifold 302, bubbles can be discharged from the heat exchange flow field 600 from the second discharge manifold 302, and the second valve 402 can control the flow rate of the second discharge manifold 302.

[0085] The fuel cell 1000 provided in this application embodiment includes at least one electrode plate 101 as described in the embodiments of the first aspect in each cell 100, such that the surface of each cell 100 has the aforementioned heat exchange flow field 600. This makes the heat exchange zone 603 corresponding to the reaction zone 500 of each cell 100 less prone to clogging and has high heat exchange efficiency. Each cell 100 is less prone to local overheating, and the fuel cell 1000 has good performance and long life.

[0086] The electrode plate 101 and fuel cell 1000 of the present application have been described above. The heat exchange method of the fuel cell 1000 will be described below. For the parts that are not described in detail, please refer to the foregoing embodiments.

[0087] like Figure 6 As shown, the heat exchange methods include:

[0088] S1 Separation Step: Open the first valve 401 to open the first discharge manifold 301, so that the heat exchange medium flows from the inlet region 601 through the transition region 602 toward the heat exchange region 603 in the heat exchange flow field 600 of each electrode 101, thereby causing at least some of the bubbles in the heat exchange medium to rise under the action of buoyancy and enter the gas chamber region 604 located above the heat exchange region 603 from the transition region 602.

[0089] S2 emission procedure: Open the second valve 402 to open the second emission manifold 302, allowing the air bubbles in the gas chamber area 604 to be discharged from the second emission manifold 302.

[0090] In some embodiments, steps S1 and S2 can be performed simultaneously. While the heat exchange medium exchanges heat with the electrode plate 101 to reduce the temperature of the reaction zone 500, the bubbles are discharged through the transition zone 602 and the gas chamber zone 604.

[0091] In other embodiments, step S2 may be performed first, followed by step S1, to first vent the gas in the gas chamber region 604 and then fill the gas chamber region 604 with the heat exchange medium, in preparation for subsequent inclusion of air bubbles. For example, step S2 is performed when the fuel cell 1000 is in an idling, cold, or standby state, in preparation for subsequent heat exchange during the operation of the fuel cell 1000.

[0092] In some other embodiments, step S1 may be performed first, followed by step S2. When the heat exchange medium exchanges heat with the electrode plate 101 to reduce the temperature of the reaction zone 500, the bubbles enter the gas chamber zone 604 for storage via the transition zone 602, and finally the bubbles stored in the gas chamber zone 604 are discharged. That is, in the separation step S1, the first valve 401 is opened to open the first discharge manifold 301, and the second valve 402 is closed to block the second discharge manifold 302.

[0093] For example: When the fuel cell 1000 is in operation, step S1 (separation) is performed, in which the heat exchange medium flows sequentially through the inlet region 601, transition region 602, heat exchange region 603, and outlet region in the heat exchange flow field 600, and the reaction zone 500 is kept at a suitable operating temperature through heat exchange between the heat exchange medium and the electrode plate 101; at the same time, low-density bubbles in the heat exchange medium are buoyed to rise in the transition region 602 and, driven by the fluid, enter the gas chamber region 604 above the heat exchange region 603 for storage. After a certain amount of bubbles are stored in the gas chamber region 604, step S2 (discharge) is performed.

[0094] Optionally, the discharge step further includes: setting the duration for storing a certain amount of bubbles in the gas chamber zone 604 based on the gas content per unit volume of heat exchange medium, such as the duration for which the gas chamber zone 604 is just filled with gas; for ease of description, this duration is referred to as the set duration. After the set duration is reached during the S1 separation step, the S2 discharge step is performed. Preferably, the set duration is less than the duration for which the gas chamber zone 604 is just filled with gas.

[0095] Optionally, a detection device can be installed in the gas chamber region 604 to obtain the amount of bubbles stored in the gas chamber region 604. For example, a liquid level sensor can be installed in the gas chamber region 604, near the upper and lower boundary line between the gas chamber region 604 and the heat exchange region 603. When the liquid level of the heat exchange medium is lower than that of the liquid level sensor, the discharge step S2 is executed.

[0096] During the S1 separation step, the second valve 402 may not be completely closed and block the second discharge manifold 302. Alternatively, the second valve 402 may be adjusted to reduce the flow rate of the second discharge manifold 302, so that most of the heat exchange medium flows along the inlet zone 601, transition zone 602, heat exchange zone 603, and second outlet zone 6052, while a small portion of the heat exchange medium pushes the bubbles towards the gas chamber zone 604 and the first outlet zone 6051. This ensures a better heat exchange effect and allows for better bubble collection. Furthermore, some bubbles can be discharged during the S1 separation step, extending the time for the gas chamber zone 604 to reach the set bubble storage amount.

[0097] After a certain amount of air bubbles are stored in the waiting chamber area 604, the discharge step is carried out. In the discharge step, the second valve 402 is adjusted to increase the flow rate of the second discharge manifold 302, so as to prevent large air bubbles from blocking the opening of the second valve 402 and improve the exhaust effect.

[0098] Because the second valve 402 is closed or partially closed to reduce flow during the S1 separation step, the pressure experienced by the second valve 402 in the S1 separation step is greater than the pressure experienced during the S2 discharge step. Assuming that there is a first internal pressure within the heat exchange flow field 600 during the S1 separation step, the pressure threshold of the second valve 402 is set to be greater than the first internal pressure to prevent damage or failure of the second valve 402 due to excessive pressure during the S1 separation step. Optionally, if the maximum internal pressure of the heat exchange flow field 600 is greater than the first internal pressure, the pressure threshold of the second valve 402 can be set to be greater than the maximum internal pressure of the heat exchange flow field 600.

[0099] In the S2 discharge step, when the second valve 402 is opened to open the second discharge manifold 302, the first valve 401 is adjusted to reduce the flow rate of the first discharge manifold 301. This causes the liquid level of the heat exchange medium in the heat exchange flow field 600 to rise rapidly or the internal pressure to increase, thereby quickly squeezing the bubbles from the gas chamber region 604 into the second discharge manifold 302 and accelerating the discharge speed. "Reducing the flow rate of the first discharge manifold 301" means reducing or eliminating the flow rate of the first discharge manifold 301.

[0100] Because the first valve 401 is closed or partially closed to reduce flow during the S2 discharge step, the pressure on the first valve 401 during the S2 discharge step is greater than the pressure during the S1 discharge step. Assuming that there is a second internal pressure within the heat exchange flow field 600 during the S2 discharge step, the pressure threshold of the first valve 401 is set to be greater than the second internal pressure to prevent damage or failure of the first valve 401 due to excessive pressure during the S2 discharge step. Optionally, if the maximum internal pressure of the heat exchange flow field 600 is greater than the second internal pressure, the pressure threshold of the first valve 401 can be set to be greater than the maximum internal pressure of the heat exchange flow field 600.

[0101] according toFigures 1-6 As shown in the illustration, this application provides a fuel cell 1000, which includes multiple battery cells 100, a liquid supply manifold 200, a first discharge manifold 301, and a second discharge manifold 302. The multiple battery cells 100 are stacked horizontally. Each battery cell 100 includes two electrode plates 101, which are generally parallel to a vertical plane. Each electrode plate 101 has a first surface 1011 and a second surface 1012. The first surface 1011 is the inner wall of the battery cell 100 containing the electrode plate 101, and has a reaction zone 500 for providing space for electrochemical reactions. The second surface 1012 is the outer wall of the battery cell 100 containing the electrode plate 101. The second surface 1012 is provided with a heat exchange flow field 600, which includes an inlet region 601, a transition region 602, a heat exchange region 603, a gas chamber region 604, a first outlet region 6051, and a second outlet region 6052. The inlet region 601, the transition region 602, the heat exchange region 603, and the first outlet region 6051 are connected in sequence. The gas chamber region 604 is separated from the heat exchange region 603 and is located above the heat exchange region 603. The gas chamber region 604 is connected between the transition region 602 and the second outlet region 6052. The liquid supply manifold 200, the first discharge manifold 301, and the second discharge manifold 302 extend along the stacking direction of the plurality of battery cells 100. The liquid supply manifold 200 is connected to the inlet region 601 of each heat exchange flow field 600, the first discharge manifold 301 is connected to the first outlet region 6051 of each heat exchange flow field 600, and the second discharge manifold 302 is connected to the second outlet region 6052 of each heat exchange flow field 600.

[0102] The heat exchange method for the fuel cell 1000 described above is provided in this application embodiment as follows.

[0103] During the operation of the fuel cell 1000, perform the S1 separation step:

[0104] Open the first valve 401 to open the first discharge manifold 301, close the second valve 402 to block the second discharge manifold 302, and introduce heat exchange medium into each heat exchange flow field 600 through the liquid supply manifold 200. The heat exchange medium flows along the path of inlet zone 601, transition zone 602, heat exchange zone 603 and first outlet zone 6051 in each heat exchange flow field 600. The air bubbles in the heat exchange medium rise under the action of buoyancy and enter the gas chamber zone 604 located above the heat exchange zone 603 from the transition zone 602 for storage.

[0105] Once the air bubbles stored in the gas chamber 604 reach a certain volume, or when the fuel cell 1000 is idling, cold, or in standby mode, the S2 emission procedure is executed:

[0106] The first valve 401 is closed to block the first discharge manifold 301, and the second valve 402 is opened to open the second discharge manifold 302. The heat exchange medium is introduced into each heat exchange flow field 600 through the liquid supply manifold 200. The liquid level of the heat exchange medium in the heat exchange flow field 600 rises or the liquid level remains unchanged while the internal pressure increases, which squeezes the bubbles stored in the gas chamber area 604 out of the second outlet area 6052 and discharges them through the second discharge manifold 302.

[0107] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the detailed descriptions of other embodiments above, which will not be repeated here.

[0108] Furthermore, this application uses specific terms to describe embodiments of the application. For example, "an embodiment," "one embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic associated with at least one embodiment of the application. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that "an embodiment," "one embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" mentioned twice or more in different locations in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of the application can be appropriately combined.

[0109] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the description of the present application and thus aid in the understanding of one or more embodiments, the foregoing description of the embodiments of the present application sometimes combines multiple features into a single embodiment, drawing, or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not imply that the subject matter of the present application requires more features than those mentioned in the claims. In fact, the embodiments contain fewer features than all the features of the single embodiments disclosed above.

[0110] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the figures of this application indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0111] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer" to indicate orientation or positional relationships is based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationships commonly used when the product is in use. These terms are used solely for the convenience of describing this application and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in the description of this application is only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0112] In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0113] For each patent, patent application, patent application publication, and other material such as articles, books, specifications, publications, and documents referenced in this application, the entire contents of that patent application are incorporated herein by reference, except for historical application documents that are inconsistent with or conflict with the content of this application, and documents that limit the broadest scope of the claims of this application (currently or subsequently appended to this application). It should be noted that if there are any inconsistencies or conflicts between the descriptions, definitions, and / or terminology used in the supplementary materials of this application and the content of this application, the descriptions, definitions, and / or terminology used in this application shall prevail.

Claims

1. A electrode plate for use in a fuel cell cell, characterized in that, The electrode plate includes: The electrode body has a first surface and a second surface, the first surface and the second surface are respectively located on both sides of the electrode body, the first surface is provided with a reaction zone, the reaction zone is used to provide space for electrochemical reaction; A heat exchange flow field is disposed on the second surface. The heat exchange flow field includes an inlet area and a heat exchange area. The projection of the reaction zone along the thickness direction of the electrode body is located within the range of the heat exchange area. The heat exchange medium flows from the inlet area to the heat exchange area and exchanges heat with the electrode body to regulate the temperature of the reaction zone. The heat exchange flow field further includes a transition zone and a gas chamber zone. The inlet zone and the heat exchange zone are connected through the transition zone. The gas chamber zone is located above the heat exchange zone and is connected to the transition zone, so that the bubbles in the heat exchange medium are lifted by buoyancy in the transition zone and enter the gas chamber zone.

2. The electrode plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrode plate also includes: An exhaust channel is disposed on the second surface, one end of which is connected to the gas chamber area and the other end is connected to the exhaust manifold of the fuel cell.

3. The electrode plate according to claim 2, characterized in that, The exhaust channel is connected to one end of the fuel cell's exhaust manifold, and is higher than the end of the exhaust channel that connects to the gas chamber area.

4. The electrode plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas chamber region is arranged in a cone shape, with the larger end of the cone connected to the transition region and the smaller end of the cone connected to the fuel cell's exhaust manifold.

5. The electrode plate according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The heat exchange flow field also includes: The first outlet area is connected to the heat exchange area to allow the heat exchange medium of the heat exchange area to flow out. The second outlet area is connected to the gas chamber area to allow the bubbles in the gas chamber area to flow out.

6. A fuel cell, characterized in that, include: A plurality of battery cells stacked together, each of the battery cells comprising an electrode plate as described in any one of claims 1-5; The first discharge manifold is connected to the heat exchange zone of the electrode plate to discharge the heat exchange medium; The second discharge manifold is connected to the gas chamber area of ​​the electrode plate to discharge bubbles; The first valve is used to regulate the flow rate of the first discharge manifold; The second valve is used to regulate the flow rate of the second discharge manifold.

7. A heat exchange method for a fuel cell, used in the fuel cell of claim 6, characterized in that, The heat exchange method includes: Separation steps: Open the first valve to open the first discharge manifold, so that the heat exchange medium flows from the inlet area through the transition area to the heat exchange area in the heat exchange flow field of each plate, thereby causing at least some of the bubbles in the heat exchange medium to rise under the action of buoyancy and enter the gas chamber area located above the heat exchange area from the transition area. Discharge procedure: Open the second valve to open the second discharge manifold, allowing the air bubbles in the gas chamber area to be discharged from the second discharge manifold.

8. The heat exchange method for a fuel cell according to claim 7, characterized in that, In the discharge step, the first valve is adjusted to reduce the flow rate of the first discharge manifold.

9. The heat exchange method for a fuel cell according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, In the separation step, the second valve is adjusted to reduce the flow rate of the second discharge manifold; After a certain volume of bubbles has been stored in the gas chamber area, the discharge step is performed. In the discharge step, the second valve is adjusted to increase the flow rate of the second discharge manifold.

10. The heat exchange method for a fuel cell according to claim 9, characterized in that, In the separation step, the heat exchange flow field has a first internal pressure; The pressure threshold of the second valve is greater than the first internal pressure.

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