Sealing structure of fuel cell

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of fuel cells, and particularly discloses a sealing structure of a fuel cell, which is used for sealing between an end plate and a manifold, and comprises: an inner sealing ring, the interior of which is divided into a plurality of mutually isolated cavities, and the plurality of cavities are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with outlets of a plurality of flow channels; the first protrusions are arranged on the inner wall and the outer wall of the inner sealing ring, and the first protrusions extend in the wall thickness direction of the inner sealing ring; the outer sealing rings are arranged outside the outer wall of the inner sealing ring at intervals; the second protrusions are arranged on the inner wall and the outer wall of the outer sealing ring, and the second protrusions extend in the wall thickness direction of the outer sealing ring; a first groove and a second groove are formed in the surface, corresponding to an outlet of the flow channel, of the end plate, the inner sealing ring is correspondingly installed in the first groove so that the first protrusion can abut against the inner wall of the first groove, and the outer sealing ring is correspondingly installed in the second groove so that the second protrusion can abut against the inner wall of the second groove. According to the sealing structure, the sealing effect is improved, and the mounting efficiency is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of fuel cells, and in particular to a sealing structure of a fuel cell. Background Art

[0002] The fuel cell uses an aluminum-plastic composite end plate to isolate and drain the three-chamber fluid, and then sends the fluid to the distribution manifold for diversion. The aluminum-plastic composite end plate and the distribution manifold are statically sealed to prevent fluid leakage. The current sealing structure uses one cavity to correspond to one sealing ring, resulting in low installation efficiency. In addition, since it is sealed with a single-layer sealing ring, the sealing effect is average, there is a risk of fluid leakage, affecting safety in use. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a sealing structure for a fuel cell, which improves the sealing effect and has high installation efficiency.

[0004] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a sealing structure of a fuel cell, which is used for sealing between an end plate and a manifold, wherein the end plate has a plurality of mutually isolated flow channels, and the outlets of the plurality of flow channels are respectively connected to the manifold, comprising:

[0005] An inner sealing ring, wherein the inner portion is divided to form a plurality of cavities isolated from each other, wherein the plurality of cavities are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the outlets of the plurality of flow channels;

[0006] A first protrusion is provided on the inner wall and the outer wall of the inner sealing ring, and the first protrusion extends along the wall thickness direction of the inner sealing ring, and there are a plurality of the first protrusions;

[0007] An outer sealing ring, spaced outside the outer wall of the inner sealing ring; and

[0008] A second protrusion is provided on the inner wall and the outer wall of the outer sealing ring, and the second protrusion extends along the wall thickness direction of the outer sealing ring, and there are a plurality of the second protrusions;

[0009] Among them, a first groove and a second groove are formed on the surface of the end plate corresponding to the outlet of the flow channel, the first groove is arranged around the outside of the multiple outlets of the flow channel, and the second groove is arranged at intervals outside the first outer groove, the inner sealing ring is installed in the first groove accordingly so that the first protrusion abuts against the inner wall of the first groove, and the outer sealing ring is installed in the second groove accordingly so that the second protrusion abuts against the inner wall of the second groove.

[0010] In some embodiments, a lower portion of the inner sealing ring is disposed in the first groove, and an upper portion of the inner sealing ring extends out of the first groove.

[0011] In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the inner sealing ring is smaller than the width of the first groove, and the first protrusion generates elastic force toward the inner wall of the first groove.

[0012] In some embodiments, the cavity is rectangular, and the area of ​​the cavity is larger than the corresponding outlet area of ​​the flow channel.

[0013] In some embodiments, the lower portion of the outer sealing ring is disposed in the second groove, and the upper portion of the outer sealing ring extends out of the second groove.

[0014] In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the outer sealing ring is smaller than the width of the second groove, and the second protrusion generates elastic force toward the inner wall of the second groove.

[0015] In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the inner sealing ring is a, the wall thickness of the outer sealing ring is b, and the interval between the outer wall of the inner sealing ring and the inner wall of the outer sealing ring is c, satisfying b<a≤c.

[0016] In some embodiments, the distance that the first protrusion extends along the wall thickness direction of the inner sealing ring is d, and the distance that the second protrusion extends along the wall thickness direction of the outer sealing ring is e, satisfying e<d.

[0017] In some embodiments, it also includes connecting ribs, which are connected to the inner wall of the inner sealing ring, and the connecting ribs are used to separate the interior of the inner sealing ring into a plurality of cavities isolated from each other.

[0018] In some embodiments, the depth of the first groove is equal to the depth of the second groove, and the height of the inner sealing ring is greater than the height of the outer sealing ring.

[0019] The present invention provides a sealing structure for a fuel cell, which has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art:

[0020] The inner sealing ring is divided into a plurality of cavities isolated from each other, and the plurality of cavities are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the outlets of the plurality of flow channels, so that the outlets of the plurality of flow channels can be sealed at the same time, thereby improving the installation efficiency. The outer sealing ring is arranged at intervals outside the outer wall of the inner sealing ring, and has the ability of double sealing, thereby improving the sealing effect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a fuel cell sealing structure provided in some embodiments of the present invention installed on an end plate.

[0022] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the partially enlarged structure of the cross section along the A direction.

[0023] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the end plate structure of a fuel cell provided in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4 An enlarged schematic diagram of the sealing structure of a fuel cell provided in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of the sealing structure of the fuel cell provided in other embodiments of the present invention.

[0026] In the figure: 1, end plate; 11, flow channel; 12, first groove; 13, second groove; 2, inner sealing ring; 21, first protrusion; 22, cavity; 3, outer sealing ring; 31, second protrusion; 4, connecting rib. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments.

[0028] It should be understood that, in the description of the present application, the terms "upper", "lower", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated, that is, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In addition, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0029] In addition, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of the present application described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0030] like Figure 1-4 As shown, the sealing structure of the fuel cell provided in an embodiment of the present invention is used for sealing between the end plate 1 and the manifold, the end plate 1 has a plurality of mutually isolated flow channels 11, the outlets of the plurality of flow channels 11 are respectively connected to the manifold to transport fluid, and the sealing structure includes an inner sealing ring 2, a first protrusion 21, an outer sealing ring 3 and a second protrusion 31.

[0031] The inner sealing ring 2 is divided into a plurality of mutually isolated cavities 22, and the plurality of cavities 22 are arranged one by one corresponding to the outlets of the plurality of flow channels 11. When the manifold is mounted on the end plate 1, the end surface of the manifold squeezes the inner sealing ring 2, causing it to deform to achieve a sealing effect.

[0032] The first protrusion 21 is provided on the inner wall and the outer wall of the inner sealing ring 2, and the first protrusion 21 extends along the wall thickness direction of the inner sealing ring 2, and there are multiple first protrusions 21. On the one hand, the first protrusion 21 can improve the structural strength of the inner sealing ring 2, and on the other hand, the first protrusion 21 can be clamped in the first groove 12 to stabilize the installation structure.

[0033] The outer sealing ring 3 is spaced outside the outer wall of the inner sealing ring 2. The outer sealing ring 3 cooperates with the inner sealing ring 2 to achieve double sealing, which can improve the sealing effect.

[0034] The second protrusion 31 is provided on the inner wall and the outer wall of the outer sealing ring 3, and the second protrusion 31 extends along the wall thickness direction of the outer sealing ring 3, and there are multiple second protrusions 31. On the one hand, the second protrusion 31 can improve the structural strength of the outer sealing ring 3, and on the other hand, the second protrusion 31 can be clamped in the second groove 13 to stabilize the installation structure.

[0035] In this embodiment, a first groove 12 and a second groove 13 are formed on the surface of the end plate 1 corresponding to the outlet of the flow channel 11. The first groove 12 is arranged around the outlets of multiple flow channels 11, and the second grooves 13 are arranged at intervals outside the first outer groove 12. The inner sealing ring 2 is correspondingly installed in the first groove 12 so that the first protrusion 21 abuts against the inner wall of the first groove 12, and the outer sealing ring 3 is correspondingly installed in the second groove 13 so that the second protrusion 31 abuts against the inner wall of the second groove 13.

[0036] Specifically, the end plate 1 is made of an aluminum-plastic composite material, including an aluminum alloy part and a plastic part embedded in the aluminum alloy part. The first groove 12 and the second groove 13 are distributed on the surface of the plastic part. The flow channel 11 is arranged in the plastic part, and the plastic part has an insulating effect. When the fuel cell is running, if water vapor or coolant is transported in the flow channel 11, the sealing effect of the inner sealing ring 2 and the outer sealing ring 3 can avoid leakage, thereby ensuring high insulation. In addition, if hydrogen is transported in the flow channel 11, the sealing effect of the inner sealing ring 2 and the outer sealing ring 3 can also prevent hydrogen from escaping.

[0037] Based on the above structural setting, the inner sealing ring 2 and the outer sealing ring 3 are both designed as an integrated structure. After the overall installation, the connection between the outlet of the multi-channel 11 of the end plate 1 and the manifold is sealed, thereby improving the installation efficiency. The outer sealing ring 3 is arranged outside the outer wall of the inner sealing ring 2. The outer sealing ring 3 cooperates with the inner sealing ring 2 to achieve double sealing, which can improve the sealing effect.

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the lower portion of the inner sealing ring 2 is disposed in the first groove 12, and the upper portion of the inner sealing ring 2 extends out of the first groove 12. When the manifold is mounted on the end plate 1, the end surface of the manifold can press the upper portion of the inner sealing ring 2, thereby maintaining the sealing effect.

[0039] In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the inner sealing ring 2 is smaller than the width of the first groove 12, and the first protrusion 21 generates elastic force toward the inner wall of the first groove 12, which facilitates the installation of the inner sealing ring 2 and helps the inner sealing ring 2 to be stably installed in the first groove 12.

[0040] In some embodiments, the cavity 22 is rectangular, and the area of ​​the cavity 22 is larger than the outlet area of ​​the corresponding flow channel 11. The inner sealing ring 2 can be arranged around the outer periphery of the outlet of the flow channel 11, which is conducive to ensuring the sealing performance.

[0041] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the lower portion of the outer sealing ring 3 is disposed in the second groove 13, and the upper portion of the outer sealing ring 3 extends out of the second groove 13. When the manifold is mounted on the end plate 1, the end surface of the manifold can press the upper portion of the outer sealing ring 3, thereby maintaining the sealing effect.

[0042] In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the outer sealing ring 3 is smaller than the width of the second groove 13, and the second protrusion 31 generates elastic force toward the inner wall of the second groove 13, which facilitates the installation of the outer sealing ring 3 and helps the outer sealing ring 3 to be stably installed in the second groove 13.

[0043] In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the inner sealing ring 2 is a, the wall thickness of the outer sealing ring 3 is b, and the interval between the outer wall of the inner sealing ring 2 and the inner wall of the outer sealing ring 3 is c, satisfying b<a≤c. The inner sealing ring 2 directly faces the fluid, and by setting the wall thickness a of the inner sealing ring 2 to be greater than the wall thickness b of the outer sealing ring 3, it is helpful to ensure the sealing effect. The interval c between the outer wall of the inner sealing ring 2 and the inner wall of the outer sealing ring 3 is set larger, which can increase the distance between the fluid sealing surfaces and further improve the sealing effect.

[0044] In some embodiments, the distance d that the first protrusion 21 extends along the wall thickness direction of the inner seal ring 2 is, and the distance e that the second protrusion 31 extends along the wall thickness direction of the outer seal ring 3 is, satisfying e<d. Since the wall thickness a of the inner seal ring 2 is greater than the wall thickness b of the outer seal ring 3, in order to adapt the size, the distance d that the first protrusion 21 extends along the wall thickness direction of the inner seal ring 2 is set to be greater than the distance e that the second protrusion 31 extends along the wall thickness direction of the outer seal ring 3. Correspondingly, the first groove 12 and the second groove 13 also need to be adapted, that is, the width of the first groove 12 is greater than the width of the second groove 13.

[0045] In some embodiments, the depth of the first groove 12 is equal to the depth of the second groove 13, and the height of the inner sealing ring 2 is greater than the height of the outer sealing ring 3. At this time, the height of the upper part of the inner sealing ring 2 extending out of the first groove 12 is greater than the height of the upper part of the outer sealing ring 3 extending out of the second groove 13, so that the inner sealing ring 2 is subjected to greater end face extrusion pressure from the manifold, which is conducive to improving the sealing effect.

[0046] like Figure 5 As shown, in other embodiments, the sealing structure further includes a connecting rib 4, which is connected to the inner wall of the inner sealing ring 2, and the connecting rib 4 is used to separate the interior of the inner sealing ring 2 into a plurality of mutually isolated cavities 22. The shape and size of the cavity 22 of this embodiment are different from those of the cavity shape 22 of the above embodiment to adapt to the flow channels 11 of different types of end plates 1.

[0047] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and substitutions can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention. These improvements and substitutions should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sealing structure of a fuel cell, used for sealing between an end plate and a manifold, wherein the end plate has a plurality of flow channels isolated from each other, and the outlets of the plurality of flow channels are respectively connected to the manifold, characterized in that: include: An inner sealing ring, wherein the inner portion is divided to form a plurality of cavities isolated from each other, wherein the plurality of cavities are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the outlets of the plurality of flow channels; A first protrusion is provided on the inner wall and the outer wall of the inner sealing ring, and the first protrusion extends along the wall thickness direction of the inner sealing ring, and there are a plurality of the first protrusions; An outer sealing ring, spaced outside the outer wall of the inner sealing ring; as well as A second protrusion is provided on the inner wall and the outer wall of the outer sealing ring, and the second protrusion extends along the wall thickness direction of the outer sealing ring, and there are a plurality of the second protrusions; Among them, a first groove and a second groove are formed on the surface of the end plate corresponding to the outlet of the flow channel, the first groove is arranged around the outside of the multiple outlets of the flow channel, and the second groove is arranged at intervals outside the first outer groove, the inner sealing ring is installed in the first groove accordingly so that the first protrusion abuts against the inner wall of the first groove, and the outer sealing ring is installed in the second groove accordingly so that the second protrusion abuts against the inner wall of the second groove.

2. The sealing structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower portion of the inner sealing ring is disposed in the first groove, and the upper portion of the inner sealing ring extends out of the first groove.

3. The sealing structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wall thickness of the inner sealing ring is smaller than the width of the first groove, and the first protrusion generates elastic force toward the inner wall of the first groove.

4. The sealing structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cavity is rectangular, and the area of ​​the cavity is larger than the corresponding outlet area of ​​the flow channel.

5. The sealing structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower portion of the outer sealing ring is disposed in the second groove, and the upper portion of the outer sealing ring extends out of the second groove.

6. The sealing structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wall thickness of the outer sealing ring is smaller than the width of the second groove, and the second protrusion generates elastic force toward the inner wall of the second groove.

7. The sealing structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wall thickness of the inner sealing ring is a, the wall thickness of the outer sealing ring is b, and the interval between the outer wall of the inner sealing ring and the inner wall of the outer sealing ring is c, satisfying b<a≤c.

8. The sealing structure of a fuel cell according to claim 7, characterized in that: The distance that the first protrusion extends along the wall thickness direction of the inner sealing ring is d, and the distance that the second protrusion extends along the wall thickness direction of the outer sealing ring is e, satisfying e<d.

9. The sealing structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes connecting ribs, which are connected to the inner wall of the inner sealing ring. The connecting ribs are used to separate the interior of the inner sealing ring into a plurality of cavities isolated from each other.

10. The sealing structure of a fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The depth of the first groove is equal to the depth of the second groove, and the height of the inner sealing ring is greater than the height of the outer sealing ring.

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