Fuel cell system and vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides a fuel cell system and a vehicle, belonging to the field of battery technology. The fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell stack, electrode plates, located on both sides of the fuel cell stack; insulating plates, located on both sides of the electrode plates; stack package end plates, adjacent to the insulating plates on both sides of the electrode plates; a stack shell, covering the outside of the stack package end plates; wherein, the insulating plate includes an insulating plate body and multiple groups of insulating guide parts, the insulating guide parts are located at both ends of the insulating plate body, and the insulating guide parts extend toward the stack package end plates, forming an inclination angle with the insulating guide part and the insulating plate body, and the inclination angle is an acute angle; the length of the insulating guide parts in the multiple groups of insulating guide parts increases successively along the direction from the electrode plate toward the stack package end plates.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of batteries, and in particular relates to a fuel cell system and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] A fuel cell is a module composed of stacked single cells that convert chemical energy into electrical energy, assembled into multiple groups of power generation units connected in series. The greater the fuel cell's power, the more power generation units it requires, and the higher the voltage generated by the series connection. During operation, the internal chemical reactions generate voltages of hundreds or even thousands of volts and high currents. To ensure a good operating environment and protection for the fuel cell, the fuel cell module is typically assembled in a housing that is secured to the vehicle. Insulation resistance is a critical safety parameter in high-voltage environments. The insulation performance of the fuel cell itself and the insulation between the fuel cell and the housing directly impacts the insulation performance of the fuel cell engine system, which in turn affects the insulation performance of the entire vehicle. Poor insulation performance can pose a high-voltage safety risk, posing a risk of electric shock to occupants, triggering safety precautions, and impacting vehicle operation. To prevent this, a high insulation resistance must be ensured between the fuel cell and the housing.

[0003] The fuel cell insulation methods used in related technologies mainly include: insulating the inside of the box, and adding an insulating plate (such as Figure 3 As shown), and the shape of the insulating plate is relatively flat.

[0004] However, the insulation performance of the housing often deteriorates or even fails in the presence of high humidity or liquid water. The structure of the insulation plate easily allows liquid water to adhere to the housing, resulting in a water film between the electrode plate and the interior of the housing, which reduces insulation. Furthermore, to maintain a certain creepage distance and electrical clearance, the insulation plate is typically larger, affecting key fuel cell parameters such as volumetric power density. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a fuel cell system and vehicle that address the problem of internal insulation performance typically degrading or even failing in high humidity or the presence of liquid water. The structure of the insulation plate easily allows liquid water to adhere to the system, resulting in a water film between the electrode plate and the interior of the tank, which reduces insulation. Furthermore, to maintain a certain creepage distance and electrical clearance, the insulation plate is typically large, affecting key fuel cell parameters such as volumetric power density.

[0006] The technical solution provided by the present invention is as follows:

[0007] In one aspect, a fuel cell system is provided, comprising:

[0008] fuel cell stack,

[0009] Electrode plates, located on both sides of the fuel cell stack;

[0010] Insulating plates, located on both sides of the electrode plate;

[0011] The stack packaging end plate is adjacent to the insulating plates on both sides of the electrode plate;

[0012] A stack housing, covering the exterior of the stack package end plate;

[0013] The insulating plate includes an insulating plate body and multiple sets of insulating guides, wherein the insulating guides are located at both ends of the insulating plate body.

[0014] The insulating guide portion extends toward the direction of the stack package end plate, and an acute angle is formed between the insulating guide portion and the insulating plate body;

[0015] The lengths of the insulating guide parts in the multiple groups of insulating guide parts increase sequentially along the direction from the electrode plate toward the stack package end plate.

[0016] In an optional embodiment, a projection of a reverse extension line of the insulating guide portion on a horizontal plane intersects with a projection of the fuel cell stack on a horizontal plane.

[0017] In an optional embodiment, adjacent insulating guide portions are spaced apart by a preset distance, and the preset distance is 1 / 5 to 1 / 3 of the length of the insulating guide portion.

[0018] In an optional embodiment, the thickness of the insulating guide portion decreases successively along the outward extending direction from the connection with the insulating plate body.

[0019] In an optional embodiment, the insulating guide portion includes a boss formed by connecting with the insulating plate body through a triangle, a rectangle or a trapezoid.

[0020] In an optional embodiment, the insulating plate body and the insulating guide portion include an umbrella-shaped structure connected to the insulating plate body through a triangle, rectangle or trapezoid, the arc surface of the umbrella-shaped structure is away from the fuel cell stack, and the arc back of the umbrella-shaped structure faces the electrode plate.

[0021] In an optional embodiment, the thickness of the insulation board body is between 10 mm and 20 mm.

[0022] In an optional embodiment, the length of the insulating guide portion is between 5 mm and 10 mm.

[0023] In an optional embodiment, when the length of the insulating guide portion increases, the thickness of the insulating plate body decreases by a preset ratio.

[0024] On the other hand, a car is provided, comprising the fuel cell system described in any one of the above.

[0025] The method provided by the embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0026] The fuel cell system provided by an embodiment of the present invention is based on the provision of an insulating plate including an insulating plate body and multiple groups of insulating guide parts, wherein the insulating guide parts are located at both ends of the insulating plate body, and the insulating guide parts extend toward the direction of the stack package end plate. An inclination angle is formed between the insulating guide parts and the insulating plate body, and the inclination angle is an acute angle; the length of the insulating guide parts in the multiple groups of insulating guide parts increases successively along the direction of the electrode plate toward the stack package plate, which can effectively discharge liquid water, avoid liquid water from connecting the stack body and the stack package end plate, increase the creepage distance between the stack body and the stack package end plate, increase the electrical gap, block the strong electric field connection, avoid the formation of a continuous hydrophilic interface, and reduce the risk of reduced insulation performance caused by high humidity environment and liquid water accumulation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent through a more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals generally represent like components throughout the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of an insulation board according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0029] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a fuel cell system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0030] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the electric field distribution of an insulating plate in the prior art is shown.

[0031] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the electric field distribution of the insulating plate provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0032] Wherein, the accompanying drawings are marked as follows:

[0033] 1- fuel cell stack, 2- electrode plate, 3- insulation plate, 31- insulation plate body, 32- insulation guide part, 4- stack packaging end plate, 5- stack shell. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0035] As used herein, the term "including" and its variations represent open inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to." Unless otherwise stated, the term "or" means "and / or." The term "based on" means "based at least in part on." The terms "an example embodiment" and "an embodiment" mean "at least one example embodiment." The term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment." The terms "first," "second," etc. may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0036] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 An embodiment of the present invention provides a fuel cell system, comprising: a fuel cell stack 1, an electrode plate 2, an insulating plate 3, a stack package end plate 4, and a stack housing 5. The electrode plates 2 are located on both sides of the fuel cell stack 1; the insulating plates 3 are located on both sides of the electrode plates 2; the stack package end plates 4 are adjacent to the insulating plates 3 on both sides of the electrode plates 2; and the stack housing 5 covers the exterior of the stack package end plates 4. The insulating plate 3 comprises an insulating plate body 31 and multiple groups of insulating guides 32, the insulating guides 32 being located at both ends of the insulating plate body 31 and extending toward the stack package end plates 4. The insulating guides 32 form an acute angle with the insulating plate body 31; and the lengths of the multiple groups of insulating guides 32 increase sequentially from the electrode plate 2 toward the stack package end plates 4.

[0037] The method provided by the embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0038] The fuel cell system provided by an embodiment of the present invention is based on the provision of an insulating plate 3 including an insulating plate body 31 and multiple groups of insulating guide parts 32. The insulating guide parts 32 are located at both ends of the insulating plate body 31, and the insulating guide parts 32 extend toward the direction of the stack package end plate 4. An inclination angle is formed between the insulating guide parts 32 and the insulating plate body 31, and the inclination angle is an acute angle; the length of the insulating guide parts 32 in the multiple groups of insulating guide parts 32 increases successively along the direction of the electrode plate 2 toward the stack package plate, which can effectively discharge liquid water and prevent liquid water from connecting the stack body and the stack package end plate 4, thereby increasing the creepage distance between the stack body and the stack package end plate 4, increasing the electrical gap, blocking the strong electric field connection, and avoiding the formation of a continuous hydrophilic interface, which can reduce the risk of reduced insulation performance caused by high humidity environment and liquid water accumulation.

[0039] It should be noted that the fuel cell stack 1, electrode plate 2, stack packaging end plate 4 and stack shell 5 in the fuel cell system provided by the embodiment of the present invention can adopt the currently commonly used technical solutions of fuel cell stack 1, electrode plate 2, stack packaging end plate 4 and stack shell 5, and the embodiment of the present invention will not go into details about this.

[0040] In an optional embodiment, the projection of the reverse extension line of the insulating guide portion 32 on the horizontal plane intersects with the projection of the fuel cell stack 1 on the horizontal plane.

[0041] The extension line of the insulating guide portion 32 is oriented toward the stack package end plate 4, and the reverse extension line is oriented toward the fuel cell stack 1. When the reverse extension line of the insulating guide portion 32 is projected onto a horizontal plane, it intersects with the projection of the fuel cell stack 1 onto the horizontal plane. Furthermore, when the reverse extension line of the insulating guide portion 32 is projected onto a horizontal plane, it intersects with the projection of the center line of the fuel cell stack 1 onto the horizontal plane. The center line of the fuel cell stack 1 is the center line of the electrode plates 2 that passes through both sides.

[0042] In an optional embodiment, adjacent insulating guide portions 32 are spaced apart by a preset distance, and the preset distance is 1 / 5 to 1 / 3 of the length of the insulating guide portion 32 .

[0043] Exemplarily, the preset distance may be 1 / 5, 4 / 15 or 1 / 3 of the length of the insulating guide portion 32 .

[0044] In an optional embodiment, the thickness of the insulating guide portion 32 decreases gradually along the outward extending direction from the connection with the insulating plate body 31 .

[0045] The insulating guide portion 32 provided in the embodiment of the present invention is provided with a thickness gradient structure, which can effectively discharge liquid water and prevent liquid water from communicating with the fuel cell stack 1 body and the stack package end plate 4.

[0046] For example, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the electric field distribution of a fuel cell stack 1 provided in the related art, Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the electric field distribution of the fuel cell stack 1 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As can be seen, the related art provides for adding an insulating plate 3 between the fuel cell electrode plate 2 and the fuel cell package. The insulating plate 3 is relatively flat. With this structure, the insulation performance of the internal casing typically deteriorates or even fails in conditions of high humidity or the presence of liquid water. The flat structure of the insulating plate 3 easily allows liquid water to adhere and connect, resulting in a water film connecting the electrode plate 2 and the interior of the casing, reducing insulation. Furthermore, to maintain a certain creepage distance and electrical clearance, the insulating plate 3 is typically larger, affecting key fuel cell parameters such as volumetric power density.

[0047] The embodiments of the present invention provide Figure 4 It can be seen from the electric field distribution that providing an insulating guide portion 32 at the edge of the insulating plate body 31 can increase the creepage distance between the fuel cell stack 1 and the stack package end plate 4, increase the electrical gap, and block strong electric field connections.

[0048] In an optional embodiment, the insulating guide portion 32 includes a boss formed by connecting to the insulating plate body 31 through a triangle, rectangle, or trapezoid. This structure can effectively drain liquid water and prevent liquid water from communicating with the fuel cell stack 1 body and the stack package end plate 4.

[0049] In an optional embodiment, the insulating plate body 31 and the insulating guide portion 32 include an umbrella-shaped structure connected to the insulating plate body 31 by a triangle, rectangle or trapezoid, the arc surface of the umbrella-shaped structure is away from the fuel cell stack 1, and the arc back of the umbrella-shaped structure faces the electrode plate 2. Figure 4 , the umbrella-like structure can avoid the formation of a continuous hydrophilic interface, and can reduce the risk of insulation performance degradation caused by high humidity environment and liquid water accumulation.

[0050] In an optional embodiment, the thickness of the insulating plate body 31 is between 10 mm and 20 mm. For example, the thickness of the insulating plate body 31 can be 10 mm, 11 mm, 12 mm, 13 mm, 14 mm, 15 mm, 16 mm, 17 mm, 18 mm, 19 mm, or 20 mm.

[0051] In an optional embodiment, the length of the insulating guide portion 32 is between 5 mm and 10 mm. For example, the length of the insulating guide portion 32 can be 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, etc.

[0052] In an optional embodiment, when the length of the insulating guide portion 32 increases, the thickness of the insulating plate body 31 decreases by a preset ratio.

[0053]

[0054] Table 1 Creepage distance reference table

[0055] As shown in Table 1, the present embodiment of the present invention provides an insulating guide 32 on the edge of the insulating plate body 31. Compared to a flat insulating plate 3 design, creepage resistance can be increased by over 0.5 times, depending on the structural dimensions of the insulating guide 32. This approach reduces the overall size of the fuel cell and improves insulation performance. For example, as shown in Table 1, 1000V reinforced insulation requires an insulating plate 3 thickness of 20mm. However, with the structural design of the insulating guide 32 in the present embodiment, a 5mm protrusion allows the insulating plate 3 thickness to be reduced by over 10mm.

[0056] The electrical gap is the linear distance between two components. By providing an insulating guide portion 32 at the edge of the insulating plate body 31, a strong electric field connection can be blocked (see Figure 4 ), extending the electric field path and increasing the electrical gap can effectively cope with high humidity environments and improve insulation performance.

[0057] By providing an insulating guide portion 32 at the edge of the insulating plate body 31, the liquid path between the fuel cell conductor and the packaging box is blocked, so that liquid water generated by leakage from the environment or the fuel cell can be quickly drained to the bottom of the box through the edge of the boss, ensuring that the creepage distance between the fuel cell and the box can still meet the relevant dimensional requirements (see Table 1), reducing the risk of insulation performance degradation.

[0058] In another aspect, a vehicle is provided, comprising any one of the above fuel cell systems.

[0059] While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative, non-exhaustive, and not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is selected to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical applications, or technological improvements in the marketplace, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A fuel cell system, characterized in that: The fuel cell system comprises: fuel cell stack, Electrode plates, located on both sides of the fuel cell stack; Insulating plates, located on both sides of the electrode plate; The stack packaging end plate is adjacent to the insulating plates on both sides of the electrode plate; A stack housing, covering the exterior of the stack package end plate; The insulating plate includes an insulating plate body and multiple sets of insulating guides, wherein the insulating guides are located at both ends of the insulating plate body. The insulating guide portion extends toward the direction of the stack package end plate, and an acute angle is formed between the insulating guide portion and the insulating plate body; The lengths of the insulating guide parts in the plurality of groups of insulating guide parts increase sequentially along the direction from the electrode plate toward the stack package end plate; Adjacent insulating guide portions are spaced apart by a preset distance, and the preset distance is 1 / 5 to 1 / 3 of the length of the insulating guide portion; The thickness of the insulating guide portion decreases gradually along the outward extending direction from the connection with the insulating plate body.

2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein: The projection of the reverse extension line of the insulating guide portion on the horizontal plane intersects with the projection of the fuel cell stack on the horizontal plane.

3. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein: The insulating guide portion includes a boss formed by connecting with the insulating plate body through a triangle, a rectangle or a trapezoid.

4. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein: The insulating plate body and the insulating guide portion include an umbrella-shaped structure connected to the insulating plate body through a triangle, rectangle or trapezoid, the arc surface of the umbrella-shaped structure is away from the fuel cell stack, and the arc back of the umbrella-shaped structure faces the electrode plate.

5. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein: The thickness of the insulating plate body is between 10 mm and 20 mm.

6. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein: The length of the insulating guide portion is between 5 mm and 10 mm.

7. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein: When the length of the insulating guide portion increases, the thickness of the insulating plate body decreases by a preset ratio.

8. An automobile, characterized in that: The vehicle includes the fuel cell system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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