A hydrogen fuel cell

Abstract

The application relates to a hydrogen fuel cell, which comprises an insulating shell, an anode reaction zone and a cathode reaction zone arranged in the insulating shell, and a proton exchange membrane arranged between the anode reaction zone and the cathode reaction zone; an anode electrode plate is arranged in the anode reaction zone, a first spiral partition plate is arranged on the anode electrode plate, the first spiral partition plate is used for separating the inner side space of the anode electrode plate into an anode spiral cavity through which hydrogen can pass, and the inner side of the anode spiral cavity is connected with a hydrogen catalytic layer; an oxygen catalytic layer connected with the proton exchange membrane is arranged in the cathode reaction zone, the inner side of the oxygen catalytic layer is connected with a cathode electrode net, and a cathode cavity containing oxygen is arranged in the cathode electrode net. The hydrogen fuel cell has larger reaction area and energy density under the condition of the same volume, the design of the spiral anode electrode plate can effectively and uniformly distribute hydrogen, prolong the reaction time of hydrogen in the cell, make the hydrogen and the catalyst contact more fully, and further enhance the power of the cell.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of fuel cell technology, in particular to a hydrogen fuel cell. BACKGROUND

[0002] The hydrogen fuel cell is a power generation device that directly converts the chemical energy of hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy, and its basic principle is the reverse reaction of water electrolysis. Hydrogen is catalytically oxidized at the anode, releasing electrons and protons, which pass through the external circuit and proton exchange membrane to the cathode, respectively, and undergo an electrocatalytic reduction reaction with oxygen at the cathode to produce water. This process directly converts the chemical energy of hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy, with an efficiency of over 50%, and the only product is water, which is harmless to the environment. This clean energy technology is expected to be widely used in the fields of automobiles, portable power generation and fixed power stations, and is one of the effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce oil consumption. In addition, the hydrogen fuel cell operates quietly, with a noise of about 55dB, which is equivalent to the level of normal conversation, making it suitable for indoor installation or in places where noise is limited.

[0003] However, the traditional hydrogen fuel cell cannot meet people's needs, and has the following defects:

[0004] First, there is no new battery stack structure designed, and the existing fuel cell stack adopts a planar stacking structure. This structure may generate stress due to temperature changes, gas pressure fluctuations and other reasons during long-term operation, causing interlayer misalignment or gas leakage, thereby affecting the sealing and battery efficiency.

[0005] Second, the overall or local temperature of the fuel cell will gradually increase during continuous operation, and the battery will not be cooled in time or uniformly, which will have a serious impact on the working condition and service life of the battery.

[0006] Third, a large amount of water is generated during the cathode reaction process of the hydrogen fuel cell, which cannot be discharged in time, causing the "waterlogging" phenomenon, which reduces the contact area and uniformity of the reaction gas and catalyst, thereby affecting the performance and life of the battery.

[0007] Fourth, the existing fuel cell is mostly in the form of a square and mostly uses a serpentine flow channel bipolar plate. Due to the long gas path, the distribution of reaction gas in the front half and the back half of the gas path may be uneven, causing incomplete reaction in some areas and affecting the overall performance. SUMMARY

[0008] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings and limitations of the existing fuel cell in the background art, the present application provides a cylindrical hollow hydrogen fuel cell to solve the above technical problems, which provides the following technical solutions:

[0009] A hydrogen fuel cell comprises an insulating shell, an anode reaction zone and a cathode reaction zone are arranged in the insulating shell, and the anode reaction zone and the cathode reaction zone are separated by a proton exchange membrane; an anode electrode plate is arranged in the anode reaction zone, a first spiral partition plate is arranged on the anode electrode plate, and the first spiral partition plate is used for separating the inner side space of the anode electrode plate into an anode spiral cavity through which hydrogen can pass, and the inner side of the anode spiral cavity is connected with a hydrogen catalytic layer; an oxygen catalytic layer connected with the proton exchange membrane is arranged in the cathode reaction zone, the inner side of the oxygen catalytic layer is connected with a cathode electrode net, and a cathode cavity containing oxygen is arranged in the cathode electrode net.

[0010] Further, the anode spiral cavity is arranged at the inner side of the anode electrode plate, and a heat dissipation spiral cavity for passing through a heat dissipation medium is arranged at the outer side of the anode electrode plate.

[0011] Further, the heat dissipation medium is opposite to the flow direction of the hydrogen.

[0012] Further, the outer side of the anode electrode plate is vertically provided with a second spiral partition plate, and the outer side of the second spiral partition plate is sealingly connected with a heat dissipation plate.

[0013] Further, a hydrogen diffusion layer is arranged between the anode spiral cavity and the hydrogen catalytic layer, and an oxygen diffusion layer is arranged between the cathode electrode net and the oxygen catalytic layer.

[0014] Further, a water storage bin with a water outlet is arranged at the gas outlet side of the cathode cavity.

[0015] Further, a water level monitoring sensor is arranged at the upper part in the water storage bin, the water outlet is composed of an electromagnetic valve and a central control unit, and the central control unit controls the electromagnetic valve to be opened after receiving the liquid level signal of the water level monitoring sensor.

[0016] Further, the gas outlet of the cathode cavity is a pressure relief port.

[0017] Further, an outer hoop ring fixing member is sleeved on the outer side of the insulating shell, and an inner hoop ring fixing member is arranged at the inner side of the cathode electrode net, and the outer hoop ring fixing member and the inner hoop ring fixing member are matched and tightened to fix the structure of the battery.

[0018] The embodiment of the present application has the following advantages:

[0019] (1) The hydrogen fuel cell has larger reaction area and energy density under the same volume, the design of the spiral anode electrode plate can effectively and uniformly distribute hydrogen, prolong the reaction time of hydrogen in the battery, make the contact between hydrogen and the catalyst more sufficient, improve the reaction efficiency, and further enhance the power of the battery.

[0020] (2) The internal hollow area of the hydrogen fuel cell is a cathode reaction area, by injecting excess oxygen in this area to increase the area pressure, thereby increasing the oxygen concentration, which is conducive to the oxygen molecules to squeeze out the product water molecules attached to the surface of the catalyst, ensuring the effective reaction area of the catalyst surface. By using pressure feedback pulse type oxygen injection and water level feedback automatic drainage, the cathode reaction area of the cell can always maintain a dynamic stable state during operation, ensuring that the oxygen concentration does not decrease, thereby enhancing the power output of the cell.

[0021] (3) The vertical column structure and the conical water storage bin design of the hydrogen fuel cell are conducive to the product water flowing along the cathode electrode mesh to the conical water storage bin by gravity, and then using water level feedback automatic drainage to avoid water accumulation in the cathode reaction area causing catalyst poisoning, cell corrosion and electronic transmission performance attenuation; at the same time, the rapid discharge of water can also release the heat generated in the cathode reaction area, which can play a certain role in heat dissipation.

[0022] (4) The design of the outer spiral cooling water liquid flow channel and the inner spiral hydrogen gas flow channel of the spiral anode electrode plate of the hydrogen fuel cell effectively improves the thermal management of the cell, and the cooling water liquid flow channel and the hydrogen gas flow channel correspond to each other on both sides of the bipolar plate, adopting the "counter-flow heat exchange" mode of cooling water and hydrogen, which can realize precise, rapid and efficient heat dissipation of the cell reaction area, and help to improve the performance of the cell, prolong the service stability and life of the fuel cell.

[0023] (5) The hydrogen fuel cell has strong structural strength and stability, in addition to using metal bipolar plates and metal electrode mesh as the structural fixation of the cell, it also increases the inner and outer hoop ring fixing members, which can effectively resist the influence of external mechanical vibration and stress, and further enhance the sealing performance of the cell.

[0024] (6) The application scene of the hydrogen fuel cell is flexible and variable, which can be independently operated after changing the size, length and other aspects of the single cell according to actual application, or multiple small volume single cells can be integrated into a cell stack to realize high power operation in a limited and reasonable space. And the single cell as an integrated cell stack independent unit can be flexibly added, removed, replaced and maintained in the composite structure, which improves the service life and enhances the operability and long-term stability of the cell stack. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or prior art description. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only exemplary, and those skilled in the art can obtain other implementation drawings according to the provided drawings without creating any creative labor.

[0026] The structures, proportions, sizes, etc. shown in the specification are merely used to cooperate with the content disclosed in the specification for the understanding and reading of those skilled in the art, and are not used to limit the conditions for implementing the application, so they do not have technical significance. Any modification of the structure, change of the proportion relationship, or adjustment of the size, without affecting the effects and purposes that can be achieved by the application, should still fall within the scope of the disclosed technology.

[0027] Figure 1 An internal structure diagram of a hydrogen fuel cell is provided for an embodiment of the application.

[0028] Figure 2 An internal side development diagram of an anode electrode plate in a hydrogen fuel cell is provided for an embodiment of the application.

[0029] Figure 3 An internal side development diagram of a cathode electrode mesh in a hydrogen fuel cell is provided for an embodiment of the application.

[0030] In the figure:

[0031] 1, insulating shell; 2, proton exchange membrane;

[0032] 3, anode electrode plate; 4, anode spiral cavity; 5, hydrogen gas inlet; 6, hydrogen gas outlet; 7, heat dissipation spiral cavity; 8, heat dissipation medium outlet; 9, heat dissipation medium inlet; 10, hydrogen gas diffusion layer; 11, hydrogen gas catalytic layer; 12, heat dissipation plate;

[0033] 13, oxygen catalytic layer; 14, oxygen diffusion layer; 15, cathode electrode mesh; 16, cathode cavity; 17, oxygen gas inlet; 18, oxygen gas outlet; 19, pressure sensor; 20, water storage bin; 21, drain; 22, water level monitoring sensor;

[0034] 23, outer hoop ring fixing member; 24, inner hoop ring fixing member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The embodiments of the application are described below by specific examples, and those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the application from the disclosed content. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the application, not all. Based on the embodiments in the application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the scope of the application.

[0036] As Figure 1As shown, a hydrogen fuel cell includes an insulating shell 1, within which an anode reaction zone and a cathode reaction zone are provided. The anode reaction zone and the cathode reaction zone are separated by a proton exchange membrane 2. This embodiment uses a cylindrical cell as an example to specifically illustrate the specific structure of the anode reaction zone and the cathode reaction zone:

[0037] 1. Anode reaction zone

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown, an anode electrode plate 3 is provided within the anode reaction zone. A first spiral partition is provided on the anode electrode plate 3 to divide the inner space of the anode electrode plate 3 into an anode spiral cavity 4 through which hydrogen can pass. The inner side of the anode spiral cavity 4 is connected to a hydrogen catalyst layer 11. A hydrogen inlet 5 and a hydrogen outlet 6 are respectively provided at the top and bottom of the anode spiral cavity 4. The design of the anode spiral cavity 4 on the anode electrode plate 3 can effectively and uniformly distribute the reaction fuel gas (hydrogen), prolong the reaction time of hydrogen in the battery, make the contact between hydrogen and the catalyst more sufficient, improve reaction efficiency, and significantly enhance battery power.

[0039] In order to remove the heat generated by the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen, this technology places the anode spiral cavity 4 inside the anode electrode plate 3 and provides a heat dissipation spiral cavity 7 on the outside of the anode electrode plate 3 for the passage of heat dissipation medium. Specifically, a second spiral baffle is vertically arranged on the outer side of the anode electrode plate 3. The outer side of the second spiral baffle is sealed to the heat dissipation plate 12. The heat dissipation plate 12 can conduct heat absorbed by the heat dissipation medium. At the same time, the heat dissipation medium circulates and further dissipates heat, realizing a dual heat dissipation mechanism. This saves space and ensures heat dissipation effect. Moreover, the design of the cooling water liquid flow channel and the hydrogen gas flow channel corresponding to each other on both sides of the bipolar plate allows the cooling medium to pass through the entire hydrogen reaction area. On the one hand, the heat absorption of the cooling medium is more complete. Compared with the existing method, this technology effectively improves the thermal management of the battery. On the other hand, this technology adopts the opposite flow direction of the heat dissipation medium and the hydrogen. Combined with the heat dissipation spiral cavity 7 having a heat dissipation medium outlet 8 at the bottom and a heat dissipation medium inlet 9 at the top, this "countercurrent heat exchange" method of the heat dissipation medium and hydrogen can achieve precise, fast and efficient heat dissipation in the battery reaction area, which helps to improve battery performance and extend the stability and life of the fuel cell.

[0040] To improve the reaction effect between hydrogen and hydrogen catalyst layer 11, a hydrogen diffusion layer 10 is provided between the anode spiral cavity 4 and the hydrogen catalyst layer 11, so that hydrogen can be evenly diffused onto the hydrogen catalyst layer 11. In addition, a first sealing gasket is provided at both ends of the battery between the anode electrode plate 3 and the hydrogen diffusion layer 10 to prevent hydrogen leakage.

[0041] 2. Cathode reaction zone

[0042] The cathode reaction zone is provided with an oxygen catalytic layer 13 connected with the proton exchange membrane 2, the inner side of the oxygen catalytic layer 13 is connected with a cathode electrode net 15, as shown in the figure, the cathode electrode net 15 is a net structure and can allow oxygen to pass through, the cathode electrode net 15 encloses a cathode cavity 16 for accommodating oxygen. This embodiment takes a cylindrical battery as an example, so the cathode cavity 16 is a cylindrical cavity and is located at the center of the battery. Due to the cathode cavity 16 enclosed by the cathode electrode net 15, the cathode electrode net 15 is made of metal material, thus having a certain supporting effect on the battery structure. Figure 3

[0043] The top of the cathode cavity 16 is provided with an oxygen inlet 17 and the bottom is provided with an oxygen outlet 18. Oxygen enters the cathode cavity 16 from the oxygen inlet 17 at the top, and under the action of pressure, the oxygen contacts the oxygen catalytic layer 13 through the cathode electrode net 15 and reacts. In order to improve the reaction effect of oxygen and the oxygen catalytic layer 13, the present technology is provided with an oxygen diffusion layer 14 between the cathode electrode net 15 and the oxygen catalytic layer 13. The oxygen diffusion layer 14 can disperse oxygen onto the oxygen catalytic layer 13, so that the oxygen fully contacts the oxygen catalytic layer 13.

[0044] In order to ensure the stability of the pressure of oxygen in the cathode cavity 16, the present technology is provided with a pressure sensor 19 on the cathode electrode net 15, which is used to monitor the oxygen pressure in the cathode cavity 16, and the oxygen outlet 18 is changed into a pressure relief port. On the one hand, the high pressure of instantaneous change is automatically discharged from the pressure relief port, and on the other hand, by monitoring the oxygen pressure in the cathode cavity 16, the oxygen supply is controlled, and the double-layer measures ensure the stability of the pressure in the cathode cavity 16.

[0045] Since water is produced after the hydrogen-oxygen reaction, the present technology is provided with a water storage bin 20 with a drain 21 at the oxygen outlet 18. The water storage bin 20 is a conical bin, the drain 21 is arranged at the bottom center of the conical bin, and a water level monitoring sensor 22 is arranged at the upper part in the water storage bin 20. The drain 21 has a water level feedback automatic drainage function. Specifically, the drain 21 is composed of an electromagnetic valve and a central control unit. After receiving the liquid level signal of the water level monitoring sensor 22, the central control unit controls the electromagnetic valve to open, and the water flow is discharged from the drain 21 through the tail oxygen or air, without the need for additional power, which is energy-saving and efficient. This design is beneficial to the product water flowing along the cathode electrode net 15 to the water storage bin 20 by gravity, and then using the water level feedback automatic drainage, avoiding the accumulation of water in the cathode reaction zone causing catalyst poisoning, battery corrosion and attenuation of electronic transmission performance; at the same time, the rapid discharge of water can also release the heat generated in the cathode reaction zone, which can play a certain heat dissipation effect.

[0046] 3. Battery structure fixation

[0047] ​The outer side of the insulating shell 1 is sleeved with an outer hoop fixing member 23, and the inner side of the cathode electrode net 15 is provided with an inner hoop fixing member 24, and the outer hoop fixing member 23 is matched and tightened with the inner hoop fixing member 24, and is used for structural fixation of the battery. The battery of the present technology has strong structural strength and structural stability. In addition to using the anode electrode plate 3 and the cathode electrode net 15 made of metal material as the structural fixation of the battery, the outer hoop fixing member 23 and the inner hoop fixing member 24 are also added. It can effectively resist the influence of external mechanical vibration and stress, and further enhance the sealing performance of the battery.

[0048] The following table is the performance advantage of a hydrogen fuel cell of the present technology relative to existing batteries:

[0049]

[0050] Although the present application has been described in detail with general description and specific embodiments above, some modifications or improvements can be made on the basis of the present application, which is obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, these modifications or improvements made on the basis of not deviating from the spirit of the present application, all belong to the scope of protection required by the present application.

Claims

1. A hydrogen fuel cell comprising an insulated enclosure, characterised in that: The insulating shell is internally provided with an anode reaction zone and a cathode reaction zone, and the anode reaction zone and the cathode reaction zone are separated by a proton exchange membrane; The anode reaction zone is internally provided with an anode electrode plate, the anode electrode plate is externally provided with a heat dissipation spiral cavity for passing through a heat dissipation medium, the outer side of the anode electrode plate is vertically provided with a second spiral partition plate, and the outer side of the second spiral partition plate is sealingly connected with a heat dissipation plate; The cathode reaction zone is internally provided with an oxygen catalytic layer connected with the proton exchange membrane, the inner side of the oxygen catalytic layer is connected with a cathode electrode net, the cathode electrode net is internally provided with a cathode cavity containing oxygen, the hydrogen fuel cell is a columnar cell, the cathode cavity is a columnar cavity and is located at the center of the cell, and a pressure sensor is arranged on the cathode electrode net for monitoring the oxygen pressure in the cathode cavity.

2. A hydrogen fuel cell as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The flow directions of the heat dissipation medium and the hydrogen are opposite.

3. A hydrogen fuel cell as claimed in claim 1, wherein: A hydrogen diffusion layer is arranged between the anode spiral cavity and the hydrogen catalytic layer, and an oxygen diffusion layer is arranged between the cathode electrode net and the oxygen catalytic layer.

4. A hydrogen fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein: The cathode cavity is externally provided with a water storage bin with a drain port.

5. A hydrogen fuel cell as claimed in claim 4, wherein: The upper portion of the water storage bin is provided with a water level monitoring sensor, the drain port is composed of an electromagnetic valve and a central control unit, and the central control unit controls the electromagnetic valve to be opened after receiving the liquid level signal of the water level monitoring sensor.

6. A hydrogen fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein: The gas outlet connected with the cathode cavity is a pressure relief port.

7. A hydrogen fuel cell as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The outer side of the insulating shell is externally provided with an outer hoop ring fixing member, the inner side of the cathode electrode net is internally provided with an inner hoop ring fixing member, and the outer hoop ring fixing member and the inner hoop ring fixing member are matched and tightened for structural fixation of the cell.

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