Fuel cell

Abstract

The fuel cell includes a stack of individual cells stacked along its thickness direction. Each individual cell has a pair of separators that clamp a membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly from the anode and cathode sides. A fixing portion for securing a connector for a battery monitor and a detection portion configured to contact the terminals of the connector are formed on the outer edge of each separator. The anode-side separator and the cathode-side separator are obtained by flipping the front and back of separators of the same shape. In each separator, the fixing portion and the detection portion are formed at two locations on the separator in a manner that overlaps along the thickness direction in both the anode-side and cathode-side separators.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to fuel cells. Background Technology

[0002] As shown in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-170667, a fuel cell includes a battery stack. The battery stack is formed by stacking multiple individual cells along the thickness direction. Each individual cell includes a membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and a pair of spacers. The pair of spacers clamp the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly from the anode side and the cathode side on both sides in the thickness direction. The spacers are formed into a quadrilateral plate shape from a conductive material.

[0003] In each cell of the battery stack, fuel gas such as hydrogen flows to the anode side of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer junction, and oxidizing gas such as air flows to the cathode side of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer junction. Power generation in each cell is based on the reaction between the fuel gas and the oxidizing gas in the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer junction.

[0004] In a fuel cell, the voltage of each individual cell in the stack is detected using a cell monitor. The outer edge of the separator in each cell has a fixing part for securing a connector to the cell monitor, and a detection part that contacts the terminals of the connector for voltage detection of the individual cell. The anode-side separator and the cathode-side separator in the individual cell are obtained by flipping the front and back of separators of the same shape.

[0005] The fixing parts are formed on two non-intersecting sides of the separator. The detection part is formed on one of the two sides. Therefore, in the battery stack, the fixing parts of the separator on the anode side and the fixing parts of the separator on the cathode side overlap in the thickness direction, while the detection parts of the separator on the anode side and the detection parts of the separator on the cathode side do not overlap in the thickness direction.

[0006] Therefore, the connectors on the anode side and cathode side of the battery monitor must be positioned in different locations within the battery stack. Specifically, the anode-side connector is fixed to a retaining part within the anode-side separator. This allows the anode-side connector to contact the detection part of the anode-side separator. Similarly, the cathode-side connector is fixed to a retaining part within the cathode-side separator. This allows the terminals of the cathode-side connector to contact the detection part of the cathode-side separator.

[0007] As described above, by contacting the terminals of the connector on the anode side with the detection part of the separator on the anode side, and by contacting the terminals of the connector on the cathode side with the detection part of the separator on the cathode side, the voltage of a single cell can be detected using a battery monitor. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0009] However, in the fuel cell described in the aforementioned publication, since the connectors on the anode side and cathode side of the battery monitor must be positioned in different locations within the battery stack, it is time-consuming to ensure that the connector terminals contact the detection section of the separator. Specifically, because the anode-side connector and cathode-side connector are fixed in different locations within the battery stack, it is necessary to ensure that the connector terminals contact the detection section of the separator at these different locations. Performing this operation is time-consuming.

[0010] Solution for solving the problem

[0011] One aspect of this disclosure relates to a fuel cell comprising a stack having a plurality of individual cells stacked along a thickness direction. Each individual cell has a pair of separators that clamp a membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly from an anode side and a cathode side on opposite sides of the thickness direction. A fixing portion for securing a connector of a battery monitor and a detection portion configured to contact the terminals of the connector for voltage detection of the individual cell by the battery monitor are formed on the outer edge of each separator. The anode-side separator and the cathode-side separator in the individual cell are obtained by flipping the front and back of separators of the same shape. In each separator, the fixing portion and the detection portion are formed at two locations on the separator in an overlapping manner along the thickness direction in the anode-side separator and the cathode-side separator. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a 3D diagram showing the fuel cell and battery monitor.

[0013] Figure 2 It indicates viewing from below. Figure 1 A top view of the battery monitor's status.

[0014] Figure 3 It means Figure 1 The front view of the separator of the fuel cell.

[0015] Figure 4 It means from Figure 3 Observe in the direction of arrow III-III Figure 1 An enlarged cross-sectional view of the state around the detection section in the fuel cell stack. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The following is for reference Figures 1-4 A fuel cell 10 according to one embodiment will be described.

[0017] like Figure 1As shown, the fuel cell 10 includes a battery stack 11. The battery stack 11 has a plurality of individual cells 12 stacked along the thickness direction. In each individual cell 12 of the battery stack 11, fuel gas such as hydrogen flows to the anode side of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer junction, and oxidizing gas such as air flows to the cathode side of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer junction. Furthermore, power generation in each individual cell 12 is based on the reaction between the fuel gas and the oxidizing gas in the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer junction.

[0018] In the fuel cell 10, the voltage of each individual cell 12 in the battery stack 11 is detected using the battery monitor 13. Figure 2 From Figure 1 The state of the battery monitor 13 is magnified below. The battery monitor 13 has a connector 14 on the anode side and a connector 16 on the cathode side. The connector 14 on the anode side and the connector 16 on the cathode side are in a predetermined direction, i.e. Figure 2 The connectors are arranged alternately in the vertical direction. The connector 14 on the anode side has a terminal 15. The connector 16 on the cathode side has a terminal 17.

[0019] The single cell 12 has a pair of separators 18. Figure 3 The state of the separator 18 is shown as viewed from the surface side of either of the two sides of the back panel. The separator 18 is formed into a quadrilateral plate shape from a conductive material such as metal. A pair of separators 18 clamp the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer junction of the single cell 12 from the anode side and the cathode side on both sides in its thickness direction. The separator 18 on the anode side and the separator 18 on the cathode side of the single cell 12 are obtained by flipping the back panel of separators 18 of the same shape.

[0020] A fixing portion 19 for fixing the connectors 14 and 16 of the battery monitor 13 and a detection portion 20 configured to contact the terminals 15 and 17 of the connectors 14 and 16 for voltage detection of the single battery 12 are formed on the outer edge of the separator 18. The fixing portion 19 and the detection portion 20 are formed at two locations on the separator 18 in a manner that overlaps along the thickness direction in the separator 18 on the anode side and the separator 18 on the cathode side.

[0021] Specifically, on the two non-intersecting sides of the separator 18, i.e. Figure 3 The upper and lower sides of the separator 18 are respectively provided with a fixing part 19 and a detection part 20. If the back of the separator 18 is flipped, the upper and lower sides of the separator 18 will flip up and down. Therefore, the fixing part 19 and the detection part 20 in the anode-side separator 18 overlap with the fixing part 19 and the detection part 20 in the cathode-side separator 18 along the thickness direction on both the upper and lower sides of the separator 18.

[0022] The fixing portion 19 is formed to protrude outward from the outer edge of the partition 18. The fixing portion 19 is formed at multiple locations on one side of the partition 18. The detection portion 20 is located closer to the center of the partition 18 than the fixing portion 19, and is formed along the outer edge of the partition 18. The detection portion 20 is formed at positions between the aforementioned fixing portions 19 at multiple locations on one side of the partition 18.

[0023] Figure 4 The periphery of the detection unit 20 in the battery stack 11 is shown in magnification. The separator 18 on the anode side and the separator 18 on the cathode side of the single cell 12 clamp the resin plate 22 fixed to the outer edge of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly from both sides in the thickness direction.

[0024] An insulating plate 21, made of an insulating material such as resin, is disposed between the separators 18 of adjacent single cells 12. More specifically, the insulating plate 21 is disposed between the separator 18 on the anode side of one single cell 12 and the separator 18 on the cathode side of the other single cell 12, and is disposed near the outer edge of these separators 18. The insulating plate 21 overlaps with the fixing portion 19 of these separators 18 in the thickness direction between the separators 18 on the anode side and the separators 18 on the cathode side.

[0025] The detection section 20 is formed on the outer edge of the separator 18 by recessing from a predetermined portion in the outer edge of the separator 18 toward the insulating plate 21 in the thickness direction.

[0026] <Installation of Battery Monitor 13 relative to Battery Stack 11>

[0027] use Figure 3 The fixing part 19 located on the upper side of the partition 18 shown is used to... Figure 1 The battery monitor 13 shown is mounted on the battery stack 11. Specifically, the battery monitor 13... Figure 2 The connector 14 on the anode side and the connector 16 on the cathode side are shown as follows: Figure 4 It is inserted into the fixing part 19 of the separator 18 on the anode side and the fixing part 19 of the separator 18 on the cathode side as shown.

[0028] Thus, the connector 14 on the anode side connects to the fixing portion 19 of the separator 18 on the anode side, thereby fixing the connector 14 on the anode side to the battery stack 11 via the fixing portion 19. Similarly, the connector 16 on the cathode side connects to the fixing portion 19 of the separator 18 on the cathode side, thereby fixing the connector 16 on the cathode side to the battery stack 11 via the fixing portion 19.

[0029] When the connector 14 on the anode side is fixed to the battery stack 11 as described above, Figure 2The terminal 15 of the connector 14 on the anode side shown is... Figure 4 The detection section 20 of the separator 18 on the anode side is connected. Additionally, when the connector 16 on the cathode side is fixed to the battery stack 11 as described above, Figure 2 The terminal 17 of the connector 16 on the cathode side shown is... Figure 4 The detection section 20 of the separator 18 on the cathode side is connected.

[0030] Next, the effects of the fuel cell 10 in this embodiment will be explained.

[0031] (1) In the battery stack 11 of the fuel cell 10, the fixing portion 19 and detection portion 20 of the separator 18 on the anode side are arranged to overlap with the fixing portion 19 and detection portion 20 of the separator 18 on the cathode side in the thickness direction. Such overlapping portions exist in two parts of the battery stack 11, namely... Figure 1 The upper and lower ends. Furthermore, it is possible to [address] one of the aforementioned portions of the battery stack 11, in this example, [the portion]. Figure 1 The upper end of the connector 14, 16 of the battery monitor 13 is fixed, and the terminals 15, 17 of the connector 14, 16 are made to contact the detection part 20 of the separator 18.

[0032] Therefore, the connector 14 on the anode side and the connector 16 on the cathode side can be configured in one of the aforementioned locations of the battery stack 11, i.e. Figure 1 At the upper end of the battery monitor 13, the terminals 15 of the anode-side connector 14 and 17 of the cathode-side connector 16 are brought into contact with the detection section 20 of the anode-side separator 18 and the detection section 20 of the cathode-side separator 18. Therefore, when fixing the connectors 14 and 16 of the battery monitor 13 relative to the battery stack 11 and when the terminals 15 and 17 of the connectors 14 and 16 come into contact with the detection section 20, the effort required to achieve this objective can be reduced.

[0033] (2) The detection part 20 of the separator 18 is located closer to the center of the separator 18 than the fixing part 19, and is formed along the outer edge of the separator 18. Therefore, the detection part 20 does not protrude from the separator 18 like the fixing part 19. Therefore, the detection part 20 is less likely to deform when the terminals 15 and 17 of the connectors 14 and 16 come into contact with the detection part 20.

[0034] (3) An insulating plate 21 made of an insulating material is disposed between the separators 18 of adjacent single cells 12 in the battery stack 11, i.e., between the separators 18 on the anode side and the separators 18 on the cathode side. The insulating plate 21 overlaps with the fixing portion 19 between the separators 18 in the thickness direction. The insulating plate 21 prevents the fixing portions 19 of adjacent separators 18 from directly contacting each other. Therefore, it is not necessary to cut off unnecessary fixing portions 19 to suppress such contact; in other words, the portions of the battery stack 11 that are not used to fix the connectors 14 and 16 of the battery monitor 13 are not used for fixing the connectors 14 and 16. Figure 1 The fixing part 19 at the lower end.

[0035] (4) The detection section 20 is formed on the outer edge of the separator 18 by recessing a predetermined portion of the outer edge of the separator 18 toward the insulating plate 21. In order for the terminals 15 and 17 of the connectors 14 and 16 of the battery monitor 13 to contact the detection section 20, it is necessary to ensure, to a certain extent, the distance between the detection sections 20 in the thickness direction of the separator 18 in the battery stack 11. However, if such a distance is to be ensured, the dimension in the thickness direction of the battery stack 11 may become larger. However, if the detection section 20 is formed as described above, it is possible to suppress the increase in the dimension in the thickness direction of the battery stack 11 while ensuring the above distance.

[0036] (5) Fixing portions 19 are formed at multiple locations on one side of the partition 18. Additionally, detection portions 20 are formed at locations between the fixing portions 19 on one side of the partition 18. Furthermore, the insulating plate 21 disposed between adjacent partitions 18 reaches the multiple fixing portions 19 arranged to clamp the detection portions 20 of the partitions 18. Therefore, the periphery of the detection portions 20 is reinforced by the insulating plate 21. When the detection portions 20 are formed by recessing a predetermined portion of the outer edge of the partition 18 toward the insulating plate 21, the detection portions 20 become thinner and more prone to deformation, but such deformation can be suppressed by the aforementioned reinforcement.

[0037] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments can be modified as follows. The above-described embodiments and the following modifications can be combined with each other to implement them within the scope of technical inconsistency.

[0038] The fixing part 19 does not need to be formed at multiple locations on one side of the separator 18.

[0039] The insulating plate 21 does not need to overlap with the fixing part 19 of the separator 18 in the thickness direction.

[0040] The detection section 20 does not need to be formed by recessing the outer edge of the separator 18 toward the insulating plate 21.

[0041] The detection unit 20 does not need to be located in a position that is closer to the center of the separator 18 than the fixing unit 19.

Claims

1. A fuel cell comprising a stack having a plurality of individual cells stacked along a thickness direction. The single cell has a pair of separators that clamp the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer junction from the anode side and the cathode side on both sides in the thickness direction. Each separator has a fixing part formed on its outer edge for securing the connector of the battery monitor, and a detection part configured to contact the terminals of the connector for voltage detection of the single cell by the battery monitor. The separators on the anode side and the cathode side of the single cell are obtained by flipping the back and front sides of separators of the same shape. In each separator, the fixing part and the detection part are formed at two locations of the separator in a manner that overlaps along the thickness direction in the separator on the anode side and the separator on the cathode side.

2. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein, The separator is formed in the shape of a quadrilateral plate. The fixing part and the detection part are respectively formed on the two non-intersecting sides of the separator. The fixing part is formed in such a way that it protrudes outward from the outer edge of the separator. On each of the two non-intersecting sides, the detection part is located closer to the center of the separator than the fixing part and is formed along the outer edge of the separator.

3. The fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein, In the battery stack, the separators between adjacent individual cells are provided with insulating plates made of insulating material. The insulating plate overlaps the fixing part with each other in the thickness direction between the separators.

4. The fuel cell according to claim 3, wherein, The detection section is formed on the outer edge of the separator by recessing a predetermined portion of the outer edge of the separator toward the insulating plate.

5. The fuel cell according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, The fixing part is formed at multiple locations on one side of the separator. The detection section is formed in one side of the separator at a position between the fixing sections at multiple locations.

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