Flow field structure of bipolar plate of hydrogen fuel cell

Abstract

The utility model discloses a flow field structure of a bipolar plate of a hydrogen fuel cell, which comprises a gas inlet, a gas outlet and a flow channel group arranged between the gas inlet and the gas outlet, and the flow channel group comprises an inlet flow channel group, an inlet distribution flow channel group, a main body flow channel group, an outlet convergence flow channel group and an outlet flow channel group which are communicated in sequence; wherein the inlet flow channel group, the main body flow channel group and the outlet flow channel group are arranged in parallel, the inlet distribution flow channel group and the outlet convergence flow channel group are arranged in parallel, and the inlet distribution flow channel group is perpendicular to the inlet flow channel group and the main body flow channel group; the outlet converging runner group is perpendicular to the main body runner group and the outlet runner group; the number of the flow channels in the inlet flow channel group is the same as that of the flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group, the number of the flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group is the same as that of the flow channels in the outlet flow channel group, the widths of all the flow channels are the same, and the depths of all the flow channels are the same. The utility model has the advantages that the flow field structure is simple, and the processing is very convenient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of fuel cells, in particular to a bipolar plate. Background Art

[0002] A hydrogen fuel cell is an electrochemical device that converts the chemical energy of hydrogen into electrical energy. Due to its cleanness and pollution-free nature, it has been developing rapidly in recent years. The key components in a hydrogen fuel cell include electrodes, proton exchange membranes, and bipolar plates. The functions of the bipolar plates are to separate the oxidant and the reductant, collect current, guide the reaction gas to be evenly distributed, conduct heat, and drain water. The bipolar plate includes an anode plate and a cathode plate, and grooves are machined on the surface of the anode plate and the cathode plate to form a flow field. The flow field structure will greatly affect the distribution of the reaction gas, thermal conductivity, drainage speed, etc., which has an important impact on the battery performance and battery operating efficiency.

[0003] In order to continuously improve the performance of hydrogen fuel cells, the flow field structure of the plate is also constantly being improved. Summary of the invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the utility model is to provide a flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate, which has a simple structure and is easy to process, and can effectively improve the reaction uniformity, extend the life of the fuel cell, and improve the performance of the fuel cell.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the technical solution adopted by the utility model is a flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate, including: a gas inlet and a gas outlet arranged at both ends of the plate surface, a flow channel group is arranged between the gas inlet and the gas outlet, the flow channel group includes an inlet flow channel group, an inlet distribution flow channel group, a main flow channel group, an outlet convergence flow channel group and an outlet flow channel group which are sequentially connected from the gas inlet to the gas outlet, the inlet flow channel group is connected to the gas inlet, and the outlet flow channel group is connected to the gas outlet; wherein the inlet flow channel group, the main flow channel group, the outlet flow channel group All flow channels are arranged in parallel, all flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group and the outlet convergence flow channel group are arranged in parallel, all flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group are perpendicular to all flow channels in the inlet flow channel group and the main flow channel group; all flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group are perpendicular to all flow channels in the main flow channel group and the outlet flow channel group; the number of flow channels in the inlet flow channel group is the same as the number of flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group, the number of flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group is the same as the number of flow channels in the outlet flow channel group, the width of all flow channels is the same, and the depth of all flow channels is also the same.

[0006] Furthermore, in the aforementioned flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate, the number of flow channels in the main flow channel group is greater than the number of flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group, and the number of flow channels in the main flow channel group is also greater than the number of flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group.

[0007] Furthermore, the aforementioned flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate, wherein the number of flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group is the same as the number of flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group, and the number of flow channels in the main flow channel group is twice the number of flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group or the outlet convergence flow channel group; the flow channels in the main flow channel group are grouped in pairs, and the inlet of each group of flow channels in the main flow channel group is connected to the outlet of a corresponding flow channel in the inlet distribution flow channel group, and the outlet of each group of flow channels in the main flow channel group is connected to the inlet of a corresponding flow channel in the outlet convergence flow channel group.

[0008] Furthermore, in the aforementioned flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate, all flow channels are arranged on the plate surface to form a rectangular flow channel area, wherein the inlet flow channel group and the inlet distribution flow channel group are arranged in a first right-angled triangle flow channel area of ​​the rectangular flow channel area including a right angle and a short side; the outlet converging flow channel group, the outlet flow channel group, the inlet flow channel group, and the inlet distribution flow channel are arranged diagonally in a second right-angled triangle flow channel area of ​​the rectangular flow channel area including another right angle and another short side.

[0009] Furthermore, in the aforementioned flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate, each flow channel in the inlet flow channel group within the right-angled triangle flow channel area is bent in the vertical direction to form an inlet distribution flow channel group, and the length of the flow channel in the inlet flow channel group is shortened in a direction perpendicular to the inlet flow channel group from the edge of the rectangular flow channel area to the inside, so that the flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group formed by the bending are connected with the flow channels in the main flow channel group in sequence.

[0010] Furthermore, in the aforementioned flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate, each flow channel in the outlet flow channel group within the second right-angled triangle flow channel area is bent in the vertical direction to form an outlet converging flow channel group, and the length of the flow channel in the outlet flow channel group is shortened in a direction perpendicular to the outlet flow channel group from the edge of the rectangular flow channel area to the inside, so that the flow channels in the bent outlet converging flow channel group are connected with the flow channels in the main flow channel group in sequence.

[0011] Furthermore, in the aforementioned flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate, the gas inlet and the gas outlet are both in the shape of elongated strips, the elongated gas inlet is located outside the inlets of all the flow channels in the inlet flow channel group; the elongated gas outlet is located outside the outlets of all the flow channels in the outlet flow channel group.

[0012] The advantages of the utility model are: 1. The flow field structure is simple and the processing is very convenient. 2. The inlet flow channel group and the inlet distribution flow channel group are arranged in the first right-angled triangle flow channel area of ​​the entire rectangular flow channel area, which includes a right angle and a short side of the rectangular flow channel area. This leaves a large enough buffer space for the gas to enter, thereby ensuring that sufficient reaction gas is obtained to ensure that the fuel cell has a high performance. At the same time, such a structure can also reduce the pressure drop when the gas enters the fuel cell, thereby not only reducing energy consumption, but also helping the gas to be more evenly distributed to each flow channel in the main flow channel group, so that the gas is evenly distributed on the membrane electrode, avoiding local concentration differences, improving reaction uniformity, extending the life of the fuel cell, and improving the performance of the fuel cell. 3. The number of flow channels in the main flow channel group is greater than the number in the inlet distribution flow channel group, which enables the gas introduced from the outside to achieve secondary distribution after being distributed and guided by the inlet distribution flow channel group. The entire reaction area has sufficient reaction gas, effectively increasing the contact area between the gas and the membrane electrode, thereby improving the reaction efficiency and making the reaction more sufficient. 3. The outlet converging flow channel group and the outlet flow channel group are arranged in another right-angled triangular flow channel area including a right angle and a short side of the rectangular flow channel area in the entire rectangular flow channel area. This can ensure that there is sufficient pressure in the flow channel so that the residual gas and the generated water can be discharged quickly, avoiding flooding caused by untimely drainage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the arrangement structure of the flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate described in the utility model.

[0014] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of the first right-angled triangle flow channel area.

[0015] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of the second right-angled triangle flow channel area. Implementation

[0016] The flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate according to the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with preferred embodiments.

[0017] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3As shown, a flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate includes: a gas inlet 10 and a gas outlet 20 arranged at both ends of a plate surface 1, and a flow channel group is arranged between the gas inlet 10 and the gas outlet 20. In this embodiment, the gas inlet 10 and the gas outlet 20 are both long strips and arranged in parallel. In this embodiment, the flow channel group includes an inlet flow channel group 2, an inlet distribution flow channel group 3, a main flow channel group 4, an outlet convergence flow channel group 5, and an outlet flow channel group 6, which are sequentially connected from the gas inlet 10 to the gas outlet 20. The inlet ends of all the flow channels in the inlet flow channel group 2 are connected to the gas inlet 10, and the outlet ends of all the flow channels in the outlet flow channel group 6 are connected to the gas outlet 20.

[0018] All the flow channels in the inlet flow channel group 2, the main flow channel group 3, and the outlet flow channel group 6 are arranged in parallel, and all the flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group 3 and the outlet convergence flow channel group 5 are arranged in parallel. All the flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group 3 are perpendicular to all the flow channels in the inlet flow channel group 2 and the main flow channel group 4; all the flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group 5 are perpendicular to all the flow channels in the main flow channel group 4 and the outlet flow channel group 6. The number of flow channels in the inlet flow channel group 2 is the same as the number of flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group 3, the number of flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group 5 is the same as the number of flow channels in the outlet flow channel group 6, and the width and depth of all the flow channels are the same.

[0019] In this embodiment, the number of flow channels in the main flow channel group 4 is greater than the number of flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group 3, and the number of flow channels in the main flow channel group 4 is also greater than the number of flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group 5. Preferably, the number of flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group 3 is the same as the number of flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group 5, and the number of flow channels in the main flow channel group 4 is twice the number of flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group 3 or the number of flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group 5. The flow channels in the main flow channel group 4 are grouped in pairs, and the inlet of each group of flow channels in the main flow channel group 4 is connected to the outlet of a corresponding flow channel in the inlet distribution flow channel group 3, and the outlet of each group of flow channels in the main flow channel group 4 is connected to the inlet of a corresponding flow channel in the outlet convergence flow channel group 5.

[0020] All flow channels are arranged on the electrode plate surface 1 to form a rectangular flow channel area, wherein the inlet flow channel group 2 and the inlet distribution flow channel group 3 are arranged in the first right-angled triangle flow channel area 100 of the rectangular flow channel area, which includes a right angle and a short side of the rectangular flow channel area; the outlet converging flow channel group 5, the outlet flow channel group 6, the inlet flow channel group 2, and the inlet distribution flow channel 3 are arranged diagonally in the second right-angled triangle flow channel area 200 of the rectangular flow channel area, which includes another right angle and another short side of the rectangular flow channel area.

[0021] Each flow channel in the inlet flow channel group 2 within the first right-angled triangle flow channel area 100 is bent in the vertical direction to form an inlet distribution flow channel group 3. The length of the flow channel in the inlet flow channel group 2 is shortened in a direction perpendicular to the inlet flow channel group from the edge of the rectangular flow channel area to the inside, so that the flow channels in the bent inlet distribution flow channel group 3 are connected with the flow channels in the main flow channel group 4 in sequence.

[0022] Each flow channel in the outlet flow channel group 6 within the second right-angled triangle flow channel area 200 is bent in the vertical direction to form an outlet converging flow channel group 5. The length of the flow channels in the outlet flow channel group 6 is shortened in a direction perpendicular to the outlet flow channel group 6 from the edge of the rectangular flow channel area to the inside, so that the flow channels in the bent outlet converging flow channel group 5 are connected with the flow channels in the main flow channel group 4 in sequence.

[0023] The flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate shown in the above structure has the following advantages: 1. The flow field structure is simple and the processing is very convenient. 2. The inlet flow channel group 2 and the inlet distribution flow channel group 3 are arranged in the first right-angled triangle flow channel area 100 including a right angle and a short side of the rectangular flow channel area in the entire rectangular flow channel area. The advantage of this is that a large enough buffer space is left for the gas to enter, so as to ensure that sufficient reaction gas is obtained to ensure that the fuel cell has a high performance. At the same time, such a structure can also reduce the pressure drop when the gas enters the fuel cell, thereby not only reducing energy consumption, but also helping the gas to be more evenly distributed in each flow channel in the main flow channel group 4, so that the gas is evenly distributed on the membrane electrode, avoiding local concentration differences, reducing reaction non-uniformity, and improving the life and performance of the fuel cell. 3. The number of flow channels in the main flow channel group 4 is greater than that in the inlet distribution flow channel group 3, which enables the gas introduced from the outside to achieve secondary distribution after distribution and guidance by the inlet distribution flow channel group 3, and the entire reaction area has sufficient reaction gas, effectively increasing the contact area between the gas and the membrane electrode, thereby improving the reaction efficiency and making the reaction more sufficient. 3. The outlet converging flow channel group 5 and the outlet flow channel group 6 are arranged in a second right-angled triangle flow channel area 200 including a right angle and a short side of the rectangular flow channel area in the entire rectangular flow channel area. This has the advantage of ensuring that there is sufficient pressure in the flow channel so that the residual gas and the generated water can be quickly discharged, avoiding flooding caused by untimely drainage. The flow field structure described in the utility model is applicable to anode plate flow field or cathode plate flow field.

Claims

1. A flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate, comprising: A gas inlet and a gas outlet are arranged at both ends of the electrode plate surface, and a flow channel group is arranged between the gas inlet and the gas outlet, characterized in that: the flow channel group includes an inlet flow channel group, an inlet distribution flow channel group, a main flow channel group, an outlet convergence flow channel group and an outlet flow channel group which are connected in sequence from the gas inlet to the gas outlet, the inlet flow channel group is connected to the gas inlet, and the outlet flow channel group is connected to the gas outlet; wherein all the flow channels in the inlet flow channel group, the main flow channel group and the outlet flow channel group are arranged in parallel, the inlet distribution flow channel group is arranged in parallel with all the flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group, all the flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group are perpendicular to all the flow channels in the inlet flow channel group and the main flow channel group; all the flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group are perpendicular to all the flow channels in the main flow channel group and the outlet flow channel group; the number of flow channels in the inlet flow channel group is the same as the number of flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group, the number of flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group is the same as the number of flow channels in the outlet flow channel group, the widths of all flow channels are the same, and the depths of all flow channels are also the same.

2. The flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of flow channels in the main flow channel group is greater than the number of flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group, and the number of flow channels in the main flow channel group is also greater than the number of flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group.

3. The flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate according to claim 2, characterized in that: The number of flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group is the same as the number of flow channels in the outlet convergence flow channel group, and the number of flow channels in the main flow channel group is twice the number of flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group or the outlet convergence flow channel group; the flow channels in the main flow channel group are grouped in pairs, and the inlet of each group of flow channels in the main flow channel group is connected to the outlet of a corresponding flow channel in the inlet distribution flow channel group, and the outlet of each group of flow channels in the main flow channel group is connected to the inlet of a corresponding flow channel in the outlet convergence flow channel group.

4. A flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: All flow channels are arranged on the plate surface to form a rectangular flow channel area, wherein the inlet flow channel group and the inlet distribution flow channel group are arranged in a first right-angled triangle flow channel area of ​​the rectangular flow channel area, which includes a right angle and a short side; the outlet converging flow channel group, the outlet flow channel group, the inlet flow channel group, and the inlet distribution flow channel are arranged diagonally in a second right-angled triangle flow channel area of ​​the rectangular flow channel area, which includes another right angle and another short side.

5. The flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate according to claim 4, characterized in that: Each flow channel in the inlet flow channel group within the first right-angled triangle flow channel area is bent in the vertical direction to form an inlet distribution flow channel group. The length of the flow channels in the inlet flow channel group is shortened in a direction perpendicular to the inlet flow channel group from the edge of the rectangular flow channel area to the inside, so that the flow channels in the inlet distribution flow channel group formed by the bending are connected with the flow channels in the main flow channel group in sequence.

6. The flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate according to claim 4, characterized in that: Each flow channel in the outlet flow channel group within the second right-angled triangle flow channel area is bent in the vertical direction to form an outlet converging flow channel group. The length of the flow channels in the outlet flow channel group is shortened in a direction perpendicular to the outlet flow channel group from the edge of the rectangular flow channel area to the inside, so that the flow channels in the bent outlet converging flow channel group are connected with the flow channels in the main flow channel group in sequence.

7. A flow field structure of a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The gas inlet and the gas outlet are both in the shape of elongated strips. The elongated gas inlet is located outside the inlets of all the flow channels in the inlet flow channel group; the elongated gas outlet is located outside the outlets of all the flow channels in the outlet flow channel group.

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