Air inlet end plate for fuel cell

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of fuel cells, and particularly discloses a gas inlet end plate for a fuel cell, which comprises an end plate body provided with a gas-liquid inlet / outlet, a gas-liquid inlet / outlet and a gas-liquid outlet / inlet, the inner-layer sealing assembly is arranged at the position, corresponding to the gas-liquid inlet and outlet, of the end plate body; the outer-layer sealing assembly is arranged at the position, corresponding to the inner-layer sealing assembly, of the end plate body, and the inner-layer sealing assembly is located in the outer-layer sealing assembly; wherein the inner-layer sealing assembly and the outer-layer sealing assembly are both located on the same side face of the end plate body, and the upper surface of the inner-layer sealing assembly and the upper surface of the outer-layer sealing assembly are both higher than the surface of the end plate body. According to the utility model, the inner and outer layers of sealing assemblies are arranged, so that the stability and the sealing property of the galvanic pile are effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of fuel cell technology, and in particular to an air inlet end plate for a fuel cell. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the core component of hydrogen fuel cells is the fuel cell stack. The stack mainly consists of a single-cell core in the middle, composed of bipolar plates and membrane electrode assemblies; current collectors, insulating plates, and end plates on both sides; and external clamping force provided by tie rods or encapsulation. The end plates, as structural components of the fuel cell stack, together with the current collectors and insulating plates, form the external support framework of the fuel cell stack. They compress the core to form a structurally stable stack, primarily serving mechanical fixing, stack sealing, and connection to external components. The inner side of the inlet end plate contacts the core, while the outer side has gas and liquid inlets / outlets connected to the manifold, allowing liquids and gases to enter and exit the fuel cell. To prevent gas leakage and ensure the stack's sealing and stability, the inlet end plate typically has an external sealing groove and an external sealing ring at the connection point with the manifold.

[0003] However, most of the current fuel cell stacks have a single-layer sealing ring structure on the outer side of the air inlet end plate. During long-term use, the sealing ring will come into contact with air, and the aging of the sealing ring will reduce its lifespan. It may even allow dust to enter, which will seriously reduce the sealing performance. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this utility model is to provide an air inlet end plate for fuel cells, which has the advantages of effectively improving the stability and sealing of the fuel cell stack through the setting of inner and outer sealing components.

[0005] The above-mentioned technical objective of this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0006] An inlet end plate for a fuel cell, comprising:

[0007] An end plate body, wherein the end plate body is provided with a gas-liquid inlet and outlet;

[0008] An inner sealing assembly is disposed on the end plate body at the gas-liquid inlet / outlet.

[0009] An outer sealing assembly is disposed on the end plate body corresponding to the inner sealing assembly, and the inner sealing assembly is located inside the outer sealing assembly;

[0010] The inner sealing assembly and the outer sealing assembly are both located on the same side of the end plate body, and the upper surfaces of the inner sealing assembly and the outer sealing assembly are both higher than the surface of the end plate body.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, this application achieves double sealing by setting up an inner sealing component and an outer sealing component, which effectively improves the sealing performance and stability of the fuel cell and reduces the risk of gas-liquid leakage; at the same time, the outer sealing component can also provide protection for the inner sealing component.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the height of the upper surface of the inner sealing component is greater than the height of the upper surface of the outer sealing component.

[0013] By adopting the above scheme, by setting the upper surface height of the inner sealing component to be greater than that of the outer sealing component, it is ensured that the inner sealing component can contact the air distribution manifold first and bear the main sealing function, while the outer sealing component can protect the inner sealing component.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inner sealing assembly includes an inner sealing ring groove and an inner sealing element. The inner sealing ring groove is arranged around the gas-liquid inlet and outlet, and the inner sealing element is disposed within the inner sealing ring groove.

[0015] By adopting the above scheme, the gas and liquid inlet and outlet on the end plate body are sealed by setting the inner sealing ring groove and the inner sealing element, so as to form a closed sealing environment and ensure the sealing effect.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outer sealing assembly includes an outer sealing ring groove and an outer sealing element. The outer sealing ring groove is disposed around the inner sealing assembly, and the outer sealing element is disposed within the outer sealing ring groove.

[0017] By adopting the above solution, the outer sealing ring groove and the outer sealing element can provide sealing protection for the inner sealing component, effectively extending the service life of the inner sealing component. At the same time, when the inner sealing component fails, the outer sealing component can still maintain a certain sealing effect, thereby extending the sealing time of the intake end plate.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, when the inner sealing element and the outer sealing element are respectively located in the inner sealing ring groove and the outer sealing ring groove, the upper surface of the inner sealing element is higher than the upper surface of the outer sealing element.

[0019] By adopting the above-mentioned scheme, the height of the upper surface of the inner sealing element is set to be greater than that of the upper surface of the outer sealing element. This ensures that the inner sealing element contacts the air distribution manifold first during installation. This ensures that the inner sealing element bears the main force during use, allowing it to perform its primary sealing function. The outer sealing element is mainly responsible for reducing the contact between the inner sealing element and the air, thus protecting the inner sealing element while also providing auxiliary sealing. In this way, even if the inner sealing element fails during use, the outer sealing element can still provide a sealing function for a certain period of time.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the size and shape of the inner sealing element correspond to the size and shape of the inner sealing ring groove, and the thickness of the inner sealing element is greater than the depth of the inner sealing ring groove.

[0021] By adopting the above solution, the inner sealing element and the inner sealing ring groove are designed to ensure that the inner sealing element has sufficient deformation space during compression, thereby ensuring sealing performance.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the size and shape of the outer sealing element correspond to the size and shape of the outer sealing ring groove, and the thickness of the outer sealing element is greater than the depth of the outer sealing ring groove.

[0023] By adopting the above solution, the outer sealing element and the outer sealing ring groove are designed to ensure that the outer sealing element has sufficient deformation space during compression, thus ensuring that the outer sealing element can effectively maintain a sealing state under pressure.

[0024] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, both the outer sealing element and the inner sealing element are made of elastic material.

[0025] Using the above solution, both the outer and inner sealing elements are made of elastic materials, which can deform during installation in the valve manifold to provide sealing performance.

[0026] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the compression ratio of the inner sealing element in the inner sealing ring groove is greater than the compression ratio of the outer sealing element in the outer sealing ring groove.

[0027] By adopting the above solution, this configuration ensures that the inner sealing element provides a more effective sealing effect during use.

[0028] The aforementioned inlet end plate for fuel cells has the following beneficial effects: by setting a double-layer sealing assembly on the inlet end plate, the sealing performance and stability of the fuel cell are significantly improved. The coordinated work of the inner and outer sealing assemblies not only allows it to withstand greater pressure and wear, but also ensures that the outer sealing assembly continues to maintain a certain sealing effect when the inner sealing assembly fails, thereby extending the service life of the entire assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air inlet end plate for a fuel cell according to the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the middle end plate body of the air inlet end plate for a fuel cell according to the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an air inlet end plate for a fuel cell according to the present invention.

[0034] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A magnified view of a section at point C;

[0035] In the figure: 1. End plate body; 2. Gas and liquid inlet / outlet; 3. Inner sealing assembly; 31. Inner sealing ring groove; 32. Inner sealing element; 4. Outer sealing assembly; 41. Outer sealing ring groove; 42. Outer sealing element.

[0036] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this utility model will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0038] It should be noted that if the embodiments of this utility model involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0039] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this utility model involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0040] This invention proposes an air inlet end plate for fuel cells.

[0041] Reference Figures 1 to 6 In one embodiment of this utility model, an air inlet end plate for a fuel cell includes: an end plate body 1, an inner sealing assembly 3, and an outer sealing assembly 4. The end plate body 1 has gas-liquid inlets and outlets 2, which include an air inlet, a water inlet, a hydrogen inlet, an air outlet, a water outlet, and a hydrogen outlet. The inner sealing assembly 3 is disposed on the end plate body 1 corresponding to the gas-liquid inlet and outlet 2. The outer sealing assembly 4 is disposed on the end plate body 1 corresponding to the inner sealing assembly 3, with the inner sealing assembly 3 located inside the outer sealing assembly 4. Both the inner sealing assembly 3 and the outer sealing assembly 4 are located on the same side of the end plate body 1, and the upper surfaces of both the inner and outer sealing assemblies are higher than the surface of the end plate body 1. The height of the upper surface of the inner sealing assembly 3 is greater than the height of the upper surface of the outer sealing assembly 4. The arrangement of the inner sealing assembly 3 and the outer sealing assembly 4 achieves double sealing, effectively improving the sealing performance and stability of the fuel cell and reducing the risk of gas-liquid leakage. Simultaneously, the outer sealing assembly 4 also provides protection for the inner sealing assembly 3. By setting the height of the upper surface of the inner sealing component 3 to be greater than the height of the upper surface of the outer sealing component 4, it is ensured that the inner sealing component 3 can contact the air distribution manifold first, so that it can undertake the main sealing function, while the outer sealing component 4 can play the role of protecting the inner sealing component 3.

[0042] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 In one embodiment, the inner sealing assembly 3 includes an inner sealing ring groove 31 and an inner sealing element 32. The inner sealing ring groove 31 is arranged around the gas-liquid inlet / outlet 2, and the inner sealing element 32 is disposed within the inner sealing ring groove 31. The size and shape of the inner sealing element 32 correspond to the size and shape of the inner sealing ring groove 31, and the thickness of the inner sealing element 32 is greater than the depth of the inner sealing ring groove 31. Through the arrangement of the inner sealing ring groove 31 and the inner sealing element, the gas-liquid inlet / outlet 2 on the end plate body 1 is sealed to form a closed sealing environment, ensuring a sealing effect. The arrangement of the inner sealing element 32 and the inner sealing ring groove 31 ensures that the inner sealing element 32 has sufficient deformation space during compression, thereby guaranteeing sealing performance. The outer sealing assembly 4 includes an outer sealing ring groove 41 and an outer sealing element 42. The outer sealing ring groove 41 surrounds the inner sealing ring groove 31, effectively enclosing it. The outer sealing element 42 is disposed within the outer sealing ring groove 41. The size and shape of the outer sealing element 42 correspond to the size and shape of the outer sealing ring groove 41, and the thickness of the outer sealing element 42 is greater than the depth of the outer sealing ring groove 41. The outer sealing ring groove 41 and the outer sealing element 42 provide sealing protection for the inner sealing assembly 3, effectively extending its service life. Furthermore, when the inner sealing assembly 3 fails, the outer sealing assembly 4 can maintain a certain sealing effect, thereby extending the sealing time of the intake end plate. The outer sealing element 42 and the outer sealing ring groove 41 ensure that the outer sealing element 42 has sufficient deformation space during compression, effectively maintaining a sealing state under pressure. Both the outer sealing element 42 and the inner sealing element 32 are made of elastic materials. In this embodiment, both the inner sealing element 32 and the outer sealing element 42 are made of rubber sealing rings. In other embodiments, sealing rings made of elastic materials such as silicone and polyurethane can also be used. The specific type of elastic material is not limited here. Both the outer sealing element 42 and the inner sealing element 32 are made of elastic materials. When the air distribution manifold is installed, the outer sealing element 42 and the inner sealing element 32 can deform to provide sealing performance.

[0043] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6In one embodiment, when the inner sealing element 32 and the outer sealing element 42 are located in the inner sealing ring groove 31 and the outer sealing ring groove 41 respectively, the upper surface of the inner sealing element 32 is higher than the upper surface of the outer sealing element 42. By setting the height of the upper surface of the inner sealing element 32 to be greater than the height of the upper surface of the outer sealing element 42, it is ensured that the inner sealing element 32 contacts the air distribution manifold first when it is installed. This ensures that the inner sealing element 32 bears the main force during use, allowing it to perform its main sealing function. The outer sealing element 42 is mainly responsible for reducing the contact between the inner sealing element 32 and the air, so that the outer sealing element 42 can not only protect the inner sealing element 32 but also play an auxiliary sealing role. In this way, even if the inner sealing element 32 fails during use, the outer sealing element 42 can still perform a sealing function for a certain period of time. The compression ratio of the inner sealing element 32 within the inner sealing ring groove 31 must be greater than that of the outer sealing element 42 within the outer sealing ring groove 41. The formula for calculating the sealing ring compression ratio is: (h1-h2) / h1*100%, where h1 is the height of the sealing ring and h2 is the height of the sealing groove. Simultaneously, the filling rate of the outer sealing ring within the outer sealing ring groove 41 is close to that of the inner sealing ring within the inner sealing ring groove 31, and the difference between the two should not exceed 5%. If the difference in filling rates is too large, there is a risk of decreased sealing performance. The formula for calculating the sealing ring filling rate is: S1 / S2*100%, where S1 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the sealing ring and S2 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the sealing groove. This configuration ensures that the inner sealing element 32 provides a more effective sealing effect during use.

[0044] By incorporating a dual-layer sealing assembly on the intake end plate, the sealing performance and stability of the fuel cell are significantly improved. The coordinated operation of the inner sealing assembly 3 and the outer sealing assembly 4 not only allows the fuel cell to withstand greater pressure and wear, but also enables the outer sealing assembly 4 to maintain a certain sealing effect even if the inner sealing assembly 3 fails, thereby extending the service life of the entire assembly.

[0045] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and does not limit the patent scope of the present utility model. All equivalent structural transformations made under the inventive concept of the present utility model using the contents of the present utility model specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An inlet end plate for a fuel cell, characterized by, The utility model relates to an end plate body is provided with gas-liquid inlet and outlet, the inner layer sealing component is arranged in the end plate body corresponding gas-liquid inlet and outlet, the outer layer sealing component is arranged in the end plate body corresponding the inner layer sealing component, the inner layer sealing component is located in the outer layer sealing component, wherein, the inner layer sealing component and the outer layer sealing component are located on the same side of the end plate body, and the upper surface of the inner layer sealing component and the upper surface of the outer layer sealing component are higher than the surface of the end plate body. The height of the upper surface of the inner layer sealing component is greater than the height of the upper surface of the outer layer sealing component. The inner layer sealing component includes an inner layer sealing ring groove and an inner layer sealing piece, the inner layer sealing ring groove is arranged around the gas-liquid inlet and outlet, and the inner layer sealing piece is arranged in the inner layer sealing ring groove. The outer layer sealing component includes an outer layer sealing ring groove and an outer layer sealing piece, the outer layer sealing ring groove is arranged around the inner layer sealing component, and the outer layer sealing piece is arranged in the outer layer sealing ring groove. When the inner layer sealing piece and the outer layer sealing piece are located in the inner layer sealing ring groove and the outer layer sealing ring groove respectively, the upper surface of the inner layer sealing piece is higher than the upper surface of the outer layer sealing piece.

2. The gas inlet end plate for a fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized by: The size and shape of the inner layer sealing piece correspond to the size and shape of the inner layer sealing ring groove, and the thickness of the inner layer sealing piece is greater than the depth of the inner layer sealing ring groove.

3. The gas inlet end plate for a fuel cell of claim 2, wherein: The size and shape of the outer layer sealing piece correspond to the size and shape of the outer layer sealing ring groove, and the thickness of the outer layer sealing piece is greater than the depth of the outer layer sealing ring groove.

4. The gas inlet end plate for a fuel cell of claim 3, wherein: Both the inner layer sealing piece and the outer layer sealing piece are made of elastic material.

5. The gas inlet end plate for a fuel cell of claim 3, wherein: The compression rate of the inner layer sealing piece in the inner layer sealing ring groove is greater than the compression rate of the outer layer sealing piece in the outer layer sealing ring groove.

6. The gas inlet end plate for a fuel cell of claim 3, wherein: ​ 7. The gas inlet end plate for a fuel cell of claim 4, wherein: ​ 8. The gas inlet end plate for a fuel cell of claim 4, wherein: ​ 9. The gas inlet end plate for a fuel cell of claim 4, wherein: ​

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