Device for a fuel cell, fuel cell and method for manufacturing a device

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (100) for a fuel cell (200), comprising: - at least one first molded part (10), wherein the at least one first molded part (10) is shaped such that at least one channel (11) for guiding a fuel is formed through the mold, - at least one further molded part (20), wherein the at least one further molded part (20) is shaped such that at least one channel (21) for guiding an oxidizing agent is formed through the mold, wherein the at least one first molded part (10) is connected to the at least one further molded part (20) such that at least one cavity (30) for receiving a refrigerant is formed between the molded parts (10, 20), wherein the at least one cavity (30) is designed as a heat pipe, and a fuel cell (200) and a method for manufacturing a device (100).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for a fuel cell, a fuel cell and a method for manufacturing a device.

[0002] For efficient operation and a long service life of a fuel cell, it is important to regulate the temperature within the fuel cell. This is because the electrochemical reactions occurring during operation generate uneven waste heat. This leads to an inhomogeneous temperature field within the fuel cell, which in turn can result in reduced energy efficiency and a shortened service life.

[0003] From US patent 2005 / 0 037 253 A1, a connecting plate for a fuel cell is known, in which a heat pipe for regulating the temperature inside the fuel cell is integrated.

[0004] However, the connecting plate known from the prior art is cumbersome to manufacture and therefore expensive to produce. This disadvantage is particularly significant because, for example, several hundred such connecting plates are needed for a fuel cell in an electric vehicle to connect the fuel cell units in series and provide the electrical voltage required in the electric vehicle.

[0005] A generic device is known from CN 1 14 300 704 A, wherein the walls forming the cavity have a porous structure.

[0006] From DE 196 02 315 A1 a liquid-cooled fuel cell is known, comprising a cathode, an electrolyte and an anode, wherein at least one distribution channel is provided for supplying the cell surface with medium, which is arranged in the cell surface in such a way that the supply of the cell surface with medium is made from this distribution channel and along the edge of the cell surface.

[0007] The technical problem is to create a device for a fuel cell and a fuel cell itself that are simple and inexpensive to manufacture. In particular, a method for manufacturing such a device should be developed.

[0008] The solution to the technical problem is provided by the articles with the features of the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0009] A device for a fuel cell is proposed, comprising: - at least one first molded part, wherein the at least one first molded part is shaped such that at least one channel for guiding a fuel is formed through the mold, - at least one further molded part, wherein the at least one further molded part is shaped in such a way that at least one channel for guiding an oxidizing agent is formed through the mold, wherein the at least one first molded part is connected to the at least one further molded part in such a way that at least one cavity for receiving a refrigerant is formed between the molded parts, wherein the at least one cavity is designed as a heat pipe.

[0010] The device combines the functions of a connecting plate and a heat pipe. In contrast to the prior art, this device offers the advantage of simple and inexpensive manufacturing. This advantage is achieved because the molded parts, by their very shape, form both the channel walls for guiding the reactants and the cavity walls, thus eliminating the need for additional manufacturing steps such as drilling or milling to create the channel walls or the cavity. Since the cavity formed by the molded parts functions as a heat pipe, the device can be used effectively to regulate the temperature within the fuel cell. This creates a homogeneous temperature field within the fuel cell, improving its energy efficiency and lifespan.

[0011] A further proposal is a fuel cell comprising at least one device according to an embodiment described in this disclosure. The fuel cell is designed, for example, for use in a vehicle, in particular an aircraft. The fuel cell can have one or more cell units. The cell unit can also be referred to as a membrane electrode assembly. The electrochemical reactions between the fuel and the oxidant take place in the cell units. The device can be arranged as a connecting plate between two adjacent cell units to electrically connect the cell units and to supply the reactants via the channels.

[0012] A further proposed method for manufacturing a device for a fuel cell comprises the following steps: - Forming at least one first blank into at least one first molded part, - Forming at least one further blank into at least one further molded part, - Connecting the at least one first molded part with the at least one further molded part, such that at least one cavity for receiving a refrigerant is formed between the molded parts, - Filling at least one cavity with the refrigerant, - Sealing at least one cavity so that the cavity forms a heat pipe.

[0013] The blanks can be made from rolled sheet metal. The forming of the respective blanks can be carried out by deep drawing or bending. The formed parts can be joined by welding, in particular laser welding. Before filling, the cavity can be vacuum-sealed. The cavity can be filled, for example, at a still open seam between the formed parts. A valve can be inserted into the device for filling and subsequent sealing, for example, at the open seam. The valve can be opened, for example, to fill the cavity and closed to seal it. Alternatively, to seal the cavity, the still open seam can be closed after filling, in particular by further welding.

[0014] The technical effects and advantages mentioned in this disclosure for the device naturally also extend to the fuel cell and the method for manufacturing the device, and vice versa.

[0015] The components can be made of a metallic material, e.g., steel or titanium. The components are, in particular, electrically conductive. The components can each have a thickness of less than 0.5 millimeters, especially less than 0.2 millimeters. This reduces the electrical resistance generated by the device between the cell units.

[0016] The first molded part can form a front side of the device. The next molded part can form a back side of the device, or vice versa. The first molded part can adjoin a first cell unit. The next molded part can adjoin another cell unit.

[0017] The channels run, for example, along the front and back of the device. These channels serve to distribute the reactants, i.e., the fuel or oxidizer, in order to supply the distributed reactants to the cell units.

[0018] The fuel can be, for example, hydrogen, methane, methanol, or another conventional fuel for fuel cells. The oxidizing agent can be, for example, the oxygen contained in air. Naturally, air can also serve as the oxidizing agent.

[0019] The refrigerant can be, for example, water, ammonia, or another conventional refrigerant for heat pipes. The refrigerant can exist in multiple phases, such as liquid and vapor or gaseous. The refrigerant can be enclosed within the cavity so that it cannot escape during normal operation.

[0020] The cavity acts as a heat conduit to regulate the temperature of the fuel cell. This is achieved through heat transfer within the cavity via the evaporation and condensation of the refrigerant. The refrigerant evaporates, for example, in a region of the cavity that is already warmed by the waste heat generated during operation of the fuel cell. Due to pressure differences, the resulting vapor can move to a colder area of ​​the cavity, condense there, and thus transport the heat. The condensed refrigerant is then transported to other areas, particularly warmer areas, of the cavity, for example, by incoming vapor and / or capillary action, allowing the described heat transfer to begin anew. The cavity's function as a heat conduit has the particular advantage that no additional pump or similar equipment is required for heat transfer. This increases the energy efficiency of the fuel cell.

[0021] The cavity is specifically free of material; that is, it is not filled with any material, such as a wicking material. The cavity functioning as a heat tube can therefore also be described as a pulsating or oscillating heat tube.

[0022] The cavity can, in particular, have a closed shape, e.g., O-shaped or meandering, within the device. This allows the refrigerant to circulate or oscillate within the device. Furthermore, the waste heat can be distributed particularly evenly across the entire surface of the device.

[0023] The device comprises at least one heating element, configured to heat the refrigerant by means of this heating element in order to increase the temperature of the fuel cell. In this way, the device can be used to preheat the fuel cell. This can, for example, accelerate the fuel cell's start-up process. The device can include a control unit, such as a microcontroller, for controlling the heating element. The heating element can be an electrical resistor that generates heat from electrical energy. The heating element can be arranged, in particular, outside the fuel cell, for example, in or on the outer section described above. This means the heating element does not occupy any installation space within the fuel cell. The device can be used, in particular, to raise the fuel cell temperature from an ambient temperature (start-up temperature) of, for example,The temperature can be increased from 20°C to an operating temperature (target temperature) of, for example, 140°C. For this purpose, the previously explained operating principle of the heat pipe can be reversed, so that the refrigerant transports heat from the heating element to the cell units of the fuel cell.

[0024] In one embodiment, the at least one cavity shares at least the following wall sections with the channels: - at least one first wall section with at least one channel for guiding the fuel and - at least one further wall section with at least one channel for guiding the oxidizing agent.

[0025] In this way, the weight of the device can be reduced, as redundant wall material is saved. Furthermore, the installation space of the device is used effectively. If the cavity's path is meandering, for example, then the space between adjacent meanders of the cavity can form the channels. This will be explained in more detail below.

[0026] In one embodiment, the connected molded parts have a cross-section with a honeycomb structure. This particularly improves the rigidity of the device while optimally utilizing the installation space. For example, a hexagonal cross-section of the cavity can form at least one full honeycomb of the honeycomb structure, and the cross-sections of the adjacent channels can form two half-honeycombs of the honeycomb structure, e.g., one half-honeycomb at the front of the device and one half-honeycomb at the rear of the device. Alternatively, the cavity can also have a round cross-section.

[0027] In one embodiment, the at least one cavity has a diameter of less than two millimeters and / or a cross-sectional area of ​​less than four square millimeters, in particular less than 3.15 square millimeters. Tests have shown that the small diameter and / or the small cross-sectional area is / are particularly advantageous for the previously described operation of the heat pipe. This is because the capillary effect is particularly strong at these dimensions, which in turn promotes rapid heat transfer. The diameter of the cavity is, for example, the smallest internal distance between two opposite sides of the cross-sectional area. The diameter of the cavity is, in particular, less than: Diameter < 2 * √(Sigma / (Rho_fluid −Rho_gas) * g)) where "Sigma" is the surface tension of the refrigerant, "Rho_fluid" is the density of the refrigerant in the liquid state, "Rho_gas" is the density of the refrigerant in the gaseous state, and "g" is the acceleration due to gravity. In particular, the hydraulic diameter of the cavity is smaller than the diameter determined according to formula (1).

[0028] The hydraulic diameter can in turn be determined as: Hydraulic diameter = 4*A / U where "A" is the cross-sectional area of ​​the cavity and "U" is the wetted perimeter of the cavity. This allows the parameters "A" and "U" of the cavity to be designed such that the diameter of the cavity is smaller than the value determined according to (Formula 1).

[0029] In one embodiment, at least one inner section of the device is designed for placement inside the fuel cell, and at least one outer section is designed for placement outside the fuel cell. In this way, the waste heat can not only be distributed within the fuel cell by means of the device, but it can even be effectively removed from the fuel cell. This is because the inner section can, for example, function as an evaporator, while the outer section can function as a condenser.

[0030] The outer section can be surrounded by air or another coolant. In particular, the outer section can be connected to a coolant-operated heat exchanger and / or an air blower for removing waste heat from the fuel cell.

[0031] In one embodiment, at least one wall section of the at least one cavity has a flat surface for the area-wide attachment of at least one fuel cell unit. This maximizes the surface area for transferring waste heat from the cell unit into the cavity. The wall section can, for example, be a section of the first molded part or a subsequent molded part that separates two adjacent channels. The cell unit can be attached to the device, for example, by pressing it against the wall. For instance, several cell units and devices within the fuel cell are pressed together by a screw connection. Because the attachment is area-wide, the cell unit is protected from damage caused by point loads during the process.

[0032] In one embodiment, the device has at least one sensor for monitoring the refrigerant. This allows monitoring of the refrigerant's operating state, as the temperature, pressure, and / or phase state of the refrigerant correlate with the device's ability to regulate the fuel cell's temperature. The sensor can be, for example, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and / or a sensor for monitoring the refrigerant's phase state. The sensor can be located, in particular, within the at least one cavity. This allows the sensor to be in direct contact with the refrigerant to obtain the most accurate sensor readings possible. Specifically, the device is designed to control the fuel and / or oxidizer supply based on a sensor reading from the at least one sensor. For this purpose, the device 100 can include the control unit described above.For example, the supply of fuel and / or oxidizer can be reduced if the sensor reading exceeds a pre-known threshold. Furthermore, the device can include a pressure relief valve to release the refrigerant from the cavity if the sensor reading exceeds the threshold. This protects the device from damage. The opening of the pressure relief valve can also be controlled by the device.

[0033] The invention is explained in more detail using exemplary embodiments. The figures show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a device in a cross-sectional view, Fig. 2 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a device in a top view, Fig. 3-A a schematic representation of an embodiment of a fuel cell with multiple devices in a side view, Fig. 3-B a schematic representation of another embodiment of a fuel cell with multiple devices in a side view, Fig. 4 a schematic representation of another embodiment of a fuel cell with several devices in a side view and Fig. 5 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a device.

[0034] In the following, identical reference symbols denote elements with the same technical characteristics.

[0035] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a device 100 in a cross-sectional view.

[0036] For a better understanding of device 100, see in Fig. 1. A Cartesian coordinate system is drawn. One vertical axis Z of the coordinate system is oriented, for example, against the force of gravity. A transverse axis Y is oriented orthogonally to the vertical axis Z and orthogonally to a longitudinal axis X. The longitudinal axis X is also oriented orthogonally to the vertical axis Z and, together with the transverse axis Y, defines a section plane AA of the cross-sectional view.

[0037] In Fig. Figure 1 shows an enlarged section G of the device 100. The device 100 serves as an electrically conductive connecting plate between two cell units 210, 220 designed as membrane electrode units of a fuel cell 200.

[0038] The device 100 comprises two shaped parts 10, 20 made of, for example, rolled sheet metal with a thickness T of, for example, 0.2 millimeters. The shaped parts 10, 20 are, for example, deep-drawn into the Fig. The shape shown in Figure 1 has been formed. The shape of the first molded part 10 creates several channels 11 on a front side 101 of the device 100 – i.e., the side of the device 100 adjacent to the cell unit 210 – for guiding and distributing a fuel such as hydrogen. Simultaneously, the shape of the further molded part 20 creates several channels 21 on a rear side 102 of the device 100 – i.e., the side of the device 100 adjacent to the cell unit 220 – for guiding and distributing an oxidizing agent such as oxygen.

[0039] The molded parts 10, 20 are connected to each other along a connecting line V, e.g. by a weld, such that a cross-section with a honeycomb structure is created. This is because a cavity 30 with several meanders 31, 33 is formed between the connected molded parts 10, 20 (cf. Fig. 2), each having a hexagonal cross-sectional area Q. These meanders 31, 33 thus form complete honeycombs of the cross-section. In the in Fig. In section G shown in Figure 1, the two adjacent meanders 31, 33 of the cavity 30 are separated from each other by an intermediate space 32, which forms two half-honeycombs of the cross-section. This intermediate space 32 is used at the front 101 of the device 100 as the previously described channel 11 and at the rear 102 of the device 100 as the previously described channel 21. The honeycomb structure of the device 100 can, of course, continue to the left and right along the transverse axis Y.

[0040] The meander 31 of the cavity 30 shares at least a first wall section W1 with the channel 11 and at least a further wall section W2 with the channel 21. The thickness T and a width B1, B2 of the wall sections W1, W2 are defined by the molded parts 10, 20.

[0041] The hexagonal cross-sectional area Q of meander 31 in cavity 30 is less than four square millimeters and has a diameter D of, for example, less than two millimeters. This can also apply to meander 33. Meanders 31 and 33 can, for example, be located on a bottom side (in Fig. 1 not shown) and / or on a top side (in Fig. (1 not shown) of the device 100 are connected to each other so that the cavity 30 has a closed course.

[0042] The cavity 30 is filled with a refrigerant (not shown) such as water, so that the cavity 30 acts as a heat pipe to passively cool the fuel cell 200 without the use of a circulation pump or similar.

[0043] Another wall section W3 of the cavity 30 – with a width B3 and a thickness T – borders directly on the rear side 102 of the device 100. Wall section W3 has a flat surface F and serves to connect the cell unit 220 of the fuel cell 200 to it. This allows waste heat from the cell unit 220 to be transferred directly to the refrigerant in the cavity 30. The same applies to another wall section between the cavity and the front side 101 of the device 100.

[0044] In summary, the device 100 combines the function of a connecting plate with the function of a heat pipe. At the same time, the device 100 is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, since the molded parts 10 and 20, by virtue of their shape, form both the channel walls for guiding the reaction agents and the cavity walls of the cavity, thus eliminating the need for additional manufacturing steps such as drilling or milling to produce the channels 11 and 21 or the cavity 30.

[0045] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a fuel cell 200 with a device 100 in a top view in a plane spanned by the transverse axis Y and the vertical axis Z. Fig. Figure 2 thus shows a front side 101 of the device 100.

[0046] Referring to Fig. 1 is in Fig. 2 a section line of the section plane AA and the enlarged section G are marked.

[0047] In Fig. 2 is in contrast to Fig. 1 The meandering course of the cavity 30, as already described, is recognizable. The meanders 31, 33 of the cavity 30 are fluidically connected to each other, for example, at a top 103 and a bottom 104 of the device 100 by U-shaped siphons, in order to ensure a closed course of the cavity 30.

[0048] Furthermore, in Fig. 2. It is evident that the device 100 has an inner section A1 and an outer section A2. The inner section A1 is designed for arrangement in an inner region E1 of the fuel cell 200. The outer section A2 of the device 100, on the other hand, is designed for arrangement in an outer region E2 outside the fuel cell 200. This is because the components already present in the inner region E1 of the fuel cell 200 are... Fig. The cell units 210 and 220 described in Section 1 are arranged to be protected from overheating. The inner section A1 of the device 100 can, for example, function as an evaporator, while the outer section A2 can function as a condenser. The outer section A2 can, for example, be surrounded by air or another coolant. In this way, the waste heat can not only be better distributed within the fuel cell 200 by means of the device 100, but the heat can even be effectively dissipated from the inner area E1 of the fuel cell 200.

[0049] The device 100 can have an inlet 60 at an upper end of the inner section A1 for introducing fuel into the channels 11 at the front 101 of the device 100. Furthermore, the device 100 can have an inlet 80 at the upper end of the inner section A1 for introducing an oxidizing agent into the channels 21 at a rear 102 of the device 100 (see Figure 100). Fig. 1) Associated outlets 70, 90 are, for example, located at a lower end of the inner section A1. The meanders 31, 33 of the cavity 30 may be slightly constricted in their diameter D along the transverse axis Y to allow the introduction and exit of the reaction agents into all channels 11, 21 of the device 100. One area of ​​constriction is in Fig. 2 e.g. by two dashed lines between the inlets 60, 80 at the upper end of the inner section A1 and the outlets 70, 90 at the lower end of the inner section A1.

[0050] In the outer section A2 of the device 100, a heating element 40, designed as an electrical resistor, extends along the transverse axis Y over the meanders 31, 33 of the cavity 30. The device 100 is specifically designed to heat the refrigerant in the outer section A1 by means of the heating element 40 in order to increase the temperature of the fuel cell from, for example, 20°C to 140°C. In this way, the device 100 can be used to preheat the fuel cell 200. The device 100 can include a control unit 55, for example, designed as a microcontroller, to control the heating element 40.

[0051] Furthermore, the device 100 can have at least one sensor 50 designed as a conductivity sensor for monitoring a phase state of the refrigerant. For example, the frequency of a change in the phase state is monitored, as this allows conclusions to be drawn about the current operating point of the heat pipe. The sensor 50 can also extend along the meanders 31, 33 along the transverse axis Y. For each meander 31, 33, a sensor value can be determined depending on the current conductivity of the refrigerant, which indicates a current phase state of the refrigerant. In this way, the current heat transfer capacity of the device 100 can be quantified. Furthermore, the device 100 can be configured to control a fuel and / or oxidant supply at the inlets 60, 80 of the device 100 depending on a sensor value of the at least one sensor 50.The control unit 55 can also be used for monitoring and control.

[0052] Fig. Figure 3-A shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a fuel cell 200 with several devices 100 to 140 in a side view. The side view is oriented in a plane spanned by the longitudinal axis X and the vertical axis Z.

[0053] Devices 100 to 140 are arranged along the longitudinal axis X to electrically connect cell units 210 and 220. Each device 100 to 140 has an inner section A1 and an outer section A2. The inner section A1 is located in an interior area E1 of fuel cell 200. The outer section A2, on the other hand, is located in an exterior area E2 outside fuel cell 200, so that devices 100 to 140 can dissipate waste heat from the interior area E1 of fuel cell 200.

[0054] Fig. Figure 3-B shows a schematic representation of another embodiment of a fuel cell 200 with several devices 100 to 140 in a side view.

[0055] As opposed to Fig. In section 3-A, not all outer sections A2 of devices 100 to 140 are arranged in the outer area E2, but rather the outer sections A2 of devices 110 and 130 are arranged in a further outer area E3 outside the fuel cell 200, opposite the first outer area E2. In other words, devices 100 to 140 are arranged alternately, thus enabling effective heat dissipation on both sides of the fuel cell 200.

[0056] Fig. Figure 4 shows a schematic representation of another embodiment of a fuel cell 200 with several devices 100 to 140 in a side view.

[0057] In contrast to the one in Fig. The embodiment of the fuel cell 200 shown in 3-B is in Fig. The following four aspects are recognizable.

[0058] Firstly, the devices 100, 120, and 140 have outer sections A2, the free ends of which are each secured. Specifically, the free ends are fastened to a bearing 255 by a fastening 250 designed as an electrically insulated screw connection. The bearing 255 can, for example, be a housing wall of the fuel cell 200. The fastening 250 of the outer sections A2 ensures that the devices 100, 120, and 140 are more stably mounted. Secondly, it prevents the risk of short circuits, as the devices 100, 120, and 140 cannot touch each other during operation.

[0059] Secondly, insulating stiffeners 230 are attached between the devices 100, 120, 140 along the longitudinal axis X; these stiffeners can also function as cooling fins. The stiffeners 230 can, for example, be made of ceramic.

[0060] Furthermore, the devices 100, 120, 140 can have cooling fins 240 circumferential along the respective outer section A2.

[0061] Fig. Figure 5 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a device 100. The method comprises several steps S1 to S5, which are explained below.

[0062] In step S1, a first blank is formed into a first shaped part 10, e.g. by deep drawing. The first blank can consist, for example, of rolled steel sheet with a thickness T of less than 0.5 millimeters (cf. Fig. 1).

[0063] In step S2, another blank is formed into another molded part 20, e.g. by deep drawing. In particular, the first blank and the further blank can be formed in the same machine, since the shape of the molded parts 10, 20 corresponds to each other (cf. Fig. 1).

[0064] In step S3, the first molded part 10 is joined to the further molded part 20, e.g. by laser welding along a connecting line V (see. Fig. 1) joined by material bonding, so that a continuous cavity 30 is formed between the molded parts 10, 20 for receiving a refrigerant.

[0065] In step S4, the cavity 30 is filled with the refrigerant. For this purpose, a valve (not shown) is inserted into the device 100, which connects the cavity 30 to the surrounding environment in a resealable manner. Water, for example, can then be filled into the cavity 30 as a refrigerant via the valve.

[0066] In step S5, the cavity 30 is sealed so that the refrigerant cannot escape from the cavity 30 during operation. Sealing can be achieved, for example, by closing the valve. Alternatively, a section along the connection line V, which was used for filling, can be sealed by further laser welding. This makes the cavity 30 function as a heat pipe within the device 100. Reference symbol list 10 first molded part 11 Channel for fuel 20 more molded parts 21 Channel for oxidizing agent 30 cavity 40 heating elements 50 Sensor 55 Control unit 60 Fuel inlet 70 Fuel outlet 80 Inlet for oxidizing agent 90 Outlet for oxidizing agent 100 Device 101 Front 102 Back 103 Top 104 Underside 110 to 140 additional devices 200 fuel cell 210 first cell unit 220 additional cell units 230 stiffening 240 cooling fins 250 fastening 255 Storage AA section plane A1 inner section A2 outer section B1 to B3 width Diameter E1 Indoor E2 first outdoor area E3 further outdoor area F surface G neckline Q cross-sectional area W1 to W3 wall section S1 to S5 step T Thickness V connecting line X Longitudinal axis Y transverse axis Z vertical axis

Claims

[1] Device (100) for a fuel cell (200), comprising: - at least one first molded part (10), wherein the at least one first molded part (10) is shaped such that at least one channel (11) for guiding a fuel is formed through the mold, - at least one further molded part (20), wherein the at least one further molded part (20) is shaped such that at least one channel (21) for guiding an oxidizing agent is formed through the mold, wherein the at least one first molded part (10) is connected to the at least one further molded part (20) such that at least one cavity (30) for receiving a refrigerant is formed between the molded parts (10, 20), wherein the at least one cavity (30) is designed as a heat pipe characterized bythat the device (100) has at least one heating element (40), wherein the device (100) is designed to heat the refrigerant by means of the at least one heating element (40) in order to increase the temperature of the fuel cell (200). [2] Device (100) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the at least one cavity (30) shares at least the following wall sections (W1, W2) with the channels (11, 21): - at least one first wall section (W1) with at least one channel (11) for guiding the fuel and - at least one further wall section (W2) with at least one channel (21) for guiding the oxidizing agent. [3] Device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the connected molded parts (10, 20) have a cross-section with a honeycomb structure. [4] Device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the at least one cavity (30) has a diameter (D) of less than two millimeters and / or the at least one cavity (30) has a cross-sectional area (Q) of less than four square millimeters. [5] Device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that at least one inner section (A1) of the device (100) is designed for arrangement inside the fuel cell (200) and at least one outer section (A2) of the device (100) is designed for arrangement outside the fuel cell (200). [6] Device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that at least one wall section (W3) of the at least one cavity (30) has a flat surface (F) for the planar attachment of at least one cell unit (210, 220) of the fuel cell (200). [7] Device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the device (100) has at least one sensor (50) for monitoring the refrigerant. [8] Fuel cell (200) comprising at least one device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7. [9] Method for manufacturing a device (100) for a fuel cell (200), comprising the steps: - Forming (S1) at least one first blank into at least one first molded part (10), - Forming (S2) at least one further blank into at least one further molded part (20), - Connecting (S3) the at least one first molded part (10) with the at least one further molded part (20), such that at least one cavity (30) for receiving a refrigerant is formed between the molded parts (10, 20), - Filling (S4) the at least one cavity (30) with the refrigerant, - Closing (S5) the at least one cavity (30) so that the cavity (30) forms a heat pipe, - Provision of a heating element (40) for heating the refrigerant.

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