Fastening assembly, fuel cell module and vehicle

Abstract

A fastening assembly, a fuel cell module and a vehicle. The fastening assembly comprises a housing and two or more cross beams arranged in the housing, wherein the two or more cross beams are located at one end of the housing, and two ends of each of the two or more cross beams are both limited by means of the housing, such that the housing applies a fastening force in a stacking direction onto a fuel cell stack by means of the cross beams, thereby achieving enclosure packaging. A press-fitting force of a pressing machine is transferred by means of several cross beams arranged at one end of the stack, and the several cross beams that are distributed at intervals form a limiting surface to jointly apply the fastening force to the stack, thus ensuring uniform stress distribution across the stack. Since the cross beams are distributed at intervals, gaps between the cross beams can be configured to allow a pressing head of the pressing machine to pass through same, without affecting a press-fitting operation of the pressing machine.

Description

Fastening assembly, fuel cell module, and vehicle

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202410333574.4 filed on March 22, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application belongs to the field of fuel cell technology, and specifically relates to a fastening assembly, a fuel cell module, and a vehicle. Background Art

[0004] Fuel cell stacks are composed of multiple cells connected in series, with components such as collector plates, insulation plates, intake end plates, and blind end plates distributed at both ends. These require a certain amount of press-fitting force to be applied by packaging components such as tie rods, steel strips, and screws, or by using a monolithic package, where the outer casing provides the press-fitting force. Monolithic packaging offers numerous advantages, including reducing the number and variety of stack components, simplifying assembly, improving production efficiency, and enhancing stack reliability. It has gradually become the mainstream packaging technology for fuel cell stacks.

[0005] However, unlike several scattered packaging components such as tie rods, steel strips, and screws, box packaging uses the fuel cell shell to provide fastening force. It is necessary to consider how to transfer the pressing force from the press to the packaging components. This is also a difficult problem that urgently needs to be solved in the industry.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] In order to solve the technical problem of how to transfer the pressing force from the press to the packaged parts during box packaging, the present application provides a fastening assembly, a fuel cell module and a vehicle.

[0008] In a first aspect of the present application, a fastening assembly is provided for use in a fuel cell, comprising a shell and two or more cross beams arranged in the shell; the two or more cross beams are located at one end of the shell and are spaced apart along one side of the shell; both ends of the two or more cross beams are limited by the shell, so that the shell applies a fastening force along the stacking direction to the fuel cell stack through the cross beams.

[0009] In some optimized technical solutions, an opening is provided on one side surface of the shell, and the two or more crossbeams are positioned opposite to the opening, so that the two or more crossbeams can be inserted into the shell through the opening.

[0010] In some optimized technical solutions, the housing includes:

[0011] The frame has an air inlet port and a blind port at both ends, and one side thereof is provided with the opening;

[0012] an upper cover plate connected to the frame and covering the opening;

[0013] An air intake side plate connected to the frame and covering the air intake port;

[0014] The blind end side plate is connected to the frame and covers the blind end port; the two or more beams are all close to the blind end side plate.

[0015] In some optimized technical solutions, one side surface of the frame is provided with one or more longitudinal beams, and the one or more longitudinal beams are all located in the opening and are staggered with the two or more transverse beams.

[0016] In some optimized technical solutions, the frame is provided with a plurality of bosses spaced apart along the distribution direction of the beams, and each beam is sandwiched between two adjacent bosses; the height of the boss is not greater than the thickness of the beam.

[0017] In some optimized technical solutions, the fastening assembly further includes a plurality of shock-absorbing columns distributed at intervals, and the plurality of shock-absorbing columns are staggered with the two or more beams; the plurality of shock-absorbing columns are all connected to the blind-end side plates to tighten the fuel cell stack.

[0018] In some optimized technical solutions, the distance between two adjacent crossbeams located in the middle is not greater than the distance between two adjacent crossbeams located at the edges.

[0019] In a second aspect of the present application, a fuel cell module is provided, comprising a fuel cell stack and the fastening assembly of the first aspect; the fuel cell stack is encapsulated in an inner cavity of a shell of the fastening assembly, and the shell applies a fastening force along the stacking direction to the fuel cell stack through the crossbeam.

[0020] In some optimized technical solutions, the air intake end plate of the fuel cell stack is connected to one side of the shell to form an air intake end side plate of the shell, and the air intake end plate, the shell and the crossbeam jointly apply a fastening force to the fuel cell stack along the stacking direction.

[0021] In some optimized technical solutions, the blind end plate assembly of the fuel cell stack is in contact with the crossbeam; the outer end surface of the blind end plate assembly is provided with grooves corresponding one-to-one to the crossbeam, and the crossbeam is located in the corresponding grooves; the groove depth of the groove is not greater than the thickness of the crossbeam.

[0022] In some optimized technical solutions, the fuel cell module also includes multiple insulating support members, which are located between the shell and the fuel cell stack and distributed on each side and / or corner of the fuel cell stack; at least one of the insulating support members is pressed against the crossbeam.

[0023] In a third aspect of the present application, a vehicle is provided, comprising the fuel cell module according to the second aspect.

[0024] According to one or more optimized technical solutions of the present application, a fastening assembly is provided, which includes a shell and two or more beams arranged in the shell; the two or more beams are located at one end of the shell, and both ends of the two or more beams are limited by the shell, so that the shell applies a fastening force along the stacking direction to the fuel cell stack through the beams, thereby realizing box packaging. The pressing force of the press is transferred by a number of beams arranged at one end of the stack, and a number of beams distributed at intervals form a limiting surface, which jointly apply a fastening force to the stack, and the force distribution of the stack is uniform. Since the beams are distributed at intervals, the intervals between them can be used for the pressure head of the press to pass through, which will not affect the pressing operation of the press.

[0025] According to the fuel cell module provided by one or more optimized technical solutions of the present application, due to the use of the above-mentioned fastening assembly, the shell applies a fastening force along the stacking direction to the fuel cell stack through the crossbeam, thereby realizing box packaging. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0027] FIG1 shows a schematic structural diagram of a fastening assembly after assembling a fuel cell stack in one or more embodiments of the present application.

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a left side view of the fastening assembly of FIG. 1 .

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a top view of the fastening assembly of FIG. 1 .

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a front view of the fastening assembly of FIG. 1 .

[0031] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the fastening assembly of FIG. 3 .

[0032] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of the fastening assembly of FIG. 3 .

[0033] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of the fastening assembly of FIG. 4 .

[0034] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line DD of the fastening assembly of FIG. 3 .

[0035] FIG9 shows a schematic structural diagram of a fuel cell module in one or more embodiments of the present application.

[0036] FIG. 10 shows an exploded view of the fuel cell module of FIG. 9 .

[0037] FIG11 shows an assembly structure diagram of a crossbeam and a disc spring support plate in a fuel cell module according to certain embodiments.

[0038] FIG12 shows a structural block diagram of a vehicle in one or more embodiments of the present application.

[0039] Explanation of the figure marks: 1100-fastening assembly, 11-insulating support, 11a-side support, 11b-corner support, 20-cross beam, 40-shock absorber column, 100-shell, 102-air inlet port, 103-blind port, 104-operating port, 105-high-pressure mounting hole, 106-opening, 107-side opening, 108-low-pressure mounting hole, 110-frame, 111-external protrusion, 112-longitudinal beam, 113-boss, 120-blind end side plate, 121-limiting column, 122-mounting platform, 130-upper cover, 140-side cover, 150-high-pressure operating cover, 160-mounting support foot, 170-air inlet end side plate. 1000-Fuel cell module, 200-Stack, 210-Intake end plate, 270-Blind end plate assembly, 271-Blind end plate, 272-Disc spring support plate, 273-Disc spring, 274-Limiting groove, 275-Limiting protrusion, 300-High-voltage assembly, 310-Copper busbar assembly, 320-Through terminal, 330-Nut, 340-High-voltage bolt. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In order to enable those skilled in the art to understand the present application more clearly, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0041] A fuel cell stack consists of multiple alternating membrane electrode and bipolar plates, with seals installed between them. Insulator plates, current collectors, and stack end plates are located at both ends of the core formed by the membrane electrode and bipolar plates to isolate high voltage, collect output energy, and provide tightening force. The stack end plates are fastened together using strapping, tie rods, screws, and other fastening mechanisms, or by a housing providing press-fitting force. Under the action of catalysts on the cathode and anode sides of the proton exchange membrane inside the membrane electrode, the cathode and anode reaction media undergo an electrochemical reaction, converting chemical energy into electrical energy.

[0042] In a certain fuel cell, the end closest to the reaction medium input is defined as the inlet end, and the end furthest from the reaction medium input is defined as the blind end. Accordingly, the end plate at the inlet end of the fuel cell stack is defined as the inlet end plate, and the end plate at the blind end is defined as the blind end end plate. In a conventional fuel cell stack, the inlet end plate, the inlet end insulation plate, the inlet end current collector, the core, the blind end current collector, the blind end insulation plate, and the blind end end plate are stacked in sequence. The direction in which the components of the fuel cell stack are stacked is defined as the stacking direction.

[0043] The specific definitions of the concepts such as "air inlet end", "blind end" and "stacking direction" in this application are as described above. For the convenience of expression, the abbreviations of the definitions are used in the following embodiments.

[0044] The first embodiment of the present application provides a fastening assembly for a fuel cell, wherein the fastening assembly applies a fastening force to the stack of the fuel cell along the stacking direction so that the stack is assembled in the housing of the fuel cell.

[0045] Please refer to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, which show schematic diagrams of the structure of the fastening assembly 1100 at different viewing angles. In some embodiments, the fastening assembly 1100 includes a shell 100 and two or more beams 20 provided in the shell 100. The two or more beams 20 are located at one end of the shell 100 and are spaced apart along one side of the shell 100. When the fuel cell stack 200 is assembled in the shell 100, the beams 20 are all located at the same end (the air inlet end or the blind end) of the stack 200. The spaced-apart beams form a limiting surface, which jointly apply a fastening force to the stack 200. Both ends of the two or more beams 20 are limited by the shell 100, so that the shell 100 applies a fastening force along the stacking direction to the stack 200 through the beams 20, so that the stack 200 maintains a compacted state after the press is withdrawn.

[0046] Both ends of the beam 20 are limited by the shell 100. Specifically, the beam 20 is limited by the shell 100 and will not move in the stacking direction. When the battery stack 200 is assembled in the shell 100, the middle part of the beam 20 squeezes the battery stack 200 and applies a tightening force to the battery stack 200 along the stacking direction. The battery stack 200 simultaneously applies a reaction force opposite to the tightening force to the beam 20, and the shell 100 applies a tightening force along the stacking direction to both ends of the beam 20. That is, the battery stack 200 and the shell 100 provide three force points. The force structure of the beam 20 is similar to a shoulder pole structure. On the one hand, it can stably constrain the beam 20, and on the other hand, it increases the force area of ​​the beam 20, which can improve the force uniformity of the beam 20 and the shell 100. On the other hand, the shoulder pole beam structure design of the beam 20 can realize bolt-free fixing of the beam 20, and it is easy to realize the step-by-step assembly of several beams 20, reducing the difficulty of assembly and maintenance and improving the production cycle. The shoulder-pole beam design of the crossbeam 20 can fix and constrain one side of the fuel cell stack through only a few beams, simplifying the fastening structure and reducing the cost of fuel cell stacking and packaging.

[0047] In some embodiments, both ends of the crossbeam 20 extend into the housing 100 and are constrained by the housing 100 to prevent displacement, thereby applying a tightening force along the stacking direction to the fuel cell stack 200. In other embodiments, the crossbeam 20 may be secured to the housing 100 using other fasteners. This application does not limit the specific method for retaining the crossbeam 20.

[0048] Because two or more crossbeams 20 are spaced apart, a tightening force can be applied to the entire surface of the end components of the stack 200, achieving uniform distribution of the press-fitting force. This can effectively reduce the problem of plate deformation caused by large press-fitting forces in high-power stacks 200. The crossbeams 20 can be parallel to the long or short sides of the bipolar plates of the stack 200. In some embodiments, the crossbeams 20 extend along the long sides of the bipolar plates, and the crossbeams 20 are spaced apart along the short sides of the bipolar plates. In other embodiments, the crossbeams 20 extend along the short sides of the bipolar plates, and the crossbeams 20 are spaced apart along the long sides of the bipolar plates, as shown in Figures 1 and 6.

[0049] Please refer to Figures 1, 6 and 7. In some embodiments, in order to improve uniformity, a number of beams 20 are arranged at intervals along the long side direction of the bipolar plate. The number and arrangement position of the beams 20 are determined based on the long side dimension of the blind end plate assembly 270, the pressing force value of the stack 200 and other factors. In some embodiments, the number of beams 20 is 3 to 5. The beams 20 can be evenly distributed at equal intervals or unevenly distributed. In some embodiments, the spacing between two adjacent beams 20 located in the middle is less than or equal to the spacing between two adjacent beams 20 located at the edge, so that the distribution of the beams 20 is dense in the middle and sparse at both ends. The beams 20 in the middle are relatively dense, which can provide a larger pressing force to the central area of ​​the stack 200. In combination with the shell 100 located at the edge of the stack 200, the pressing force can be evenly distributed on the entire end face.

[0050] In some embodiments, an opening is provided on one of the side surfaces of the shell 100. The opening can be provided on the other four side surfaces of the shell 100 except the air inlet end surface and the blind end surface. Each cross beam 20 is opposite to the opening so that each cross beam 20 can be inserted into the shell 100 through the opening. The provision of the opening facilitates the insertion of the cross beam 20 during the assembly process.

[0051] Referring to Figures 1 and 3 , in some embodiments, the upper surface of the housing 100 is provided with the opening 106. The housing 100 also includes an upper cover 130 that covers the opening 106. The upper surface of the housing 100 faces the large surface of the fuel cell stack 200 (the sides are respectively along the long sides of the bipolar plates and the stacking direction). Providing the opening 106 reduces the structural strength of the upper surface of the housing 100. To improve the strength of the housing 100, referring to Figures 1 and 3 , in some embodiments, the upper surface of the housing 100 is provided with one or more longitudinal beams 112 . The at least one longitudinal beam 112 is located in the opening 106 . The longitudinal beams 112 are staggered with the cross beams 20 . The cross beams 20 are inserted into the housing 100 through the space in the opening 106 not occupied by the longitudinal beams 112 .

[0052] Referring to Figures 1, 2, 8, 9, and 10, in some embodiments, the housing 100 employs a split structure, including a frame 110, an air inlet side panel 170, a blind end side panel 120, and an upper cover 130. The frame 110 is provided with an air inlet port 102, a blind end port 103, and an opening 106. The air inlet side panel 170, the blind end side panel 120, and the upper cover 130 are all connected to the frame 110 and cover the air inlet port 102, the blind end port 103, and the opening 106, respectively. The air inlet side panel 170 and the blind end side panel 120 form the two end panels of the housing 100, while the frame 110 forms the four side panels of the housing 100. Both ends of the crossbeam 20 extend into the frame 110.

[0053] Referring to Figures 3 and 7 , in some embodiments, the frame 110 is provided with multiple bosses 113 spaced apart along the distribution direction of the crossbeams 20. The bosses 113 are grouped in pairs, with each group of two bosses 113 forming a groove structure. Each crossbeam 20 is sandwiched between two adjacent bosses 113, enabling boltless fixing of the crossbeams 20 while preventing movement of the crossbeams 20 during vibration or impact. The height of the bosses 113 is no greater than the thickness of the crossbeam 20, ensuring that the crossbeam 20 can firmly contact the blind-end endplate assembly 270 of the stack 200.

[0054] Referring to Figures 5, 7, and 8, in some embodiments, the fuel cell module 1000 further includes a plurality of spaced-apart shock-absorbing columns 123, which are located between the housing 100 and the fuel cell stack 200 and pressed against the fuel cell stack 200. Each shock-absorbing column 123 is staggered with each crossbeam 20, as shown in Figure 7. The shock-absorbing columns 123 cooperate with the crossbeam 20 to apply a tightening force along the stacking direction to the fuel cell stack 200. The shock-absorbing columns 123 can exist independently of the fuel cell stack 200 and the housing 100, or they can be fixedly mounted on the housing 100. In some embodiments, the plurality of shock-absorbing columns 123 are connected to the blind-end side plate 120, which is provided with a plurality of mounting platforms 122, and the shock-absorbing columns 123 are mounted on the mounting platforms 122 by screws.

[0055] When assembling the battery stack 200, the shock-absorbing columns 123 are first assembled on the blind-end side plate 120, as shown in Figure 8, and then the blind-end side plate 120 is fastened to the frame 110. The initial height of the shock-absorbing columns 123 is greater than the distance between the blind-end side plate 120 and the disc spring support plate 272 after installation. Therefore, after the blind-end side plate 120 and the frame 110 are fastened, the shock-absorbing columns 123 will be squeezed by the disc spring support plate 272 and the blind-end side plate 120, thereby providing a reverse force to supplement the pressure force transferred by the crossbeam 20. The shock-absorbing columns 123 and the crossbeam 20 work together to achieve a uniform distribution of the pressure force, which can effectively reduce the problem of deformation of the disc spring support plate 272 caused by the high pressure force of the high-power battery stack. The number and layout of the shock-absorbing columns 123 are determined based on a comprehensive consideration of factors such as the long and short side dimensions of the disc spring support plate 272, the battery stack pressure force, and the stress-strain curve of the shock-absorbing columns 123.

[0056] In one related technology, when assembling the battery stack, while the press is pressing the battery stack core and maintaining a certain pressing force, the shell is fitted to the end plate on the blind end side of the battery stack to achieve the transfer of the press force. Due to the large number of battery cells in the battery stack, there will inevitably be manufacturing and assembly errors in the stacking direction dimensions after the batteries are stacked and pressed, and there will also be manufacturing errors in the stacking direction dimensions of the shell. Therefore, the fitting of the shell to the end plate on the blind end requires repeated attempts and assembly. In another related technology, by providing two shells with C-shaped cross-sections, the shell and the end plate are fitted together in the press-fit state, which also requires repeated attempts and assembly. In another related technology, by designing four clips on the blind end side, the assembly and disassembly process is simple and easy to operate, and the fuel cell stack unit can be quickly assembled and disassembled. However, this solution is only applicable to stacks with a small number of batteries. If the number of batteries increases to the point where the height difference before and after battery press-fitting is large, the height of the package flange of this solution needs to be increased simultaneously, resulting in a large waste of space. At the same time, the clips of this solution are arranged on the long and short sides of the end plate on the blind end side of the stack. The center of the blind end end plate of the stack will deform due to lack of support, which will affect the uniformity of the force distribution of the stack. In another related technology, when assembling the stack, a hole is opened in the shell near the blind end side of the stack to facilitate the passage of the press head, and a manipulator is used to clamp the shell during press-fitting. This design requires a larger press assembly space and places high demands on the flatness and verticality of the press head, the flatness and verticality of the shell, etc.

[0057] Compared to the above-mentioned related technologies, the fastening assembly 1000 provided in the present application transfers the pressing force of the press by means of a number of beams 20 arranged at one end of the battery stack. The number of beams 20 distributed at intervals form a limiting surface, which jointly apply a fastening force to the battery stack 200. The force distribution of the battery stack 200 is uniform, and there will be no central deformation. Since the beams 20 are arranged in the shell 100, between the shell 100 and the battery stack 200, and there is no connection between the beams 20 and the battery stack 200, the arrangement of the beams 20 is not affected by the dimensional error in the stacking direction of the battery stack and after pressing, and can effectively solve the problem of repeated assembly and debugging difficulties during the transfer of the pressing force. The beams 20 can always transfer the reaction force generated by the pressing of the battery stack 200 to the shell 100, thereby maintaining the stability of the fastening force. Moreover, since the beams 20 are distributed at intervals, the intervals between them can be used for the pressure head of the press to pass through, which will not affect the pressing operation of the press.

[0058] Please refer to Figures 9 and 10. The second embodiment of the present application provides a fuel cell module 1000, including a fuel cell stack 200 and a fastening assembly 1100 according to any embodiment of the first aspect. The fuel cell stack 200 can be completely encapsulated in the inner cavity of the shell 100, and the shell 100 and the crossbeam 20 apply a fastening force along the stacking direction to the fuel cell stack 200; the fuel cell stack 200 can also be partially encapsulated in the inner cavity of the shell 100, for example, the air intake end plate 210 of the fuel cell stack 200 is connected to one side of the shell 100 to form one of the end plates of the shell 100, and the air intake end plate 210, the shell 100 and the crossbeam 20 jointly apply a fastening force along the stacking direction to the fuel cell stack 200.

[0059] Referring to Figure 11 , in some embodiments, the outer end surface of the blind end plate assembly 270 of the fuel cell stack 200 is provided with a limiting groove 274 . The limiting grooves 274 can be provided on the outer end surface of the disc spring support plate 272 or the blind end plate 271. The limiting grooves 274 are located in the same position and number as the beams 20 . The beams 20 are disposed in corresponding limiting grooves 274 in a one-to-one correspondence. The limiting grooves 274 stabilize and constrain the beams 20 from multiple sides, further limiting movement of the beams 20 during vibration or impact. The depth of the limiting grooves 274 is no greater than the thickness of the beams 20 , ensuring that the beams 20 can be tightly pressed against the housing 100 . In some embodiments, the blind end plate assembly 270 of the fuel cell stack 200 includes a blind end plate 271, a disc spring 273 and a disc spring support plate 272. The disc spring support plate 272 abuts against the crossbeam 20. The outer surface of the disc spring support plate 272 is provided with a limiting groove 274. By setting the limiting groove 274, the thickness of the disc spring support plate 272 is increased and the bending deformation is smaller.

[0060] Referring to Figures 9 and 10, in some embodiments, the housing 100 adopts a split structure, including a frame 110, an air intake end side plate 170, and a blind end side plate 120. The frame 110 is provided with an air intake port 102 and a blind end port 103. The air intake end side plate 170 and the blind end side plate 120 are both connected to the frame 110 and cover the air intake port 102 and the blind end port 103, respectively. The air intake end side plate 170 and the blind end side plate 120 form the two end plates of the housing 100, and the frame 110 forms the four side surfaces of the housing 100. Referring to Figure 9, in some embodiments, the fuel cell stack 200 is partially encapsulated in the inner cavity of the housing 100. Specifically, the air intake end plate 210 of the fuel cell stack 200 is connected to the housing 100 to form the air intake end side plate 170.

[0061] In some embodiments, the fuel cell module 1000 is an integral body comprising a fuel cell stack 200, a high-voltage assembly 300, a low-voltage assembly (not shown in the figure) and an externally encapsulated shell 100. The high-voltage assembly 300 typically includes an electrically connected copper busbar assembly 310 and a through terminal 320. The copper busbar assembly 310 is electrically connected to the current collecting plate of the fuel cell stack 200, and the electric energy generated by the fuel cell stack 200 is output by the through terminal 320. The low-voltage assembly is electrically connected to the core 240 of the fuel cell stack 200 to perform voltage inspections on the bipolar plates or single cells. The fuel cell stack 200, the high-voltage assembly 300 and the low-voltage assembly are all mounted and fixed by the shell 100. Accordingly, a high-voltage mounting port and a low-voltage mounting port also need to be provided on the shell 100.

[0062] Please refer to Figure 10. In some embodiments, a protrusion 111 is provided on one side of the shell 100. The protrusion 111 is located on one of the side surfaces of the shell 100 excluding the two end surfaces of the blind end and the air inlet end. The protrusion 111 is a part of the shell 100 that protrudes outward, and the interior of the protrusion 111 is connected to the inner cavity of the shell 100. When the main body of the shell 100 is a frame 110, the protrusion 111 is provided on one of the vertical side surfaces of the frame 110. The high-voltage assembly 300 of the fuel cell module 1000 is mounted on the protrusion 111, specifically, the copper busbar assembly 310 is located in the protrusion 111, and the through terminal 320 is mounted on the protrusion 111. A high-voltage mounting hole 105 is provided on the top surface of the protrusion 111, and the through terminal 320 is mounted in the high-voltage mounting hole 105. The upper portion of the through terminal 320 extends out of the outer protrusion 111 for connecting to the high-voltage wire harness, and the lower portion of the through terminal 320 extends into the outer protrusion 111 for electrically connecting to the copper busbar of the copper busbar assembly 310 through the high-voltage bolt 340 .

[0063] In some embodiments, the low-voltage assembly is mounted below the protrusion 111, effectively utilizing the space below the protrusion 111. The low-voltage assembly can be located entirely or partially outside the housing 100. Referring to Figure 10 , the area below the protrusion 111 on the housing 100 is provided with a low-voltage mounting hole 108, through which the low-voltage assembly or low-voltage wiring harness passes. In some embodiments, a cover is provided on the outside of the low-voltage assembly, which is connected to the housing 100 and encapsulates the low-voltage assembly.

[0064] Since the high-voltage assembly 300 and the low-voltage assembly are separated by the outer protrusion 111, on the one hand, since the housing 100 is usually made of metal material, the outer protrusion 111 can effectively achieve electromagnetic shielding of high and low voltages; on the other hand, since the through-terminal 320 is directly installed on the frame 110, the intake end plate 210 of the fuel cell stack 200 is also connected to the frame 110, and the through-terminal 320 and the current collecting plate connected to the high-voltage copper busbar are both installed with the frame 110 as the installation reference. Therefore, the high-voltage assembly 300 does not need to rely on other tooling structures when installing, and the assembly operation is simple. In addition, since the copper busbar assembly 310 is located in the outer protrusion 111, the bottom plate of the outer protrusion 111 can also prevent the high-voltage bolts 340 from falling into the inner cavity of the housing 100.

[0065] [Corrected 09.07.2024 according to Rule 91] Since the low-voltage assembly and the high-voltage assembly 300 are located on the same side, they can be arranged on either the long side or the short side of the housing 100. In some embodiments, the low-voltage assembly and the high-voltage assembly 300 are both arranged on the short side of the housing 100. Compared with arrangement on the long side, arrangement on the short side has a higher degree of integration, which can reduce the volume of the fuel cell module 1000 and improve its integration.

[0066] Referring to FIG. 10 , in some embodiments, an access opening 104 is provided on the outer protrusion 111, through which the connection between the copper busbar assembly 310 and the current collector and / or the through-terminal 320 is exposed. The housing 100 further includes a high-voltage operation cover 150, which is connected to the outer protrusion 111 and covers the access opening 104. The provision of the access opening 104 facilitates installation of the high-voltage bolt 340.

[0067] Referring to Figure 10 , in some embodiments, the connection between the copper busbar assembly 310 and the current collector plate, as well as the connection between the copper busbar assembly 310 and the through-terminal 320, are exposed to the outside through the access port 104. High-pressure bolts 340 at both ends of the copper busbar assembly 310 can be installed and operated through the access port 104. In some embodiments, the tabs of the current collector plate are bent, and the copper busbar of the copper busbar assembly 310 is a straight copper busbar. One end of the copper busbar is aligned with the bent portion of the tab, and the other end is aligned with the mating portion of the through-terminal 320. Both ends are locked with high-pressure bolts 340.

[0068] At the two connecting ends of the copper busbar, at least one of the copper busbar and the mating part is provided with a threaded hole, and the other can have a through hole or also a threaded hole. When the copper busbar, the tab, and the mating part are relatively thin, the effective thread length is short, which may cause the bolts to slip when tightened. To this end, referring to Figure 10, in some embodiments, the copper busbar assembly 310 is provided with a nut 330 on the copper busbar and / or the current collecting plate. The nut 330 is installed and fixed by punch riveting or press riveting, which can increase the effective thread length and improve the reliability of the copper busbar connection.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 10, which shows an exploded view of the fuel cell module 1000 in certain embodiments of the present application. The fuel cell module 1000 also includes an insulating support assembly, which is arranged between the shell 100 and the stack 200. The insulating support assembly is in contact with each component of the stack 200 and can support the side of the stack 200 to resist inter-layer slippage of the stack 200. The insulating support assembly includes a plurality of insulating support members 11 distributed at intervals. The insulating support member 11 has a certain rigidity, and at least the surface of its outer surface that contacts the stack 200 and the shell 100 is an insulating material. For example, the insulating support member 11 can be made of plastic with good rigidity, or the insulating support member 11 can be made of metal with an insulating layer attached to its outer surface. The insulating support member 11 is a component independent of the shell 100 and the stack 200. Compared with the anti-collapse structure of the stack 200 with the shell 100 directly pressed against the shell 100, the independent multiple insulating support members 11 are more convenient to install, and the stack 200 is easy to assemble. When external vibration or impact excitation acts on the fuel cell stack 200 , it can be transferred to the frame 110 through the insulating support 11 that fully surrounds the stack 200 .

[0070] A plurality of insulating support members 11 are distributed at least at each corner and / or each side of the stack 200. In some embodiments, the number of insulating support members 11 is sufficient to provide one insulating support member 11 on each side of the stack 200. In some embodiments, the number of insulating support members 11 is sufficient to provide one insulating support member 11 at each corner of the stack 200, and the insulating support members 11 distributed at the corners of the stack 200 are in contact with two adjacent sides of the stack 200 at the same time. The plurality of insulating support members 11 can fully cover the stack 200 from all directions, thereby achieving a fully covered anti-slip effect for the core 240.

[0071] In some embodiments, in addition to providing one insulating support member 11 at each corner of the stack 200, the insulating support members 11 may also be arranged on the sides of the stack 200, for example, at least one insulating support member 11 is arranged on each side. Taking a rectangular bipolar plate with two sides of different lengths as an example, the number of insulating support members 11 may be 4, and the four insulating support members 11 are respectively arranged at the four corners of the stack 200; the number of insulating support members 11 may be 6, of which 4 insulating support members 11 are respectively arranged at the four corners of the stack 200, and the remaining 2 insulating support members 11 can be respectively arranged on the long side or short side of the stack 200; the number of insulating support members 11 may be 8, of which 4 insulating support members 11 are respectively arranged at the four corners of the stack 200, and the remaining 4 insulating support members 11 can be respectively arranged on the long side and short side of the stack 200.

[0072] For the sake of convenience, the insulating support members 11 distributed at the corners of the fuel cell stack 200 will be referred to as corner support members 11 b , and the insulating support members 11 distributed on the sides of the fuel cell stack 200 will be referred to as side support members 11 a .

[0073] Referring to FIG. 10 , in some embodiments, the bipolar plates of the stack 200 are rectangular bipolar plates with two sides of different lengths. The insulating support assembly includes ten insulating support members 11: four corner support members 11b are arranged at the four corners of the stack 200, four side support members 11a are distributed in pairs on each long side of the stack 200, and the remaining two side support members 11a are distributed one-to-one on each short side of the stack 200. In some embodiments, the four side support members 11a located on the two long sides of the stack 200 can be positioned one-to-one or staggered along the long sides; the two side support members 11a located on the two short sides of the stack 200 can be positioned one-to-one or staggered along the short sides.

[0074] Please refer to Figure 9. In some embodiments, the top surface of the outer protrusion 111 is lower than the top surface of the main body of the shell 100, so that two bent structures are formed at the connection between the outer protrusion 111 and the main body of the shell 100. In the insulating support member 11 located on the side where the low-voltage component and the high-voltage component 300 are located, one of the corner support members 11b and one of the side support members 11a are in contact with the two bent structures respectively. By setting the two bent structures formed by the outer protrusion 111 to press against the insulating support member 11, it is possible to avoid the situation where the insulating support member 11 cannot be set due to the increase in the distance between the battery stack 200 and the shell 100 caused by the installation of the high-voltage component 300.

[0075] The insulating support member 11 is located between the battery stack 200 and the housing 100, enabling a single part to transmit and transfer external excitations. When external vibrations and impact excitations act on the battery stack 200, they can be transferred to the housing 100 through the insulating support member 11 that is fully wrapped on all sides. Therefore, the insulating support member 11 needs to be in direct contact with both the battery stack 200 and the housing 100, and the surface quality of the contact surface should be as high as possible. In some embodiments, at least one insulating support member 11 is provided with a groove, which can be provided on one of the side surfaces of the insulating support member 11, or grooves can be provided on both sides of the insulating support member 11. The groove wall contacts the fuel cell stack 200 and / or the housing 100. By providing the groove, on the one hand, the contact surface area between the insulating support member 11 and the fuel cell stack 200 and / or the housing 100 is reduced and does not exceed the area of ​​the end surface of the groove wall. The groove protrudes outward, which facilitates the processing of the end surface. After the insulating support member 11 is manufactured, only the contact surface needs to be fine-machined, which facilitates the realization of high flatness in a limited area and reduces the manufacturing difficulty. On the other hand, it can reduce the weight of the insulating support member 11, thereby reducing the weight of the entire fuel cell module 1000. In some embodiments, a local convex surface can also be provided at a corresponding position on the housing 100. The local convex surface contacts the locally processed surface of the insulating support member 11, which can not only ensure the matching accuracy of the contact surface, but also reduce the processing area of ​​the inner surface of the housing 100, facilitate the realization of high flatness in a limited area and reduce the manufacturing difficulty.

[0076] In some embodiments, the crossbeams 20 are parallel to the short sides of the bipolar plates, the insulating supports 11 are parallel to the stacking direction, and the crossbeams 20 are perpendicular to the insulating supports 11. The crossbeams 20 and the insulating supports 11 can be staggered; the ends of some insulating supports 11 can also be pressed against the corresponding crossbeams 20, thereby reducing the size of the housing 100 in the distribution direction of the crossbeams 20. In some embodiments, the insulating supports 11 are provided with through slots 12 that pass through in the stacking direction. The through slots 12 are used to install the positioning rods 30 when the battery stack 200 is stacked. In this case, the insulating supports 11 used to install the positioning rods 30 cannot be pressed against the crossbeams 20, otherwise the crossbeams 20 will hinder the installation of the positioning rods 30.

[0077] Along a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction (the long side or short side direction of the bipolar plates of the stack 200), the insulating support member 11 is fixed between the stack 200 and the frame 110. Along the axial direction of the insulating support member 11, the insulating support member 11 is fixed between the air intake end plate 210 and the blind-end side plate 120. To prevent the insulating support member 11 from moving within the frame 110, refer to Figure 10. In some embodiments, the air intake end plate 210 is provided with a plurality of mounting slots, and the blind-end side plate 120 is provided with a plurality of limiting posts 121. One end of the plurality of insulating support members 11 is correspondingly disposed in the plurality of mounting slots, and the other end corresponds to the plurality of limiting posts 121. One end of the insulating support member 11 extends into the mounting slot, which limits the insulating support member 11 along the long and short sides of the bipolar plates. The other end of the insulating support member 11 abuts against the limiting post 121 of the blind-end side plate 120, which limits the insulating support member 11 along the stacking direction. This not only allows the insulating support member 11 to be secured without the use of threaded fasteners, but also prevents it from moving when the fuel cell module 1000 is subjected to vibration or impact.

[0078] Please refer to Figure 10. For the corner support member 11b, its cross-section is roughly L-shaped. The corner support member 11b contacts both sides of the corner of the battery stack 200 and automatically limits the position in the long side / short side direction of the bipolar plate. Please refer to Figure 11. In some embodiments, a plurality of limiting protrusions 275 are provided on the peripheral side of the blind end plate assembly 270 of the battery stack 200, and at least one insulating support member 11 is clamped between two adjacent limiting protrusions 275. The limiting protrusions 275 are arranged in pairs, and their number is the same as the number of the side support members 11a. The mounting groove 211 limits the end of the side support member 11a, and the limiting protrusion 275 limits the middle part of the side support member 11a, further improving the limiting effect of the side support member 11a.

[0079] Referring to FIG. 12 , an embodiment of the third aspect of the present application provides a vehicle comprising at least one fuel cell module 1000 as described in any embodiment of the first aspect. Specifically, the vehicle comprises a fuel cell power system comprising a fuel cell system, a DC / DC converter, a drive motor and its motor controller, and an on-board energy storage device. The fuel cell system comprises the fuel cell module 1000 and a fuel cell auxiliary system. The fuel cell system can operate normally when connected to an external fuel supply source.

[0080] The fuel cell auxiliary system of the fuel cell system includes an air supply subsystem, a fuel supply subsystem, a thermal management subsystem and an automatic control system, wherein the air supply subsystem is used to provide air to each stack 200 of the fuel cell module 1000, and can optionally filter, humidify, pressure regulate and other aspects of the air. The air supply subsystem is connected to the air inlet and air outlet of each stack 200 of the fuel cell module 1000; the fuel supply subsystem is used to provide fuel to each stack 200 of the fuel cell module 1000, and can optionally humidify, pressure regulate and other aspects of the fuel to convert it into fuel gas suitable for operation in the fuel cell stack. Taking hydrogen as fuel as an example, the fuel supply subsystem is connected to the hydrogen inlet and hydrogen outlet of each stack 200 of the fuel cell module 1000; the thermal management subsystem is connected to each stack 200 of the fuel cell module 1000 to provide coolant to cool and / or heat the stack 200, and to recycle the water generated by the stack 200.

[0081] The automatic control system is electrically connected to the fuel cell module 1000, the air supply subsystem, the fuel supply subsystem, and the thermal management subsystem. The automatic control system comprises an assembly of sensors, actuators, valves, switches, and control logic components, ensuring the proper operation of the fuel cell system without human intervention. In other embodiments, the fuel cell auxiliary system may also include a ventilation system for mechanically discharging gases from the fuel cell system housing to the exterior. The fuel cell auxiliary system in this embodiment has not been modified; therefore, further details are provided in the relevant prior art disclosures and are not detailed here.

[0082] In a fuel cell power system, a DC / DC converter is electrically connected to each fuel cell stack 200 of the fuel cell system to achieve voltage conversion. The voltage generated by each fuel cell stack 200 is regulated and output to high-voltage devices such as the drive motor and the automotive air conditioning compressor, as well as energy storage devices such as batteries. The drive motor is electrically connected to the DC / DC converter to provide the torque required for vehicle travel. The motor controller is electrically connected to the drive motor to control the start, stop, and torque output of the drive motor. The motor controller is connected to the vehicle control to receive driving signals from the vehicle controller and can also be electrically connected to the fuel cell system's automatic control system. The on-board energy storage device is used to store electrical energy to power other electronic devices in the vehicle. The on-board energy storage device is electrically connected to the DC / DC converter and can be, for example, a battery.

[0083] In this embodiment, the DC / DC converter, the drive motor and its motor controller, and the on-board energy storage device in the fuel cell power system have not been improved. Therefore, for more detailed information, please refer to the relevant disclosures of the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0084] In addition, the vehicle also needs to include a transmission system and a fuel storage device for storing fuel. The transmission system transmits the torque of the drive motor to drive the wheels to rotate. The fuel storage device acts like a fuel tank in a fuel vehicle. The fuel storage device is connected to the fuel supply subsystem of the fuel cell system through a pipeline.

[0085] Thus, the vehicle can be a hydrogen-powered vehicle or a hydrogen-powered + rechargeable hybrid electric vehicle, and can be a family car, bus, truck, etc. Since the specific structure of the vehicle is not improved in this embodiment, the structure of the vehicle in this embodiment that has not been changed can refer to the prior art, and the specific content is not described in detail here. Thus, the vehicle has all the features and advantages described above for the fuel cell power system, fuel cell system, fuel cell module 1000, and fuel cell stack 200, and will not be repeated here.

[0086] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features being in contact not directly but through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature may include the first feature being directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature may include the first feature being directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0087] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise" and "counterclockwise" indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0088] In this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "connect," "fix," etc. should be understood broadly. For example, "fix" can mean fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; it can mean mechanical connection or electrical connection; it can mean direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean internal communication between two elements or interaction between two elements. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on specific circumstances.

[0089] In addition, the terms "first," "second," and so on, used in this application are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0090] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and intent of the present application, and that the scope of the present application is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A fastening assembly, applied to a fuel cell, comprising a shell and two or more cross beams arranged in the shell; the two or more cross beams are located at one end of the shell and are spaced apart along one side of the shell; both ends of the two or more cross beams are limited by the shell, so that the shell applies a fastening force along the stacking direction to the fuel cell stack through the cross beams.

2. The fastening assembly according to claim 1, wherein: An opening is provided on one side surface of the shell, and the two or more beams are positioned opposite to the opening so that the two or more beams can be inserted into the shell through the opening.

3. The fastening assembly according to claim 2, wherein: The housing comprises: The frame has an air inlet port and a blind port at both ends, and one side thereof is provided with the opening; an upper cover plate connected to the frame and covering the opening; An air intake side plate connected to the frame and covering the air intake port; The blind end side plate is connected to the frame and covers the blind end port; the two or more beams are all close to the blind end side plate.

4. The fastening assembly according to claim 3, wherein: One side surface of the frame is provided with one or more longitudinal beams, and the one or more longitudinal beams are all located in the opening and staggered with the two or more transverse beams.

5. The fastening assembly according to claim 3, wherein: The frame is provided with a plurality of bosses distributed at intervals along the distribution direction of the crossbeams, and each crossbeam is sandwiched between two adjacent bosses; the height of the boss is not greater than the thickness of the crossbeam.

6. The fastening assembly according to claim 3, wherein: The fastening assembly also includes a plurality of shock-absorbing columns distributed at intervals, and the plurality of shock-absorbing columns are staggered with the two or more cross beams; the plurality of shock-absorbing columns are all connected to the blind-end side plates to press against the fuel cell stack.

7. The fastening assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The distance between two adjacent crossbeams located in the middle is no greater than the distance between two adjacent crossbeams located at the edge.

8. A fuel cell module, comprising a fuel cell stack and a fastening assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7; the fuel cell stack is encapsulated in an inner cavity of a shell of the fastening assembly, and the shell applies a fastening force along the stacking direction to the fuel cell stack through the crossbeam.

9. The fuel cell module according to claim 8, wherein: The air intake end plate of the fuel cell stack is connected to one side of the shell to form an air intake end side plate of the shell. The air intake end plate, the shell and the crossbeam jointly apply a fastening force along the stacking direction to the fuel cell stack.

10. The fuel cell module according to claim 8, wherein: The blind end plate assembly of the fuel cell stack is in contact with the crossbeam; the outer end surface of the blind end plate assembly is provided with grooves corresponding to the crossbeams one by one, and the crossbeams are located in the corresponding grooves; the groove depth of the grooves is not greater than the thickness of the crossbeam.

11. The fuel cell module according to claim 8, wherein: The fuel cell module further includes a plurality of insulating support members, which are located between the shell and the fuel cell stack and distributed on each side and / or each corner of the fuel cell stack; at least one of the insulating support members is pressed against the crossbeam.

12. A vehicle comprising the fuel cell module according to any one of claims 8 to 11.

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