Composite End Plate for Fuel Cell Stack Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional steel end plates in hydrogen fuel cell stacks are heavy, leading to inefficiencies due to heat loss during cold starts and require additional insulation, which increases weight and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The use of composite materials, specifically continuous fiber thermoplastic and long fiber thermoplastic, for the end plate and fastening bar, providing structural stability and improved thermal insulation while reducing weight, with a design that includes ribs and weight reduction grooves for enhanced mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a thick steel end plate is used to maintain structural rigidity and uniform surface pressure, then structural stability is improved, but weight increases and heat loss occurs during cold starts
Solution Approach 1:
The end plate is constructed using a composite material consisting of a steel plate coated with a resin layer containing fibers. This composite structure maintains the structural rigidity and strength required for supporting fuel cell stacks while significantly reducing weight compared to conventional thick steel plates. The resin-fiber coating provides both mechanical reinforcement and thermal insulation properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameters by transitioning from solid steel to a composite material with specific fiber content (30-70 wt% of the coating layer). This parameter change optimizes the balance between structural strength, weight, and thermal insulation properties, allowing the end plate to maintain rigidity while reducing heat loss during cold starts.
2Strength
If a thick steel end plate is used to maintain uniform surface pressure, then structural stability is improved, but heat loss to the end plate occurs during cold start, decreasing fuel cell efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The composite material structure with steel plate and resin-fiber coating provides thermal insulation properties that reduce heat loss during cold starts. The resin layer with high fiber content (30-70 wt%) creates a thermal barrier that prevents excessive heat transfer to the end plate, thereby improving fuel cell efficiency during cold start conditions while maintaining structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
By adjusting the fiber content parameter in the resin coating to 30-70 wt%, the thermal insulation performance is optimized. This parameter change reduces heat loss to the end plate during cold starts while maintaining sufficient structural stability for supporting the fuel cell stack.
3Loss of energy
If Teflon coating or insulating plate is added to steel plate to improve insulating property, then thermal insulation is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the structural steel plate and the insulating coating into a single integrated composite structure. The resin-fiber coating is directly applied to the steel plate surface, combining structural support and thermal insulation functions in one component. This eliminates the need for separate Teflon coating or additional insulating plates, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining effective thermal insulation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces the weight and heat loss of the fuel cell stack, improving efficiency and eliminating the need for additional insulation, thereby enhancing the structural stability and performance of the fuel cell stack.
Implementation Method 1
The property forming part may include continuous fiber thermoplastic (CFT). The main body part may include long fiber thermoplastic (LFT). Each of the continuous fiber thermoplastic and the long fiber thermoplastic may include: an amount of about 40 to 60 wt % of a reinforced fiber and an amount of 40 to 60 wt % of a thermoplastic resin
Implementation Method 2
heat loss to the end plate occurs in cells adjacent to the steel end plate during cold start, thereby decreasing the efficiency of the fuel cell
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are an end plate that maintains the flatness of a fuel cell stack formed by stacking a plurality of fuel cells so that a uniform surface pressure is maintained, a fastening bar, and the fuel cell stack including the same. The fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cells, an end plate for the fuel cell stack is disposed on both side surfaces of the fuel cell stack to maintain the flatness of the fuel cell stack so that the uniform surface pressure is maintained, and a fastening bar is disposed outside the fuel cell stack has both ends coupled to the end plate for the fuel cell stack.