Fuel Cell Current-Collecting Member Spacer Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cell current-collecting members experience plastic deformation and strength deterioration due to high-temperature heat and creep deformation, leading to unreliable electrical connections between electrode layers and interconnectors, especially under temperature cycles and pressure fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
The fuel cell design incorporates a current-collecting member with a connector contact portion, a cell contact portion, and a spacer that separates these, where the spacer protrudes to maintain contact pressure and prevent sintering, using materials like mica, alumina felt, or porous metals to ensure stable electrical connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional current-collecting members are used with electrically conductive members raised through cutting from a flat-plate-like current-collecting plate, then electrical connection is established between electrode layers and interconnectors, but plastic deformation and strength deterioration occur due to high-temperature heat and creep deformation over long periods
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state and material properties by using a sintered structure for the electrically conductive members instead of conventional cut plates. This sintered structure maintains strength at high temperatures while providing adequate electrical conductivity, resolving the contradiction between reliability and strength deterioration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material structure where electrically conductive members are formed as sintered bodies with specific porosity and density characteristics. This composite structure provides both mechanical strength to resist creep deformation and electrical conductivity for reliable connection, simultaneously addressing both requirements.
2Reliability
If current-collecting members are joined to interconnectors through sintering in high-temperature environment, then electrical connection is established, but electrically conductive members become integrated with interconnector making contact with single cell difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the current-collecting member into distinct functional zones: a first contact portion for the interconnector, a second contact portion for the single cell, and a connection portion linking them. This segmentation ensures that sintering with the interconnector does not prevent contact with the single cell, as each portion maintains its contact function independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by giving different portions of the current-collecting member different properties and functions. The first contact portion is optimized for interconnector contact, the second contact portion for single cell contact, and the connection portion for structural linkage. This localized differentiation resolves the contradiction between stable connection and ease of contact maintenance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If electrically conductive members follow deformation of single cell through elasticity, then contact is maintained under temperature cycles and pressure fluctuations, but contact becomes unreliable due to plastic deformation and creep deformation over time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic capability through the spring-like connection portion that can elastically deform to accommodate temperature cycles and pressure fluctuations. This dynamic structure maintains contact reliability over time by continuously adapting to cell deformation without undergoing permanent plastic deformation, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and long-term reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-like connection portion acts as a beforehand cushioning element that anticipates and absorbs the effects of thermal expansion and pressure changes. By providing this preemptive cushioning, the structure prevents plastic deformation and maintains reliable contact over time, addressing both adaptability and reliability requirements.
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 configuration maintains reliable electrical connections over long periods by preventing plastic deformation and sintering, ensuring a wide contact area and stable contact pressure, even at high temperatures, and allows for efficient gas diffusion.
Implementation Method 1
The spacer is disposed between the connector contact portion and the cell contact portion. The spacer prevents contact between the connector contact portion and the cell contact portion, and prevents sintering of the connector contact portion and the cell contact portion
Implementation Method 2
current-collecting members disposed between the electrode layers and the interconnectors, respectively, and adapted to electrically connect the corresponding electrode layers and interconnectors
Implementation Method 3
a single cell configured such that electrode layers are formed on the upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of an electrolyte layer and which generates electricity through supply of fuel gas to one electrode layer (hereinafter, called an anode layer) side and oxidizer gas to the other electrode layer (hereinafter, called a cathode layer) side
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
The present invention provides a fuel cell and a fuel cell stack which can maintain good electrical connection even in use over a long period of time. A fuel cell includes a pair of interconnectors (hereinafter, called connectors) 12 and 13; a single cell 20 located between the connectors 12 and 13 and having an electrolyte layer 2 and electrode layers 14 and 15 formed on the respective opposite surfaces of the electrolyte layer 2; and current-collecting members 18 and 19 disposed between the electrode layers 14 and 15 and the connectors 12 and 13, respectively, and adapted to electrically connect the corresponding electrode layers 14 and 15 and connectors 12 and 13. The fuel cell is characterized in that the current-collecting members 19 corresponding to at least the one electrode layer 15 has connector contact portions 19a in contact with the connector 13, cell contact portions 19b in contact with the electrode layer 15, connection portions 19c connecting the corresponding connector contact portions 19a and cell contact portions 19b, and a spacer 58 disposed between the connector contact portions 19a and the cell contact portion 19b, and an end of the spacer 58 located opposite the connection portions 19c protrudes from at least the ends of the cell contact portions 19b located opposite the connection portions 19c or the ends of the connector contact portions 19a located opposite the connection portions 19c.