Fuel Cell Stack Frame Structure for Manifold Insulation Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cell stacks face issues with inconsistent engagement of projections on the manifold hole due to part variations, leading to ineffective insulation and assembly challenges.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell stack design featuring a flexible frame member with protruding portions that are bent and sandwiched between a fixed member and the separator, ensuring consistent insulation and alignment despite component variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a projection is provided by resin molding on a peripheral portion of a manifold hole in a resin frame to cover the inner peripheral surface of a manifold hole of a separator, then the insulating function is provided, but the projection may not engage well with the inner peripheral surface of the manifold hole of the separator due to variations in parts, resulting in ineffective insulation
Solution Approach 1:
The frame member is changed from a rigid resin molded projection to a flexible member that can deform elastically. This parameter change in flexibility allows the frame member to adapt to variations in separator dimensions and achieve consistent engagement with the manifold hole inner peripheral surface, ensuring reliable insulation function despite part variations
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a flexible frame member instead of a rigid projection. The flexibility of the frame member enables it to conform to the inner peripheral surface of the manifold hole, ensuring consistent engagement and effective insulation. The flexible material allows for elastic deformation during assembly to accommodate dimensional variations in parts
2Device complexity
If the height of the projection is small, then the assembly is simpler, but during cell stacking, the projection may not engage well with the inner peripheral surface of the manifold hole of the separator due to variations in parts
Solution Approach 1:
The key parameter changed is the flexibility of the frame member. Instead of increasing the height of a rigid projection, the invention makes the frame member flexible so that even a small-dimensional member can achieve reliable engagement through elastic deformation. This maintains structural simplicity while improving engagement reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The frame member transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure. During assembly, the flexible frame member can deform to accommodate variations in separator dimensions, ensuring reliable engagement. The dynamic flexibility allows the same simple structure to adapt to different part variations
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
The design achieves reliable insulation and precise positioning of power generation cells, enhancing the assembly process and maintaining insulation functionality across varying component tolerances.
Implementation Method 1
a frame member having a flexibility and formed to support an edge portion of the membrane electrode assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell stack including a cell stacked body including power generation cells, a housing surrounding the cell stacked body, and a fixed member fixed to the housing to face an outer surface of the cell stacked body. Each of the power generation cells includes a unitized electrode assembly including a membrane electrode assembly and a frame member having a flexibility and supporting an edge portion of the membrane electrode assembly, and a separator disposed to face the unitized electrode assembly to form a flow path between the separator and the unitized electrode assembly, an edge portion of the frame member includes a protruding portion protruding outward from an edge portion of the separator, and the protruding portion includes a bent end portion bent toward the edge portion of the separator and sandwiched between the fixed portion and the edge portion of the separator.