Fuel Cell Gasket Integrated With Gas Diffusion Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of gaskets with the membrane-electrode assembly in fuel cells leads to potential damage from heat and increases the complexity of assembly, resulting in low precision and sealing issues due to multiple molding steps and parts.
Innovation Solution
A gas diffusion layer-integrated gasket system with a first gasket and second gasket, connected via a hinge part, which are integrally molded in the respective gas diffusion layers, featuring a seal protrusion for precise sandwiching and sealing of the membrane-electrode assembly, reducing the number of parts and assembly steps while enhancing sealing ability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gaskets are integrally molded in the membrane-electrode assembly, then sealing ability is improved, but the membrane-electrode assembly is easily damaged by heat during molding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the gasket system into two separate components: a first gasket integrated with the first gas diffusion layer and a second gasket integrated with the second gas diffusion layer. This segmentation allows each gasket to be molded independently with the respective gas diffusion layer, avoiding the need to mold all components together at high temperature, thus preventing heat damage to the membrane-electrode assembly while maintaining sealing ability.
2Device complexity
If gaskets are integrally molded in the gas diffusion layers, then the number of parts is reduced, but there are many molding steps and assembly precision is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the gasket and gas diffusion layer into integrated units (first gasket with first gas diffusion layer, second gasket with second gas diffusion layer). This merging reduces the total number of separate parts and simplifies the assembly process by pre-assembling the gasket-gas diffusion layer pairs, thereby improving assembly precision while reducing part complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple gaskets and gas diffusion layers are assembled separately, then flexibility in manufacturing is maintained, but assembly precision is low and sealing ability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary assembly by integrally molding the gaskets with their respective gas diffusion layers before final assembly into the fuel cell. This preliminary action ensures precise positioning and alignment of the gaskets with the gas diffusion layers, improving assembly precision and sealing ability while maintaining manufacturing flexibility through the modular integrated units.
Data Source
AI summary
A gas diffusion layer-integrated gasket 1 includes a first gasket 12 which is integrally molded to a periphery of a first gas diffusion layer 11 and a second gasket 14 which is integrally molded to a periphery of a second gas diffusion layer 13, and a hinge part 15 which connects the first gasket 12 and second gasket 14 to each other. The first and second gas diffusion layers sandwich a membrane-electrode assembly 2 in which catalytic electrode layers are provided on both surfaces of an electrolytic membrane from both sides, wherein a seal protrusion 12c is formed on a surface which is in tight contact with the membrane-electrode assembly 2.