Fuel Cell Gasket Segmentation for Sealing Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
In fuel cells, the sealing characteristics between single cells are compromised due to heat input restriction by gaskets, particularly in configurations where two gaskets are placed side by side, leading to insufficient sealing strength.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell design featuring a gasket arrangement where a first gasket surrounds the gas manifold, a second gasket surrounds the refrigerant manifold, and a linear sealing portion is bonded between gas separators, allowing for efficient heat input during sealing formation, thereby enhancing sealing strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two gaskets are provided side by side to seal gas manifold and refrigerant manifold, then sealing coverage is improved, but heat input to sealing portion is restrained causing insufficient sealing characteristic
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is divided into a first gasket and a second gasket that are separated from each other. The first gasket seals the gas manifold hole and the second gasket seals the refrigerant manifold hole, preventing them from being formed side by side. This segmentation allows adequate heat input to the sealing portion while maintaining comprehensive sealing coverage for both gas and refrigerant manifolds.
2Reliability
If gasket is placed to surround gas manifold and seal refrigerant manifold, then sealing coverage is improved, but heat input is blocked leading to poor sealing strength
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is segmented into a first gasket for the gas manifold and a second gasket for the refrigerant manifold, positioned at different locations. This segmentation ensures that the sealing portion can be properly heated and formed without heat blockage, while still achieving comprehensive sealing. The segmentation resolves the manufacturing difficulty by allowing standard heating processes to be applied effectively.
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 design improves the sealing characteristics by ensuring adequate heat input during the formation of the sealing portion, increasing the sealing strength and preventing gas and refrigerant leakage between cells.
Implementation Method 1
when a sealing portion in a cell is to be formed at a position overlapping with the gasket in a laminating direction by heating from the outer surface side of the gas separator
Data Source
AI summary
A single cell includes a linear sealing portion bonded to a pair of gas separators, the sealing portion being provided between the gas separators. A fuel cell in which a plurality of single cells is laminated includes: a gasket provided between the single cells adjacent to each other; a first manifold communicating with an inside-cell gas passage; and a second manifold communicating with an inter-cell refrigerant passage. The gasket includes a first gasket placed to surround the outer periphery of the first manifold and configured to seal the first manifold, and a second gasket configured to seal the second manifold and an inter-cell refrigerant passage. When the fuel cell is viewed from the laminating direction, the first gasket, the sealing portion, and the second gasket are placed in this order from the first manifold toward the second manifold between the first manifold and the second manifold.