Fuel Cell Stack Manifold Flat Wall Water Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cell stacks face issues with water retention in fluid communication holes due to uneven inner walls, leading to increased production costs and potential corrosion, as well as decreased flowability of reaction gases.
Innovation Solution
The fuel cell stack incorporates a manifold with a continuous flat inner wall formed by the end faces of the peripheral frames and separators, allowing for efficient water discharge without compromising reaction gas flowability or increasing production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire inner wall of the fluid communication hole is covered with an insulative member to prevent water retention, then the sealing property is improved, but the production cost increases and the flow area changes with temperature and compression
Solution Approach 1:
The insulative member is applied selectively only to specific regions where sealing is required, rather than covering the entire inner wall. This localized application prevents water retention at critical sealing points while avoiding the high costs and flow area changes associated with complete coverage.
2Reliability
If the entire inner wall of the fluid communication hole is covered with an insulative member to prevent water retention, then the sealing property is improved, but the flow area changes with temperature and compression affecting pressure loss and fluid distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The insulative member is applied selectively only to specific regions where sealing is required, rather than covering the entire inner wall. This localized application prevents water retention at critical sealing points while avoiding the flow area changes and pressure loss issues associated with complete coverage.
3Device complexity
If conventional fluid communication holes with uneven inner walls are used, then the structure is simple, but water is retained inside the holes leading to corrosion of stacked members
Solution Approach 1:
The insulative member is applied selectively to specific regions within the fluid communication holes where water retention occurs, rather than modifying the entire hole structure. This targeted approach prevents corrosion at critical locations while maintaining the overall simplicity of the conventional hole structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell stack includes a stacked plurality of single cells that includes respective membrane electrode assemblies 1 with peripheral frames 51 and respective pairs of separators 2A, 2B holding the frames 51 and the membrane electrode assemblies 1 between them, in which the frames 51 and the separators 2A, 2B of the single cells C include respective distribution holes H3 that continue to each other in the stacked position to form a manifold M3 for distributing reaction gas, at least a part of the inner wall of the manifold M3 is formed in a continuous flat shape that extends in the stacking direction of the single cells C. Generated water is suitably discharged through the manifold M3 without a decrease of the flowability of reaction gas and an increase of the production cost.