Fuel Cell Stack Sealing Plate Voltage Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cell stacks require an additional sealing structure between the separator and the cover plate to seal reactant gas, leading to a complex and costly design.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell stack configuration that includes sealing plates between cell modules and end plates, with voltage measuring terminals on the sealing plates, allowing for voltage measurement without additional sealing structures, and utilizing the sealing structure of the cell modules to seal reactant gas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an additional sealing structure is added between the separator and the cover plate to seal reactant gas, then gas sealing is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sealing function and voltage measurement function into a single integrated sealing plate structure. The sealing plate includes both sealing portions that contact the separators and voltage measurement terminals that protrude from the plate, eliminating the need for separate sealing structures and voltage measurement components.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it seals the reactant gas between cell modules, provides electrical insulation, and enables voltage measurement through integrated terminals. This multi-functional design reduces the overall number of components required in the fuel cell stack.
2Reliability
If an additional sealing structure is added between the separator and the cover plate to seal reactant gas, then gas sealing is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sealing function and voltage measurement function into a single integrated sealing plate structure. The sealing plate includes both sealing portions that contact the separators and voltage measurement terminals that protrude from the plate, eliminating the need for separate sealing structures and voltage measurement components.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it seals the reactant gas between cell modules, provides electrical insulation, and enables voltage measurement through integrated terminals. This multi-functional design reduces the overall number of components required in the fuel cell stack.
3Measurement precision
If voltage measurement is implemented for all cells including outermost cells, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it seals the reactant gas between cell modules, provides electrical insulation, and enables voltage measurement through integrated terminals. This multi-functional design reduces the overall number of components required in the fuel cell stack.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing plate automatically provides voltage measurement capability for all cells including outermost cells through its integrated terminals, without requiring additional external measurement structures or complex wiring arrangements.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(A)~2(B)
Figure 3(A)~3(B)
AI summary
A fuel cell stack A includes: a stacked plurality of cell modules M, each of the plurality of cell modules M including a stacked plurality of single cells 20, each of the plurality of single cells 20 including a membrane electrode assembly 33 sandwiched between a pair of separators 40, 41; a pair of end plates 10, 11 that sandwich the plurality of cell modules M in the stacking direction; sealing plates P1 to seal a reactant gas, disposed between the plurality of cell modules M and between outermost cell modules M and the end plates 10, 11; and a voltage measuring terminal PT protruding to the outside of cells, formed in at least one of the sealing plates PI. Therefore, the voltage at a desired portion can be measured without any additional sealing structure.