Air-Cooled Fuel Cell Separator Assembly Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cell stacks with coolant manifolds are prone to coolant leakage due to gasket deformation, necessitating the development of an air-cooled fuel cell stack that omits coolant manifolds while maintaining surface pressure and contact area.
Innovation Solution
The air-cooled fuel cell stack incorporates a separator assembly with a cathode and anode separator, each featuring reaction and cooling surfaces with engraved reaction gas flow fields and cooling air flow fields, where cooling air flows between gaskets to seal and direct air and hydrogen flow, eliminating the need for coolant manifolds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If coolant manifolds are used in conventional fuel cell stacks, then cooling function is achieved, but gasket deformation causes coolant leakage and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the coolant manifolds from the separator structure, eliminating the source of leakage problems. The cooling function is maintained by forming cooling air flow fields directly on the separator surfaces, separating the cooling function from the manifold-based liquid cooling system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from liquid coolant flow through manifolds to air-based cooling through flow fields. By using air as the cooling medium and creating flow fields on the separator surfaces, the system eliminates the need for sealed manifolds and gaskets, thereby improving sealing reliability.
2Reliability
If coolant manifolds are removed to improve reliability, then leakage is prevented, but surface pressure and contact area must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from three-dimensional manifold channels to two-dimensional flow fields on the separator surfaces. By etching or forming flow fields directly on the separator surfaces, the cooling function is achieved without requiring protruding manifolds that compromise surface contact and pressure distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates localized flow fields with specific patterns on the separator surfaces to optimize cooling efficiency. The flow fields are strategically positioned and dimensioned to provide adequate cooling while maintaining uniform surface pressure and contact area across the separator-MEA interface.
3Reliability
If air cooling is implemented without manifolds, then leakage is eliminated, but flow field configuration becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separator and flow field structures into a single integrated component. By forming the flow fields directly on the separator surfaces through etching or additive manufacturing, the design combines structural support and cooling functions into one element, reducing overall system complexity despite the sophisticated flow field patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The separators serve multiple functions: structural support, gas distribution, and cooling. By integrating the flow fields into the separators, the components perform both mechanical and thermal management functions, reducing the need for separate manifold structures and simplifying the overall assembly.
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 configuration enhances fuel cell output density by reducing the pitch between flow fields and maintaining surface pressure, preventing coolant leakage and improving the efficiency of the air-cooled fuel cell stack.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of first gaskets having a ring shape for surrounding and sealing the plurality of inlet manifolds and the plurality of outlet manifolds
Implementation Method 2
forming a cooling air flow field in which cooling air flows
Implementation Method 3
cooling air for cooling the cooling surface to flow between first gaskets adjacent to each other
Implementation Method 4
engraved reaction gas flow fields and cooling air flow fields, where cooling air flows between gaskets to seal and direct air and hydrogen flow
Data Source
AI summary
A separator assembly for an air-cooled fuel cell includes: a cathode separator and an anode separator, each of which having a cooling surface bonded to each other to face each other. The separator assembly further includes a plurality of first gaskets having a ring shape configured to surround and seal a plurality of inlet manifolds and a plurality of outlet manifolds are disposed on a cooling surface of any one separator among the cooling surface of the cathode separator and the cooling surface of the anode separator. The plurality of first gaskets are configured to allow cooling air for cooling the cooling surface to flow between first gaskets adjacent to each other.