Fuel Cell Stack Separator Design for Compact Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel cell stacks have a large overall size due to wide separators, which complicates their installation and reduces cooling efficiency, and existing designs struggle to achieve optimal cooling performance while minimizing the stack's width.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell stack design featuring a corrugated gas flow field on metal separators with reactant gas supply and discharge passages on one side and coolant supply and discharge passages on adjacent sides, allowing for a compact structure and efficient cooling by positioning coolant passages to align with gas flow directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If coolant passages are arranged on the same side as gas supply passages, then the separator width can be reduced, but cooling uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions coolant supply and discharge passages on opposite sides of the separator rather than on the same side, utilizing the width dimension to achieve both compactness and uniform cooling distribution across the membrane electrode assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates localized coolant flow channels between the coolant supply passage and the membrane electrode assembly, and between the coolant discharge passage and the membrane electrode assembly, ensuring uniform cooling at different locations of the separator
2Volume of stationary object
If separator width is reduced for compact stack design, then stack size decreases, but coolant distribution uniformity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent arranges coolant supply and discharge passages on opposite sides of the separator in the width direction, enabling compact stack design while maintaining uniform coolant distribution through strategic positioning that utilizes the separator's width dimension effectively
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes localized coolant flow paths between the coolant passages and the membrane electrode assembly, ensuring that coolant is distributed uniformly across different regions of the separator despite the reduced overall width
3Temperature
If coolant passages are positioned away from gas flow passages, then cooling efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the coolant flow field with the gas flow field by forming coolant supply and discharge passages that are positioned in relation to the gas supply and discharge passages, allowing both cooling and gas distribution functions to be achieved within a unified separator structure
Solution Approach 2:
The separator serves multiple functions: it acts as a structural support, a gas distribution manifold with supply and discharge passages, and a coolant distribution manifold with supply and discharge passages, thereby reducing the need for separate components and simplifying the overall device structure
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 reduces the width of the fuel cell stack, enables uniform coolant distribution, and improves cooling efficiency by aligning coolant flow with gas flow directions, enhancing power generation performance and durability.
Implementation Method 1
a corrugated gas flow field is formed on a surface of the metal separator facing the electrode for supplying a fuel gas or an oxygen-containing gas as a reactant gas along the electrode
Implementation Method 2
A coolant flow field is formed as a back surface of the corrugated gas flow field, between the power generation units
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell stack is comprised of a plurality of power generating units which are stacked along the horizontal direction. An oxidant gas inlet port and a fuel gas inlet port are provided in an upper portion of one of the power generating units, and an oxidant gas outlet port and a fuel gas outlet port are provided in the lower portion of the power generating unit. A refrigerant inlet port and a refrigerant outlet port are formed in each of the left and right portions of the power generating unit.