Fuel Cell Separator with Reverse Flow Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel cell separator manufacturing methods require separate production for reactive gas and refrigerant flow paths, leading to lower electrical and heat conductivity, and do not effectively manage flow paths on both faces of the separator.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell separator design with one face featuring parallel linear gas flow paths connected in series and the reverse face with parallel linear refrigerant flow paths, utilizing a refrigerant flow path distribution and joint element to manage flow, ensuring high flow velocity and low pressure loss on both sides.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If separate production methods are used for reactive gas flow path and refrigerant flow path separators, then each flow path can be optimized independently, but production complexity increases and electrical conductivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the reactive gas flow path and refrigerant flow path into a single separator structure. The separator includes a gas flow path-forming face with multiple linear gas flow paths and a refrigerant flow path-forming face with multiple linear refrigerant flow paths, both formed on opposite sides of the same separator body. This merging eliminates the need for separate production of different separators while maintaining optimized flow paths for both reactive gas and refrigerant.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it forms the reactive gas flow path on one face and the refrigerant flow path on the other face. The separator structure includes gas flow path connection structures and refrigerant flow path connection structures that enable both flow paths to function independently yet integrally within the same component, achieving multi-functionality without increasing production complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate production methods are used for reactive gas flow path and refrigerant flow path separators, then each flow path can be optimized independently, but electrical conductivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the reactive gas flow path and refrigerant flow path into a single separator structure. The separator includes a gas flow path-forming face with multiple linear gas flow paths and a refrigerant flow path-forming face with multiple linear refrigerant flow paths, both formed on opposite sides of the same separator body. This merging eliminates the need for separate production of different separators while maintaining optimized flow paths for both reactive gas and refrigerant.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator is made of a press-formed non-metal plate with high electrical conductivity, such as flexible carbon. This material choice ensures high electrical conductivity while maintaining the structural integrity needed to form both gas and refrigerant flow paths. The use of composite or specialized non-metal materials allows the separator to achieve both flow path optimization and high electrical conductivity simultaneously.
3Ease of operation
If complex flow path connection structures are added to manage both gas and refrigerant flow paths, then flow management improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separator divides the flow paths into distinct segments: multiple linear gas flow paths on the gas flow path-forming face and multiple linear refrigerant flow paths on the refrigerant flow path-forming face. Gas flow path connection structures connect the gas flow paths in series, while refrigerant flow path connection structures connect the refrigerant flow paths in parallel. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each flow path while maintaining manageable manufacturing complexity through modular connection structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses reverse structures on opposite faces of the separator: the gas flow path connection structure on one face is formed as a reverse structure of the refrigerant flow path connection structure on the other face. This inversion principle allows both flow paths to be managed effectively while simplifying manufacturing, as the same basic structural pattern can be used for both connection structures by simply inverting it for the opposite face.
4Loss of energy
If pressure loss is reduced in refrigerant flow paths, then cooling efficiency improves, but flow path design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses reverse structures on opposite faces of the separator: the gas flow path connection structure on one face is formed as a reverse structure of the refrigerant flow path connection structure on the other face. This inversion principle allows both flow paths to be managed effectively while simplifying manufacturing, as the same basic structural pattern can be used for both connection structures by simply inverting it for the opposite face.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant flow paths are designed as parallel linear paths with optimized dimensions and configurations to minimize pressure loss. The refrigerant flow path connection structures are specifically designed to distribute and collect refrigerant efficiently across the parallel flow paths, maintaining low pressure drop throughout the system. Parameter optimization of the flow path geometry and connection structures achieves low pressure loss without excessive design complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The fuel cell of the invention includes an electrolyte assembly, and a separator having one face as a gas flow path-forming face with a gas flow path formed thereon to allow flow of a reactive gas and the other face, which is reverse to the one face, as a refrigerant flow path-forming face with a refrigerant flow path formed thereon to allow flow of a refrigerant. The gas flow path-forming face of the separator has multiple linear gas flow paths that are arranged in parallel to one another, and a gas flow path connection structure that divides the multiple linear gas flow paths into plural linear gas flow path groups and connects at least part of the plural linear gas flow path groups in series. The refrigerant flow path-forming face has multiple linear refrigerant flow paths that are formed as a reverse structure of the multiple linear gas flow paths on the gas flow path-forming face, and a refrigerant flow path connection structure that is formed as a reverse structure of the gas flow path connection structure on the gas flow path-forming face to connect the multiple linear refrigerant flow paths in parallel.