Fuel Cell Separator Wavy Structure for Stiffness and Low Pressure Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell separators face a challenge in maintaining metal plate stiffness without compromising the width and depth of flow channels, leading to increased pressure loss and reduced sandwiching force on the membrane electrode assembly, which can result in decreased strength and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A separator design featuring a metal plate with convex portions and electro-conductive resin layers, where the convex portions are positioned to minimize expansion and maintain stiffness, and the resin layers are distributed to ensure adequate conductivity and corrosion resistance, while the flow channels are formed with a wavy shape to maintain optimal dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the depth of the flow channel is increased to improve cooling efficiency, then the expansion amount of the metal plate increases and stiffness decreases, but if the depth is decreased to maintain stiffness, then pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetric convex portions on the metal plate where one convex portion protrudes toward the first outer surface and another convex portion protrudes toward the second outer surface. This asymmetric configuration allows the flow channel depth to be increased for improved cooling efficiency while the convex portions strategically positioned at different depths prevent excessive metal plate expansion and maintain stiffness, thereby resolving the contradiction between cooling efficiency and structural rigidity
2Loss of energy
If the width of the flow channel is increased to reduce pressure loss, then the sandwiching force on the membrane electrode assembly decreases, but if the width is decreased to maintain sandwiching force, then pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the contradiction between flow channel width and sandwiching force by transitioning from a two-dimensional planar configuration to a three-dimensional configuration with convex portions protruding at different depths. The convex portions create localized sandwiching force at specific regions while allowing the overall flow channel width to be increased for reduced pressure loss, effectively adding a depth dimension to the force distribution
Data Source
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AI summary
A separator for a fuel cell, includes: a metal plate; a first electro-conductive resin layer formed on a first surface side of the metal plate; a second electro-conductive resin layer formed on a second surface side of the metal plate opposite to the first surface side; and a wavy portion defining a flow channel in which the metal plate and the first and second electro-conductive resin layers have a wavy shape in cross section, wherein the wavy portion includes: a first convex portion projecting to the first surface side; a second convex portion projecting to the second surface side as compared with the first convex portion; a side portion positioned between the first and second convex portions; a first outer surface of the first electro-conductive resin layer opposite to the metal plate; and a second outer surface of the second electro-conductive resin layer opposite to the metal plate, the first convex portion of the metal plate is closer to the second outer surface than the first outer surface, and the second convex portion of the metal plate is closer to the first outer surface than the second outer surface.