Fuel Cell Stack Air Vent Pipe Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In fuel cell stacks, air mixed with the coolant can reduce cooling efficiency by remaining in the coolant manifold end member, leading to ineffective cooling of the fuel cell stack.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell stack design featuring a coolant manifold end member with an air vent pipe protruding from the upper part, where the air vent wall is thicker than the surrounding walls, allowing efficient discharge of air and preventing its entry into the coolant supply manifold, thereby enhancing cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a coolant manifold end member is used to supply coolant to the coolant manifold, then coolant supply function is achieved, but air mixed in the coolant remains in the upper region of the end member and reduces cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the air venting function from the main coolant supply structure by adding a separate air vent opening at the upper region of the coolant manifold end member. This allows air to be removed from the system through a dedicated pathway, preventing air accumulation that would otherwise reduce cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension for air removal by positioning the air vent opening at the upper region of the end member, perpendicular to the coolant flow direction. This creates a separate dimensional pathway for air escape that does not interfere with the horizontal coolant supply function.
2Productivity
If the air vent opening is positioned at the upper region of the coolant manifold end member, then air discharge efficiency is improved, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the air venting function with the existing coolant manifold end member structure by integrating the air vent opening into the end member body. This combines multiple functions (coolant supply and air venting) into a single component, improving air discharge efficiency without significantly increasing overall structural complexity.
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
The design effectively prevents air from entering the coolant supply manifold and improves the overall cooling efficiency of the fuel cell stack by ensuring smooth air discharge, thus maintaining optimal operating conditions.
Implementation Method 1
when a coolant is supplied to the coolant supply opening, air that is mixed in the coolant moves vertically upward from the coolant supply opening
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell stack includes a coolant channel provided between a first separator of a first power generation cell among power generation cells and a second separator of a second power generation cell among the power generation cells which is adjacent to the first power generation cell. A coolant manifold is connected to the coolant channel. A coolant manifold end member is connected to the coolant manifold. The coolant manifold end member includes an air vent wall having an opening provided at an uppermost position of the coolant manifold end member in a height direction of the fuel cell stack. The coolant manifold end member includes a wall which surrounds the air vent wall and which is thinner than the air vent wall. The air vent pipe protrudes from the air vent wall. The air vent pipe and the coolant manifold end member are integrally made.