Fuel Cell Stack Clamping Device Wedge Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cell stack clamping devices require numerous plate springs and liquid chambers to maintain constant surface pressure, increasing manufacturing costs and complicating the internal structure.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell stack clamping device with an oblique device and unidirectional load control plates that apply load inwardly using a wedging mechanism, allowing for automatic compensation of surface pressure with a small applied force, eliminating the need for additional elastic bodies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If plate springs and liquid chambers are used to maintain constant surface pressure, then the surface pressure can be maintained even with load changes, but the manufacturing cost increases and the internal structure becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex internal elastic bodies (plate springs and liquid chambers) from the fuel cell stack and replaces them with a simple external oblique device. This extraction eliminates the need for complicated internal structures while maintaining the pressure stabilization function through the external wedge mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The oblique device automatically adjusts the clamping pressure in response to load changes without requiring external control systems or complex internal components. The wedge mechanism self-regulates the pressure to maintain constant contact between separators,实现ing self-service pressure stabilization.
2Stability of the object's composition
If plate springs and liquid chambers are added to maintain surface pressure, then pressure stability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for expensive plate springs and liquid chambers by extracting the pressure maintenance function and implementing it externally through a simple oblique device, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining pressure stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The oblique device changes the mechanical parameter of clamping force through its wedge angle, converting a small applied force into a large clamping pressure. This parameter transformation achieves pressure stability without requiring expensive elastic components.
3Force
If a large clamping load is required, then more plate springs and liquid chambers are needed, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The oblique device creates a mechanical advantage that amplifies the applied force, effectively generating a large clamping load from a small input force. This counteracts the need for multiple heavy elastic bodies to achieve the same clamping force.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the geometric parameter of the wedge angle in the oblique device, the force amplification ratio is adjusted, enabling a single device to generate large clamping loads without requiring multiple elastic components.
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 solution provides a large clamping load corresponding to 3 to 6 times the fuel cell stack load with reduced structural complexity and manufacturing costs, while maintaining constant surface pressure.
Implementation Method 1
an oblique device, in which a fuel cell stack and an end plate are inserted and fixed in a wedging manner using the inclination of the oblique
Implementation Method 2
provides a large clamping load corresponding to 3 to 6 times the fuel cell stack load with reduced structural complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A clamping device includes an oblique device and a unidirectional load control plate disposed on the outside of the fuel cell stack, not on the inside of the fuel cell stack. The device can automatically compensating the surface pressure in the fuel cell stack to be maintained constant, and provide a large clamping load with a small force using the load of the fuel cell stack.