Fuel Cell Stack Uniform Cooling via Coolant Channel Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell stacks with a skip cooling structure face uneven cooling conditions, leading to inefficient heat management and the need for dummy cells as heat insulators, which complicate the design and increase costs.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell stack design with a coolant channel between power generation units, where each unit includes a first, second, and third separator, and reactant gas channels, allowing for uniform cooling without the requirement of dummy cells by optimizing the placement of separators and coolant flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a skip cooling structure is used with dummy cells as heat insulators, then heat management is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the dummy cells from the fuel cell stack structure. By extracting these unnecessary heat insulating components, the patent simplifies the overall device structure while maintaining effective heat management through the optimized coolant channel design that provides uniform cooling to all power generation units.
Solution Approach 2:
The second separators at both ends of the stacked body serve multiple functions: they provide structural support, enable uniform coolant distribution, and eliminate the need for separate heat insulating dummy cells. This multi-functional design reduces device complexity while maintaining thermal management effectiveness.
2Temperature
If dummy cells are added for heat insulation, then temperature control is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the dummy cells from the stack structure. By removing these additional components, manufacturing costs are reduced while temperature control is maintained through the optimized coolant channel configuration that ensures uniform cooling across all power generation units.
3Temperature
If dummy cells are used for heat insulation, then thermal management is improved, but stack volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the dummy cells that occupy additional space in the stack. By extracting these unnecessary heat insulating components, the overall stack volume is reduced while thermal management effectiveness is maintained through the optimized coolant flow distribution provided by the second separators at both ends.
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 enables uniform cooling of all power generation units, eliminating the need for dummy cells and resulting in a more compact and economical structure while maintaining optimal heat management.
Implementation Method 1
a coolant channel through which a coolant is to flow is only formed in each of spaces between the power generation units
Implementation Method 2
The coolant channel is provided between the plurality of power generation units and through which a coolant is to flow
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of power generation units, a reactant gas channel, and a coolant channel. The plurality of power generation units are stacked in a stacking direction to provide a stacked body and each includes a first separator, a first electrolyte electrode assembly, a second separator, a second electrolyte electrode assembly, and a third separator. The first electrolyte electrode assembly is provided on the first separator. The second separator is provided on the first electrolyte electrode assembly. The second electrolyte electrode assembly is provided on the second separator. The first electrolyte electrode assembly and the second electrolyte electrode assembly each include an electrolyte and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the electrolyte therebetween. The third separator is provided on the second electrolyte electrode assembly.