Fuel Cell Stack End Plate Coolant Passage Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel cell stacks face challenges in efficiently discharging air from coolant passages and retaining air within the fuel cell, leading to increased complexity, dimension, and cost due to specialized spacers required for coolant flow.
Innovation Solution
The fuel cell stack design includes coolant passages at upper and lower positions with connecting passages that allow air to be easily discharged externally, and a manifold communication passage with connecting portions on end plates to facilitate air transfer, reducing air retention and enhancing coolant flow efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If specialized spacers are used to guide coolant flow through groove contacting portions, then coolant flow is assured, but the number of parts increases, overall dimension increases, and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the spacer function and separator function into a single integrated separator structure. The separator includes coolant flow guiding portions that directly form coolant passages, eliminating the need for separate specialized spacers. This integration maintains reliable coolant flow while reducing the number of parts and overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides structural support, guides coolant flow through integrated coolant flow guiding portions, and forms coolant passages. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for specialized single-function spacers, reducing part count while ensuring proper coolant flow.
2Reliability
If opening parts are separated upwardly from connecting passages in the spacer, then coolant passages are formed, but air becomes trapped and retained and cannot be extracted
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of separating opening parts upwardly from connecting passages as in conventional spacers, the patent inverts the design by making the separator itself form the coolant passages through integrated coolant flow guiding portions. This inversion ensures continuous passage formation without trapped air pockets, as the coolant flow paths are directly formed in the separator structure.
3Device complexity
If coolant passages are simplified without specialized spacers, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but air discharge efficiency may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the air discharge function into the separator structure itself through the coolant flow guiding portions, the patent achieves structure simplification without compromising air discharge efficiency. The integrated design provides continuous coolant flow paths that naturally facilitate air discharge while eliminating specialized spacer components.
Data Source
AI summary
Coolant supply passages and coolant discharge passages, for example, two respectively thereof, are disposed on upper and lower side portions of a first end plate of a fuel cell stack. Grooves are formed on a surface of the first end plate for establishing communication between each of the coolant supply passages and the coolant discharge passages. Air, which is introduced upwardly of the coolant discharge passages, is discharged to the coolant supply passages.