Fuel Cell Stack Communicating Member for Gas Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of fuel cell stacks is complicated by the need to insert a dense member into a porous supporting substrate, which can lead to gas flow shortcuts and reduced efficiency in recovering unreacted fuel gas.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell stack design featuring a first and second supporting substrate with dense layers and gas flow passages, connected by a communicating member that allows unreacted fuel gas to flow between the substrates without being discharged externally, enhancing gas recovery and efficiency while simplifying the manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dense member is inserted into the porous supporting substrate to prevent gas flow shortcuts, then gas flow control is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the dense member from the interior of the porous supporting substrate and relocates it to the outer peripheral surface. This eliminates the need for complex insertion processes while maintaining the function of preventing gas flow shortcuts. The dense member is now applied as a coating or layer on the surface rather than being embedded within the substrate structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of inserting the dense member into the interior of the substrate (conventional approach), the invention inverts the approach by placing the dense member on the outer surface. This reversal simplifies the manufacturing process while achieving the same gas flow control function.
2Device complexity
If unreacted fuel gas is discharged to external portion, then system simplicity is maintained, but fuel gas efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention recovers unreacted fuel gas that would otherwise be discharged to the external portion. By providing a return gas flow passage that directs unreacted gas back to the anode side, the system reuses the fuel gas for further power generation, thereby improving fuel gas efficiency without significantly increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention ensures continuous useful action by circulating unreacted fuel gas back through the return gas flow passage to the anode. This allows the fuel gas to undergo multiple cycles of reaction, maximizing energy extraction and maintaining continuous power generation rather than discharging unused fuel.
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 facilitates the recovery of unreacted fuel gas, improves operating efficiency, and simplifies the manufacturing process by preventing gas flow shortcuts through the use of dense layers and a communicating member between the substrates.
Implementation Method 1
the first dense layer covers the first substrate main portion... the first dense layer is denser than the first substrate main portion, and therefore the fuel gas that flows in the first gas flow passage can be inhibited from flowing through the first and second substrate main portions
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell stack (100) includes a first supporting substrate (5a), a first power generation element, a second power generation element, a second supporting substrate (5b) and a communicating member (3). The first supporting substrate (5a) includes a first substrate main portion, a first dense layer, and a first gas flow passage. The first dense layer covers the first substrate main portion. The second supporting substrate (5b) includes a second substrate main portion, a second dense layer, and a second gas flow passage. The second dense layer covers the second substrate main portion. The communicating member (3) extends between a distal end portion (502a) of the first supporting substrate (5a) and a distal end portion (502b) of the second supporting substrate (5b) and communicates between the first gas flow passage and the second gas flow passage.