Fuel Cell Stack Insulating Plate and Manifold Protrusion Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel cell stacks face challenges in preventing electrical connections through liquid water and achieving uniform coolant flow, leading to complex and uneconomical structures.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell stack design with insulating plates between fluid manifolds and end plates, and protrusions on the coolant manifold to guide coolant flow, ensuring electrical insulation and uniform coolant distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a heating section is provided in the pressing plate to heat the reactant gas, then liquid water production is suppressed, but the structure becomes complicated and uneconomical
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is extracted from the pressing plate and relocated to a dedicated heating section in the end plate. This separation allows the pressing plate to maintain its primary function while the heating function is provided by a specialized component, avoiding structural complexity in the pressing plate itself.
Solution Approach 2:
A heating medium acts as an intermediary between the fuel cell stack and the reactant gas. The heating medium is supplied to the heating section where it transfers thermal energy to the reactant gas, indirectly achieving temperature control without direct contact between the heating source and gas pathways.
2Reliability
If the fluid manifold is directly connected to the end plate, then electrical insulation is compromised due to liquid water condensation, but adding insulation components increases structural complexity
Solution Approach 1:
An insulating plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the fluid manifold and the end plate. This thin insulating layer effectively prevents electrical conduction through liquid water while adding minimal structural complexity, as it can be integrated into the existing manifold assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating plate functions as a thin film barrier that provides electrical insulation without significantly increasing the overall structure. This thin film approach maintains compactness while effectively preventing liquid junction between the fluid manifold and end plate.
3Temperature
If coolant passages are arranged separately at both sides of the separator, then cooling coverage is improved, but the coolant flow distribution becomes uneven and complex manifold design is required
Solution Approach 1:
The coolant manifold is designed with an asymmetric internal structure featuring a protrusion that creates unequal flow paths. This asymmetric design intentionally balances the coolant distribution to multiple passages, ensuring uniform cooling across all separators despite their symmetric arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusion in the coolant manifold creates localized flow control at specific points. By positioning the protrusion strategically, the manifold directs coolant flow to different passages with varying characteristics, providing locally optimized flow distribution that achieves overall uniform cooling.
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 achieves desired electrical insulation, prevents liquid junction, and enhances cooling performance by ensuring smooth and uniform coolant flow within the fuel cell stack.
Implementation Method 1
At least one of the end plates has a fluid manifold member connected to the fluid passage. An insulating plate is provided between the one of the end plates and an attachment surface of the fluid manifold member.
Implementation Method 2
protrusions bulging toward an inside of the coolant manifold are provided respectively on both sides of the pipe section
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell stack includes a stack body formed by stacking a plurality of fuel cells together in a stacking direction. A second end plate is provided at one end of the stack body in the stacking direction. A pair of coolant supply passages are provided at upper and lower positions of the second end plate for allowing a coolant to flow into the fuel cells. A coolant supply manifold member is attached to the second end plate, and an insulating plate is provided between the second end plate and the coolant supply manifold member.