Fuel Cell Stack Sealing via Liquid Packing to Prevent Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell stacks face challenges in preventing the leakage of reaction gases and water ingress, leading to potential corrosion and reduced efficiency due to gaps between fastening components, which existing designs fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a seal member made of liquid packing applied between the outer end surface of the end plate and the fastening member, which surrounds the fastening member and forms a seal between the end plate and the connecting member, preventing gas leakage and water ingress through the mounting holes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal member is provided between the end plate and connecting member, then gas leakage is prevented and water ingress is blocked, but device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
A seal member made of liquid packing material is introduced as an intermediary substance between the end plate and connecting member. This liquid packing fills the gaps and irregularities at the interface, creating an effective seal that prevents gas leakage and water ingress without requiring complex mechanical sealing structures
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid packing seal member is applied as a simple, cost-effective sealing solution that can be easily installed and replaced. Rather than using durable but complex mechanical seals, the liquid packing provides adequate sealing performance for the application while simplifying the overall structure and reducing costs
2Ease of manufacture
If liquid packing is used as seal member, then manufacturing cost is reduced and assembly is simplified, but sealing reliability may be compromised compared to traditional O-ring configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional mechanical O-ring sealing system is replaced with a liquid packing material that seals through adhesion and cohesion properties rather than mechanical compression. This substitution simplifies assembly by eliminating the need for precise O-ring installation while maintaining sealing reliability through the liquid packing's ability to conform to surface irregularities
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism changes from mechanical compression (O-rings) to chemical adhesion (liquid packing). The liquid packing material is designed with specific rheological properties that allow it to flow into gaps and adhere to mating surfaces, creating a seal that is both reliable and easy to apply
3Ease of manufacture
If surface treatments are eliminated on fastening members, then manufacturing cost is reduced and process complexity is simplified, but corrosion resistance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid packing seal member serves as a protective intermediary layer between the fastening members and the corrosive environment. By sealing the interface between the end plate and connecting member, it prevents moisture and corrosive substances from reaching the fastening members, thereby providing corrosion protection without requiring surface treatments on the fastening members themselves
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell stack includes a cell laminate, a casing, a first fastening member, a second fastening member, a first seal member, and a second seal member. The cell laminate includes fuel cells stacked in a stacking direction. The casing accommodates the cell laminate. The casing includes a first end plate, a second end plate, and a connecting member. The first end plate and the second end plate sandwich the cell laminate in the stacking direction. The connecting member is arranged between the first end plate and the second end plate. The first fastening member connects the first end plate and the connecting member. The second fastening member connects the second end plate and the connecting member. The first seal member is provided between the first end plate and the first fastening member. The second seal member is provided between the second end plate and the second fastening member.