Fuel Cell Stack Sealing Structure for Size Variation Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell stacks face challenges in maintaining effective sealing performance to prevent gas and refrigerant leaks, which affects their efficiency and reliability.
Innovation Solution
The fuel cell stack incorporates a laminated body with a membrane electrode assembly and separators, along with a pair of clamping members that include an elastic seal member to enhance sealing. The elastic seal member is interposed between the separators and the clamping members, as well as between the separators and the frame portions of the fuel cells, to absorb variations in component sizes and improve sealing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid sealing structures are used between separators and clamping members, then manufacturing precision can be maintained, but sealing performance deteriorates due to inability to absorb component size variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies flexible sealing members (elastomeric seals) between the separators and clamping members, and between separators and frame portions. These flexible sealing elements can elastically deform to accommodate variations in component dimensions while maintaining effective sealing, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing performance and manufacturing precision requirements.
2Reliability
If elastic seal members are added to absorb size variations, then sealing performance improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separators serve multiple functions: they provide structural support, define flow paths, and act as mounting surfaces for the elastic seal members. The elastic seal members are strategically positioned at critical interfaces (separator-clamping member and separator-frame portion) to provide universal sealing coverage across all size variation scenarios, thereby improving sealing performance without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
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 configuration significantly enhances the sealing performance of the fuel cell stack by effectively absorbing component size variations and preventing gas and refrigerant leaks, thereby improving the stack's efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic seal member that is elastically deformable in the laminated direction is provided to the clamping member, and the relevant elastic seal member is interposed between the separator that is adjacent to the clamping member, and the clamping member
Data Source
AI summary
To improve sealing performance of a fuel cell stack. A fuel cell stack 1 includes: a laminated body 10 in which a plurality of fuel cells 100 are laminated, each fuel cell 100 including a membrane electrode assembly 110, and separators 120 that are disposed at both sides of the membrane electrode assembly 110; and a pair of clamping members 20 that clamp the laminated body 10 in a laminated direction D1 of the laminated body 10, in which the fuel cell 100 includes a frame portion 130 that outwardly projects from an outer peripheral portion of the membrane electrode assembly 110, an elastic seal member 50 that is elastically deformable in the laminated direction D1 is provided to the clamping member 20, the relevant elastic seal member 50 is interposed between the separator 120 that is adjacent to the clamping member 20, and the clamping member 20, the elastic seal member 70 is also provided to the frame portion 130 of at least one of the fuel cells 100 or the separator 120 that is adjacent to the relevant frame portion 130, and the relevant elastic seal member 70 is interposed between the separator 120 that is adjacent to the relevant frame portion 130, and the relevant frame portion 130.