Fuel Cell Water Passage Capillary Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cells face efficiency losses due to water droplets adhering to gas passage surfaces, blocking fuel and oxidization gas supply, and increasing pressure loss, which affects power generation efficiency and durability of components.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell design featuring a water passage system with communication holes between gas and water passages, utilizing capillary action to drain water to discharging passages, ensuring adequate gas supply and reducing pressure loss, with optional porous drainage promoting members for enhanced water management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If water is drained from the gas passage, then power generation efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional water passage and communication holes
Solution Approach 1:
The water passage is integrated into the gas passage forming member by forming communication holes through the protrusions that extend into the gas passage. This merging of water and gas passage functions into a single component structure achieves water drainage without requiring separate complex water removal systems, thereby improving power generation efficiency while minimizing additional structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions with communication holes serve as intermediary structures that facilitate water drainage from the gas passage. These protrusions act as mediators between the gas passage and water passage, enabling water removal through capillary action and pressure differential without requiring direct mechanical intervention or complex pumping systems.
2Reliability
If water droplets are removed from gas passage surfaces, then gas supply is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The communication holes in the protrusions enable self-service water drainage through capillary action and pressure differential mechanisms. Water is automatically removed from the gas passage surfaces without requiring external control systems or high-precision adjustment mechanisms, thereby improving gas supply reliability while tolerating moderate manufacturing variations in hole dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex mechanical water removal systems with passive physical mechanisms (capillary action and pressure differential). This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical pumps or valves, reducing manufacturing precision requirements for moving parts while effectively removing water droplets to ensure reliable gas supply.
3Loss of energy
If pressure loss is reduced in gas passage, then power generation efficiency is improved, but water passage depth optimization becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the water passage depth as a critical parameter to balance water drainage effectiveness with gas flow resistance. By carefully controlling the depth of the water passage and the dimensions of the communication holes, the design achieves minimal pressure loss for gas flow while maintaining effective water removal capability, thereby improving power generation efficiency through parameter optimization.
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
Improves power generation efficiency by preventing water trapping, reducing pressure loss, and extending component durability by ensuring consistent gas flow and reducing corrosion risks.
Implementation Method 1
a water passage (28) is formed between a surface of the flat plate (25) of the gas passage forming member (21, 22) and a backside of the separator (23, 24)... Water drawn from the second gas passage (T2) into the water passage (28) through capillary action via the communication holes (29)
Data Source
AI summary
An electrode structure 15 is received in a joint portion of frames 13, 14. A first gas diffusion layer 19 and a first gas passage forming member 21 are arranged on a first surface of the electrode structure 15. A second gas diffusion layer 20 and a second gas passage forming member 22 are formed on a second surface of the electrode structure 15. A separator 23 is joined with a surface of the frame 13 and a surface of the gas passage forming member 21. A separator 24 is joined with a surface of the frame 14 and a surface of the gas passage forming member 22. A water passage 28 is formed between a flat plate 25 of the gas passage forming member 22 and the separator 24. The water passage 28 has a depth set to a value smaller than depth of a gas passage T2 of the gas passage forming member 22. Generated water is introduced from the gas passage T2 of the gas passage forming member 22 to the water passage 28 through capillary action via communication holes 29. The generated water in the water passage 28 is moved to a downstream side of the water passage 28 by pressure caused by oxidization gas. This prevents corrosion of the cathode side electrode catalyst layer and improves durability of the anode side gas passage forming member. As a result, a fuel cell capable of preventing decrease of power generation is provided.