Insulating Frame Body for Fuel Cell Stack Vibration Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing fuel cell stack configurations face challenges in maintaining vibration resistance performance over time due to creep deformation in metal components, particularly when excessive stacking loads are applied, which can lead to decreased performance and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell stack design that incorporates a frame body with insulating properties, featuring outer peripheral beam portions, connection beam portions, manifold portions, sealing portions, and sealing beam portions, which distribute the stacking load and reduce stress on power generation cells and separators, thereby enhancing vibration resistance and preventing creep deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stacking load is excessively increased to improve vibration resistance performance, then vibration resistance performance is improved, but creep deformation occurs in metal members such as the separator after a lapse of long time
Solution Approach 1:
A frame body made of insulating material is introduced as an intermediary component between adjacent cell units. This frame body includes outer peripheral beam portions that surround the power generation cell region and connection beam portions that connect these outer peripheral beam portions, forming a load-bearing structure that distributes stacking load away from the metal separator and power generation cells, thereby preventing creep deformation while maintaining vibration resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The load-bearing function is extracted from the metal separator and power generation cell assembly and transferred to a dedicated frame body structure. By removing the stacking load application path from the metal components, the invention eliminates the cause of creep deformation while preserving the essential functions of the power generation cell and separator
2Stability of the object's composition
If a gasket is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the power generation cell to apply stacking load only to the gasket, then the power generation cell and separator are protected from excessive load, but creep deformation occurs in the gasket after a lapse of long time
Solution Approach 1:
The frame body acts as a mediator that distributes the stacking load across a broader area through its beam structure, preventing concentration of load on any single component including the gasket. The frame body's rigid structure transfers load to the end plates and support structures rather than allowing it to concentrate on the gasket or metal components
Solution Approach 2:
The frame body is segmented into multiple structural elements including outer peripheral beam portions and connection beam portions, which distribute the stacking load through multiple load paths. This segmentation prevents load concentration and enables the structure to maintain its mechanical properties over time under sustained loading conditions
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell stack in which cell units are stacked one on top of another, each of the cell units including: a power generation cell; and a separator defining and forming a flow passage portion, being a flow path of the gas, between the separator and the power generation cell, includes a frame body having an insulating property and arranged between at least one set of the cell units adjacent to each other. The frame body includes: as viewed in a stacking direction, outer peripheral beam portions provided to surround an outer peripheral side of a region in which the power generation cell is arranged; a connection beam portion connecting the outer peripheral beam portions to each other; and sealing beam portions formed along sealing portions at least partially sealing a manifold portion through which the gas is allowed to flow to the separator.