Rubber Wall Member Groove Partition for Fuel Cell Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing fuel cell assembly process is laborious and costly due to the complex and time-consuming attachment of SUS plates to prevent seal member intrusion into grooves, leading to compromised sealing performance and increased pressure loss in reactant gas flow.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell design incorporating a rubber wall member with a groove and partition to separate fluid flow fields and passages, enhancing elasticity and sealing performance while simplifying the assembly process by using rubber bridges to prevent fluid flow through grooves, ensuring reliable fluid supply and maintaining power generation and cooling performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If SUS plates are attached to connection channels to prevent seal member intrusion, then sealing performance is improved, but assembly complexity and manufacturing cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sealing function from the SUS plates and transfers it to the seal members themselves. By designing the seal members with protruding portions that extend into the connection channels, the need for separate SUS plates is eliminated. This reduces assembly complexity while maintaining sealing performance, as the seal members perform both sealing and channel-blocking functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the sealing function and the channel-blocking function into a single component (the seal member). The protruding portion of the seal member serves dual purposes: sealing the interface between separator and electrolyte electrode assembly, and preventing intrusion into the connection channel. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate SUS plates and reduces the number of assembly steps.
2Reliability
If SUS plates are attached to connection channels to prevent seal member intrusion, then sealing performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the channel-blocking function from the SUS plates and assigns it to the seal members. By forming protruding portions directly on the seal members, the design eliminates the need for separate SUS plate components. This reduces part count, simplifies inventory management, and lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining reliable sealing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses standard seal members made from cost-effective elastomeric materials instead of expensive SUS plates. The seal members can be easily replaced if needed, and their protruding portions provide sufficient channel blocking without requiring durable metal components. This substitution significantly reduces material and manufacturing costs.
3Device complexity
If seal members are used to seal connection channels, then assembly process is simplified, but seal member may intrude into grooves causing pressure loss
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary anti-action by designing protruding portions on the seal members that extend into the connection channels before assembly tightening. These protruding portions preemptively block the channels, preventing seal member intrusion into the grooves. The protrusions act as physical barriers that stop the seal members from entering the fluid flow paths, thereby preventing pressure loss while allowing simplified assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding portions of the seal members serve as intermediaries between the seal member body and the connection channel. They mediate the interaction by providing a controlled interface that allows the seal member to seal the connection channel without intruding into the groove. The protrusions transfer the sealing force while maintaining channel blockage, preventing harmful intrusion.
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 rubber wall member design achieves effective sealing and efficient fluid flow, reducing assembly complexity and costs, while maintaining desired power generation and cooling performance by increasing the elasticity of the rubber wall member and preventing fluid leakage.
Implementation Method 1
A rubber wall member is provided on the metal separator for dividing the fluid flow field and the fluid passage. The rubber wall member has a relatively large size, and by forming the groove, it is possible to increase the elasticity of the rubber wall member itself.
Data Source
AI summary
A coolant flow field is formed on a surface of a second metal separator. Further, a rubber bridge dividing the coolant flow field and a coolant supply passage is formed on the surface. The rubber bridge includes a plurality of channels connecting the coolant flow field and the coolant supply passage, a plurality of grooves between the channels, and a partition closing the grooves to prevent the flow of a coolant in the respective grooves.