Patent Application
20070254201
The above objective and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the appended drawings wherein:
As shown in
The substrate 11 could be selected with one from anti-chemical non-conductive engineering plastic substrate, graphite substrate, metal substrate, plastic carbon substrate, FR4 substrate, FR5 substrate, epoxy resin substrate, glass-fiber substrate, ceramic substrate, polymer plasticized substrate, and composite material substrate. If the shunt portion 12, the inlet channel structure 13, at least one slot body 14, the outlet channel structure 15, and the outlet hole 16 are configured on the upper surface of the substrate 1, they will form a single-face anode flow field board 1. On the other hand, if the shunt portion 12, the inlet channel structure 13, at least one slot body 14, the outlet channel structure 15, and the outlet hole 16 are configured both on the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate 1, they will form a dual-face anode flow field board 1.
The shunt portion 12 is configured at one side of the substrate 11, and a small area of the substrate 11 is dug as a hollow area to form a shunt portion 12. The hollow area of the shunt portion 12 could accommodate the flow-in anode fuel, such as methanol solution. When the flow-in anode fuel is filled up the shunt portion 12, the anode fuel will flow toward the inlet channel structure 13.
The inlet channel structure 13 is configured on the substrate 11, and connected between the shunt portion 12 and at least one slot body 14. The means for realizing the inlet channel structure 13 is dug from the surface of the substrate 11 with a plurality of slots, and these ends of the plurality of slots in the same direction are connected to the shunt portion 12. At the same time, these ends of the plurality of slots in another direction are connected with the slot bodies 14. The inlet channel structure 13 employs a design of uniform flow volume, so the anode fuel from the shunt portion 12 after flowing through the plurality of slots, would have the flow-out volume of the anode fuel flowing out from each end connected to the slot body 14 to form as an uniform flow volume.
At least one slot body 14 are arranged and configured on the substrate 11, and each configured position of each slot body 14 is correspondingly associated with the configured position of the anode for each membrane electrode assembly. The means for realizing these slot bodies 14 are dug from the surface of the substrate 11 to form a plurality of parallel slots. The anode fuel from the inlet channel structure 13 will flow into each slot body 14; then, flowing to the anode of each membrane electrode assembly; furthermore, the anode product generated by the electrochemical reaction for the anode of each membrane electrode assembly will flow into each slot body 14; finally, the anode product and the residual anode fuel will flow to the outlet channel structure 15.
On the other hand, the slot body 14 could employ other structures, for example, employing a plurality of crossed slots to form a grid structure, and the plurality of grid-like slot bodies 14 are arranged and configured on the substrate 11. Moreover, the slot body 14 employs a groove structure, and is dug from the surface of the substrate 11 to form a recessed area.
The outlet channel structure 15 is configured on the substrate 11, and connected between these slot bodies 14 and the outlet hole 16. The design of a portion of outlet channel structure 15 closely adjacent to the slot bodies 14 employs the slot structure. The means for the slot structure is dug from the surface of the substrate 11 to form one or more than one grooves. The design of a portion of outlet channel structure 15 closely adjacent to the outlet hole 16 employs a strip-hole structure. The means for the strip-hole structure is dug from the surface of the substrate 11 to form one or more than one hollow strip-like area.
The design concept for a portion of the outlet channel structure 15 employing strip-hole structure is to enlarge the outlet channel to reduce the internal pressure of the anode flow field board 1. Thus, the design could smoothly discharge the anode product, such as CO2, or bubbles to the outlet hole 16 from remaining in the outlet channel structure 15.
The outlet hole 16 is configured at one side of the substrate 11, and connected to the outlet channel structure 15. The means for realizing the outlet hole 16 is to dig a small portion of the substrate 11 as a hollow area. The configured position of the outlet hole 16 could be selected to be at the same side with the shunt portion 12 of the substrate 11. The anode product and the residual anode fuel from the outlet channel structure 15 could flow out to the anode flow field board 1 from the outlet hole 16.
Moreover, the surface of the substrate 11 could be further configured with circuitry, such as employing printed circuitry, and coating with a layer of protection painting on the surface of the printed circuitry, such as green paint. The printed circuitry is electrically connected to these current collector sheets 17.
Furthermore, the present invention further comprises at least one current collector sheet 17. Please refer to
Each current collector sheet 17 is attached and fixed to each slot body 14. The current collector sheet 17 is provided with at least one flange 170, and these flanges 170 are protruded from the slot bodies 14. The concrete structure employed by the current collector sheet 17 is determined by the concrete structure of the slot body 14.
Moreover, a conductive sheet is further attached and sandwiched between each current collector sheet 17 and each slot body 14 (not shown). The conductive sheet could employ the high conductivity material, and could be chosen to use the spot-welding method, so as to bond these conductive sheet layers between these current collector sheets 17 and these slot bodies 14; or, with thermal press machine, employing a resin Prepreg or a bond with anti-erosion and/or anti-acid function, such as AB glue, to press and bond these conductive sheets between these current collector sheets 17 and these slot bodies 14. Furthermore, it could choose to select the sputtering and spraying process to form a layer of thin metal layer on the bottom surface of the current collector sheet 17; or, forming a layer of thin metal layer on the upper surface of the slot body 14. The material for the conductive sheet and thin metal layer could be selected from one of gold, copper, silver, carbon, high conductivity metal.
The conductive sheet is provided with at least one flange, and these flanges are protruded from the slot bodies 14.
The anode flow field board 1 according to the present invention could be applied to various fuel cells, such as fuel cell using methanol fuel, fuel cell using liquid fuel, fuel cell using gas fuel, and fuel cell using solid fuel.
The anode flow field board according to the present invention could have an extremely light overall weight, and low manufacturing cost, and provide the anode fuel and anode product with a fluid field environment for smoothly flowing, which disclose the advantages, effects and improvements in the present invention.
The present invention has been described as above. Thus, the disclosed embodiments are not limiting the scope of the present invention. And, for the skilled in the art, it is well appreciated that the change and modification without departing from the claims of the present invention should be within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and the protection scope of the present invention should be defined with the attached claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 095207173 | Apr 2006 | TW | national |
