BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention would be detailed described in the following to make the skilled in the art understand the object, features and effects of the present invention through the following embodiments and the attached figures, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of layer lamination integrated fuel cell according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of layer lamination integrated fuel cell for an embodiment according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a bipolar fuel cell board according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional diagram of a one-sided cathode flow field board with anode fuel inlet/outlet according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional assembly diagram of a one-sided cathode flow field board according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a three-dimensional assembly diagram of a two-sided cathode flow field according to the present invention; and
FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional assembly diagram of a two-sided anode flow field board according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of layer lamination integrated fuel cell according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded view of layer lamination integrated fuel cell for an embodiment according to the present invention. The layer lamination integrated fuel cell (10) according to the present invention comprises: two sheets of plate-structure one-sided cathode flow field boards (101), (102), at least one sheet of plate-structure two-sided anode flow field board (104), at least one sheet of plate-structure two-sided cathode flow field board (105), and at least one sheet of plate-structure bipolar fuel cell board (103), and, these members are stacked and tightly bonded as one sheet of single-pallet structure, as shown in FIG. 1. The following will explain each member in FIG. 1.
In FIG. 1, the present invention defines a fuel cell assembly unit (20), which is sequentially composed of first sheet of bipolar fuel cell board (103), one sheet of two-sided anode flow field board (104), second sheet of bipolar fuel cell board (103), one sheet of two-sided cathode flow field board (105), third sheet of bipolar fuel cell board (103). The assembly method of layer lamination integrated fuel cell according to the present invention is to employ the requirement for supplying electricity power to stack a plurality of fuel cell assembly units (20) satisfied with the requirement; and, separately stacking the one-sided cathode flow field boards (101), (102) on the outmost two side faces, and employing the pressing means to tightly bond each stacked member.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of bipolar fuel cell board according to the present invention, in which a plurality of sheets of bipolar fuel cell boards (103) are configured between the layer lamination integrated fuel cell (10) in separated layers. The bipolar fuel cell board (103) comprises: one sheet of cathode cover plate (1033), at least one membrane electrode assembly (1031), and one sheet of anode cover plate (1035); and, these membrane electrode assemblies (1031) are sandwiched and fixed between the cathode cover plate (1033) and anode cover plate (1035); and, the cathode cover plate (1033) is configured with at least one opening (1033a), and the configured amount of these openings (1033a) is determined by the amount of these membrane electrode assemblies (1031); and, the area of the opening (1033a) is slightly smaller than the area of the membrane electrode assembly (1031). Similarly, the anode cover plate (1035) is configured with at least one opening (1035a), and the configured amount of these openings (1035a) is determined by the amount of these membrane electrode assemblies (1031), and the area of the opening (1035a) is slightly smaller than the area of the membrane electrode assembly (1031).
In FIG. 3, the surface of the cathode cover plate (1033), optionally on the upper surface or the lower surface or both, is configured with the circuitries (1033b); wherein, ends of these circuitries (1033b) are electrically connected to the cathodes of these correspondingly membrane electrode assemblies (1031), and the other ends are connected to the corresponding cathode pads (1033c), and the cathode pads (1033c) are configured on the edge of the cathode cover plate (1033). Similarly, the surface of the anode cover plate (1035), optionally on the upper surface or the lower surface or both, is configured with the circuitries (1035b); wherein, the ends of these circuitries (1035b) are electrically connected to the anodes of these correspondingly membrane electrode assemblies (1031), and the other ends are connected to the corresponding anode pads (1035c), and the anode pads (1035c) are configured on the edge of the anode cover plate (1035).
The substrate for cathode cover plate (1033) and anode cover plate (1035) could be selected from one of anti-chemical non-conductive engineering plastic substrate, plastic carbon substrate, FR4 substrate, FR5 substrate, epoxy resin substrate, fiber-glass substrate, ceramic substrate, polymer plasticized substrate, composite material substrate, and printed circuit substrate.
The embodiment of membrane electrode assembly (1031) according to the present invention could employ the associated prior art, such as directly employing the direct methanol membrane electrode assembly made of proton exchange membrane.
FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional diagram of one-sided cathode flow field board with anode fuel inlet/outlet according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional diagram of one-sided cathode flow field board according to the present invention; wherein, two sheets of one-sided cathode flow field boards (101), (102) are configured on the two outmost sides of the layer lamination fuel cell (10), respectively; and, the surface of the one-sided cathode flow field boards (101), (102) with channel structure is tightly bonded with the surface of the cathode for the bipolar fuel cell board (103). The one-sided cathode flow field boards (101), (102) could be configured as plate structure, and dug with a plurality of parallel slots on the surface of plate body to form the channel for cathode fuel, such as air. The external air could be introduced as the arrow A (referring to arrow label A in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5), and the inlet area of the one-sided cathode flow field boards (101), (102) could be dug with a small area of recessed area to make the air smoothly introduced. The air could flow in these slots, and enter these cathodes of the bipolar fuel cell board (103). Finally, the remaining air and cathode product will flow out from the arrow B (referring to arrow label B in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5).
In FIG. 4, the lower surface of the one-sided cathode flow field board (101) is configured with an anode fuel inlet (1011) and an anode fuel outlet (1013). The external anode fuel, such as methanol aqueous solution, could flow into the layer lamination integrated fuel cell (10) from the anode fuel inlet (1011); then, the anode fuel will flow to each sheet of two-sided anode flow field board (104); finally, the remaining anode fuel and anode product will flow out from the anode fuel outlet (1013).
FIG. 6 is a three-dimensional diagram of two-sided cathode flow field board according to the present invention; in which, the plurality of sheets of two-sided cathode flow field boards (105) are configured between the layer lamination fuel cell (10) in separated layers. The upper surface of the two-sided cathode flow field board (105) is tightly bonded with the surface with the cathode for the bipolar fuel cell board (103), and the lower surface of the same sheet of two-sided cathode flow field board (105) is tightly bonded with the surface with the cathode of another sheet of bipolar fuel cell board (103). The two-sided cathode flow field board (105) could be configured as plate structure, and the upper surface and the lower surface of the plate body are dug with a plurality of parallel slots respectively to form the channel for cathode fuel, such as air. The external air could be introduced from the arrow A (referring to arrow label A in FIG. 6). Each inlet area of the upper and lower surfaces for the two-sided cathode flow field board (105) are dug with recessed area, hollow area and recessed area adjacently, so as to make the air smoothly introduced. The air could flow in these slots, and enter these cathodes of the bipolar fuel cell board (103). Finally, the remaining air and cathode product will flow out from the arrow B (referring to arrow label B in FIG. 6).
The first through-hole (1051) and second through-hole (1053) of the two-sided cathode flow field board (105) are corresponded to the anode fuel inlet (1011) and the anode fuel outlet (1013) of the one-sided cathode flow field board (101), respectively, and also corresponded to the shunt portion (1041) and the outlet hole (1043) of the two-sided anode flow field board (104). Thus, for the structure of layer lamination integrated fuel cell (10) stacked with multiple sheets of pallet bodies according to the present invention, a single anode fuel inlet (1011), a plurality of first through-holes (1051), and a plurality of shunt portions (1041) are connected as a small space; and, a single anode fuel outlet (1013), a plurality of second through-holes (1053), and a plurality of outlet holes (1043) are connected as another small space.
FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional of two-sided anode flow field board according to the present invention; in which, a plurality of sheets of two-sided anode flow field boards (104) are configured between the layer lamination fuel cell (10) in separated layers. The upper surface of the two-sided anode flow field board (104) is tightly bonded with the surface with the anode of the bipolar fuel cell board (103), and the lower surface of the same two-sided anode flow field board (104) is tightly bonded with the surface with the anode of another bipolar fuel cell board (103). The two-sided anode flow field board (104) could be configured as plate structure, and the upper and lower surfaces of the plate body are dug with a plurality of slots and a plurality of strip-holes, so as to form the channel for the anode fuel, such as methanol aqueous solution.
The shunt portion (1041) and the outlet hole (1043) of the two-sided anode flow field board (104) are the hollow structures. The external anode fuel from the anode fuel inlet (1011) could flow in the first through-hole (1051) of the two-sided cathode flow field board (105) on each layer, and the shunt portion (1041) of the two-sided anode flow field board (104) on each layer; then, the anode fuel flowing into the shunt portion (1041) of the two-sided anode flow field board (104) on each layer will flow to the inner channel of the two-sided anode flow field board (104) on each layer, and enter these anodes of the bipolar fuel cell board (103); finally, the remaining anode fuel and anode product for the two-sided anode flow field board (104) on each layer will flow to the outlet hole (1043) on each layer, and through the second through-hole (1053) of the two-sided cathode flow field board (105) on each layer; and, flowing out to the outside from the anode fuel outlet (1013).
The one-sided cathode flow field boards (101), (102), the two-sided cathode flow field board (105), the two-sided anode flow field board (104) are configured with a plurality of current collection sheets (30) respectively, and the current collection sheets (30) are used to contact with the cathode or anode of corresponding bipolar fuel cell board (103), and the current collection sheets (30) are tightly fixed on the one-sided cathode flow field boards (101), (102), the two-sided cathode flow field board (105), and the two-sided anode flow field board (104), respectively. These electricity collection sheets (30) could be provided with at least one flange (301), and these flanges (301) are electrically connected to the corresponding circuitries (1033b), (1035b). The material of the current collection sheet (30) is a conductive material, and also an anti-chemical material with anti-erosion and/or anti-acid properties, for example, selection one from the stainless steel (SUS316) sheet, gold foil, titanium metal, graphite material, carbon metal composite material, metal alloy sheet, and polymer conductive sheet with low impedance.
The substrate for the one-sided cathode flow field boards (101), (102), the two-sided cathode flow field board (105), and the two-sided anode flow field board (104) could be selected one from anti-chemical non-conductive engineering plastic substrate, graphite substrate, metal substrate, plastic carbon substrate, FR4 substrate, FR5 substrate, epoxy resin substrate, fiber-glass substrate, ceramic substrate, polymer plasticized substrate, and composite material substrate.
The layer lamination integrated fuel cell (10) according to the present invention could flexibly adjust the configured amount of fuel cell assembly units (20) based on the supplied electricity power, which is one of the advantages in the present invention. Moreover, the anode fuel outlet/inlet of the layer lamination fuel cell (10) according to the present invention employ the design of single-inlet and single-outlet, which could greatly simplify the supply structure for anode fuel, and is one of the advantages in the present invention. Because the present invention employs a layer lamination structure, the present invention could easily implement a light, slim, short and compact fuel cell, which is one of the advantages in the present invention.
Although the embodiments according to the present invention have been disclosed as above, these disclosed embodiments are not used to limit the present invention. The skilled in the art could have various modification and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and these modification and changes are all within the scope of the present invention. The protected scope for the present invention should be based on the attached claims.
Patent Application
20070264559
