SEPARATOR PLATE HAVING FUEL REFORMING CHAMBER FOR MCFC AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

Abstract

The invention relates to a separator plate having a fuel reforming chamber for a molten carbonate fuel cell, which can be simply and easily manufactured to integrate the fuel reforming chamber, which enables indirect reforming, with a separator plate so as to realize uniform heat distribution of the separator plate, and to perform a fuel gas reforming reaction, which is an endothermic reaction, using heat generated during the operation of the fuel cell. According to the invention, a fuel gas such as methane (CH4) is supplied to a fuel reforming chamber to reform it therein so as to convert it into hydrogen, after which the converted fuel gas is supplied between the fuel gas guides of an anode part positioned directly on the fuel reforming chamber, and at the same time, an oxidizing gas is supplied between the oxidizing gas guides positioned directly beneath the fuel reforming chamber, thus generating electricity.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the structure of the separator plate having a fuel reforming chamber for an MCFC, according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the process of assembling the separator plate of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 2, which illustrates the fuel reforming chamber according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 2, which illustrates the fuel reforming chamber according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the fuel gas inlet of the fuel reforming chamber according to the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the fuel reforming chamber of FIG. 1, which further comprises a separator to reverse the flow of fuel gas.

Claims

1. A separator plate having a fuel reforming chamber for a molten carbonate fuel cell, comprising: an anode part including a pair of fuel gas guides opposite each other, formed by twice folding each of two ends of a first rectangular metal plate, having a plurality of guide protrusions on a central portion thereof, toward the central portion of the first metal plate;a cathode part including a pair of oxidizing gas guides opposite each other, formed by twice folding each of two ends of a second rectangular metal plate, having a plurality of guide protrusions on a central portion thereof, toward the central portion of the second metal plate; anda fuel reforming chamber formed by folding a third rectangular metal plate into a shape of a hexahedron having two opposite open surfaces,wherein the anode part and the cathode part are aligned so that the fuel gas guides and the oxidizing gas guides have gas flows orthogonal to each other and so that the lower surfaces thereof face each other, and the fuel reforming chamber is positioned between the anode part and the cathode part to be integrated with either the anode part or the cathode part, and has a fuel gas inlet, a fuel gas outlet, and an inner surface which are coated with a reforming catalyst so as to reform a fuel gas while passing it therethrough.

2. The separator plate of claim 1, wherein the fuel reforming chamber is integrated with the anode part.

3. The separator plate of claim 1, wherein the fuel reforming chamber comprises a corner contact part formed by bringing two ends of the third metal plate into contact with each other to constitute any one corner of the hexahedron.

4. The separator plate of claim 1, wherein the fuel reforming chamber comprises a line contact part formed by folding two ends of the third metal plate such that the two ends thereof come into contact with each other at any one metal wall surface of the hexahedron.

5. The separator plate of claim 1, wherein the fuel reforming chamber further comprises a separator therein.

6. A method of manufacturing a separator plate having a fuel reforming chamber for a molten carbonate fuel cell, comprising: (1) an anode part shaping step of twice folding each of two ends of a first metal plate toward a central portion of the first metal plate, thus shaping an anode part having a pair of fuel gas guides opposite each other;(2) a cathode part shaping step of twice folding each of two ends of a second metal plate toward a central portion of the second metal plate, thus shaping a cathode part having a pair of oxidizing gas guides opposite each other;(3) a fuel reforming chamber shaping step of coating a surface of a third metal plate with a reforming catalyst for reforming a fuel gas, three times folding the third metal plate into a shape of a hexahedron which has two opposite open surfaces and in which two ends of the third metal plate are brought into contact with each other to constitute any one corner of the hexahedron to thus form a corner contact part, thereby forming a fuel reforming chamber, and attaching the corner contact part of the fuel reforming chamber to a corner of the anode part or the cathode part, which is positioned adjacent to the corner contact part of the fuel reforming chamber, using a welding process; and(4) an alignment step of aligning the cathode part or the anode part, which is not attached to the fuel reforming chamber, with the fuel reforming chamber so that the fuel gas guides and the oxidizing gas guides have gas flows orthogonal to each other.

7. A method of manufacturing a separator plate having a fuel reforming chamber for a molten carbonate fuel cell, comprising: (1) an anode part shaping step of twice folding each of two ends of a first metal plate toward a central portion of the first metal plate, thus shaping an anode part having a pair of fuel gas guides opposite each other;(2) a cathode part shaping step of twice folding each of two ends of a second metal plate toward a central portion of the second metal plate, thus shaping a cathode part having a pair of oxidizing gas guides;(3) a fuel reforming chamber shaping step of coating a surface of a third metal plate with a reforming catalyst for reforming a fuel gas, four times folding the third metal plate into a shape of a hexahedron which has two opposite open surfaces and in which two ends of the third metal plate are brought into contact with each other at any one metal wall surface of the hexahedron to thus form a line contact part, thereby forming a fuel reforming chamber, and attaching corners of the fuel reforming chamber to corners of the anode part or the cathode part, which is positioned adjacent to the corners of the fuel reforming chamber, using a welding process; and(4) an alignment step of aligning the cathode part or the anode part, which is not attached to the fuel reforming chamber, with the fuel reforming chamber so that the fuel gas guides and the oxidizing gas guides have gas flows orthogonal to each other.

8. The separator plate of claim 2, wherein the fuel reforming chamber comprises a corner contact part formed by bringing two ends of the third metal plate into contact with each other to constitute any one corner of the hexahedron.

9. The separator plate of claim 2, wherein the fuel reforming chamber comprises a line contact part formed by folding two ends of the third metal plate such that the two ends thereof come into contact with each other at any one metal wall surface of the hexahedron.

10. The separator plate of claim 2, wherein the fuel reforming chamber further comprises a separator therein.