Patent Application
20060269820
This invention relates to a testing fixture for membrane electrode assembly, particularly to one capable for applying conditions to the membrane electrode assembly for performing electro-chemical reactions, and then testing the membrane electrode assembly under the electro-chemical reactions.
The related prior art disclosed a method and structure for testing performance of fuel cell after assembly, relating to a structure for testing performance of a fuel cell after assembly, including a membrane electrode assembly and bipolar plate provided with the membrane electrode assembly therein. The bipolar plate is provided at each of the exteriors thereof with conductive elements. The conductive elements are tightly pressed against exteriors thereof by means of a press plate. The membrane electrode assembly is a conductive material and the conductive material is formed thereon with plural apertures, such that the conductive material having breathability greater than that of the air dissipation layer. The prior art is mainly implemented in testing breathability of the membrane electrode assembly, but is incapable of testing whether the membrane electrode assembly is able to perform normal electro-chemical reactions for generating current.
This invention intends to resolve the shortcoming of the conventional membrane electrode assembly where does not permit electrical and dynamic testing, thereby providing a testing fixture capable of testing the membrane electrode assembly under electro-chemical reactions through easy operations.
It is a first object of this invention to provide a testing fixture capable of testing the membrane electrode assembly under electro-chemical reactions through easy operations.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a testing fixture capable for applying conditions to the membrane electrode assembly for performing electro-chemical reactions, and then testing the membrane electrode assembly under the electro-chemical reactions.
To achieve the above objects, this invention provides a testing fixture for membrane electrode assembly, for testing performance of membrane electrode assembly. The testing fixture includes a first mold unit and a second mold unit, wherein the first mold unit and second mold unit are capable of clamping towards and separating from each other, and during testing, the membrane electrode assembly is interposed between the first and second mold units clamped to each other. The first mold unit supplies anode fuel to an anode of the membrane electrode assembly, and includes a first retaining plate, an anode fuel flow field plate and an anode current collection plate. The second mold unit supplies cathode fuel to a cathode of the membrane electrode assembly and includes a second retaining plate, a cathode fuel flow field plate, and a cathode current collection plate.
These and other modifications and advantages will become even more apparent from the following detained description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and from the drawings in which:
In response to the conditions and characteristics of the electro-chemical reaction occurred within the membrane electrode assembly 20, such as the membrane electrode assembly of a direct methanol fuel cell, the cathode fuel required by its cathode may also be directed supplied from ambient air. Accordingly, the testing fixture 10 of this invention may alternatively adopt a single-side first mold unit 11 and cathode current collection plate 135 for clamping the membrane electrode assembly 20, to allow easy testing of each membrane electrode assembly 20 to be tested.
In the first embodiment, in order to further prevent leakage and dissipation of the anode fuel, cathode fuel and reactant (such as moisture) in the testing fixture 10, the first mold unit 11 is further provided with a first anti-leakage pad 117 and a third anti-leakage pad 119, and the second mold unit 13 is further provided with a second anti-leakage pad 137 and a fourth anti-leakage pad 139. The first anti-leakage pad 117 is interposed between the anode fuel flow field plate 113 and the anode current collection plate 115; the third anti-leakage pad 119 is interposed between the first retaining plate 111 and the anode fuel flow field plate 113; the second anti-leakage pad 137 is interposed between the cathode fuel flow field plate 133 and the cathode current collection plate 135; and the fourth anti-leakage pad 139 is interposed between the second retaining plate 131 and the cathode fuel flow field plate 133.
In the second embodiment, in order to further prevent leakage and dissipation of the anode fuel, cathode fuel and reactant (such as moisture) in the testing fixture 10, the first mold unit 11 is further provided with a first anti-leakage pad 117, and the second mold unit 13 is further provided with a second anti-leakage pad 137. The first anti-leakage pad 117 is interposed between the anode fuel flow field plate 113 and the anode current collection plate 115, and the second anti-leakage pad 137 is interposed between the cathode fuel flow field plate 133 and the cathode current collection plate 135. Furthermore, to further enhance the anti-leakage effect, a third anti-leakage pad 119 and a fourth anti-leakage pad 139 may be optionally provided. The optional third anti-leakage pad 119 is interposed between the first retaining plate 111 and the anode fuel flow field plate 113. Similarly, the optional fourth anti-leakage pad 139 is interposed between the second retaining plate 131 and the cathode fuel flow field plate 133.
In the first and second embodiments, the first anti-leakage pad 117, second anti-leakage pad 137, third anti-leakage pad 119 and fourth anti-leakage pad 139 are made of a rubber material or a material with a constant compression amount.
The first retaining plate 111, anode fuel flow field plate 113 and anode current collection plate 135 included in the above first mold unit 11, and the second retaining plate 131, cathode fuel flow field plate 133 and cathode current collection plate 135 included in the second mold unit 13, can all use PCB (Printed Circuit Board) as their base material, or it can be made of a material selected from a polymer material and a composite material and formed by PCB fabrication processes.
The above anode current collection plate 115 and cathode current collection plate 135 may further be provided with an anode testing terminal 115a and cathode testing terminal 135a, respectively, where the testing terminals 115a, 135a serve to connect to an external, electrical testing fixture, such as a potentiometer or a galvanometer, so as to perform electrical testing of the membrane electrode assembly 20 by means of the electrical testing fixture.
The means for clamping the first mold unit 11 and second mold unit 13 may be external forces applied to exteriors of the first retaining plate 111 and second retaining plate 131. Alternatively, a claming tool may be used to clamp the first mold unit 11 and second mold unit 13 together. For example, such claming tool may be a bolt penetrating the first mold unit 11 and second mold unit 13.
This invention is related to a novel creation that makes a breakthrough in the art. Aforementioned explanations, however, are directed to the description of preferred embodiments according to this invention. Since this invention is not limited to the specific details described in connection with the preferred embodiments, changes and implementations to certain features of the preferred embodiments without altering the overall basic function of the invention are contemplated within the scope of the appended claims.
