JPH0367307B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a fuel cell with a matrix.

As is well known, a phosphoric acid aqueous fuel cell consists of a matrix impregnated with an electrolyte, gas diffusion electrodes stacked on both sides, and a gas separation plate with gas supply grooves on the outer surface of each electrode. Fuel gas (hydrogen) and air (oxygen) are supplied from intersecting directions to a battery stack made by stacking multiple cells, and the electric energy generated from each cell is combined to a specified level. It obtains voltage and current energy.

By the way, as a conventional means for supplying and discharging reactive gases of hydrogen and oxygen, as shown in FIG.
Although the battery stack 1 is attached using the pressure force of the spring, the material of which the battery stack 1 is made has low mechanical strength, so the manifold 2 cannot be firmly pressed onto the upright surface of the battery stack 1, and the battery stack 1 are tightened by applying pressure from above and below, and adjusting the tightening pressure may create a gap between the manifold and the battery stack, or the manifold may become distorted due to the heat generated by the battery stack, causing gas leakage. There were flaws.

The purpose of this invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and moreover, it is possible to increase the gas supply pressure, and to ensure that the gas supply pressure is not adversely affected by the clamping pressure and heat generation of the battery stack. The object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell that can be supplied and discharged.

The structure of the present invention is that in a fuel cell in which a battery stack with a square plane is housed in a pressed state in a circular cylindrical casing, there is a space between the inner circumferential surface of the casing and each corner of the battery stack. A seal body equipped with a V-shaped shape memory alloy core material is placed in the bifurcated part of the elastic material having a Y-shaped cross section, and the corner part of the battery stack is placed in close contact with the branched part, and the base part is covered with a casing. The present invention will be described below with reference to Examples.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, cover plates 4 and 5 are closely attached to the upper and lower openings of a cylindrical body 3 having a circular cross section (ideally a perfect circle) to form a hollow casing 6, A battery stack 1 having a square plane is placed on the lower cover plate 5 inside the casing 6, and the battery stack 1 is placed on the lower cover plate 5.
An inflatable body 7 made of a fluid such as air or water is interposed between the upper surface and the upper cover plate 4, and the battery stack 1 is housed in a pressed state.

Moreover, each corner of the housed battery stack 1 is pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the casing 6 via the sealing body 8, and there is a space between each peripheral upright surface of the battery stack 1 and the inner circumferential surface of the casing 6. portions 9, 10, 11, 12 are formed, and inlet ports 13, 14 and outlet ports 15, 1 are provided in portions of the lower cover plate 5 corresponding to the respective space portions, respectively.
6. Note that the supply ports 13 and 14 and the discharge ports 15 and 16 are provided opposite to each other based on the principle of a fuel cell.

Therefore, the seal body 8 is as shown in FIG.
Elastic material 17 such as silicone rubber or foam
The seal body 8 is formed into a Y shape, and a core material 18 made of a shape memory alloy bent in a V shape is buried in the branch part at the tip. The base of the seal body 8 is engaged with a recess 19 provided on the inner circumferential surface of the casing 6 to be attached. Further, the seal body 8 is formed to have a length spanning the entire length of the battery stack 1 in the height direction.

According to the fuel cell having the above structure, the expansion body 7
By injecting fluid into and expanding the battery stack 1, and by injecting gas from both supply ports 13 and 14, gas flows from the spaces 9 and 10 into each gas supply groove of the gas separation plate. to generate electricity. At this time, heat is generated in the battery stack 1, and because the core material 18 of the seal body 8 is made of a shape memory alloy, the bending angle of the core material 18 is deformed to be narrower, and the battery stack 1 is deformed by the heat. The corner portions of the casing 6 are strongly pressed between both sides, and this deformation causes the seal body 8 to slide toward the inner circumferential surface of the casing 6.
The battery stack 1 is of course pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the casing 6, and the spaces 9 to 12 are isolated from each other to prevent gas leakage.

The effect of this invention is that a battery stack with a square plane is housed in a circular cylindrical casing, and a Y-shaped elastic material is placed between each corner of the battery stack and the inner peripheral surface of the casing. A seal body containing a core material of a V-shaped shape memory alloy is interposed, and the core material receives heat so that the gap between the V-shaped openings narrows, so that as the gap between the V-shapes narrows, , the length of the seal body in the cross-sectional direction becomes longer, but since the distance between each corner of the battery stack and the inner circumferential surface of the casing is constant, the inner circumference of the casing increases by the length of the seal body. It presses into contact with the surface in a swollen state, increasing the sealing effect, and as a result, the pressure of the supplied gas can be increased and the power generation capacity can be improved.

Moreover, the heat received by each seal body is received under almost the same conditions due to the relationship between circular and square shapes, so the amount of deformation of the seal body is the same, and all parts are brought into close contact with the same pressure, resulting in , the strength for holding the battery stack is the same on all four sides, and since the sealing body is made of an elastic material, it holds the battery stack uniformly without damaging it and improves its durability. be.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the main parts of a conventional fuel cell;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the main parts of the fuel cell according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view, and FIG.
It is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part A in the figure. 1...Battery laminate, 6...Casing, 7...
Expandable body, 8... Seal body, 9, 10, 11, 12
...Space, 13, 14...Inlet, 15, 16
...Discharge port, 17... Elastic material of seal body, 18...
...The core material of the seal body.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a fuel cell in which a battery stack with a square plane is housed in a pressed state inside a circular cylindrical casing, a Y-shaped cross section is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the casing and each corner of the battery stack. A seal body with a V-shaped shape memory alloy core material is placed in the bifurcated part of the elastic material, and the corner part of the battery stack is brought into close contact with the branch part, and the base part is attached to the inner circumferential surface of the casing. A fuel cell characterized in that the fuel cells are closely interposed.