JPS60200467A - How to assemble a fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a method for assembling a fuel cell by stacking and assembling each component.

[Background of the invention]

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of the principle of a single cell of a fuel cell based on electrochemical reactions. In the figure, 1 is an anode, 2 is a cathode, and an electrolyte layer 3 is sandwiched between the anode 1 and the cathode 2. A fuel chamber 5 to which fuel 4 is fed is provided adjacent to the anode 1, and an oxidizer chamber 7 to which a oxidizing agent 6 is fed is provided adjacent to the cathode 2. As the fuel 4, a liquid such as methanol or hydrazine or a gas such as hydrogen is used. Further, as the oxidizing agent 6, oxygen or a gas such as air containing oxygen is used. There are two types of K solutes: acidic types such as sulfuric acid and phosphoric acid, and alkaline types such as potassium hydroxide.

As the generated gas 8, carbon dioxide gas is generated at the anode 1 when the fuel 4 is methanol, and nitrogen gas is generated when the fuel 4 is hydrazine. On the other hand, water 9 is produced at the cathode 2 when the electrolyte is acidic. When the electrolyte is alkaline, water is produced at the cathode 2.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are exploded perspective views of different conventional unit cells shown in the principle diagram in FIG. 1 before assembly. In FIG. 2, an anode 1 and a cathode 2 are formed of a wire mesh base, a metal plate current collector is provided around the wire mesh base, and p-terminals 10 and 11 are drawn out from the current collector, respectively. The fuel chamber 5 and the oxidizer chamber 7 are made of plastic material.

Further, in FIG. 3, the anode 1 and cathode 2 are formed of a porous carbon material, and the fuel chamber 5 and oxidizer chamber 7 are formed by grooves provided in a separator 12, 12 formed from an impermeable carbon plate. .

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a method of assembling the single cell shown in FIG. 3 as a fuel cell. Conventionally, as shown in the figure, each unit cell component was made separately, and each component was stacked up individually and fastened with a caul plate 13.

However, in the conventional assembly method described above, when a liquid electrolyte is used, it is necessary to wet the electrolyte before assembling to prevent it from drying out, which makes sealing difficult. There were drawbacks.

However, when a paste-like matrix is used as an electrolyte, there is a drawback that the adhesion between the interface between both electrodes (anode 1 and cathode 2) and the electrolyte layer 3 is poor. Further, a catalyst layer is attached to the electrode, but in order to maintain its activity, such an electrode needs to be stored in an inert gas atmosphere until it is stacked as a fuel cell. Therefore, a large space is required for storage, and a gas regulating device including supply and exhaust of inert gas is required, which has the drawback of increasing the size of assembly equipment and assembly space.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and aims to facilitate assembly, improve the sealing properties of the electrolyte and the adhesion between the electrode plates and the electrolyte layer, and thereby improve the performance of the fuel cell. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for assembling a fuel cell that enables the following.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention includes an electrolyte layer and an anode and a cathode sandwiching the electrolyte layer, which are among the constituent members of a fuel cell, are laminated and integrated in advance, and then other constituent members are placed outside the anode and cathode. The fuel cell is characterized in that the stacking of each component of the fuel cell is divided into two stages by stacking.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments of the drawings. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an assembly method according to the present invention.

The point that each component is created individually is the same as before, but
First, the anode 1, electrolyte layer 3, and cathode 2 are laminated and integrated, and then the other constituent members, the separator 12.
12 is laminated on the outside of the anode 1 and cathode 2,
As a result, the fuel chamber 5 and the oxidizer chamber 7 formed by the grooves provided in the separators 12, 12 are stacked. In this way, first the anode 1, the electrolyte layer 3 and the cathode 2
If these are laminated and integrated, it will be simple since only three constituent members will be integrated, and problems with sealability and adhesion can be solved.

If the electrode and electrolyte layer 3 are integrated and sealed,
The catalyst layer of the electrode may be exposed to the outside and may come into contact with some air that penetrates through the electrode plate made of perforated material, but the catalyst layer is directly exposed to air. The difference is that even if it is stored, there is no need to strictly check the gas conditioning, it can be done simply, it takes up less space, and it prevents accidents such as accidentally damaging the catalyst layer. be able to.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the lamination and integration method. This example is a lamination and integration method when the electrolyte is a liquid (acidic or alkaline). A semi-curing resin 15 is applied to the periphery of a substrate 14 to be impregnated with liquid electrolyte, and the substrate to be impregnated in this state is An anode 1 and a cathode 2 formed of a porous material are laminated from both sides of the anode 14, and the semi-hardened resin 15 is heated to thermoset to integrate the lamination, and then a liquid electrolyte is applied from the outside of the anode 1 or cathode 2. In this method, the substrate 14 to be impregnated is impregnated with. In this case, the electrolyte layer 3 is composed of a substrate 14 to be impregnated and a liquid electrolyte impregnated therein. Here, the substrate to be impregnated 1
4 is formed from a woven or non-woven fabric of plastic fibers or pulp fibers, and also functions as a diaphragm between the anode 1 and the cathode 2. The semi-curing resin 15 is an epoxy resin, etc., and its thermosetting temperature is about 50 to 60C, but it is
Even if the temperature is as high as 00C, there is no problem because the liquid electrolyte is impregnated later as described above. The anode 1 and cathode 2 made of a porous material are formed of a porous carbon plate, sintered metal, metal net, etc., and are bonded together with sufficient adhesive strength by the above-mentioned thermosetting. In the case of this embodiment, the substrate 14 to be impregnated, such as a nonwoven fabric, can be impregnated with the semi-hardened resin 15 in advance, so that the assembly process can be mechanized and the seal can be made strong.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the lamination and integration method, in which the electrolyte is a paste-like matrix. In this embodiment, first, a frame 16 made of an insulating material is attached to the periphery of one of the electrode plates of the anode 1 and cathode 2 (cathode 2 in the figure).
An electrolyte consisting of a paste-like matrix 17 in which phosphoric acid is dispersed is applied uniformly within the frame 16, and the other electrode plate (anode 1 in the figure) is placed on top of the other plate, as shown in FIG. This is a method in which the adhesive tape 18 is used to cover the outside from the periphery and to laminate it. Here, the insulating material forming the frame 16 is made of a plastic material with a thickness of approximately 50 to 200 μm, but it goes without saying that a backing or resin-impregnated insulating material may be used instead of this plastic material. According to this embodiment, the adhesion between the matrix 17 and the two electrode plates can be maintained, and the drawback that the matrix 17 tends to dry out if left alone can be prevented. By keeping the catalyst layer in this state, there is no need to consider damage to the catalyst layer of the electrolyte, ie, Mal-'J Lux, due to unforeseen troubles during the storage period, and its handling becomes very simple.

Although the anode 1 and cathode 2 in this case may be made of metal mesh, sintered metal, or porous carbon plates as in the previous embodiment, particularly good results were obtained using porous carbon plates. The adhesive tape 18 is made of a material that is water repellent or has no affinity for the liquid fuel used.

Similarly, in this embodiment, since the outer periphery is covered with the adhesive tape 18 as described above, its dimensions are increased by the tape thickness of the adhesive tape 18 due to the relationship with other constituent members such as the separator 12, and this is the cause. Therefore, it is necessary to set the dimensions of the anode 1 and other constituent members covered with the adhesive tape 18 to be small in advance, since there is a risk of leakage after the battery is assembled.

FIG. 9 is also a perspective view showing another embodiment of the lamination and integration method,
The case where the electrolyte is an ion exchange membrane is shown.

In this embodiment, an adhesive 20 is applied to the periphery of an electrolyte (9) made of an ion exchange membrane 19, and then an anode 1 and a cathode 2 are bonded from both sides to form a laminated body. Here, the adhesive used is a material that is water repellent or has no affinity for the liquid fuel used. Silicone R as adhesive 20
Using TV (room temperature curing type), anode 1 and cathode 2
If it is crimped from both sides and then covered with adhesive tape from the outside as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, the sealing performance will be even better.
Improves adhesion.

In addition to the above examples, for those using an ion exchange membrane and a paste matrix in combination as the electrolyte,
It goes without saying that they can be laminated and integrated using an adhesive or adhesive tape. In addition, a polymer electrolyte such as polyethylene or polystyrene sulfonic acid is used, and the anode 1 and cathode 2 are laminated and integrated using this polymer electrolyte, and are covered with adhesive tape from the outside to prevent leakage of fuel and oxidizer. can do.

Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, in order to integrate the anode 1, electrolyte layer 3, and cathode 2, it goes without saying that the adhesive (10), adhesive tape, backing, etc. may be used in combination rather than alone. .

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, among the constituent members of a fuel cell, an electrolyte layer whose sealability and adhesion are problematic, and an anode and a cathode sandwiching the electrolyte layer are laminated and integrated in advance, and then the outside of the anode and cathode is laminated and integrated. Since other constituent members are laminated on top of the electrolyte, it is possible to improve the sealing properties of the electrolyte and the adhesion between the electrode plates and the electrolyte layer, thereby improving the performance of the fuel cell. Furthermore, assembly becomes easier.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a principle diagram of a single cell of a fuel cell, Figures 2 and 3 are exploded perspective views before assembly of different conventional single cells shown in the principle diagram in Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a diagram of the principle of a single cell of a fuel cell. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a method of assembling the unit cells shown in the figure as a fuel cell, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an assembling method according to the present invention, and FIGS. FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Anode, 2... Cathode, 3... Electrolyte layer, (11) 14... Substrate to be impregnated, 15... Semi-curable resin, 16
...Frame, 17...Paste-like matrix, 18
...Adhesive tape, 19...Ion exchange membrane, 20...
·glue. Agent Patent attorney Tatsuyuki Unuma (12) Kayariga De$2 Figure 15,

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. After the electrolyte layer and the anode and cathode that sandwich the electrolyte layer among the constituent members of the fuel cell are laminated and integrated in advance,
A method for assembling a fuel cell, comprising stacking other components on the outside of the anode and cathode. 2. A semi-curing resin is applied to the periphery of a substrate to be impregnated with liquid electrolyte, and an anode and a cathode made of a porous material are laminated from both sides of the substrate to be impregnated, and heated to heat the semi-curing resin. 2. The method for assembling a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is impregnated with the liquid electrolyte from the outside of the anode or cathode after being cured and integrated. 3. Attach a frame made of insulating material to the periphery of one of the anode and cathode plates, apply an electrolyte made of a paste matrix evenly within the frame, overlap the other plate, and then apply adhesive tape. 2. The method of assembling a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of the fuel cell is coated and integrated by lamination. 4. The method for assembling a fuel cell according to claim 1, which comprises applying an adhesive to the periphery of an electrolyte made of an ion exchange membrane, and then bonding a cyanode and a cathode from both sides to form a laminated unit. .