An electrode structure 15 is received in a joint portion of frames 13, 14. A first gas diffusion layer 19 and a first gas passage forming member 21 are arranged on a first surface of the electrode structure 15. A second gas diffusion layer 20 and a second gas passage forming member 22 are formed on
An electrode structure 15 is received in a joint portion of frames 13, 14. A first gas diffusion layer 19 and a first gas passage forming member 21 are arranged on a first surface of the electrode structure 15. A second gas diffusion layer 20 and a second gas passage forming member 22 are formed on a second surface of the electrode structure 15. A separator 23 is joined with a surface of the frame 13 and a surface of the gas passage forming member 21. A separator 24 is joined with a surface of the frame 14 and a surface of the gas passage forming member 22. A water passage 28 is formed between a flat plate 25 of the gas passage forming member 22 and the separator 24. The water passage 28 has a depth set to a value smaller than depth of a gas passage T2 of the gas passage forming member 22. Generated water is introduced from the gas passage T2 of the gas passage forming member 22 to the water passage 28 through capillary action via communication holes 29. The generated water in the water passage 28 is moved to a downstream side of the water passage 28 by pressure caused by oxidization gas. This prevents corrosion of the cathode side electrode catalyst layer and improves durability of the anode side gas passage forming member. As a result, a fuel cell capable of preventing decrease of power generation is provided.
대표청구항▼
1. A fuel cell comprising: a first electrode catalyst layer laid on an anode side surface of an electrolyte membrane;a second electrode catalyst layer laid on a cathode side surface of the electrolyte membrane;a first gas passage forming member that is laid on a surface of the first electrode cataly
1. A fuel cell comprising: a first electrode catalyst layer laid on an anode side surface of an electrolyte membrane;a second electrode catalyst layer laid on a cathode side surface of the electrolyte membrane;a first gas passage forming member that is laid on a surface of the first electrode catalyst layer and has a first gas passage for supplying fuel gas;a second gas passage forming member that is laid on a surface of the second electrode catalyst layer and has a second gas passage for supplying oxidization gas;a first separator arranged in the first gas passage forming member;a second separator laid on a surface of the second gas passage forming member;an introducing passage and a discharging passage for the fuel gas; andan introducing passage and a discharging passage for the oxidization gas;wherein the second gas passage forming member is configured by a flat plate, a plurality of first projections that are formed on the flat plate to form the second gas passage, and a plurality of second projections that are formed on the flat plate to form the water passage, and the first projections and the second projections project toward the opposite sides of the second gas passage forming member,a water passage is formed between a surface of the flat plate of the second gas passage forming member and a backside of the second separator corresponding to the second gas passage forming member,the water passage and the second gas passage are formed on the opposite sides of the second gas passage forming member and communicate with each other through a communication hole formed by each of the first projections that are shaped by cutting and raising in the second gas passage forming member,the water passage has a depth set to a value smaller than depth of the second gas passage, andwater drawn from the second gas passage into the water passage through capillary action via the communication holes is drained to the oxidation gas discharging passage by pressure caused by the oxidization gas flowing in the second gas passage. 2. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the water passage extends continuously along the entire length from an end of the second gas passage forming member at a side corresponding to the oxidation gas introducing passage to an end of the second gas passage forming member at another side corresponding to the fuel gas discharging passage. 3. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein a water drainage promoting member formed by a porous body having continuous pores is received in a portion of the second gas passage forming member in which the oxidation gas discharging passage and the water passage are joined together, and any one of the following configurations is selected: a configuration in which the average pore diameter of the continuous pores of the water drainage promoting member is set to a value smaller than the depth of the water passage; a configuration in which wettability of the continuous pores of the water drainage promoting member is set to a value higher than wettability of the water passage; and a configuration in which hydration property of the continuous pores of the water drainage promoting member is set to a value greater than hydration property of the water passage. 4. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the second gas passage forming member is configured by the flat plate, first projections that are formed on the flat plate to form the second gas passage, and second projections that are formed on the flat plate to form the water passage,the first projections are shaped by cutting and raising toward the second electrode catalyst layer in such a manner that the first projections are arranged separately from one another at a plurality of positions on the flat plate material,the second projections project toward the second separator and are shaped through extrusion in such a manner that the second projections are arranged separately from one another at a plurality of positions on the flat plate material, andthe communication holes are holes formed in the flat plate by the cutting and raising of the first projections. 5. The fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein the first projections are shaped like bridges,the communication holes are each formed in such a manner as to extend through the corresponding first projection in a direction perpendicular to a gas flow direction and have openings at two positions, which are a left end and a right end of the first projection as viewed in the gas flow direction,each pair of the first projections are adjacent to each other in the direction perpendicular to the gas flow direction and, in the pair of the first projections, the first projection located upstream in the gas flow direction has a downstream end adjacent to an upstream end of the first projection located downstream in the gas flow direction, andthe second projections are arranged adjacent to the corresponding first projections from a downstream side of the gas flow direction. 6. The fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein the first projections and the second projections are arranged alternately in the direction perpendicular to the gas flow direction and configure a plurality of row-like projection groups,the projection groups are arranged parallel to one another and spaced apart at predetermined intervals in the gas flow direction,a band-like flat plate portion is formed between each adjacent pair of the rows of the projection groups with the water passage formed between the flat plate portions and the second separator, andthe communication holes are each formed in such a manner as to have an opening facing upstream in the gas flow direction in the corresponding first projection. 7. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the second gas passage forming member is configured by the flat plate and first projections that are formed on the flat plate to form the second gas passage,the first projections are shaped by cutting and raising toward the second electrode catalyst layer in such a manner that the first projections are arranged separately from one another at a plurality of positions on the flat plate material,the second separator includes second projections projecting toward the flat plate to form the water passage between the second separator and the flat plate, the second projections being shaped through extrusion in such a manner that the second projections are arranged separately from one another at a plurality of positions on the second separator, andthe communication holes are holes formed in the flat plate by the cutting and raising of the first projections. 8. The fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein the first projections are each formed in a semi-cylindrical shape in such a manner that the corresponding communication hole has a semi-circular shape as viewed in a direction perpendicular to a gas flow direction. 9. The fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein the first projections include two types, which are semi-cylindrical projections and flat table-like projections, the two types of projections being arranged alternately and separately from one another, a surface of each of the flat table-like projections held in contact with the second electrode catalyst layer is a flat surface, and a surface of each of the semi-cylindrical projections held in contact with the second electrode catalyst layer is an arcuate surface. 10. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the second gas passage forming member is configured by the flat plate, first raised portions that are formed on the flat plate and serve as the projections for forming the water passage and the second gas passage, and second raised portions that are formed on the flat plate and serve as the projections for forming the second gas passage,the first raised portions are shaped through extrusion toward the second electrode catalyst layer in such a manner that the first raised portions are arranged separately from one another at a plurality of positions on the flat plate material,the second projections are shaped through extrusion toward the second separator in such a manner that the second projections are arranged separately from one another at a plurality of positions on the flat plate material,the first raised portions and the second raised portions are formed alternately at predetermined pitches in a direction perpendicular to a gas flow direction, thereby configuring raised portion groups extending in the direction perpendicular to the gas flow direction,the communication holes are each formed by the cutting and raising of the corresponding pair of the raised portions that are adjacent to each other in the gas flow directiona flat surface portion is formed on the top of each of the first and second raised portions, andamong the flat surface portions, the flat surface portion of each first raised portion corresponding to the second separator has a protuberance that contacts the second separator to form the water passage between the flat surface portion and the second separator. 11. The fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein the first projections or the first raised portions are aligned in such a manner that the second gas passage includes two types, which are straight passage portions and serpentine passage portions. 12. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein a water passage similar to said water passage is formed between the first gas passage forming member and the first separator, the first gas passage forming member being configured in the same manner as the second gas passage forming member. 13. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the depth of the water passage is set in the range of 10 to 50 μm, and the first gas passage or the second gas passage has a depth set to 30 to 1000 μm. 14. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein a downstream opening of the water passage is extended to a position corresponding to a gas discharging passage, and a constriction being formed in the portion of the discharging passage corresponding to the opening in such a manner as to increase the flow velocity of gas. 15. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein a gas passage is formed in the flat plate of the gas passage forming member and the separator in such a manner that the gas passage corresponds to a downstream side of the water passage and extends through the flat plate and the separator, the gas passage being a constriction for increasing the flow velocity gas. 16. A fuel cell comprising: a first electrode catalyst layer laid on an anode side surface of an electrolyte membrane;a second electrode catalyst layer laid on a cathode side surface of the electrolyte membrane;a first gas passage forming member that is laid on a surface of the first electrode catalyst layer and has a first gas passage for supplying fuel gas;a second gas passage forming member that is laid on a surface of the second electrode catalyst layer and has a second gas passage for supplying oxidization gas;a first separator laid on a surface of the first gas passage forming member;a second separator arranged in the second gas passage forming member;an introducing passage and a discharging passage for the fuel gas; andan introducing passage and a discharging passage for the oxidization gas,wherein the first gas passage forming member is configured by a flat plate, a plurality of first projections that are formed on the flat plate to form the first gas passage, and a plurality of second projections that are formed on the flat plate to form the water passage, and the first projections and the second projections project toward the opposite sides of the first gas passage forming member,a water passage is formed between a surface of the flat plate of the first gas passage forming member and a backside of the first separator corresponding to the first gas passage forming member,the water passage and the first gas passage are formed on the opposite sides of the first gas passage forming member and communicate with each other through a communication hole formed by each of the first projections that are shaped by cutting and raising in the first gas passage forming member,the water passage has a depth set to a value smaller than depth of the first gas passage, andwater drawn from the first gas passage into the water passage through capillary action via the communication holes is drained to the fuel gas discharging passage by pressure caused by the fuel gas flowing in the first gas passage. 17. The fuel cell according to claim 16, wherein the water passage extends continuously along the entire range from an end of the first gas passage forming member at the side corresponding to the fuel gas introducing passage to an end of the first gas passage forming member at the side corresponding to the fuel gas discharging passage. 18. The fuel cell according to claim 16, wherein a water drainage promoting member formed by a porous body having continuous pores is received in a portion of the first gas passage forming member in which the fuel gas discharging passage and the water passage are joined together, and any one of the following configurations is selected: a configuration in which the average pore diameter of the continuous pores of the water drainage promoting member is set to a value smaller than the depth of the water passage; a configuration in which wettability of the continuous pores of the water drainage promoting member is set to a value higher than wettability of the water passage; and a configuration in which hydration property of the continuous pores of the water drainage promoting member is set to a value greater than hydration property of the water passage. 19. The fuel cell according to claim 16, wherein the first gas passage forming member is configured by the flat plate, first projections that are formed on the flat plate to form the first gas passage, and second projections that are formed on the flat plate to form the water passage,the first projections are shaped by cutting and raising toward the first electrode catalyst layer in such a manner that the first projections are arranged separately from one another at a plurality of positions on the flat plate material,the second projections project toward the first separator and are shaped through extrusion in such a manner that the second projections are arranged separately from one another at a plurality of positions on the flat plate material, andthe communication holes are holes formed in the flat plate by the cutting and raising of the first projections. 20. The fuel cell according to claim 17, wherein the first projections are shaped like bridges,the communication holes are each formed in such a manner as to extend through the corresponding first projection in a direction perpendicular to a gas flow direction and have openings at two positions, which are a left end and a right end of the first projection as viewed in the gas flow direction,each pair of the first projections are adjacent to each other in the direction perpendicular to the gas flow direction and, in the pair of the first projections, the first projection located upstream in the gas flow direction has a downstream end adjacent to an upstream end of the first projection located downstream in the gas flow direction, andthe second projections are arranged adjacent to the corresponding first projections from a downstream side of the gas flow direction. 21. The fuel cell according to claim 19, wherein the first projections and the second projections are arranged alternately in the direction perpendicular to the gas flow direction and configure a plurality of row-like projection groups,the projection groups are arranged parallel to one another and spaced apart at predetermined intervals in the gas flow direction,a band-like flat plate portion is formed between each adjacent pair of the rows of the projection groups with the water passage formed between the flat plate portions and the first separator, andthe communication holes are each formed in such a manner as to have an opening facing upstream in the gas flow direction in the corresponding first projection. 22. The fuel cell according to claim 19, wherein the first gas passage forming member is configured by the flat plate and first projections that are formed on the flat plate to form the first gas passage,the first projections are shaped by cutting and raising toward the first electrode catalyst layer in such a manner that the first projections are arranged separately from one another at a plurality of positions on the flat plate material,the first separator has second projections that are shaped through extrusion in such a manner that the second projections project toward the flat plate and are arranged separately from one another at a plurality of positions on the first separator, andthe communication holes are holes formed in the flat plate by the cutting and raising of the first projections. 23. The fuel cell according to claim 19, wherein the first projections are each formed in a semi-cylindrical shape in such a manner that the corresponding communication hole has a semi-circular shape as viewed in a direction perpendicular to a gas flow direction. 24. The fuel cell according to claim 19, wherein the first projections include two types, which are semi-cylindrical projections and flat table-like projections, the two types of projections being arranged alternately and separately from one another, a surface of each of the flat table-like projections held in contact with the second electrode catalyst layer is a flat surface, and a surface of each of the semi-cylindrical projections held in contact with the second electrode catalyst layer is an arcuate surface. 25. The fuel cell according to claim 16, wherein the first gas passage forming member is configured by the flat plate, first raised portions that are formed on the flat plate and serve as the projections for forming the water passage and the first gas passage, and second raised portions that are formed on the flat plate and serve as the projections for forming the second gas passage,the first raised portions are shaped through extrusion toward the first electrode catalyst layer in such a manner that the first raised portions are arranged separately from one another at a plurality of positions on the flat plate material,the second projections are shaped through extrusion toward the first separator in such a manner that the second projections are arranged separately from one another at a plurality of positions on the flat plate material,the first raised portions and the second raised portions are formed alternately at predetermined pitches in a direction perpendicular to a gas flow direction, thereby configuring raised portion groups extending in a direction perpendicular to the gas flow direction,the communication holes are each formed by the cutting and raising of the corresponding pair of the raised portions that are adjacent to each other in the gas flow direction,a flat surface portion is formed on the top of each of the first and second raised portions, andamong the flat surface portions, the flat surface portion of each first raised portion corresponding to the first separator has a protuberance that contacts the first separator to form the water passage between the flat surface portion and the first separator. 26. The fuel cell according to claim 19, wherein the first projections or the first raised portions are aligned in such a manner that the second gas passage includes two types, which are straight passage portions and serpentine passage portions. 27. The fuel cell according to claim 16, wherein the depth of the water passage is set in the range of 10 to 50 μm, and the depth of the first gas passage is set to 30 to 1000 μm. 28. The fuel cell according to claim 16, wherein a downstream opening of the water passage is extended to a position corresponding to a gas discharging passage, the cross-sectional area of the discharging passage corresponding to the opening being set to such a small value that the flow velocity of gas increases. 29. The fuel cell according to claim 16, wherein a water drainage passage is formed in the flat plate of the gas passage forming member and the separator and extends in a direction perpendicular to the flat plate and the separator, the cross-sectional area of the water drainage passage being set to such a small value that the flow velocity of gas increases.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (7)
Scott Blanchet ; Joel Doyon ; Lawrence Novacco, Corrugated current collector for direct internal reforming fuel cells.
Katz Murray (Newington CT) Bonk Stanley P. (West Willington CT) Maricle Donald L. (Glastonbury CT) Abrams Martin (Glastonbury CT), Fuel cell current collector.
Grimes Patrick G. (Westfield NJ) Einstein Harry (Springfield NJ) Newby Kenneth R. (Berkeley Heights NJ) Bellows Richard J. (Westfield NJ), Separator-spacer for electrochemical systems.
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