Separator for fuel cell
AssigneeToyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorKeiji Hashimoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A separator includes a separator body 11 and a collector 12. The separator body 11 prevents a mixed flow of fuel gas and oxidizer gas. The collector 12 is formed from a metal lath RM in which through holes each having an opening shape assuming the form of a hexagon are formed in a meshy, step-like arrangement. This establishes a substantially linear contact mode between the collector 12 and each of the separator body 11 and a carbon cloth CC superposed on an MEA 30. This contact mode increases a contact area between the carbon cloth CC and gas and allows a necessary and sufficient contact area between the carbon cloth CC and the separator body 11. Thus, gas can be supplied efficiently, and generated electricity can be collected efficiently to thereby improve electricity generation efficiency of a fuel cell.
Claims10
A separator for a fuel cell for supplying fuel gas and oxidizer gas to respective electrode layers of an electrode structure of the fuel cell and for collecting electricity generated through electrode reactions in the electrode layers, comprising:
- a flat-sheet-like separator body formed from an electrically conductive material and preventing mixed flow of the fuel gas and the oxidizer gas, through separation of the fuel gas and the oxidizer gas from each other;
- and
- a collector formed from a metal lath having a large number of through holes, each having a predetermined opening shape, formed in a meshy, step-like arrangement;
- forming a gas passageway between the separator body and each of the electrode layers for supplying the fuel gas or the oxidizer gas to the electrode layer;
- and collecting electricity generated through electrode reactions in the electrode layers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.