Fuel-cell single cell
AssigneeNissan Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorKazuhiro Kageyama
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel-cell single cell has a membrane electrode assembly sandwiched between a pair of separators, and a sealing member that seals a gas channel formed between the membrane electrode assembly and the separators. An uneven portion is formed in a part of the membrane electrode assembly where the sealing member is disposed. A sealing member sump to trap the sealing member is provided at a side exposed to reactant gas pressure and a holder part for the sealing member are provided within a part of the separators where the sealing member is disposed. The uneven portion is opposed to the holder part.
Claims8
A fuel-cell single cell, comprising:
- a membrane electrode assembly sandwiched between a pair of separators;
- and
- a sealing member that seals a gas channel formed between the membrane electrode assembly and the separators,
- wherein an uneven portion is formed in a part of the membrane electrode assembly where the sealing member is disposed,
- wherein a sealing member sump to trap the sealing member is provided at a side exposed to reactant gas pressure and a holder part for the sealing member are provided within a part of the separators where the sealing member is disposed, and
- wherein the uneven portion is opposed to the holder part.
(canceled)
(canceled)
A method of producing a fuel-cell single cell that comprises a membrane electrode assembly sandwiched between a pair of separators, and a sealing member that seals a gas channel formed between the membrane electrode assembly and the separators, and wherein the uneven portion is opposed to the holder part, the method comprising:
- forming an uneven portion in a part of the membrane electrode assembly where the sealing member is disposed,
- along with forming of the uneven portion, forming a sealing member sump to trap the sealing member at a side exposed to reactant gas pressure and a holder part for the sealing member within a part of the separators where the sealing member is disposed;
- disposing the sealing member in the part of the separators where the sealing member is disposed;
- thereafter joining the separators and the membrane electrode assembly to each other so as to form the gas channel between the separators and the membrane electrode assembly, the gas channel being sealed by the sealing member;
- and
- along with the joining, allowing the sealing member to be trapped in the sealing member sump so that the sealing member receives reactant gas pressure.
A method of producing a fuel cell stack comprising a stacked plurality of fuel-cell single cells, each of which comprises a membrane electrode assembly sandwiched between a pair of separators, and a sealing member that seals a gas channel formed between the membrane electrode assembly and the separators, and wherein the uneven portion is opposed to the holder part, the method comprising:
- forming an uneven portion in a part of the membrane electrode assembly where the sealing member is disposed,
- along with forming of the uneven portion, forming a sealing member sump to trap the sealing member at a side exposed to reactant gas pressure and a holder part for the sealing member within a part of the separators where the sealing member is disposed;
- disposing the sealing member in the part of the separators where the sealing member is disposed;
- thereafter joining the separators and the membrane electrode assembly to each other so as to form the gas channel between the separators and the membrane electrode assembly, the gas channel being sealed by the sealing member;
- and
- along with the joining, allowing the sealing member to be trapped in the sealing member sump so that the sealing member receives reactant gas pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.