# US 2019/0319293 A1 · Fuel cell module and fuel cell apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0319293 A1 - Document ID: US20190319293A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/310,854 - Filed: 2017-06-14 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-20 - Assignees: KYOCERA Corporation; Dainichi Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Kyocera Corporation; Dainichi Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Tatsuya KANBAYASHI; Kentaro TANAKA; Takayuki MARUYAMA; Akinori FUKUDA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190319293A1 ## CPC - H01M 8/2475: Enclosures, casings or containers of fuel cell stacks - H01M 8/04: Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids - H01M 8/06: Combination of fuel cells with means for production of reactants or for treatment of residues (regenerative fuel cells H01M8/18) - H01M 8/2432: Grouping of unit cells of planar configuration - H01M 8/2457: with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised - H01M 8/2484: characterised by external manifolds - H01M 8/243: Grouping of unit cells of tubular or cylindrical configuration - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract In accordance with a fuel cell module, a cell stack is housed in a housing including a box and a lid, and the lid is provided with a first gas flow channel through which either one of oxygen containing gas and exhaust gas flows. Therefore, the configuration of the housing can be simplified. Since the lid is provided with the gas flow channel, an accommodation space inside the box can be enlarged, the cell stack can be easily housed inside the housing through an opening, and the fuel cell module can be easily assembled. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel cell module, comprising: a housing comprising a box, wherein one side of the box is open, and a lid for closing the one side of the box; and a cell stack, which is housed in an accommodation chamber disposed inside the housing, and in which a plurality of fuel cells, which generate power by use of fuel gas and oxygen containing gas, are disposed and electrically connected together, wherein the lid comprises a first gas flow channel through which flows either one of the oxygen containing gas and exhaust gas which is discharged from the accommodation chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fuel cell module according to claim 1, wherein the lid further comprises a second gas flow channel disposed adjacent to the first gas flow channel and through which flows the other of the oxygen containing gas and the exhaust gas. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The fuel cell module according to claim 2, wherein the second gas flow channel is located closer to the cell stack than the first gas flow channel, the oxygen containing gas flows in the first gas flow channel, and the exhaust gas flows in the second gas flow channel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The fuel cell module according to claim 2, wherein the first gas flow channel and the second gas flow channel are located on a box side of the lid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fuel cell module according to claim 4, wherein the lid further comprises an introducing portion which introduces the oxygen containing gas from outside and connects with the first gas flow channel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The fuel cell module according to claim 2, wherein the lid further comprises a flow channel partitioning portion which partitions the first gas flow channel and the second gas flow channel, and the flow channel partitioning portion has a convex portion convex toward an inside of the first gas flow channel or an inside of the second gas flow channel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The fuel cell module according to claim 2, wherein each of the first gas flow channel and the second gas flow channel is a meandering flow channel which meanders in a right-left direction on a surface facing the box side of the lid, and the first gas flow channel and the second gas flow channel are configured such that a flow channel cross-sectional area on a lower side of the meandering flow channel is larger than a flow channel cross-sectional area on an upper side of the meandering flow channel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The fuel cell module according to claim 2, further comprising an oxygen containing gas introducing plate, which is located closer to a bottom surface of the box than the cell stack, wherein the oxygen containing gas introducing plate passes the oxygen containing gas along the bottom surface of the box and supplies the oxygen containing gas to the cell stack through an oxygen containing gas introducing port. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The fuel cell module according to claim 8, further comprising a third gas flow channel which connects the first gas flow channel and the oxygen gas containing gas introducing plate, wherein the oxygen containing gas which has passed through the first gas flow channel passes through the third gas flow channel to flow into the oxygen containing gas introducing plate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The fuel cell module according to claim 9, wherein the third gas flow channel is provided on one end side in a length direction of the fuel cell, the third gas flow channel connects one end on a downstream side of the first gas flow channel and one end on an upstream side of the oxygen containing gas introducing plate so as to communicate with each other, and the introducing portion and the oxygen containing gas introducing port are provided on the other end side in the length direction of the fuel cell. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9, 10) The fuel cell module according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the first gas flow channel and the third gas flow channel are connected with each other through a plurality of inlets disposed in parallel, and the third gas flow channel is configured such that a flow channel cross-sectional area on an upstream side thereof connected to the first gas flow channel is larger than a flow channel cross-sectional area on a downstream side thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The fuel cell module according to claim 9, wherein the third gas flow channel is defined by a plurality of third gas flow channel walls opposed to each other, and the third flow channel walls comprise abutment portions which are convex toward an inside of the third gas flow channel to abut on each other. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The fuel cell module according to claim 9, wherein the third gas flow channel comprises a main flow channel portion which provides connection from the first gas flow channel to the oxygen containing gas introducing plate; and an extended portion extending toward the bottom surface of the box beyond a position where the oxygen containing gas introducing plate and the main flow channel portion are connected. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The fuel cell module according to claim 8, wherein the first gas flow channel comprises a diverting portion for diverting the oxygen containing gas to the cell stack from the oxygen containing gas introducing plate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The fuel cell module according to claim 1, wherein the box comprises an outer flange portion extending outward at the opening, and the fuel cell module further comprises an outer side insulating material which covers an outer surface of the box along the outer flange portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 3) The fuel cell module according to claim 3, further comprising a storing portion which stores condensation water, disposed on an upstream side of the first gas flow channel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 3) The fuel cell module according to claim 3, wherein the lid further comprises a fourth gas flow channel disposed adjacent to the first gas flow channel and provided on an outer side of the first gas flow channel, and the fourth gas flow channel connects with the second gas flow channel and the exhaust gas which has passed through the second gas flow channel flows in the fourth gas flow channel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The fuel cell module according to claim 17, wherein a combustion catalyst for processing the exhaust gas is disposed inside the fourth gas flow channel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The fuel cell module according to claim 18, wherein the combustion catalyst is disposed on a downstream side in a flow direction of the exhaust gas in the fourth gas flow channel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A fuel cell apparatus, comprising: the fuel cell module according to claim 1; an auxiliary machine which operates the fuel cell module; and an external case which houses the fuel cell module and the auxiliary machine.