Separator member and fuel cell
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsTakuro OKUBO, Shuhei GOTO
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A first separator member forming a power generation cell, which is a fuel cell, includes a first separator body. A first support bead, which is formed to be lower in height than a first seal bead and restricts the inclination of the first seal bead, is provided outside a first seal in the first separator body. The width of the first support bead varies depending on the position of the first support bead in the direction in which the first support bead extends.
Claims15
Separator member configured to be incorporated into a fuel cell stack in a manner that the separator member is stacked on a membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and an electrode disposed on each of both sides of the electrolyte membrane, wherein
- a compression load in a separator thickness direction is applied to the separator member,
- the separator member includes a separator body made of metal and having a plate shape,
- the separator body is provided with:
- a reactant gas flow field configured to allow a reactant gas to flow along the electrode;
- a plurality of fluid passages penetrating the separator body in the separator thickness direction and connected to the reactant gas flow field or a coolant flow field;
- and
- a seal positioned around the reactant gas flow field and the plurality of fluid passages and configured to prevent leakage of a fluid formed of the reactant gas or a coolant,
- the seal includes a seal bead formed integrally with the separator body and protruding from the separator body so as to be elastically deformable by the compression load,
- a support bead formed to be lower in height than the seal bead and configured to restrict inclination of the seal bead is provided outside the seal in the separator body,
- the support bead extends along the seal, and is formed integrally with the separator body and protrudes from the separator body, and
- a width of the support bead varies depending on a position of the support bead in a direction in which the support bead extends.
A fuel cell comprising:
- a membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and an electrode disposed on each of both sides of the electrolyte membrane;
- and
- a pair of separator members disposed on both sides of the membrane electrode assembly, wherein
- a compression load in a separator thickness direction is applied to the fuel cell,
- at least one of the pair of separator members includes a separator body made of metal and having a plate shape,
- the separator body is provided with:
- a reactant gas flow field configured to allow a reactant gas to flow along the electrode;
- a plurality of fluid passages penetrating the separator body in the separator thickness direction and connected to the reactant gas flow field or a coolant flow field;
- and
- a seal positioned around the reactant gas flow field and the plurality of fluid passages and configured to prevent leakage of a fluid formed of the reactant gas or a coolant,
- the seal includes a seal bead formed integrally with the separator body and protruding from the separator body so as to be elastically deformable by the compression load,
- a support bead formed to be lower in height than the seal bead and configured to restrict inclination of the seal bead is provided outside the seal in the separator body,
- the support bead extends along the seal, and is formed integrally with the separator body and protrudes from the separator body, and
- a width of the support bead varies depending on a position of the support bead in a direction in which the support bead extends.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.