Monopolar cell pack of proton exchange membrane fuel cell and direct methanol fuel cell

• US 20020076597A1
• Filed: 03/14/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chang, Hyuk, Lim, Chan
• Granted Patent: US 6,743,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/35
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1009 with one of the reactants being liquid, solid or liquid-charged H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2418 Grouping by arranging unit cells in a plane H01M8/2425, H01M8/244 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/249 comprising two or more groupings of fuel cells, e.g. modular assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A proton exchange membrane fuel cell and a direct methanol fuel cell pack using a monopolar electrode are provided. The fuel cell pack includes a plurality of cells each having a membrane in its middle and a cathode and an anode at both sides of the membrane, collector plates contacting the cathode and the anode, respectively, in each cell, and an electrical connection member for electrically connecting adjacent cells. The cells are evenly disposed on an arbitrary plane with a hollow interposed between two adjacent cells. The electrical connection member is positioned in the hollow. The fuel cell pack also includes a porous fuel diffusion member contacting the anode of each cell; a porous air contact member contacting the cathode of each cell; an anode end plate and a cathode end plate disposed at the side of the anodes of the cells and at the side of the cathodes of the cells, respectively, for protecting the cells; a fuel supply and discharge unit for supplying fuel toward the anodes in the hollow and discharging the fuel; a fuel flow stopper disposed at a portion at the part of the cathodes in the hollow, for preventing fuel flowing at a portion at the part of the anodes in the hollow from flowing toward the portion at the part of the cathodes in the hollow; and a sealing member for sealing the anodes of the cells and the portion of the hollow corresponding to the anodes. Accordingly, circulation of fuel for the plurality of cells is performed through a single inlet and a single outlet so that a fuel supply line is very simple compared to a structure of a fuel supply line for each cell in a conventional cell pack having a structural limitation. In addition, the cell pack generates current of a high density without a separate cooling device.

Claims

1. A fuel cell pack including a plurality of cells each having a membrane in its middle and a cathode and an anode at both sides of the membrane, collector plates contacting the cathode and the anode, respectively, in each cell, and an electrical connection member for electrically connecting adjacent cells, at least two cells being provided, the cells being evenly disposed on an arbitrary plane with a hollow interposed between two adjacent cells, the electrical connection member being positioned in the hollow, the fuel cell pack comprising:

a porous fuel diffusion member contacting the anode of each cell;

a porous air contact member contacting the cathode of each cell;

an anode end plate and a cathode end plate disposed at the side of the anodes of the cells and at the side of the cathodes of the cells, respectively, for protecting the cells;

fuel supply and discharge means for supplying fuel toward the anodes in the hollow and discharging the fuel;

a fuel flow stopper disposed at a portion at the part of the cathodes in the i s hollow, the fuel flow stopper preventing fuel flowing at a portion at the part of the anodes in the hollow from flowing toward the portion at the part of the cathodes in the hollow; and

a sealing member for sealing the anodes of the cells and the portion of the hollow corresponding to the anodes.

2. The fuel cell pack of claim 1, wherein a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet corresponding to the hollow are disposed on the anode end plate with a predetermined interval.

3. The fuel cell pack of claim 1, wherein the porous fuel diffusion member is formed of a carbon-plastic composite.

4. The fuel cell pack of claim 3, wherein the porous fuel diffusion member comprises carbon or graphite impregnated therein.

5. The fuel cell pack of claim 1, wherein the porous air contact member is formed of a carbon-plastic composite.

6. The fuel cell pack of claim 1, wherein the porous air contact member has a plurality of channels for the flow of air on its bottom.

7. The fuel cell pack of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection member has a shape of a mesh.

8. The fuel cell pack of claim 1, wherein through holes are formed in the collector plates contacting the cathodes and the cathode end plate such that the through holes in the collector plates correspond to those in the cathode end plate one to one.

9. A fuel cell pack including a plurality of cells each having a membrane in its middle and a cathode and an anode at both sides of the membrane, collector plates contacting the cathode and the anode, respectively, in each cell, and an electrical connection member for electrically connecting adjacent cells, at least two cells being provided, the cells being disposed on both sides of an intermediate layer, which is provided with fuel supply and discharge means, with a hollow of predetermined volume interposed between two adjacent cells in the level direction of the intermediate layer, the electrical connection member being disposed in the hollow, the anodes of the cells disposed on both sides of the intermediate layer contacting the intermediate layer, the fuel cell pack comprising:

a porous fuel diffusion member contacting the anode of each cell;

a porous air contact member contacting the cathode of each cell;

first and second end plates disposed at the respective sides of the cathodes of the cells, for protecting the cells;

a fuel flow stopper disposed at a portion corresponding to the cathodes of adjacent cells in a hollow, the fuel flow stopper preventing fuel flowing at a portion at the part of the anodes in the hollow from flowing toward the portion at the part of the cathodes in the hollow; and

a sealing member for sealing the anodes of the cells and the portion of a hollow corresponding to the anodes.

10. The fuel cell pack of claim 9, wherein fuel is supplied to the anodes starting from anodes at the center of the fuel cell pack.

11. The fuel cell pack of claim 9, wherein at least two cells are disposed on each of both sides of the intermediate layer, and a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet which correspond to hollows, respectively, between the cells are disposed in the intermediate layer at a predetermined interval.

12. The fuel cell pack of claim 9, wherein the porous fuel diffusion member is formed of a carbon-plastic composite.

13. The fuel cell pack of claim 9, wherein the porous fuel diffusion member comprises carbon or graphite impregnated therein.

14. The fuel cell pack of claim 9, wherein the porous air contact member is formed of a carton-plastic composite.

15. The fuel cell pack of claim 9, wherein the air contact member has a plurality of channels for the flow of air on its bottom.

16. The fuel cell pack of claim 9, wherein the electrical connection member has a shape of a mesh.