Flat type fuel cell assembly having connector

• US 20070154761A1
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Eun, Yeong, An, Seong
• Application Number:
  US11/649,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20070154761A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/483
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/006 Flat
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/02 Details electrodes H01M4/86 - H01M4/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0247 characterised by the form characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0271 Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2455 with liquid, solid or electrolyte-charged reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/248 Means for compression of the fuel cell stacks
• 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 flat type fuel cell assembly having a connector. The flat type fuel cell assembly further includes: a fuel cell main body having membrane-electrode assemblies, each membrane-electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane, and anode and cathode electrodes being placed at opposite sides of the electrolyte membrane; anode collectors corresponding to and being in contact with the anode electrodes of the fuel cell main body, each anode collector having a terminal protruded outwardly from the fuel cell main body; cathode collectors corresponding to and being in contact with the cathode electrodes of the fuel cell main body, each cathode collector having a terminal protruded outwardly from the fuel cell main body. Here, the connector has a wiring line to electrically connect the plurality of terminals of the anode and cathode collectors in series. With this configuration, a separate wiring process can be omitted and a manufacturing process can be simplified.

Claims

1. A flat type fuel cell assembly comprising:

a fuel cell main body comprising a plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies, each of the membrane-electrode assemblies including an electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode, and a cathode electrode, the anode and cathode electrodes being placed at opposite sides of the electrolyte membrane;

a plurality of anode collectors corresponding to and being in contact with the anode electrodes of the plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies of the fuel cell main body, each of the anode collectors having a terminal protruded outwardly from the fuel cell main body;

a plurality of cathode collectors corresponding to and being in contact with the cathode electrodes of the plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies of the fuel cell main body, each of the cathode collectors having a terminal protruded outwardly from the fuel cell main body; and

a connector having a wiring line to electrically connect the plurality of terminals of the anode and cathode collectors in series.

2. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connector is sliding-coupled to at least one surface of the fuel cell main body.

3. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connector is coupled to each of the membrane-electrode assemblies and has a plurality of terminal coupling parts to extract various voltages from the fuel cell main body.

4. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 3, wherein the connector comprises a plurality of lead terminals having a leg shape and coupled to the terminal coupling parts.

5. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell main body comprises:

a middle plate comprising an inlet and an outlet adapted to introduce and discharge fuel, respectively, a manifold adapted to flow the fuel therethrough, and a plurality of holes adapted to distribute and supply the fuel;

the plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies placed on opposite sides of the middle plate;

the plurality of anode collectors placed between the middle plate and one surface of at least one of the membrane-electrode assemblies, each of the anode collectors having a channel to guide the flow of the fuel supplied through at least one of the holes;

the plurality of cathode collectors being placed on the other surface of the at least one of the membrane-electrode assemblies, each of the cathode collectors having an opening to expose the cathode electrode of the at least one of the membrane-electrode assemblies;

an end plate placed on the plurality of cathode collectors, the middle plate being between the end plate and another end plate; and

a fastening part adapted to assemble the end plate with the another end plate with a predetermined pressure.

6. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 5, wherein the fastening part comprises screw combining means for penetrating the end plate, the middle plate, and the another end plate.

7. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 5, wherein the fuel cell main body comprises a gasket placed between the middle plate and at least one of the anode collectors.

8. A flat type fuel cell assembly comprising:

a middle plate provided with a flow channel through which fuel is supplied;

a plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies placed at opposite sides of the middle plate, and comprising an electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode, and a cathode electrode, the anode and cathode electrodes attached to opposite sides of the electrolyte membrane;

a plurality of anode collectors placed between one surface of at least one of the membrane-electrode assemblies and one of the opposite sides of the middle plate, each of the anode collectors having a channel connected to the flow channel to guide the flow of the fuel;

a plurality of cathode collectors placed on the other surface of the at least one of the membrane-electrode assemblies; and

at least one first lead terminal and at least one second lead terminal protruded and extended from the anode collector and the cathode collector in opposite lateral sides of the middle plate, respectively, the at least one first lead terminal and the at least one second lead terminal having a bending leg shape.

9. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a connector for supporting the at least one first lead terminal and the at least one second lead terminal and coupled to the flat type fuel cell assembly.

10. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a first end plate and a second end plate, the first end plate being placed on the cathode collectors and the middle plate being between the first end plate and the second end plate.

11. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 10, further comprising a fastening part adapted to fasten the first and second end plates with a predetermined pressure.

12. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 11, wherein the fastening part includes screw-coupling means for penetrating the first end plate, the middle plate, and the second end plate.

13. A flat type fuel cell assembly comprising:

a fuel cell main body comprising a membrane-electrode assembly, the membrane-electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode, and a cathode electrode, the anode and cathode electrodes being placed at opposite sides of the electrolyte membrane;

an anode collector corresponding to and being in contact with the anode electrode of the fuel cell main body, the anode collector having a terminal protruded outwardly from the fuel cell main body;

a cathode collector corresponding to and being in contact with the cathode electrode of the fuel cell main body, the cathode collector having a terminal protruded outwardly from the fuel cell main body; and

a connector having a wiring line to electrically connect the terminal of the anode collector and the terminal of the cathode collector in series.

14. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 13, wherein the connector is sliding-coupled to at least one surface of the fuel cell main body.

15. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the terminal of the anode collector or the terminal of the cathode collector has a substantially L-shape.

16. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 13, wherein the membrane-electrode assembly comprises a plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies, and wherein the connector is coupled to the plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies and has a plurality of terminal coupling parts to extract various voltages from the fuel cell main body.

17. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 16, wherein the connector comprises a plurality of lead terminals having a leg shape and coupled to the terminal coupling parts.

18. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 13, wherein the fuel cell main body comprises:

a middle plate comprising an inlet and an outlet adapted to introduce and discharge fuel, respectively, a manifold adapted to flow the fuel therethrough, and a plurality of holes adapted to distribute and supply the fuel;

the membrane-electrode assembly and another membrane-electrode assembly placed on opposite sides of the middle plate;

the anode collector placed between the middle plate and one surface of the membrane-electrode assembly, the anode collector having a channel to guide the flow of the fuel supplied through at least one of the holes;

the cathode collector being placed on the other surface of the membrane-electrode assembly, the cathode collector having an opening to expose the cathode electrode;

an end plate placed on the cathode collector, the middle plate being between the end plate and another end plate; and

a fastening part adapted to assemble the end plate with the another end plate with a predetermined pressure.

19. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 18, wherein the fastening part comprises screw combining means for penetrating the end plate, the middle plate, and the another end plate.

20. The flat type fuel cell assembly according to claim 18, wherein the fuel cell main body comprises a gasket placed between the middle plate and the anode collector.