FUEL CELL STACK WITH MULTILAYER TYPE COLLECTOR PLATE

• US 20170092967A1
• Filed: 07/01/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Ko, Haeng Jin
• Granted Patent: US 10,122,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/31 for starting of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/32 for controlling the temperature of fuel cells, e.g. by controlling the electric load
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0202 Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0247 characterised by the form characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0256 Vias, i.e. connectors passing through the separator material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04007 related to heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04052 Storage of heat in the fuel cell system
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04225 during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04253 Means for solving freezing problems
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04268 Heating of fuel cells during the start-up of the fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/24 Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2465 Details of groupings of fuel cells
• 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: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell stack is provided which manually increases the temperature of cells arranged in the vicinity of an end plate of the stack to improve starting performance of a fuel cell vehicle at temperatures below zero and driving performance thereof at low temperatures. The fuel cell stack realizes rapid thawing and heating functions in response to freezing of end cells when a vehicle is started at temperatures below zero, using a multilayer current collector having at least one thin collector plate which is structurally and sensitively expandable or contractible based on temperature changes.

Claims

1. A fuel cell stack with a multilayer type collector plate, comprising:

end plates disposed at opposite sides of stack cells stacked in a line to fixedly support the stack cells; and

current collectors disposed inside the end plates to collect electricity generated by the stack cells and configured to transmit the electricity to the outside,

wherein at least one of the current collectors disposed at the opposite sides of the stack cells includes a first collector plate having a current collection terminal, and a second collector plate stacked on one surface of the first collector plate, and a gap that is a thermal insulation function between the first and second collector plates by thermal contraction of the stack cells at temperatures below zero.

2. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein an elastic member is inserted between a terminal aperture formed in each of the end plates and the current collection terminal of the first collector plate passing through the terminal aperture, to elastically support the current collection terminal.

3. The fuel cell stack of claim 2, wherein stepped portions are respectively formed in the terminal aperture and the current collection terminal, and the elastic member is accommodated between a stepped portion of the current collection terminal and a stepped portion of the terminal aperture, which face each other when the current collection terminal is inserted into the terminal aperture.

4. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the first collector plate has a rough structure on one surface thereof facing the second collector plate.

5. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the first collector plate is a thin collector plate having a thickness less than that of the second collector plate.

6. The fuel cell stack of claim 5, wherein the first collector plate is stacked to abut the stack cells, and the current collection terminal of the first collector plate is inserted through an aperture in the second collector plate and a terminal aperture in the associated one of the end plates.

7. The fuel cell stack of claim 5, wherein the first collector plate has a thickness of about 0.05 to 0.2 mm.

8. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the gap is formed between the first and second collector plates at a temperature of about −

20 to −

30°

C., and the first and second collector plates form a minimum contact resistance by fastening pressure of the stack when the temperature is increased to a predetermined temperature above zero.

9. The fuel cell stack of claim 8, wherein the first and second collector plates form a minimum contact resistance by the fastening pressure of the stack at a temperature of about 40 to 70°

C.

10. The fuel cell stack of claim 1, wherein the current collection terminal is bonded to the first collector plate to be integrated therewith, is assembled to the first collector plate to be integrated therewith by a fastening mechanism, or is pressed against the first collector plate to be electrically connected thereto.