JPH0358155B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a device for tightening a cell stack in which a large number of single cells are integrated in a fuel cell having a matrix.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

As is well known, a phosphoric acid aqueous fuel cell is constructed by stacking gas diffusion electrodes on both sides of a matrix impregnated with an electrolytic solution, and stacking gas separation plates with gas supply grooves on the outer surface of each electrode. A single cell is constructed, and a large number of these single cells are stacked to form a battery stack, and by flowing fuel gas and air (hydrogen and oxygen) in intersecting directions, the electrical energy generated by each single cell is combined. Energy of a predetermined voltage and current can be obtained. In addition, each layer of cells must be in close contact with each other, and each cell must also be in close contact with each other.Furthermore, since heat is generated during power generation, a cooling device is inserted between the battery stacks. .

By the way, as a device for tightening battery stacks,
Conventionally, the one shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is known, which consists of four upright pillars 1, a pair of pushers 2,
2 are installed parallel to each other so as to be vertically movable, and a disc spring 3 is fitted onto the pushers 2, 2, and the battery stack 5 is tightened by tightening with a bolt threaded onto the tip of the support column 1. Moreover, the tightening device is covered within the outer container 6. However, the inside of the outer container 6 is heated by the heat generated by the battery stack, and the heat deforms each member of the tightening device, and the load is not applied evenly to the entire flat surface of the battery. Overheating occurs, which is a factor that reduces power generation performance, and there are also drawbacks such as the inability to easily adjust the clamping pressure of the battery stack.

[Purpose of the invention]

An object of the present invention is to provide a battery stack tightening device that can tighten a battery stack with a uniform load over the entire flat surface of the battery stack, and can easily adjust the tightening pressure from the outside.

[Summary of the invention]

The structure of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for tightening a cell stack of a fuel cell using an expandable body, in which a guide path through which fluid flows over the entire surface of the expandable body is expanded and contracted between a fluid inlet and an outlet of the expandable body. The feature is that it can be provided freely.

[Embodiments of the invention]

The present invention will be explained below with reference to Examples.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, columns 8 are erected at the four corners of the lower plate 7, and an upper plate 9 is fixed to the upper end of each column 8 in parallel with the lower plate 7. A battery stack 5 formed lower than the height of the room is installed in a room surrounded by. Note that the above-mentioned pillars 8 are for fixing the upper plate 9, and the upper plate 9 may be fixed by other means instead of using the pillars 8. An expansion body 10 is interposed between the fixed upper plate 9 and the upper surface of the battery stack 5. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the battery stack 5 housed in a chamber formed in the same manner as the previous example is separated into an upper part and a lower part, and an expandable body 10 is sandwiched between them. The upper surface is the upper plate 9
In addition, the lower surface of the lower portion is in pressure contact with the lower plate 7, respectively. Although not shown, the inflatable body 10 may be provided under the battery stack 5, contrary to the example shown in FIG.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the inflatable body 10 is formed by winding a tube 13 made of silicone rubber in a spiral shape on the same plane, and embedding this tube in a plate-shaped body made of silicone rubber. Both ends of the tube 13 are extended outward, with one opening serving as an inlet 11 filled with fluid and the other serving as an outlet 12. However, the guide path 18 does not necessarily have to be a tube, and the guide path 18 may be provided in a bag-shaped plate made of silicone rubber in a spiral manner over the entire surface of the plate. The arrangement in a spiral shape is a consideration to ensure that the fluid flows over almost the entire surface of the inflatable body 10, and is not limited to a mere spiral shape. The front and rear ends of each guideway 18 may be alternately connected. A pressure regulating valve (not shown) is connected to the outlet 12 of the inflatable body 10. When the fluid in the inflatable body 10 expands thermally, the fluid is discharged by the pressure regulating valve, and the inflatable body Since the fluid within 10 flows over the entire surface, the tightening pressure is immediately uniformized over the entire surface, and the fluid flow provides a cooling effect.

The expandable body 10 shown in FIG. 6 is suitable for being interposed in the middle of the battery stack 5, as shown in FIG. 4, and is formed to have expansion, cooling, and current-carrying functions. It is. That is, a rectangular frame is made of an electrically conductive metal plate, and a hollow body is formed by welding flat plates 15 and 16 to the top and bottom of a body 14 provided with a bellows, and a large number of partition plates are provided with bellows inside. 17 are welded and fixed to the upper and lower flat plates 15 and 16 parallel to each other and alternately with gaps between them and the body 14 at the front and back, and the inlet 11 is provided at one end and the outlet 12 is provided at the other end. It has been established.

In this case, a cooling liquid or a cooling gas flows through the electrode to expand, cool, and function as a collector electrode. Incidentally, only the upper and lower plane plates 15 and 16 may be formed of metal, and both plates 15 and 16 may be connected by a current-carrying band (not shown).

〔Effect of the invention〕

In particular, a guide path is provided in the expandable body constituting the battery stack tightening device according to the invention, through which fluid flows over the entire surface of the expandable body, and since the fluid flows along the guide path, it does not stagnate partially. Therefore, the temperature can be maintained uniformly over the entire surface of the expandable body, and the battery stack can be tightened uniformly.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a conventional battery stack tightening device, FIG. 2 is a plan view, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing a battery stack tightening device according to the present invention.
FIGS. 5 and 6 are partially cutaway perspective views of the expandable body constituting the tightening device according to the present invention. 5... Battery laminate, 7... Lower plate, 8... Support column,
9...Top plate, 10...Inflatable body, 11...Inflow port,
12... Outlet, 13... Tube, 14... Body, 15, 16... Plane plate, 18... Taxiway.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Battery stacking of a fuel cell in which a battery stack 5 is installed in a room having fixed surfaces on the top and bottom, and the battery stack 5 is pressed against the fixed surface in the room by an inflatable body 10 made of fluid. A fuel body tightening device characterized in that a guide path 18 for allowing fluid to flow over the entire surface of the inflatable body 10 is extendably provided between a fluid inlet 11 and a fluid outlet 12 of the inflatable body 10. Battery laminate tightening device for batteries. 2. The cell stack tightening device for a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the guide path 18 of the expansion body 10 is formed of a rubber tube 13. 3. Both upper and lower plates 15 that constitute the inflatable body 10,
2. A cell stack tightening device for a fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein 16 is made of metal.