Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Sumitomo Riko Company Limited

Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd.

Fumishige Shizuku

Kenji Sato

Hideya Kadono

Hiroo Yoshikawa

Takuya Kurihara

Yutaka Ishioka

Hideaki Tanahashi

Shinichi Haga

Sachio Okada

Ryogo Murayama

Makoto Kamiya

Hideaki Tanaka

Chisato Kato

Takahiro Aoki

Takashi Kajiwara

Naohiro Takeshita

Hiroki Itakura

Tadahiro Ichioka

A fuel-cell unit cell comprises an MEGA plate with a resin frame, and two separators. There is formed a gas manifold hole in an outer edge portion of the resin frame. There is provided a gas-flow-path forming portion with a recessed-and-protruded shape on the first surface of the resin frame for forming gas flow paths between the gas manifold hole and the first surface of the MEGA. There is also formed a fusion-bonding portion for surrounding a periphery of the gas manifold hole to cut off gas circulation between the gas manifold hole and the second surface of the MEGA and for bonding the resin frame and the second separator with each other, on the second surface of the resin frame so as to pass across a backside of the gas-flow-path forming portion. The fusion-bonding portion is formed from a first resin, and the gas-flow-path forming portion is formed from a second resin higher in melting point than the first resin.

Fuel-cell unit cell and manufacturing method therefor

A relation of X&#xd7;&#x394;T&#xd7;CTE&#x3c;L&#xd7;t is satisfied, where X represents a distance between a circumferentially innermost position of a bonded portion of a resin frame bonded to first projections of separators and a circumferentially inner end of the resin frame; L represents a distance between the circumferentially inner end of the resin frame and a circumferentially outermost position of a held portion of a membrane electrode gas-diffusion-layer assembly that is interposed and held between second projections of the separators: &#x394;T represents a temperature difference from a low temperature Tof &#x2212;40&#xb0; C. to a high temperature Tof 100&#xb0; C. CTErepresents an average coefficient of linear expansion of the resin frame within a range of the low temperature Tto the high temperature T; t represents a breaking elongation of the electrolyte membrane at the low temperature T; and the distances X, L represents dimensions at the high temperature T

Fuel cell resin frame assembly

A separator for a fuel cell, to be disposed opposing to a membrane electrode assembly, is provided. The separator includes a separator central area portion opposing to a center area of the membrane electrode assembly that concerns generating power, an outer edge portion located in an outer edge of the separator central area portion, a rubber molded body made of rubber, the rubber molded body being formed in the outer edge portion by die-casting a die-casting rubber material using die, and an adhesive layer formed in the outer edge portion, for adhering the rubber molded body to the outer edge portion. The adhesive layer is formed over an adhesive layer area that includes and is larger than an area where the rubber molded body is die-casted in the outer edge portion. Thus, a disadvantage due to burrs which are generated when die-casting the rubber molded body can be reduced.

Separator for fuel cell, fuel cell, and manufacturing method of separator

In order to reduce corrosion of metal plates of a current collector which is comprised of the stacked metal plates made of different materials, a current collector for a fuel cell is provided, which includes a first metal plate that has a terminal portion and is conductive, and a second metal plate and a third metal plate that are metal plates having a higher corrosion resistance than the first metal plate and pinch the first metal plate therebetween. The current collector includes a first through-hole penetrating the first metal plate, the second metal plate, and the third metal plate, wherein fluid exists in at least either one of between the first metal plate and the second metal plate, and between the first metal plate and the third metal plate, and the first through-hole guides the fluid outside the current collector, and a first seal member blocking an end face of a perimeter of the current collector. A hole wall surface of the first through-hole is not blocked.

Current collector for fuel cell, and fuel cell stack

A terminal plateF is configured such that an electrically conductive aluminum core platehaving a current collector terminalis placed between a titanium cell-side plateand a titanium end plate-side plateboth having higher corrosion resistance. Both the cell-side plateand the end plate-side platehave plate outer peripheries extended more outward than the outer periphery of the core plate. A plate adhesive seal memberis arranged to cover the outer peripheries of the respective plates including the core plateand keep the plate-sandwiched state. The core platehas a gold-plated outer peripheral end face and is thereby in the non-bonded state with the plate adhesive seal memberon the outer peripheral end face.

Terminal plate for fuel cell, manufacturing method of terminal plate for fuel cell, and fuel cell

A separator for fuel cell is used for a fuel cell and is placed to face a membrane electrode assembly. The separator includes a separator center area placed to face a power generation area of the membrane electrode assembly; a peripheral region extended from the separator center area toward an outer edge; a cooling medium supply manifold and a cooling medium discharge manifold provided in the peripheral region; a fluid flow path area extended from the cooling medium supply manifold through the separator center area to the cooling medium discharge manifold; a sealing gasket provided in the peripheral region and placed to surround the fluid flow path area; and a gasket for peel test provided outside of the fluid flow path area and configured to receive an external force applied as a test for evaluation of an adhesive state of the gasket. Evaluating the adhesive state of the gasket for peel test improves the yield of products in manufacture of the separators for fuel cell.

Separator for fuel cell and manufacturing method of fuel cell stack

In order to suppress an increase in electric resistance when retrieving electric power collected from a fuel cell stack, a current collector for a fuel cell is provided. The current collector includes a current collecting portion for collecting electric power generated by the fuel cell, and a terminal portion for outputting the power collected by the current collecting portion. A bus bar is attached to the terminal portion. The terminal portion includes a terminal portion main body, electrically connected with the current collecting portion, a first threaded part fixed to the terminal portion main body, a second threaded part for threadedly engaging with the first threaded part to fix one end of the bus bar to the terminal portion, and a protruded portion provided in the same surface as a surface where the first threaded part of the terminal portion main body is provided. The protruded portion is disposed at a position where the protruded portion contacts the bus bar to stop a rotation of the terminal portion main body accompanying fastening of the second threaded part, when the one end of the bus bar is fixed to the terminal portion in a state where the other end of the bus bar is fixed to another instrument.

Current collector for fuel cell, fuel cell stack, fuel cell system, and method of manufacturing fuel cell system

A manufacturing method of a fuel cell module includes: forming an outer divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber having adhesiveness in a seal member arrangement portion of a separator to produce an outer temporary assembly, and forming an inner divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber in a peripheral edge portion of an electrode member to produce an inner temporary assembly; fitting the inner temporary assembly into a frame of the outer temporary assembly to produce a cell assembly temporary assembly; arranging a cell assembly stack, in which a plurality of the cell assembly temporary assemblies are stacked, in a forming die; and pressurizing and heating the forming die to crosslink the uncrosslinked item

Manufacturing method of fuel cell module and manufacturing method of fuel cell

A manufacturing method of a fuel cell module includes: forming an outer divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber having adhesiveness in a seal member arrangement portion of a separator to produce an outer temporary assembly, and forming an inner divided body having a frame shape and formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber in a peripheral edge portion of an electrode member to produce an inner temporary assembly fitting the inner temporary assembly into a frame of the outer temporary assembly to produce a cell assembly temporary assembly; arranging a cell assembly stack, in which a plurality of the cell assembly temporary assemblies are stacked, in a forming die; and pressurizing and heating the forming die to crosslink the uncrosslinked item.

A fuel cell stack includes: a first module configured to include an electrolyte membrane, an anode and a cathode; a second module configured to include a separator and placed adjacent to one surface of the first module via a first sealing member; and a third module configured to include a separator and placed adjacent to the other surface of the first module via a second sealing member. In this fuel cell stack, the first sealing member has the greater peel strength to the first module than the peel strength to the second module, and the second sealing member has the greater peel strength to the first module than the peel strength to the third module.

Fuel cell stack, manufacturing method of fuel cell stack and replacement method of module as constituent of fuel cell stack

A manufacturing method of a cell assembly for a fuel cell includes: producing an electrode member, a separator, and a seal member preform, which has a frame shape and which is formed from an uncrosslinked item of solid rubber having adhesiveness, in a predetermined shape in advance; arranging the electrode member, the separator, and the seal member preform in a forming die including a pressing member, and closing the forming die while the pressing member is pressing a side of the electrode member that is opposite to the separator in the thickness direction; and pressurizing and heating the forming die to crosslink the uncrosslinked item so that the seal member seals the peripheral edge portion of the electrode member and integrates the electrode member and the separator with each other.

Manufacturing method of cell assembly for fuel cell and manufacturing method of fuel cell

A fuel cell module includes: an electrode member having a membrane electrode assembly, which is formed from an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrode catalyst layers that is disposed on both sides of the electrolyte membrane in the thickness direction, and having a pair of porous layers disposed on both sides of the membrane electrode assembly in the thickness direction; a separator disposed layered on the electrode member so as to contact at least one of the porous layers; and an adhesive rubber member sealing a peripheral edge portion of the electrode member, wherein the electrode member and the separator are integrated by the adhesive rubber member, and a tensile product of the adhesive rubber member is 1,500 MPa&#xb7;% or more.

Fuel cell module and manufacturing method thereof

A fuel cell including a power generating body including an electrolyte layer and electrode layers, diffusion layers disposed on opposite major surfaces of the power generating body, separators disposed on major surfaces of the diffusion layers opposite to those facing the power generating body, a first seal formed around the periphery of the power generating body and including an effective seal portion that suppresses leakage of the gas to the outside of the fuel cell between the separators, and a second seal formed integrally with at least one of the diffusion layers to extend along an end face of the diffusion layer. The second seal is in intimate contact with a surface of the power generating body on which the diffusion layer is laminated and a surface of a corresponding one of the separators that is laminated on the diffusion layer.

Fuel cell and method of manufacturing same

The method of manufacturing a fuel cell including stacked unit cell constituent members sandwiched by separators includes the steps of arranging the unit cell constituent member in a first area on a first face of the separator; and forming a seal member made of elastic material such that the seal member is adhered or intimately attached to a second area including the first area on the first face of the separator, and that the seal member is unified with an edge portion of the unit cell constituent member.

Growing community of inventors

Seto, Japan

Fumishige Shizuku