Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kiasha

Kazunari Moteki

Keiji Hashimoto

Satoshi Futami

Tomokazu Hayashi

Kousuke Kawajiri

Takamasa Kanie

A conveying apparatus for a separator for a fuel cell includes: a conveying portion configured to hold an intermediate part of the separator and lift the separator; and restricting portions configured to restrict the opposite ends of the separator to warp the intermediate part of the separator in the lifting direction when the conveying portion lifts the separator. The restricting portions are configured to release the opposite ends when the intermediate part of the separator warps in the lifting direction with a target curvature amount.

Conveying apparatus for separator for fuel cell

An electrode structureis received in a joint portion of frames. A first gas diffusion layerand a first gas passage forming memberare arranged on a first surface of the electrode structure. A second gas diffusion layerand a second gas passage forming memberare formed on a second surface of the electrode structure. A separatoris joined with a surface of the frameand a surface of the gas passage forming member. A separatoris joined with a surface of the frameand a surface of the gas passage forming member. A water passageis formed between a flat plateof the gas passage forming memberand the separator. The water passagehas a depth set to a value smaller than depth of a gas passage Tof the gas passage forming member. Generated water is introduced from the gas passage Tof the gas passage forming memberto the water passagethrough capillary action via communication holes. The generated water in the water passageis moved to a downstream side of the water passageby pressure caused by oxidization gas. This prevents corrosion of the cathode side electrode catalyst layer and improves durability of the anode side gas passage forming member. As a result, a fuel cell capable of preventing decrease of power generation is provided.

Fuel cell

A fuel cell includes a gas channel-forming member that forms a channel for supplying a reactant gas to a plane of an electrode. A basic structure of the gas channel-forming member is a corrugated plate portion in which ridge portions and trough portions continuously alternate with each other. In the gas channel-forming member, a plurality of corrugated plate portions are interconnected. Specifically, two adjacent corrugated plate portions are interconnected so that the trough portions of one of the two connect to the ridge portions of the other corrugated plate portion. The gas channel-forming member is disposed so that the direction of alignment of the connection planes S formed by the interconnection between the trough portions and the ridge portions is parallel to the plane of the electrode. This structure improves the diffusion efficiency of the reactant gas in the gas channel.

Gas diffusion layer in a fuel cell

Growing community of inventors

Okazaki, Japan

Kazunari Moteki