阅读说明：本技术 具有空载电压保护的燃料电池 (Fuel cell with no-load voltage protection ) 是由 D-N.M.佩曼达尔 于 2019-07-16 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种具有空载电压保护的燃料电池(1),燃料电池包括由多个双极板(10)和多个薄膜电极单元(20)构成的堆叠装置(100),其中,各个薄膜电极单元(20)布置在相应两个双极板(10)之间。此外,燃料电池(1)包括电阻元件(200),电阻元件可以与每个双极板(10)电连接。(The invention relates to fuel cells (1) with open-circuit voltage protection, comprising a stack arrangement (100) of a plurality of bipolar plates (10) and a plurality of membrane electrode units (20), wherein each membrane electrode unit (20) is arranged between two respective bipolar plates (10), wherein the fuel cell (1) further comprises a resistance element (200), which can be electrically connected to each bipolar plate (10).)

1, A fuel cell with no-load voltage protection, the fuel cell comprising

-a stack arrangement (100) of a plurality of bipolar plates (10) and a plurality of membrane electrode units (20), wherein each membrane electrode unit (20) is arranged between two respective bipolar plates (10),

-a resistive element (200),

-wherein the resistive element (200) is electrically connectable with each bipolar plate (10).

2. The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein each bipolar plate (10) has a contact device (11) on the side for electrically contacting the resistive element (200) with the respective bipolar plate (10).

3. The fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein the fuel cell further comprises a fuel cell stack,

-wherein each contact means (11) has a respective contact hole (12),

-wherein the resistance element (200) is guided through a corresponding contact hole (12) of the contact device (11).

4. The fuel cell according to claim 3, comprising:

-control means (300) for controlling the electrical connection of the resistive element (200) to each contact means (11),

-wherein the control device (300) is configured to electrically connect the resistance element (200) with each contact device (11) in idle operation of the fuel cell (1).

5. The fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein the control device (300) is configured to electrically disconnect the resistive element (200) from each contact device (11) in a fuel cell operating state other than idle operation of the fuel cell (1).

6. The fuel cell according to of any of claims 1-5, wherein the resistive element (200) is configured as a resistive wire (210).

7. Fuel cell according to claim 6, wherein the resistance wire (210) is guided through a corresponding contact hole (12) of a contact device (11).

8. The fuel cell according to claim 7, comprising:

a contact arm (400) for moving the resistance wire (210),

-wherein the control device (300) is configured for moving a contact arm (400).

9. The fuel cell according to claim 8, wherein the fuel cell further comprises a fuel cell stack,

-wherein the control device (300) is configured for moving the contact arm (400) such that the resistance wire (210) contacts a corresponding contact device (11) of a bipolar plate (10) when the fuel cell (1) is operated in an idle operating state,

-wherein the control device (300) is designed to move the contact arm (400) such that the resistance wire (210) is guided through the respective contact hole (12) of the contact arrangement (11) of the bipolar plate (10) in a non-contacting manner with the respective contact arrangement (11) of the bipolar plate (10) when the fuel cell (1) is operated in a non-idling operating state.

10. The fuel cell according to any of claims 1-9,

-wherein the stacking device (100) has an th and a second closing plate (30a, 30b), and a plurality of bipolar plates (10) and a plurality of membrane electrode units (20) are arranged between the th and the second closing plate (30a, 30b),

-wherein the th and second closing plates (30a, 30b) have further contact means (31) on the side for electrically contacting the resistive element (200) with the th and second closing plates (30a, 30b), respectively.

11. The fuel cell according to claim 11, wherein the fuel cell further comprises a fuel cell stack,

-wherein each further contact arrangement (31) has a respective further contact hole (32),

-wherein the resistance element (200) is guided through a respective further contact hole (32) of a further contact device (31).

12. The fuel cell according to claim 11, wherein the fuel cell further comprises a fuel cell stack,

-wherein the control device (300) is configured for moving the contact arm (400) such that the resistance wire (210) contacts the th and the respective further contact device (31) of the second closing plate (30a, 30b) when the fuel cell (1) is operated in the idle operating state,

-wherein the control device (300) is designed to move the contact arm (400) such that, when the fuel cell (1) is operated in a non-idling operating state, the resistance wire (210) is guided through the respective further contact opening (32) of the further contact device (31) of the and second closing plate (30a, 30b) in a non-contact manner with the respective further contact device (31) of the and second closing plate (30a, 30 b).

Technical Field

The invention relates to fuel cells with no-load voltage protection, in which a plurality of bipolar plates and membrane electrode units are arranged in a stacked arrangement.

Background

Fuel cells typically include a series circuit of a plurality of bipolar plates and Membrane electrode units (MEAs). When the consumer is not connected to the fuel cell, the membrane electrode unit is in a no-load voltage, which significantly contributes to the Degradation of the membrane electrode unit (Degradation).

To prevent the degradation of the so-called membrane electrode units, it is possible, for example, to use an external resistor which is arranged on each bipolar plate of the series circuit, for which at least boreholes are required in each bipolar plate, or raised portions are required on the bipolar plates in order to fix the resistance.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide fuel cells with open-circuit voltage protection, which can be produced inexpensively and without long expenditure and which are nevertheless reliably protected against open-circuit voltage.

The object is achieved according to the invention by fuel cells with no-load voltage protection, comprising

A stack of a plurality of bipolar plates and a plurality of membrane electrode units, wherein each membrane electrode unit is arranged between two respective bipolar plates,

-a resistive element for generating a voltage,

-wherein the resistive element is electrically connectable with each bipolar plate.

A fuel cell with open-circuit voltage protection comprises a stack of a plurality of bipolar plates and a plurality of membrane electrode units (MEAs), wherein each membrane electrode unit is arranged between two respective bipolar plates. Furthermore, the fuel cell has a resistance element. A resistive element may be electrically connected to each bipolar plate.

According to a proposed embodiment of the fuel cell, only -only resistor elements are required for all stack arrangements of bipolar plates and membrane electrode units to reliably protect the fuel cell and the membrane electrode units, which are sensitive in particular to the idling voltage, against the occurrence of the idling voltage, the resistor elements can be designed, for example, as resistor lines, in order to avoid a deterioration of the membrane electrode units as a result of the occurrence of higher idling voltages, only -only resistor lines are finally required for all stack arrangements of bipolar plates and membrane electrode units.

In the case of fuel cells of high power strength, which up to now have to be equipped individually with resistors and, accordingly, also with resistors, with the proposed embodiment of the fuel cell, all resistors are replaced only by -only resistor elements, in particular by only resistor lines, with this aspect saving material costs and also aspects saving labor costs, since the installation of resistors on the bipolar plates of the stack has hitherto been very time-consuming.

The plates of the stack, in particular the bipolar plates and the closure plates of the stack, need only be slightly modified so that they can be guided through the resistance elements, in particular the resistance wires. For example, a small tongue plate or a material projection projecting on the side of the plate, which is designed as a contact device with contact holes for the introduction of resistance wires, can be arranged on each bipolar or closing plate.

Overall, the proposed embodiment of the fuel cell makes it possible to achieve cost savings in terms of production, material procurement and maintenance, while at the same time ensuring protection of the membranes of the stack during incorrect operation of the fuel cell.

Drawings

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the drawing, which shows an embodiment of a fuel cell with no-load voltage protection. In the drawings:

figure 1 shows a schematic two-dimensional view of an embodiment of a stacked arrangement of fuel cells with no-load voltage protection;

fig. 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a stack arrangement of fuel cells with no-load voltage protection.

Detailed Description

Subsequently, a proposed embodiment of a fuel cell with no-load voltage protection is explained in detail with reference to fig. 1 and 2. The fuel cell 1 with open-circuit voltage protection comprises a stack 100 of a plurality of bipolar plates 10 and a plurality of membrane electrode units 20 (MEAs). Each membrane electrode unit 20 is disposed between the respective two bipolar plates 10. Furthermore, the fuel cell 1 has a resistance element 200, which can be electrically connected to each bipolar plate 10.

The stack 100 furthermore comprises a closing plate 30a and a closing plate 30b, a plurality of bipolar plates 10 and a plurality of membrane electrode units 20 being arranged between the two closing plates 30a and 30b, the stack of two closing plates 30a, 30b and a plurality of bipolar plates 10 arranged between them and membrane electrode units 20 in turn being arranged between the current collector 40a and the current collector 40b, the stack 100 being closed by end plates 60a and 60b, an insulating plate 50a being present between the end plate 60a and the current collector 40a, on the other side of the stack, an insulating plate 50b likewise being arranged between the end plate 60b and the current collector 40 b.

As shown in fig. 2, each bipolar plate 10 has contact means 11 on the side for electrically contacting the resistance element 200 with the respective bipolar plate 10, according to a possible embodiment, each contact means 11 can have a respective contact hole 12, the resistance element 200 being guided through the respective contact hole 12 of the contact means 11.

According to a possible embodiment, the fuel cell comprises a control device 300. The control device 300 controls the electrical connection of the resistive element 200 to each contact means 11 of the bipolar plate 10. The control device 300 is designed to electrically connect the resistor element 200 to each contact device 11 during idle operation of the fuel cell 1. Furthermore, the control device 300 is designed to electrically disconnect the resistor element 200 from each contact device 11 in a fuel cell operating state other than idle operation of the fuel cell 1.

According to a possible embodiment, the resistance element 200 can be configured as a resistance wire 210. The resistance wires 210 are guided through the corresponding contact holes 12 of the contact arrangement 11 of the bipolar plate 10.

According to a possible embodiment, the fuel cell 1 comprises a contact arm 400 for moving the resistance wire 210. The control device 300 is particularly configured for moving the contact arm 400.

According to a possible embodiment of the fuel cell 1, the control device 300 is designed to move the contact arm 400 such that the resistance wire 210 contacts the corresponding contact device 11 of the bipolar plate 10 when the fuel cell 1 is operated in the idle operating state.

Furthermore, the control device 300 is designed to move the contact arm 400 such that, when the fuel cell 1 is operated in the non-idling operating state, the resistance wire 210 is guided through the respective contact hole 12 of the contact device 11 of the bipolar plate 10 in a non-contact manner with the respective contact device 11 of the bipolar plate.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the closing plate 30a and the closing plate 30b each have a further contact device 31 on the side for electrically contacting the resistance element 200 with the two closing plates 30a and 30b, each further contact device 31 having a respective further contact opening 32, the resistance element 200 being guided through the respective further contact opening 32 of the further contact device 31, the contact device 31 being configured as a tongue plate with a contact opening.

According to a possible embodiment, the control device 300 is designed to move the contact arm 400 such that the resistance wire 210 contacts the respective further contact device 31 of the two closure plates 30a and 30b when the fuel cell 1 is operated in idle operation.

The control device 300 can furthermore be designed to move the contact arm 400 such that, when the fuel cell 1 is operated in the non-idling operating state, the resistance wire 210 is guided through the respective further contact opening 32 of the further contact device 31 of the two closing plates 30a and 30b in a non-contact manner with the respective further contact device 31 of the closing plates 30a and 30 b.

Instead of a plurality of resistors assigned to each bipolar plate or closing plate and connected to each bipolar plate or closing plate in the idle state, only -only resistive elements 200 or only -only resistive lines 210 are used according to the proposed embodiment of the fuel cell 1, the resistive elements 200 or the resistive lines 210 being part of the stack in the proposed embodiment of the fuel cell 1 and in particular being electrically connectable to the bipolar plates or closing plates in the idle state.

Only slight changes in the design of the plates of the stacked device 100 are required in order to connect the resistive element 200 or the resistive wire 210 with each bipolar plate 10 or the two closing plates 30a and 30 b. For this purpose, as shown in fig. 2, for example, a material projection in the form of a small tongue plate can be arranged as a contact device 11 or 31 on each bipolar plate 10 or on both closing plates 30a and 30b, which has contact holes 12 or 32 for introducing resistance wires 210.

Under normal operation of the fuel cell, the resistance elements 200 or resistance wires 210 do not have contact with the bipolar plate 10 or the closure plates 30a, 30 b. However, when a no-load voltage occurs, an electrical contact between the resistance elements 200 or the resistance wires 210 and the bipolar plate 10 or the closure plates 30a and 30b is established by means of the control device 300.

When the fuel cell 1 is turned on or started, or when the fuel cell is shut off or shut down, the resistance elements 200 or the resistance wires 210 are in electrical contact with, for example, the bipolar plate 10 or the closing plates 30a and 30 b. In addition, no-load voltages at which the resistance elements 200 or the resistance wires 210 are electrically connected to the bipolar plates 10 or the closure plates 210 may also occur in the event of an incorrect operating state of the fuel cell 1.

According to an alternative embodiment, the bipolar plate 10 or the closeout plates 30a and 30b may themselves be provided with a resistive layer, the bipolar plate 10 is typically pressed fixedly within the stack 100 so that the plates are in continuous contact with each other, the contact surfaces may be coated with a material having high resistive properties, for example at positions .

The present invention is described in detail by the preferred embodiments explained above. It is to be noted, however, that the present invention is not limited to these examples. Alternatively, other variants may be derived from the embodiments by a person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of protection of the claimed invention.

List of reference numerals

1 Fuel cell

10 bipolar plate

11 contact device

12 contact hole

20 thin film electrode unit

30a, 30b closure plate

31 additional contact device

32 additional contact holes

40a, 40b current collector

50a, 50b insulating plate

60a, 60b end plate

100 stacking device

200 resistance element

210 resistance wire

300 control device

400 contact arm