ABSTRACT
Abstract
An electrochemical reaction cell stack includes an electrochemical reaction block including three or more electrochemical reaction units arranged in a first direction; a first heat-absorbing member which is disposed on one side of the electrochemical reaction block in the first direction and absorbs heat generated from the electrochemical reaction block; and a second heat-absorbing member which is disposed on the other side of the electrochemical reaction block in the first direction and absorbs heat generated from the electrochemical reaction block. An upstream electrochemical reaction unit is disposed between the first heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the first heat-absorbing member, and an upstream electrochemical reaction unit is disposed between the second heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the second heat-absorbing member.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
A technique disclosed in the present specification relates to an electrochemical reaction cell stack.
BACKGROUND ART
A known type of a fuel cell for generating electricity by utilizing electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is a solid oxide fuel cell (hereinafter may be referred to as âSOFCâ) including an electrolyte layer containing a solid oxide. In general, an SOFC is used in the form of a fuel cell stack including a plurality of fuel cell electricity generation units (hereinafter referred to simply as âelectricity generation unitsâ) arranged in a predetermined direction (hereinafter may be referred to as a âdirection of arrayâ). An electricity generation unit is the smallest unit of the SOFC for electricity generation, and includes an electrolyte layer, a cathode and an anode which face each other with the electrolyte layer intervening therebetween, and an anode chamber formed so as to face the anode.
Known fuel cell stacks include a so-called parallel-series fuel cell stack (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Such a parallel-series fuel cell stack includes a plurality of electricity generation units including upstream electricity generation units (e.g., one or more electricity generation units to which a gas supplied into the fuel cell stack and used for electricity generation is supplied first) and downstream electricity generation units (e.g., one or more electricity generation units to which a gas discharged from one or more upstream electricity generation units and used for electricity generation is supplied). The parallel-series fuel cell stack also includes a gas flow passage which communicates with an anode chamber facing an anode included in an upstream electricity generation unit and with an anode chamber facing an anode included in a downstream electricity generation unit, and which introduces, for example, hydrogen contained in the gas discharged from the anode chamber of the upstream electricity generation unit into the anode chamber of the downstream electricity generation unit. The parallel-series fuel cell stack can achieve an increase in fuel utilization rate; i.e., the ratio of the amount of a fuel gas used for electricity generating reaction to the amount of the fuel gas supplied to the anode chambers.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENT
Patent Document
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2014-197492
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Problem to be Solved by the Invention
In the parallel-series fuel cell stack, the hydrogen concentration of the fuel gas supplied to the anode chamber of the downstream electricity generation unit, which is located on the downstream side in the gas flow direction, is lower than the hydrogen concentration of the fuel gas supplied to the anode chamber of the upstream electricity generation unit, which is located on the upstream side in the gas flow direction. In the case where the downstream electricity generation unit is adjacent to a heat-absorbing member, which absorbs heat from the electricity generation unit, such as an end plate disposed at one end of a plurality of electricity generation units in the direction of array, the temperature of the downstream electricity generation unit decreases under the condition that the hydrogen concentration of the fuel gas is low, resulting in a problem that the downstream electricity generation unit tends to exhibit poor electricity generation performance.
Such a problem is common with an electrolysis cell stack, which is a form of a solid oxide electrolysis cell (hereinafter may be referred to as âSOECâ) for generating hydrogen by utilizing the electrolysis of water. In the present specification, a fuel cell stack and an electrolysis cell stack are collectively referred to as an âelectrochemical reaction cell stack.â
The present specification discloses a technique capable of solving at least partially the aforementioned problem.
Means for Solving the Problem
A technique disclosed in the present specification can be implemented in the following modes.
(1) An electrochemical reaction cell stack disclosed in the present specification comprises an electrochemical reaction block including three or more electrochemical reaction units arranged in a first direction, each of the electrochemical reaction units including an electrolyte layer, a cathode and an anode which face each other in the first direction with the electrolyte layer intervening therebetween, and an anode chamber facing the anode; a first heat-absorbing member which is disposed on one side of the electrochemical reaction block in the first direction and absorbs heat generated from the electrochemical reaction block; and a second heat-absorbing member which is disposed on the other side of the electrochemical reaction block in the first direction and absorbs heat generated from the electrochemical reaction block. In the electrochemical reaction cell stack, the three or more electrochemical reaction units include two or more upstream electrochemical reaction units, and one or more downstream electrochemical reaction units; the electrochemical reaction cell stack includes a gas flow passage which communicates with the anode chamber included in each of the two or more upstream electrochemical reaction units and with the anode chamber included in each of the one or more downstream electrochemical reaction units, and which introduces a gas discharged from the upstream anode chamber into the downstream anode chamber; the upstream electrochemical reaction unit(s) is(are) disposed between the first heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the first heat-absorbing member; and the upstream electrochemical reaction unit(s) is(are) disposed between the second heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the second heat-absorbing member. Since the concentration of hydrogen (i.e., fuel gas) supplied to the anode chamber of each upstream electrochemical reaction unit is higher than that of hydrogen supplied to the anode chamber of each downstream electrochemical reaction unit, the amount of electricity generated by each upstream electrochemical reaction unit is greater that the amount of electricity generated by each downstream electrochemical reaction unit. Thus, since the amount of heat generated in each upstream electrochemical reaction unit is larger than that of heat generated in each downstream electrochemical reaction unit, a decrease in temperature caused by the heat-absorbing member has a relatively small effect on electrochemical reaction performance in the upstream electrochemical reaction unit. According to the present electrochemical reaction cell stack, the upstream electrochemical reaction unit(s) is(are) disposed between each heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the heat-absorbing member. By virtue of this configuration, as compared with the case where the downstream electrochemical reaction unit is adjacent to the heat-absorbing member, a decrease in the temperature of the downstream electrochemical reaction unit is suppressed, whereby deterioration of the electrochemical reaction performance of the downstream electrochemical reaction unit is suppressed. As a result, there can be suppressed deterioration of the electrochemical reaction performance of the entire electrochemical reaction block.
(2) In the above-described electrochemical reaction cell stack, the first heat-absorbing member may be a heat exchange member which exchanges heat between a gas introduced into the first heat-absorbing member and the electrochemical reaction unit adjacent to the first heat-absorbing member in the first direction; and the second heat-absorbing member may be an end plate disposed at one end of the electrochemical reaction cell stack in the first direction. According to the present electrochemical reaction cell stack, deterioration of the electrochemical reaction performance of the downstream electrochemical reaction unit is suppressed in the electrochemical reaction block disposed between the heat exchange member and the end plate. As a result, there can be suppressed deterioration of the electrochemical reaction performance of the entire electrochemical reaction block.
(3) The above-described electrochemical reaction cell stack may be configured such that the number of the upstream electrochemical reaction units disposed between the first heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the first heat-absorbing member is two or more; and the number of the upstream electrochemical reaction units disposed between the second heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the second heat-absorbing member is two or more. According to the present electrochemical reaction cell stack, as compared with the case where less than two upstream electrochemical reaction units are disposed between each heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the heat-absorbing member, deterioration of the electrochemical reaction performance of the downstream electrochemical reaction unit is more reliably suppressed. Thus, there can be effectively suppressed deterioration of the electrochemical reaction performance of the entire electrochemical reaction block.
The technique disclosed in the present specification can be implemented in various modes; for example, a unit cell, an electrochemical reaction unit, an electrochemical reaction cell stack including the electrochemical reaction unit, an electrochemical reaction module including the electrochemical reaction cell stack, and an electrochemical reaction system including the electrochemical reaction module.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 Perspective view schematically showing the structure of a fuel cell stack 100 according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 Explanatory view showing a top surface of the fuel cell stack 100 according to the first embodiment along an XY plane.
FIG. 3 Explanatory view showing a bottom surface of the fuel cell stack 100 according to the first embodiment along the XY plane.
FIG. 4 Explanatory view showing an XZ section of the fuel cell stack 100 taken along line IV-IV of FIGS. 1 to 3 .
FIG. 5 Explanatory view showing an XZ section of the fuel cell stack 100 taken along line V-V of FIGS. 1 to 3 .
FIG. 6 Explanatory view showing a YZ section of the fuel cell stack 100 taken along line VI-VI of FIGS. 1 to 3 .
FIG. 7 Explanatory view showing a YZ section of the fuel cell stack 100 taken along line VII-VII of FIGS. 1 to 3 .
FIG. 8 Explanatory view showing an XZ section of two adjacent downstream and upstream electricity generation units 102 at the same position as that of FIG. 5 .
FIG. 9 Explanatory view showing a YZ section of two adjacent upstream electricity generation units 102 at the same position as that of FIG. 6 .
FIG. 10 Explanatory view showing a YZ section of two adjacent downstream electricity generation units 102 at the same position as that of FIG. 7 .
FIG. 11 Explanatory view showing an XY section of an electricity generation unit 102 taken along line XI-XI of FIG. 8 .
FIG. 12 Explanatory view showing an XY section of an upstream electricity generation unit 102 U taken along line XII-XII of FIG. 8 .
FIG. 13 Explanatory view showing an XY section of a downstream electricity generation unit 102 D taken along line XIII-XIII of FIG. 7 .
FIG. 14 Explanatory view schematically showing an XY section of a heat exchange member 103 .
FIG. 15 Explanatory view showing the relationship between a percent reduction in fuel utilization rate and the pressure loss of a downstream <figure-callout id="102" label="electricity gener
TECHNICAL FIELD
A technique disclosed in the present specification relates to an electrochemical reaction cell stack.
BACKGROUND ART
A known type of a fuel cell for generating electricity by utilizing electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is a solid oxide fuel cell (hereinafter may be referred to as âSOFCâ) including an electrolyte layer containing a solid oxide. In general, an SOFC is used in the form of a fuel cell stack including a plurality of fuel cell electricity generation units (hereinafter referred to simply as âelectricity generation unitsâ) arranged in a predetermined direction (hereinafter may be referred to as a âdirection of arrayâ). An electricity generation unit is the smallest unit of the SOFC for electricity generation, and includes an electrolyte layer, a cathode and an anode which face each other with the electrolyte layer intervening therebetween, and an anode chamber formed so as to face the anode.
Known fuel cell stacks include a so-called parallel-series fuel cell stack (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Such a parallel-series fuel cell stack includes a plurality of electricity generation units including upstream electricity generation units (e.g., one or more electricity generation units to which a gas supplied into the fuel cell stack and used for electricity generation is supplied first) and downstream electricity generation units (e.g., one or more electricity generation units to which a gas discharged from one or more upstream electricity generation units and used for electricity generation is supplied). The parallel-series fuel cell stack also includes a gas flow passage which communicates with an anode chamber facing an anode included in an upstream electricity generation unit and with an anode chamber facing an anode included in a downstream electricity generation unit, and which introduces, for example, hydrogen contained in the gas discharged from the anode chamber of the upstream electricity generation unit into the anode chamber of the downstream electricity generation unit. The parallel-series fuel cell stack can achieve an increase in fuel utilization rate; i.e., the ratio of the amount of a fuel gas used for electricity generating reaction to the amount of the fuel gas supplied to the anode chambers.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENT
Patent Document
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2014-197492
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Problem to be Solved by the Invention
In the parallel-series fuel cell stack, the hydrogen concentration of the fuel gas supplied to the anode chamber of the downstream electricity generation unit, which is located on the downstream side in the gas flow direction, is lower than the hydrogen concentration of the fuel gas supplied to the anode chamber of the upstream electricity generation unit, which is located on the upstream side in the gas flow direction. In the case where the downstream electricity generation unit is adjacent to a heat-absorbing member, which absorbs heat from the electricity generation unit, such as an end plate disposed at one end of a plurality of electricity generation units in the direction of array, the temperature of the downstream electricity generation unit decreases under the condition that the hydrogen concentration of the fuel gas is low, resulting in a problem that the downstream electricity generation unit tends to exhibit poor electricity generation performance.
Such a problem is common with an electrolysis cell stack, which is a form of a solid oxide electrolysis cell (hereinafter may be referred to as âSOECâ) for generating hydrogen by utilizing the electrolysis of water. In the present specification, a fuel cell stack and an electrolysis cell stack are collectively referred to as an âelectrochemical reaction cell stack.â
The present specification discloses a technique capable of solving at least partially the aforementioned problem.
Means for Solving the Problem
A technique disclosed in the present specification can be implemented in the following modes.
(1) An electrochemical reaction cell stack disclosed in the present specification comprises an electrochemical reaction block including three or more electrochemical reaction units arranged in a first direction, each of the electrochemical reaction units including an electrolyte layer, a cathode and an anode which face each other in the first direction with the electrolyte layer intervening therebetween, and an anode chamber facing the anode; a first heat-absorbing member which is disposed on one side of the electrochemical reaction block in the first direction and absorbs heat generated from the electrochemical reaction block; and a second heat-absorbing member which is disposed on the other side of the electrochemical reaction block in the first direction and absorbs heat generated from the electrochemical reaction block. In the electrochemical reaction cell stack, the three or more electrochemical reaction units include two or more upstream electrochemical reaction units, and one or more downstream electrochemical reaction units; the electrochemical reaction cell stack includes a gas flow passage which communicates with the anode chamber included in each of the two or more upstream electrochemical reaction units and with the anode chamber included in each of the one or more downstream electrochemical reaction units, and which introduces a gas discharged from the upstream anode chamber into the downstream anode chamber; the upstream electrochemical reaction unit(s) is(are) disposed between the first heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the first heat-absorbing member; and the upstream electrochemical reaction unit(s) is(are) disposed between the second heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the second heat-absorbing member. Since the concentration of hydrogen (i.e., fuel gas) supplied to the anode chamber of each upstream electrochemical reaction unit is higher than that of hydrogen supplied to the anode chamber of each downstream electrochemical reaction unit, the amount of electricity generated by each upstream electrochemical reaction unit is greater that the amount of electricity generated by each downstream electrochemical reaction unit. Thus, since the amount of heat generated in each upstream electrochemical reaction unit is larger than that of heat generated in each downstream electrochemical reaction unit, a decrease in temperature caused by the heat-absorbing member has a relatively small effect on electrochemical reaction performance in the upstream electrochemical reaction unit. According to the present electrochemical reaction cell stack, the upstream electrochemical reaction unit(s) is(are) disposed between each heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the heat-absorbing member. By virtue of this configuration, as compared with the case where the downstream electrochemical reaction unit is adjacent to the heat-absorbing member, a decrease in the temperature of the downstream electrochemical reaction unit is suppressed, whereby deterioration of the electrochemical reaction performance of the downstream electrochemical reaction unit is suppressed. As a result, there can be suppressed deterioration of the electrochemical reaction performance of the entire electrochemical reaction block.
(2) In the above-described electrochemical reaction cell stack, the first heat-absorbing member may be a heat exchange member which exchanges heat between a gas introduced into the first heat-absorbing member and the electrochemical reaction unit adjacent to the first heat-absorbing member in the first direction; and the second heat-absorbing member may be an end plate disposed at one end of the electrochemical reaction cell stack in the first direction. According to the present electrochemical reaction cell stack, deterioration of the electrochemical reaction performance of the downstream electrochemical reaction unit is suppressed in the electrochemical reaction block disposed between the heat exchange member and the end plate. As a result, there can be suppressed deterioration of the electrochemical reaction performance of the entire electrochemical reaction block.
(3) The above-described electrochemical reaction cell stack may be configured such that the number of the upstream electrochemical reaction units disposed between the first heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the first heat-absorbing member is two or more; and the number of the upstream electrochemical reaction units disposed between the second heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the second heat-absorbing member is two or more. According to the present electrochemical reaction cell stack, as compared with the case where less than two upstream electrochemical reaction units are disposed between each heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the heat-absorbing member, deterioration of the electrochemical reaction performance of the downstream electrochemical reaction unit is more reliably suppressed. Thus, there can be effectively suppressed deterioration of the electrochemical reaction performance of the entire electrochemical reaction block.
The technique disclosed in the present specification can be implemented in various modes; for example, a unit cell, an electrochemical reaction unit, an electrochemical reaction cell stack including the electrochemical reaction unit, an electrochemical reaction module including the electrochemical reaction cell stack, and an electrochemical reaction system including the electrochemical reaction module.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 Perspective view schematically showing the structure of a fuel cell stack 100 according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 Explanatory view showing a top surface of the fuel cell stack 100 according to the first embodiment along an XY plane.
FIG. 3 Explanatory view showing a bottom surface of the fuel cell stack 100 according to the first embodiment along the XY plane.
FIG. 4 Explanatory view showing an XZ section of the fuel cell stack 100 taken along line IV-IV of FIGS. 1 to 3 .
FIG. 5 Explanatory view showing an XZ section of the fuel cell stack 100 taken along line V-V of FIGS. 1 to 3 .
FIG. 6 Explanatory view showing a YZ section of the fuel cell stack 100 taken along line VI-VI of FIGS. 1 to 3 .
FIG. 7 Explanatory view showing a YZ section of the fuel cell stack 100 taken along line VII-VII of FIGS. 1 to 3 .
FIG. 8 Explanatory view showing an XZ section of two adjacent downstream and upstream electricity generation units 102 at the same position as that of FIG. 5 .
FIG. 9 Explanatory view showing a YZ section of two adjacent upstream electricity generation units 102 at the same position as that of FIG. 6 .
FIG. 10 Explanatory view showing a YZ section of two adjacent downstream electricity generation units 102 at the same position as that of FIG. 7 .
FIG. 11 Explanatory view showing an XY section of an electricity generation unit 102 taken along line XI-XI of FIG. 8 .
FIG. 12 Explanatory view showing an XY section of an upstream electricity generation unit 102 U taken along line XII-XII of FIG. 8 .
FIG. 13 Explanatory view showing an XY section of a downstream electricity generation unit 102 D taken along line XIII-XIII of FIG. 7 .
FIG. 14 Explanatory view schematically showing an XY section of a heat exchange member 103 .
FIG. 15 Explanatory view showing the relationship between a percent reduction in fuel utilization rate and the pressure loss of a downstream electricity generation unit 102 .
FIG. 16 Explanatory view showing the relationship between downstream communication volume and the pressure loss of a downstream electricity generation unit 102 .
FIG. 17 Explanatory view showing the relationship between a percent reduction in fuel utilization rate and downstream communication volume.
FIG. 18 Explanatory view showing the positional relationship between electricity generation units 102 and end plates
104 and 106 in a fuel cell stack 100 A according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 19 Explanatory view showing the positional relationship between electricity generation units 102 , heat exchange members 103 , and end plates
104 and 106 in a fuel cell stack 100 B according to a third embodiment.
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A. First Embodiment
A-1. Structure:
(Structure of Fuel Cell Stack 100 )
FIGS. 1 to 7 are explanatory views schematically illustrating the structure of a fuel cell stack 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 1 illustrates the external appearance of the fuel cell stack 100 ; FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the fuel cell stack 100 ; FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the fuel cell stack 100 ; FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the fuel cell stack 100 taken along line IV-IV of FIGS. 1 to 3 ; FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the fuel cell stack 100 taken along line V-V of FIGS. 1 to 3 ; FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the fuel cell stack 100 taken along line VI-VI of FIGS. 1 to 3 ; and FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the fuel cell stack 100 taken along line VII-VII of FIGS. 1 to 3 . FIGS. 1 to 7 show mutually orthogonal X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis for specifying respective directions. In the present specification, for the sake of convenience, the positive Z-axis direction is called the âupward directionâ and the negative Z-axis direction is called the âdownward directionâ; however, in actuality, the fuel cell stack 100 may be disposed in a different orientation. The same also applies to FIG. 8 and subsequent drawings.
The fuel cell stack 100 includes a plurality of (eight in the present embodiment) of electricity generation units 102 , a heat exchange member 103 , and a pair of end plates
104 and 106 . The eight electricity generation units 102 are arranged in a predetermined direction of array (in the vertical direction in the present embodiment). Six electricity generation units 102 (the first to sixth units from the lower end of the fuel cell stack 100 ) of the eight electricity generation units 102 are disposed adjacent to one another, and the remaining two electricity generation units 102 (the first and second units from the upper end of the fuel cell stack 100 ) are disposed adjacent to each other. The heat exchange member 103 is disposed between the aforementioned six electricity generation units 102 and the remaining two electricity generation units 102 . That is, the heat exchange member 103 is disposed at the third position (from the upper end) in an assembly of the eight electricity generation units 102 and the heat exchange member 103 . The paired end plates
104 and 106 are disposed in such a manner as to hold the assembly of the eight electricity generation units 102 and the heat exchange member 103 from the upper and lower sides thereof. Hereinafter, the aforementioned six electricity generation units 102 will be referred to as the âfirst electricity generation block 102 G 1 ,â and the remaining two electricity generation units 102 will be referred to as the âsecond electricity generation block 102 G 2 .â Among the eight electricity generation units 102 , two electricity generation units 102 (the third and fourth units from the lower end of the fuel cell stack 100 ) will be referred to as the âdownstream electricity generation units 102 D,â and the remaining six electricity generation units 102 will be referred to as the âupstream electricity generation units 102 U.â Hereafter, the eight electricity generation units 102 are denoted by symbols with serial branch numbers as follows: electricity generation unit 102 - 1 , electricity generation unit 102 - 2 , electricity generation unit 102 - 3 . . . from the lower side (see FIGS. 4 to 10 ). The direction of array (vertical direction) corresponds to the first direction appearing in CLAIMS. The upstream electricity generation units 102 U correspond to the upstream electrochemical reaction units appearing in CLAIMS, and the downstream electricity generation units 102 D correspond to the downstream electrochemical reaction units appearing in CLAIMS. The first electricity generation block 102 G 1 corresponds to the electrochemical reaction block appearing in CLAIMS.
The fuel cell stack 100 has a plurality (eight in the present embodiment) of holes extending in the vertical direction through peripheral portions about the Z-axis direction of its component layers (the electricity generation units 102 , the heat exchange member 103 , and the end plates 104 and 106 ). The corresponding holes formed in the layers communicate with one another in the vertical direction, thereby forming communication holes 108 extending in the vertical direction from one end plate 104 to the other end plate 106 . In the following description, individual holes which constitute each communication hole 108 and are formed in the individual layers of the fuel cell stack 100 may be referred to as the âcommunication holes 108 .â
Bolts 22 extending in the vertical direction are inserted into the corresponding communication holes 108 , and the fuel cell stack 100 is fastened by means of the bolts 22 and nuts 24 engaged with opposite ends of the bolts 22 . As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 , corresponding insulation sheets 26 intervene between the nuts 24 engaged with one ends (upper ends) of the bolts 22 and the upper surface of the end plate 104 serving as the upper end of the fuel cell stack 100 and between the nuts 24 engaged with the other ends (lower ends) of the bolts 22 and the lower surface of the end plate 106 serving as the lower end of the fuel cell stack 100 . However, in each region where a gas passage member 27 , which will be described later, is provided, the gas passage member 27 and the insulation sheets 26 disposed respectively on the upper end and on the lower end of the gas passage member 27 intervene between the nut 24 and the surface of the end plate 106 . Each of the insulation sheets 26 is formed of, for example, a mica sheet, a ceramic fiber sheet, a ceramic compact sheet, a glass sheet, or a glass ceramic composite material.
The outside diameter of a shaft portion of each bolt 22 is smaller than the inside diameter of each communication hole 108 . Accordingly, a space is secured between the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion of each bolt 22 and the inner circumferential surface of each communication hole 108 . As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 , a space defined by the bolt 22 ( bolt 22 A) located around one vertex of the perimeter about the Z-axis direction of the fuel cell stack 100 (a vertex on the negative side in the Y-axis direction and on the negative side in the X-axis direction) and the communication hole 108 into which the bolt 22 A is inserted functions as an oxidizer gas introduction manifold 161 (gas flow passage) into which oxidizer gas OG is introduced from the outside of the fuel cell stack 100 . Meanwhile, a space defined by the bolt 22 ( bolt 22 C) located around the midpoint of one side of the perimeter about the Z-axis direction of the fuel cell stack 100 (a side on the positive side in the X-axis direction of two sides parallel to the Y-axis) and the communication hole 108 into which the bolt 22 C is inserted functions as an oxidizer gas supply manifold 163 (gas flow passage) for supplying the oxidizer gas OG discharged from the heat exchange member 103 to the electricity generation units 102 . As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 , a space defined by the bolt 22 ( bolt 22 B) located around the midpoint of one side of the perimeter about the Z-axis direction of the fuel cell stack 100 (a side on the negative side in the X-axis direction of two sides parallel to the Y-axis) and the communication hole 108 into which the bolt 22 B is inserted functions as an oxidizer gas discharge manifold 162 from which oxidizer offgas OOG discharged from the electricity generation units 102 is discharged to the outside of the fuel cell stack 100 . In the present embodiment, for example, air is used as the oxidizer gas OG.
As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 6 , a space defined by the bolt 22 ( bolt 22 F) located around one vertex of the perimeter about the Z-axis direction of the fuel cell stack 100 (a vertex on the positive side in the X-axis direction and on the negative side in the Y-axis direction) and the communication hole 108 into which the bolt 22 F is inserted functions as a fuel gas introduction manifold 171 into which fuel gas FG is introduced from the outside of the fuel cell stack 100 and which supplies the fuel gas FG to the upstream electricity generation units 102 U. A space defined by the bolt 22 ( bolt 22 D) located around the midpoint of one side of the perimeter about the Z-axis direction of the fuel cell stack 100 (a side on the positive side in the Y-axis direction of two sides parallel to the X-axis) and the communication hole 108 into which the bolt 22 D is inserted functions as a fuel gas transfer manifold 172 ; i.e., a gas flow passage for transferring fuel medium gas FMG (i.e., a gas discharged from the anode chambers 176 of the upstream electricity generation units 102 U) to the downstream electricity generation units 102 D. The fuel medium gas FMG contains, for example, hydrogen that has not been used for electricity generating reaction in the anode chambers 176 of the upstream electricity generation units 102 U. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 7 , a space defined by the bolt 22 ( bolt 22 E) located around the midpoint of one side of the perimeter about the Z-axis direction of the fuel cell stack 100 (a side on the negative side in the Y-axis direction of two sides parallel to the X-axis) and the communication hole 108 into which the bolt 22 E is inserted functions as a fuel gas discharge manifold 173 for discharging fuel offgas FOG (i.e., a gas discharged from the anode chambers 176 of the downstream electricity generation units 102 D) to the outside of the fuel cell stack 100 . In the present embodiment, for example, hydrogen-rich gas reformed from city gas is used as the fuel gas FG. The fuel gas introduction manifold 171 corresponds to the gas introduction flow passage appearing in CLAIMS; the fuel gas transfer manifold 172 corresponds to the gas transfer flow passage appearing in CLAIMS; and the fuel gas discharge manifold 173 corresponds to the gas discharge flow passage appearing in CLAIMS.
As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 , the fuel cell stack 100 has four gas passage members 27 . Each gas passage member 27 has a tubular body portion 28 and a tubular branch portion 29 branching from the side surface of the body portion 28 . The hole of the branch portion 29 communicates with the hole of the body portion 28 . A gas pipe (not shown) is connected to the branch portion 29 of each gas passage member 27 . As shown in FIG. 4 , the hole of the body portion 28 of the gas passage member 27 disposed at the position of the bolt 22 A which partially defines the oxidizer gas introduction manifold 161 communicates with the oxidizer gas introduction manifold 161 . As shown in FIG. 5 , the hole of the body portion 28 of the gas passage member 27 disposed at the position of the bolt 22 B which partially defines the oxidizer gas discharge manifold 162 communicates with the oxidizer gas discharge manifold 162 . As shown in FIG. 6 , the hole of the body portion 28 of the gas passage member 27 disposed at the position of the bolt 22 F which partially defines the fuel gas introduction manifold 171 communicates with the fuel gas introduction manifold 171 . As shown in FIG. 7 , the hole of the body portion 28 of the gas passage member 27 disposed at the position of the bolt 22 E which partially defines the fuel gas discharge manifold 173 communicates with the fuel gas discharge manifold 173 .
(Structure of End Plates 104 and 106 )
The paired <figure-callout i
CLAIMS
Claims ( 4 )
1 . An electrochemical reaction cell stack comprising:
an electrochemical reaction block including three or more electrochemical reaction units arranged in a first direction, each of the electrochemical reaction units including an electrolyte layer, a cathode and an anode which face each other in the first direction with the electrolyte layer intervening therebetween, and an anode chamber facing the anode; a first heat-absorbing member which is disposed on one side of the electrochemical reaction block in the first direction and absorbs heat generated from the electrochemical reaction block; and a second heat-absorbing member which is disposed on the other side of the electrochemical reaction block in the first direction and absorbs heat generated from the electrochemical reaction block, the electrochemical reaction cell stack being characterized in that: the three or more electrochemical reaction units include two or more upstream electrochemical reaction units, and one or more downstream electrochemical reaction units; the electrochemical reaction cell stack includes a gas flow passage which communicates with the anode chamber included in each of the two or more upstream electrochemical reaction units and with the anode chamber included in each of the one or more downstream electrochemical reaction units, and which introduces a gas discharged from the upstream anode chamber into the downstream anode chamber; the upstream electrochemical reaction unit(s) is(are) disposed between the first heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the first heat-absorbing member; and the upstream electrochemical reaction unit(s) is(are) disposed between the second heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the second heat-absorbing member.
2 . An electrochemical reaction cell stack according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first heat-absorbing member is a heat exchange member which exchanges heat between a gas introduced into the first heat-absorbing member and the electrochemical reaction unit adjacent to the first heat-absorbing member in the first direction; and the second heat-absorbing member is an end plate disposed at one end of the electrochemical reaction cell stack in the first direction.
3 . An electrochemical reaction cell stack according to claim 2 , wherein:
the number of the upstream electrochemical reaction units disposed between the first heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the first heat-absorbing member is two or more; and the number of the upstream electrochemical reaction units disposed between the second heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the second heat-absorbing member is two or more.
4 . An electrochemical reaction cell stack according to claim 1 , wherein:
the number of the upstream electrochemical reaction units disposed between the first heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the first heat-absorbing member is two or more; and the number of the upstream electrochemical reaction units disposed between the second heat-absorbing member and the downstream electrochemical reaction unit disposed closest to the second heat-absorbing member is two or more.
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Cell frame and cell of internal manifold type electrolytic cell, and internal manifold type electrolytic cell
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EP17867420.6A
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JP2018502276A
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2019-06-21
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2020-06-17
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