JP2009158123A - Fuel cell stack device, fuel cell module, and fuel cell device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel battery cell stack device in which power generation efficiency is improved. <P>SOLUTION: This is the fuel battery cell stack device 1 in which a plurality of pieces of the fuel battery cells 3 are arranged in erected and installed state and fixed to a manifold 7 via the current collecting member 4a, in which a fuel gas exhausted from a gas flow passage 13 installed inside of the fuel battery cells 3 is combusted on the upper end side of the fuel battery cells 3. The current-collecting members 4a are composed of a plurality of conductive pieces having a pair of plate-shaped contact parts 16 in order to be contacted with mutually neighboring fuel battery cell 3 which is installed having a prescribed spacing, and a contact parts 17 which connects one end of one contact part 16 out of a pair of contact part 16 are continuously formed in the longitudinal direction of the fuel battery cell 3. Since the width of the upper end part of the current collecting member 15 is wider than the width of the lower end part, temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel battery cell 3 can be made closer to uniformization, and the fuel battery cell stack device 1 can be obtained in which the power generation efficiency is improved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell stack device in which a plurality of fuel cells are erected via a current collecting member, and a fuel cell module and a fuel cell device including the fuel cell stack device.

  In recent years, as next-generation energy, a plurality of fuel cells that can obtain electric power using a hydrogen-containing gas and an oxygen-containing gas (such as air) are arranged in parallel via a current collecting member and electrically connected in series. Various fuel cell stack devices in which the cell stack is fixed to a manifold that supplies gas to the fuel cells, fuel cell modules that store the fuel cell devices, and fuel cell devices that store the fuel cell modules have been proposed. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

FIG. 9 shows an example of a conventional current collecting member constituting the fuel cell stack device. FIG. 9A shows a first conductor piece (contact) that contacts the flat surface of one adjacent fuel cell. Part) 82, a second conductor piece 83 extending from the end of one of the adjacent fuel cells to the other end of the other adjacent fuel cell, and the flat surface of the other fuel cell A third conductor piece (contact portion) 84 that contacts the first fuel cell, and a fourth conductor piece 85 that extends from one end of the other fuel cell to the other end of the one fuel cell. A current collecting member 81 provided as a basic element is shown (see, for example, Patent Document 2), and (b) shows a plurality of striped bridges (contact portions) passed between left and right flat plates (connection portions) 87. Current collector configured to bend 88 in the opposite direction (horizontal direction with respect to the paper surface) alternately Shows a timber 86 (e.g., see Patent Document 3).
JP 2007-59377 A JP 2007-227203 A JP 2007-299556 A

  By the way, in the fuel cell stack device of the type that burns excess fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas on the upper end side of the fuel cell as described in Patent Document 1, the upper end portion of each fuel cell. There may be a non-uniform temperature distribution in which the temperature on the side is high and the temperature on the lower end side is low.

  Here, when the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cell becomes non-uniform, the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell may be reduced.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention provides a fuel cell stack device, a fuel cell module including the fuel cell stack device, and a fuel cell device having an improved power generation efficiency that can make the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cell uniform. For the purpose.

  The fuel cell stack device of the present invention is a cell stack in which a plurality of columnar fuel cells each having a gas flow path are arranged and electrically connected in a state of being erected via a current collecting member. And a manifold for fixing a lower end of the fuel battery cell and supplying a reaction gas to the fuel battery cell, the fuel gas discharged from the gas flow path at the upper end side of the fuel battery cell A fuel cell stack device configured to be combusted, wherein the current collecting member is provided at a predetermined interval and a pair of plate-shaped contact portions for contacting with adjacent fuel cells, and A plurality of conductive pieces having a connection portion connecting one end of the one contact portion and one end of the other contact portion of the pair of contact portions are continuously formed in the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell. And The width of the upper end portion of the conductive member is equal to or wider than the width of the lower end.

  In such a fuel cell stack device, since the width of the upper end portion of the current collecting member is wider than the width of the lower end portion, heat at the upper end portion of the fuel cell can be easily radiated. Thereby, the temperature of the upper end portion of the fuel battery cell can be lowered, and the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel battery cell can be made closer to the uniform, so that a fuel cell stack device with improved power generation efficiency can be obtained. .

  In the fuel cell stack device of the present invention, it is preferable that the current collecting member has a width that gradually decreases from the upper end toward the lower end.

  In such a fuel cell stack device, the width of the current collecting member is gradually reduced from the upper end toward the lower end in accordance with the temperature distribution of the fuel cell, so that the vertical direction of the fuel cell Thus, the fuel cell stack device with improved power generation efficiency can be obtained.

  Moreover, the fuel cell stack device of the present invention is characterized in that a heat radiating member is provided in the connecting portion.

  In such a fuel cell stack device, the temperature distribution of the fuel cell can be further increased because the temperature of the fuel cell can be radiated more by providing the heat radiating member at the connecting portion of the current collecting member. The fuel cell stack device can be made close to uniform and the power generation efficiency is improved.

  The fuel cell module of the present invention is characterized in that the above-described fuel cell stack device is housed in a housing container.

  In such a fuel cell module, the fuel cell stack device, in which the power generation efficiency is improved by making the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cell close to uniform, is stored in the storage container, so the power generation efficiency is improved. The fuel cell module can be obtained.

  The fuel cell device of the present invention is characterized in that the above-described fuel cell module is housed in an outer case.

  In such a fuel cell device, since the fuel cell module with improved power generation efficiency is housed in the outer case, a fuel cell device with improved power generation efficiency can be obtained.

  The fuel cell stack device of the present invention comprises a pair of plate-shaped current collector members, which are constituent members of the fuel cell stack device, that are provided at predetermined intervals and come into contact with adjacent fuel cells. A plurality of conductive pieces having a contact portion and a connection portion connecting one end of one contact portion and one end of the other contact portion of the pair of contact portions are continuously formed in the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell. At the same time, since the width of the upper end portion is wider than the width of the lower end portion, the heat on the upper end portion side of the fuel cell can be easily dissipated, whereby the temperature on the upper end portion side of the fuel cell can be lowered. Thereby, the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cell can be made closer to the uniform, so that the fuel cell stack device with improved power generation efficiency can be obtained. In addition, by storing such a fuel cell stack device in a storage container, a fuel cell module with improved power generation efficiency can be obtained, and by further storing the fuel cell module in an outer case, power generation can be achieved. The fuel cell device can be improved in efficiency.

  1A and 1B show an example of a fuel cell stack device 1 according to the present invention. FIG. 1A is a side view schematically showing the fuel cell stack device 1, and FIG. 1B is a fuel cell of FIG. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged plan view of the cell stack device 1 and shows an excerpted portion surrounded by a dotted line frame shown in FIG. The same members are assigned the same numbers, and so on. In addition, in (b), the part corresponding to the part surrounded by the dotted line frame shown in (a) is indicated by an arrow for clarity.

  Here, the fuel cell stack device 1 includes a fuel-side electrode layer 8 on one flat surface of a columnar conductive support substrate 12 (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as a support substrate) having a pair of opposed flat surfaces. A plurality of columnar fuel cells 3 formed by sequentially laminating a solid electrolyte layer 9 and an air-side electrode layer 10 are electrically connected in series with a current collecting member 4 a interposed between adjacent fuel cells 3. Thus, the fuel cell stack 2 is formed, and the lower end of the fuel cell 3 is fixed to a manifold 7 for supplying fuel gas to the fuel cell 3 with an insulating bonding material such as a glass seal material. Further, in the fuel cell stack device 1, the lower end is fixed to the manifold 7 and is arranged so as to sandwich the fuel cell stack 2 from both ends in the arrangement direction of the fuel cells 3 via the end current collecting members 4b. In addition, a cell stack support member 5 that is elastically deformable is provided. FIG. 1 shows a case where the fixed portion fixed to the manifold 7 of the cell stack support member 5 has the same height as the fixed portion fixed to the manifold 7 at the lower end of the fuel cell 3.

  Further, the cell stack support member 5 shown in FIG. 1 has a shape extending toward the outside along the arrangement direction of the fuel cells 3, and a current drawing portion 6 for drawing current generated by the power generation of the fuel cells 3. Is provided.

  Further, an interconnector 11 is provided on the other flat surface of the fuel cell 3, and a gas flow path 13 for flowing a reaction gas to the fuel cell 3 is provided inside the support substrate 12. Yes. In the fuel cell stack device 1 shown in FIG. 1, an example in which fuel gas (hydrogen-containing gas) is supplied from the manifold 7 to the gas flow path 13 is shown.

  A P-type semiconductor layer 14 can also be provided on the outer surface (upper surface) of the interconnector 11. By connecting the current collecting member 4a to the interconnector 11 via the P-type semiconductor layer 14, the contact between them becomes an ohmic contact, the potential drop can be reduced, and the deterioration of the current collecting performance can be effectively avoided. It becomes.

  Alternatively, the fuel cell 3 can be configured by using the support substrate 12 also as the fuel-side electrode layer 8 and sequentially laminating the solid electrolyte layer 9 and the air-side electrode layer 10 on the surface thereof.

  Various fuel cells are known as the fuel cell 3. However, when the fuel cell is reduced in size, it can be a solid oxide fuel cell. As a result, the fuel cell can be reduced in size, and a load following operation that follows a fluctuating load required for a household fuel cell can be performed.

  Further, in such a fuel cell stack device 1, among the fuel gases supplied from the manifold 7 to the gas flow path 13, unused fuel gas (excess fuel gas) and oxygen-containing gas are used as the fuel cell. By burning at the upper end of the cell 3, the temperature of the fuel cell 3 can be raised. Thereby, the start-up of the fuel cell device can be accelerated. Although not shown, the oxygen-containing gas is preferably supplied so as to flow from the lower end side of the fuel cell 3 to the upper end side in accordance with the flow of the fuel gas. Although details will be described later, by arranging a reformer for generating fuel gas to be supplied to the fuel cell 3 above the fuel cell stack 2, a reforming reaction can be performed efficiently.

  Below, each member which comprises the fuel cell stack apparatus 1 (fuel cell 3 grade | etc.,) Shown in FIG. 1 is demonstrated.

As the fuel-side electrode layer 8, generally known ones can be used, and porous conductive ceramics such as ZrO ₂ in which a rare earth element is dissolved (including stabilized zirconia and partially stabilized zirconia). And Ni and / or NiO.

The solid electrolyte layer 9 has a function as an electrolyte that bridges electrons between the electrodes, and at the same time needs to have a gas barrier property in order to prevent leakage between the fuel gas and the oxygen-containing gas. , 3 to 15 mol% of rare earth elements are formed from ZrO ₂ as a solid solution. In addition, as long as it has the said characteristic, you may form using another material etc.

The air-side electrode layer 10 is not particularly limited as long as it is generally used. For example, the air-side electrode layer 10 can be formed of a conductive ceramic made of a perovskite oxide expressed as ABO ₃ . The air-side electrode layer 10 is required to have gas permeability, and the open porosity is preferably 20% or more, particularly preferably in the range of 30 to 50%.

The interconnector 11 can be formed of conductive ceramics, but is required to have reduction resistance and oxidation resistance because of contact with the fuel gas and the oxygen-containing gas. The lanthanum chromite perovskite oxide (LaCrO ₃ oxide) is preferably used. The interconnector 11 must be dense in order to prevent leakage of fuel gas flowing through the gas flow path 13 formed in the support substrate 12 and oxygen-containing gas flowing outside the support substrate 12, and 93% As described above, it is particularly preferable to have a relative density of 95% or more.

  The support substrate 12 is required to be gas permeable in order to permeate the fuel gas up to the fuel side electrode layer 8 and to be conductive in order to collect current via the interconnector 12. Therefore, as the support substrate 12, it is necessary to adopt a material satisfying such a requirement as a material, and for example, conductive ceramics, cermet, or the like can be used.

  Further, in the fuel cell 3 shown in FIG. 1, the columnar (hollow flat plate) support substrate 12 is a plate-like piece that is elongated in the standing direction, and has both flat and semicircular sides. The lower end of the fuel cell 3 and the lower end of the cell stack support member 5 are fixed to the manifold 7 for supplying the reaction gas (fuel gas) to the fuel cell 3 with a bonding material, and the gas flow provided on the support substrate 12 The passage 13 is communicated with a fuel gas chamber (not shown) of the manifold 7. In the following description, a description will be given using a hollow flat fuel cell 3.

Incidentally, when the fuel cell 3 is manufactured, when the support substrate 12 is manufactured by co-firing with the fuel side electrode layer 8 or the solid electrolyte layer 9, it is specified as an iron group metal component (for example, Ni or NiO). The support substrate 12 is made of rare earth oxide (a rare earth oxide used to bring the thermal expansion coefficient of the support substrate 12 close to the thermal expansion coefficient of the solid electrolyte 9, such as Y ₂ O ₃ or Yb ₂ O ₃ ). It is preferable to form. The support substrate 12 preferably has an open porosity of 30% or more, particularly 35 to 50% in order to have the required gas permeability, and its conductivity is 300 S / cm or more, particularly It is preferable that it is 440 S / cm or more.

Furthermore, examples of the P-type semiconductor layer 14 include a layer made of a transition metal perovskite oxide. Specifically, a material having higher electron conductivity than the lanthanum chromite-based perovskite oxide (LaCrO ₃ -based oxide) constituting the interconnector 11, for example, LaMnO in which Mn, Fe, Co, etc. exist in the B site. P-type semiconductor ceramics made of at least one of _three- based oxides, LaFeO ₃ -based oxides, LaCoO ₃ -based oxides and the like can be used. In general, the thickness of the P-type semiconductor layer 14 is preferably in the range of 30 to 100 μm.

  In the fuel cell stack device 1 formed as described above, when the excess fuel gas and the oxygen-containing gas are burned at the upper end of the fuel cell 3, the temperature of the upper end of the fuel cell 3 is increased. There is a possibility that the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cell 3 becomes non-uniform.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, it is preferable to supply the oxygen-containing gas supplied to the fuel cell 3 to the lower end side of the fuel cell 3, and in this case, the temperature on the lower end side of the fuel cell 3 is lowered. . Therefore, there is a possibility that the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel battery cell 3 becomes more uneven.

  Here, when the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cell 2 becomes non-uniform, the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell may be reduced.

  2 and 3 show an example of a current collecting member 4a disposed between adjacent fuel cells 3 in the fuel cell stack apparatus 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a part extracted.

  Here, the current collecting member 15 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 includes a plurality of contact portions 16 and a plurality of connection portions 17 that connect one end of one contact portion 26 and one end of the other contact portion 16. Are formed continuously in the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell 3.

  More specifically, one contact portion 16 that abuts on the flat surface of one adjacent fuel cell 3 and the other fuel cell 3 adjacent to the other fuel cell 3 from the end of one adjacent fuel cell 3. A conductor piece 19 extending obliquely toward the end, the other contact portion 16 in contact with the flat surface of the other fuel cell 3, and one fuel cell from one end of the other fuel cell 3 3 as a basic element. The conductor piece 19 extends at an angle to the other end portion of the three. That is, one end of one contact portion 16 and one end of the other contact portion 16 are connected by the connection portion 17 via the conductor piece 19. With this configuration, the pair of contact portions 16 are provided at a predetermined interval. Then, by continuously forming the conductor pieces, which are the basic elements, along the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell 3, a continuous current collecting member 15 extending in the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell 3 is formed. Yes.

  The width of the contact portion 16 is preferably the same as the width of the air-side electrode layer 10 or the interconnector 11 in order to effectively collect the current generated by the power generation of the fuel cell 3. The length of the current collecting member 15 is preferably the same length as the length of the fuel cell 3 in the longitudinal direction.

  Here, in the current collecting member 19 in FIG. 2, the length of the connection portion 17 at the upper end portion is longer than the length of the connection portion 17 at the lower end portion along the width direction of the fuel cell 3. The connecting portion 17 at the upper end is formed so as to protrude from the fuel cell 3 (see FIG. 1B, hereinafter, this protruding region may be referred to as a protruding portion).

  As a result, the connecting portion 17 (projecting portion 18) at the upper end of the current collecting member 15 serves as a fin, dissipates the heat at the upper end of the fuel cell 3, and the temperature at the upper end of the fuel cell 3. Can be lowered. Thereby, the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cells 3 can be made closer to the uniform, and the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell stack device 1 can be improved.

  The width of the current collecting member 15 can be set as appropriate according to the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cell 3, but the longitudinal center of the fuel cell 3 (including the vicinity thereof, hereinafter referred to as the center) Since the temperature tends to be high, it is preferable that the width from the upper end portion to the central portion (the portion corresponding to the central portion of the fuel cell 3) is wider than the lower end portion. In addition, it is preferable that the width of the connection portion 17 at the lower end is approximately the same as the width of the fuel cell 3. Thereby, the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cells 3 can be made more uniform. Note that the length of the protruding portion 18 can be appropriately set according to the temperature distribution of the fuel cell 3.

  Also, the end current collecting member 4b shown in FIG. 1 can have the same shape as described above, and the same current collecting member 4a can be used.

  The current collecting member 4a is preferably made of a heat-resistant alloy or the like having elasticity, and for example, an alloy containing 10 to 30% by weight of Cr or an Fe-Ni alloy is used. Can do. Further, in the current collecting member containing Cr, it is preferable to provide a Cr diffusion preventing film for preventing the diffusion of Cr.

  FIG. 4 shows another example of the current collecting member 4a arranged between the adjacent fuel cells 3 in the fuel cell stack apparatus 1 of the present invention, (a) is a front view, (B) is a plan view.

  Here, the current collecting member 20 shown in FIG. 4 includes a pair of plate-like contact portions 21 that are provided at predetermined intervals and are in contact with adjacent fuel cells 3, and a pair of contact portions 21. A plurality of conductive pieces having a connection portion 22 that connects one end of one contact portion 21 and one end of the other contact portion 21 are formed continuously in the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell 3. Thereby, a continuous current collecting member 20 extending in the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell 3 is formed. The width of the contact portion 21 is preferably set to the same length as the width of the air-side electrode layer 10 or the interconnector 11 in order to effectively collect the current generated by the power generation of the fuel cell 3. The length of the current collecting member 20 is preferably the same as the length of the fuel cell 3 in the longitudinal direction.

  Here, in the current collecting member 20 in FIG. 4, the width of the upper end portion is wider than the width of the lower end portion from the center in the longitudinal direction, and in FIG. It is formed so as to protrude from the side surface.

  As a result, the projecting portion 23 functions as a fin, so that the heat at the upper end portion of the fuel cell 3 can be radiated and the temperature at the upper end portion of the fuel cell 3 can be lowered. Thereby, the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cells 3 can be made closer to the uniform, and the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell stack device 1 can be improved.

  Note that the width of the current collecting member 20 can be appropriately set according to the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cell 3. It is preferable that the width of the portion (the portion corresponding to the central portion of the fuel cell 3) is wider than the width of the lower end portion. In addition, it is preferable that the width of the connection portion 22 at the lower end is approximately the same as the width of the fuel cell 3.

  Thereby, the temperature distribution of the fuel cell 3 can be made more uniform. Note that the length of the protruding portion 18 can be appropriately set according to the temperature distribution of the fuel cell 3.

  FIG. 5 shows another example of the current collecting member 15 shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 shows another example of the current collecting member 20 shown in FIG. The current collecting member 24 shown in FIG. 5 and the current collecting member 28 shown in FIG. 6 show shapes in which the widths of the current collecting member 24 and the current collecting member 28 are gradually reduced from the upper end toward the lower end, respectively. Yes. That is, the fuel cell 3 has a shape that gradually decreases from the upper end in the longitudinal direction toward the lower end. The width of the contact portion 25 and the contact portion 29 is preferably set to the same length as the width of the air-side electrode layer 10 or the interconnector 11 in order to collect current generated by the power generation of the fuel cell 3 effectively. The lengths of the current collecting member 24 and the current collecting member 28 are preferably the same as the length in the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell 3.

  Here, since the temperature distribution of the fuel cell 3 decreases from the upper end side to the lower end side of the fuel cell 3, it is preferable that the width of the current collecting member is appropriately changed according to the temperature gradient. .

  Therefore, in the current collecting member 24 shown in FIG. 5 and the current collecting member 28 shown in FIG. 6, the heat radiated from the fuel cell 3 is gradually reduced by decreasing the width of the current collecting member from the upper end toward the lower end. Will also be dissipated with a gradient. Thereby, the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cell 3 can be made closer to the uniform.

  In addition to the current collecting member as described above, for example, a comb-shaped current collector formed by continuously forming, as a basic element, a shape in which, for example, only one end of a contact portion provided at a predetermined interval is connected at a connection portion. Also in the electric member or the like, by adopting the above-described structure, the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cell 3 can be made closer to the uniform.

  Further, when the temperature difference between the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the fuel cell 3 is large, a heat radiating member can be provided at the connection portion in order to further reduce the temperature of the upper end portion of the fuel cell 3. FIG. 7 shows an example of a current collecting member provided with such a heat radiating member.

  In FIG. 7, the side view of the state which provided the fin 32 which is an example of the heat radiating member in the connection part 17 (protrusion part 18) is shown. Thereby, the specific surface area of the connection part 18 can be increased, and the heat dissipation effect in the connection part 18 can further be improved. Thereby, the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cell 3 can be made closer to the uniform.

  The shape of the fin 32 is not particularly limited. As shown in FIG. 7, the fin 32 may be bent and protrude from the connecting portion 18, and the fin 32 may be connected to the connecting portion 17 (the protruding portion 18. ) Or by bending a part of the projection 18 and connecting a specific member to the surface of the protrusion 18 (for example, a single-sided dimple type or a double-sided dimple type). In addition to this, for example, a specific surface area may be increased by cutting out a part of the protrusion 18 or by providing a through hole in the protrusion 18 to improve heat dissipation. However, the fins 32 are preferably formed so as not to contact the fins 32 and the fuel cells 3 of the adjacent current collecting members.

  The fuel cell stack device 1 as described above is housed in the housing container, whereby the fuel cell module of the present invention can be obtained. FIG. 8 is an external perspective view showing an example of the fuel cell module of the present invention. It is.

  In FIG. 8, the fuel cell module 33 is arranged in a rectangular parallelepiped storage container 34 in a state where fuel cell cells 35 having gas flow paths through which gas flows are erected, and adjacent fuel cells. The fuel cell stack 37 is configured by electrically connecting the cells 35 in series via current collecting members (not shown), and the lower end of the fuel cell 35 is connected to an insulating bonding material such as a glass sealing material ( A fuel cell stack device 40 fixed to the manifold 36 is accommodated (not shown).

  Further, in order to obtain a hydrogen-containing gas used in the fuel cell 35, a reformer 38 for reforming a fuel such as natural gas or kerosene to produce a fuel gas (hydrogen-containing gas) is provided. It is arranged above the stack 37. The fuel gas generated by the reformer 38 is supplied to the manifold 36 through the gas flow pipe 39 and supplied to the gas flow path provided inside the fuel battery cell 35 via the manifold 36.

  FIG. 8 shows a state in which a part (front and rear surfaces) of the storage container 34 is removed and the fuel cell stack device 40 and the reformer 38 housed inside are taken out rearward. Here, in the fuel cell module 33 shown in FIG. 8, the fuel cell stack device 40 can be slid and stored in the storage container 34. The fuel cell stack device 40 may include a reformer 38.

  Further, in FIG. 8, the oxygen-containing gas introduction member 41 provided inside the storage container 34 is disposed between the fuel cell stacks 37 juxtaposed to the manifold 36, and the oxygen-containing gas is brought into the flow of the fuel gas. In addition, an oxygen-containing gas is supplied to the lower end side of the fuel battery cell 35 so as to flow from the lower end side of the fuel battery cell 35 toward the upper end side. The surplus fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas discharged from the fuel battery cell 35 are combusted at the upper end of the fuel battery cell 35, so that the temperature of the fuel battery cell 35 can be increased. Start-up can be accelerated. Moreover, the reformer 38 arrange | positioned at the upper part of the fuel cell 35 (fuel cell stack 37) is burned by surplus oxygen-containing gas and oxygen-containing gas in the upper end part of the fuel cell 35. Can be warmed. Thereby, the reforming reaction can be efficiently performed in the reformer 38. However, in this case, since the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cell 3 may be non-uniform as described above, the power generation efficiency is improved by adopting the configuration of the fuel cell stack device of the present invention. be able to.

  Although not shown in FIG. 8, the temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the fuel cell 35 can be made closer to uniform by electrically connecting the fuel cell 35 via the current collecting member described above. Thus, the fuel cell module 33 with improved power generation efficiency can be obtained.

  In addition, by storing auxiliary equipment necessary for operating the fuel cell module 33 and the fuel battery cell 35 (devices required for performing steam reforming by the control device and the reformer 38, etc.), The fuel cell device is configured. Therefore, since the fuel cell module 33 containing the fuel cell stack device 40 of the present invention is housed in the outer case, a fuel cell device with improved power generation efficiency can be obtained.

  Although the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the fuel cell stack device 1 of the present invention, the width of the current collecting member is appropriately changed in accordance with the temperature distribution in the fuel cell arrangement direction (for example, disposed at the center in the fuel cell arrangement direction). The width of the current collecting member at a specific height is wider than the width at the specific height of the current collecting member disposed on the end side in the arrangement direction of the fuel cells). It is also possible to make the temperature distribution in the arrangement direction of the fuel cells close to uniform.

1 shows an example of a fuel cell stack device of the present invention, (a) is a side view schematically showing the fuel cell stack device, and (b) is a portion surrounded by a dotted frame of the fuel cell stack device of (a). FIG. It is a front view which shows an example of the current collection member which comprises the fuel cell stack apparatus of this invention. It is a perspective view which extracts and shows a part of current collection member shown in FIG. The other example of the current collection member which comprises the fuel cell stack apparatus of this invention is shown, (a) is a front view, (b) is a top view of the current collection member of (a). It is a front view which shows another example of the current collection member which comprises the fuel cell stack apparatus of this invention. It is a front view which shows another example of the current collection member which comprises the fuel cell stack apparatus of this invention. It is a side view which shows the example which provided the heat radiating member in the connection part which comprises a current collection member. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows an example of the fuel cell module of this invention. It is a front view which shows an example of the conventional current collection member.

Explanation of symbols

1: Fuel cell stack device 2: Fuel cell stack 3: Fuel cell 4a, 15, 20, 24, 28: Current collecting member 4b: End current collecting member 5: Fuel cell stack supporting member 6: Current drawing Part 7: Manifold 16, 21, 25, 29: Contact part 17, 22, 26, 30: Connection part 18, 23, 27, 31: Projection part 33: Fuel cell module

Claims (5)

  A cell stack in which a plurality of columnar fuel cells each having a gas flow path are arranged and electrically connected in a state of standing through a current collecting member, and a lower end of the fuel cell are fixed. And a fuel cell configured to burn the fuel gas discharged from the gas flow path on the upper end side of the fuel cell. In the cell stack device, the current collecting member is provided with a predetermined interval and a pair of plate-shaped contact portions for contacting with adjacent fuel cells, and one of the pair of contact portions A plurality of conductive pieces having a connection portion connecting one end of the contact portion and one end of the other contact portion are formed continuously in the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell, and the upper end portion of the current collecting member Is wider than the bottom width Wide that the fuel cell stack apparatus according to claim.   2. The fuel cell stack device according to claim 1, wherein a width of the current collecting member gradually decreases from an upper end toward a lower end.   The fuel cell stack device according to claim 1, wherein a heat radiating member is provided in the connection portion.   A fuel cell module comprising the fuel cell stack device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 stored in a storage container.   5. A fuel cell device comprising the fuel cell module according to claim 4 housed in an outer case.

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