JP2010089126A - Apparatus for manufacturing expand metal for fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to prevent the progress of wear of a mold for molding a mesh on a flat plate material and to stabilize the shape accuracy of the mesh molded by the mold.
SOLUTION: A die 50, a die 50 including a lower receiving blade 38 adjacent downstream of the die 34 in the FD direction, an upper blade 40 paired with the lower receiving blade 38, and a clearance holding means 52 are provided. A predetermined clearance S is given between the upper blade 40 and the cutting portion of the lower receiving blade 38 in the mold clamping state over the entire TD direction. Therefore, when the mesh 22 is formed by making a notch step by step with the mold 50 while feeding the flat plate material 42, the upper blade 40 and the lower receiving blade 38 collide directly or via the flat plate material 42. The progress of wear between the upper blade 40 and the lower receiving blade 38 is suppressed.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell.

  A fuel cell has a stack structure in which a plurality of types of cell constituent members are stacked to form a minimum unit cell (single cell) and a plurality of cells are stacked. It is ensured. In such a stack structure, a separator, which is a plate-like component, is used as a member that is positioned in the outermost layer of each cell and separates each cell in the stack. The separator has various functions such as a function of supplying fuel gas to the anode side and an oxidizing agent to the cathode side, a function of conducting electricity generated by the cell, and a function of discharging generated water generated in the cell. I'm in charge.

Now, FIG. 9 shows an example of a cell structure of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. In this cell 10, a membrane / electrode assembly 12 (hereinafter referred to as “MEA”) is disposed at the center of the cell 10 in the thickness direction, and a gas diffusion layer 14 (anode side / cathode) is formed on both surfaces of the cell 10. Side gas diffusion layers 14A, 14C), gas passages 16 (anode side / cathode side gas passages 16A, 16C), and separators 18 (anode side / cathode side separators 18A, 18C), respectively. It has become. A membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly (MEGA: Membrane Electrode & Gas Diffusion) in which the MEA 12 and the gas diffusion layer 14 are integrated.
In some cases, Layer Assembly is used.
In the cell 10 structure in which the gas flow path 16 forms a separate structure from the separator 18 as shown in FIG. 9, for example, an expanded metal is used as the structure forming the gas flow path 16, so that the separator as described above is used. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-108573 A

The expanded metal 20 used as a structure forming the gas flow path 16 of the cell 10 has a continuous structure in which, for example, a turtle shell-shaped mesh 22 as shown in FIG. This expanded metal 20 is produced by a manufacturing procedure (described later) in which meshes 22 are formed by cutting one step at a time while feeding a flat plate material. ) Forwarding Direction: Hereinafter, also referred to as “FD direction” in this description. ], It has a structure connected in a staircase pattern.
In the cell 10 shown in FIG. 9, the expanded metal 20 is arranged so that the mesh 22 forms an inclined surface between the gas diffusion layer 14 and the separator 18 as shown in FIG. Thus, between the meshes 22 arranged in a staggered manner, and the surfaces of the gas diffusion layer 14 and the separator 18, triangular spaces 24 indicated by hatched portions in FIG. 11 are configured in a staggered manner. Therefore, the gas flowing through the gas flow path 16 sequentially flows in the FD direction through the triangular spaces 24 arranged in a staggered manner, and at this time, the gas flow GF is changed to the FD direction as shown in FIG. The direction orthogonal [Transverse Direction or Tool Direction: hereinafter, also referred to as “tool feed direction” or “TD direction”. ] To form a flow that repeats the turn.

Therefore, the accuracy of the shape of the mesh 22 is related to problems such as an increase in the pressure loss of the gas flow path 24, and affects the power generation performance of the fuel cell. However, when wear of the mold for forming the mesh 22 on the flat plate material proceeds, there is a problem that the shape of the mesh 22 collapses or burrs occur at the end of the mesh 22. As a result, the pressure loss of the gas flowing through the gas flow path 16 increases, and the generated water stays at the cathode side electrode when an electrochemical reaction occurs in the cell, and the drainage performance deteriorates (as a result, the flow path is cut off). This results in a decrease in area and a corresponding increase in gas pressure loss.) This leads to a decrease in fuel cell performance.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its object is to prevent the progress of wear of a mold for molding a mesh on a flat plate material and to stabilize the shape accuracy of the mesh molded by the mold. Thus, the performance of the fuel cell is stabilized. Another object of the present invention is to reduce mold maintenance costs and suppress an increase in manufacturing cost of expanded metal for fuel cells.

(Aspect of the Invention)
The following aspects of the present invention exemplify the configuration of the present invention, and will be described separately for easy understanding of various configurations of the present invention. Each section does not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and some of the components of each section are replaced, deleted, or further while referring to the best mode for carrying out the invention. Those to which the above components are added can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

(1) An expanded metal manufacturing apparatus disposed between cell constituent members of a fuel cell in order to form a gas flow path inside a cell, comprising a material feeding means and a flat plate material fed by the material feeding means A plurality of cuts arranged in a staggered pattern are formed, and each die is provided with a mold for forming a cut and raised in a predetermined shape by expanding the cut, and the mold includes a die and a feed direction of the flat plate material with respect to the die A lower receiving blade adjacent to the downstream and an upper blade that forms a pair with the lower receiving blade, and between the upper blade and the lower receiving blade, over the entire direction perpendicular to the feed direction of the flat plate material. An apparatus for manufacturing an expanded metal for a fuel cell, comprising clearance holding means for providing a predetermined clearance in a mold-clamped state (Claim 1).
An apparatus for producing an expanded metal for a fuel cell according to the present section includes a die, a lower receiving blade adjacent to the die downstream in the feed direction of the flat plate material, and an upper blade that is paired with the lower receiving blade. By providing the clearance holding means, a predetermined clearance is given between the upper blade and the lower receiving blade in a mold-clamped state over the entire direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the flat plate material. Therefore, when the mesh is formed by cutting one step at a time while feeding the flat plate material, the cutting parts of the upper blade and the lower receiving blade do not collide directly or via the flat plate material. The progress of wear between the upper blade and the lower receiving blade is suppressed.

(2) In the above item (1), the clearance holding means adjusts the bottom dead center adjustment positioning member of the upper blade and the bottom dead center of the upper blade by using the positioning member for bottom dead center adjustment. An apparatus for manufacturing an expanded metal for a fuel cell, including a protrusion provided on the upper blade.
The apparatus for manufacturing an expanded metal for a fuel cell described in this section provides the clearance holding means with the bottom dead center adjustment positioning member of the upper blade and the bottom dead center of the upper blade as a clue to the positioning member for bottom dead center adjustment. When the mesh is formed by cutting one step at a time with the mold while feeding the flat plate material by including the protrusions provided on the upper blade for adjustment, the upper blade and the lower receiving blade The cutting part does not collide directly or via the flat plate material, and the progress of wear between the upper blade and the lower blade is suppressed.

(3) In the above item (2), the bottom dead center adjusting positioning member for the upper blade is a pad that is disposed on the upstream side in the material feeding direction of the upper blade and sandwiches the flat plate material together with the die. Metal manufacturing apparatus (Claim 3).
The apparatus for manufacturing expanded metal for a fuel cell described in this section is configured such that the protrusion provided on the upper blade is made of a flat plate material with respect to a pad that is disposed upstream of the upper blade in the material feeding direction and sandwiches the flat plate material together with the die. It abuts over the entire direction orthogonal to the feed direction. Therefore, when the mesh is formed by making a notch step by step with the mold while feeding the flat plate material, the cutting part of the upper blade and the lower receiving blade is directly over the entire direction perpendicular to the feed direction of the flat plate material. Thus, there is no collision through the flat plate material, and the progress of wear between the upper blade and the lower receiving blade can be suppressed.

(4) In the above item (2), the positioning member for adjusting the bottom dead center of the upper blade drives the mold, in which the protrusion of the upper blade abuts over the entire direction perpendicular to the feed direction of the flat plate material. An apparatus for producing expanded metal for fuel cells, which is a positioning block fixed to a molding machine.
In the expanded metal manufacturing apparatus for a fuel cell described in this section, the protrusion of the upper blade is in contact with the positioning block fixed to the molding machine that drives the mold over the entire direction perpendicular to the feed direction of the flat plate material. . Therefore, when the mesh is formed by making a notch step by step with the mold while feeding the flat plate material, the cutting part of the upper blade and the lower receiving blade is directly over the entire direction perpendicular to the feed direction of the flat plate material. Thus, there is no collision through the flat plate material, and the progress of wear between the upper blade and the lower receiving blade can be suppressed.

(5) In the above items (2) to (4), the protrusion provided on the upper blade contacts the surface of the bottom dead center adjustment positioning member of the upper blade directly or through a shim. An apparatus for manufacturing an expanded metal for a fuel cell, having a shape capable of adjusting the bottom dead center of the upper blade by contacting the fuel cell (Claim 5).
In the apparatus for manufacturing an expanded metal for a fuel cell described in this section, the protrusion provided on the upper blade contacts the surface of the positioning member for adjusting the bottom dead center of the upper blade directly or through a shim. By touching, the bottom dead center of the upper blade is adjusted by changing the presence or absence of the shim or the thickness of the shim.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, the progress of wear of the mold for forming the mesh on the flat plate material is prevented, and the shape accuracy of the mesh formed by the mold is stabilized, thereby stabilizing the performance of the fuel cell. Can be planned. In addition, it is possible to reduce the mold maintenance cost and suppress the increase in the manufacturing cost of the expanded metal for fuel cells.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed description of the same or corresponding parts as those of the prior art will be omitted.
First, in describing the best mode for carrying out the present invention, names of each part of the expanded metal will be clarified in advance with reference to FIG. The expanded metal generally has a so-called staggered arrangement of the turtle shell-shaped mesh 22 described above (see FIGS. 10 and 8C) and the diamond-shaped mesh 26 as shown in FIG. 8A. It has a continuous structure. The crossing portion of the mesh is referred to as a bond portion BO, and the portion connecting the mesh bond portions BO is referred to as a strand portion ST. Further, the length of the bond portion BO in the TD direction is referred to as a bond length BOl, and the thickness of the strand portion ST is referred to as a step width (feed width) W. In the figure, the symbol t is the thickness of the material, and the symbol D is the total thickness of the expanded metal. The total thickness D is the thickness of the expanded metal in a state where it is disposed between the cell constituent members. FIG. 8 also shows the FD direction (material feed direction), the TD direction (tool feed direction), and the WD direction (mesh width direction).
As is clear from the names of the respective parts, the turtle shell-shaped mesh 22 has a long mesh shape with a bond length BO1 of the bond portion BO, and the diamond-shaped mesh 26 has a bond length BO of the bond portion BO.
It is a short mesh shape of l. And since the FD direction cross-sectional shape (AA cross-sectional shape) of the rhombus mesh 26 and the FD cross-sectional shape (A'-A 'cross-sectional view) of the turtle shell-shaped mesh 22 are the same, FIG. The cross-sectional shape of both of them is shown in b).

Then, the manufacturing procedure of the expanded metal 28 is demonstrated, referring FIGS.
The manufacturing mold of the expanded metal 28 includes a mold 50 including a die 34, a pad 36, a lower receiving blade 38 and an upper blade 40 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Here, the lower receiving blade 38 and the upper blade 40 are both driven to shift in the TD direction (direction orthogonal to the FD direction) and to move up and down only in the WD direction (vertical direction). It is. In addition, protrusions 40a having a predetermined shape are formed on the lower surface of the upper blade 40 at regular intervals in the TD direction, and the upper surface of the lower blade 38 is engaged with the protrusion 40a having a predetermined shape on the upper blade 40. Trapezoidal protrusions 38a are formed at regular intervals. In this example, a mold for forming the turtle shell-shaped mesh 22 (see FIGS. 10 and 8C) is illustrated, so that the protrusion 40a having a predetermined shape of the upper blade 40a is a trapezoidal protrusion. On the other hand, the protrusion 38a having a predetermined shape of the lower receiving blade 38 does not necessarily have a trapezoidal shape, and may be a rectangular protrusion as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the flat plate material 42 is fed into the mold with a predetermined step width W (see FIG. 8B) by the material feed means including the roller 39, and the flat plate material 42 is fed in. The pad 36 moves up and down in the WD direction so that the flat plate material 42 can pass through. As shown in FIG. 6, the upper blade 40 and the lower receiving blade 38 open and close in a state where the flat plate material 42 is sandwiched between the die 34 and the pad 36, and the projection 40 a having a predetermined shape of the upper blade 40 and the die 34. Thus, the flat plate material 42 is partially sheared at regular intervals, and a predetermined shape (trapezoidal) cut and raised protruding downward is formed. At this time, the portion that remains without being sheared is supported by the protrusion 38a having a predetermined shape of the lower receiving blade 38a, and unnecessary deformation is suppressed.

Each time the upper blade 40 and the lower receiving blade 38 are raised, the upper blade 40 and the lower receiving blade 38 are shifted in the TD direction, so that the trapezoidal cut and raised portions 42a are formed step by step in a staggered manner. A lath cut metal 28 'having a mesh 22 is formed.
Thereafter, the lath-cut metal 28 ′ having a stepped mesh is rolled by the rolling roller 43 shown in FIG. 7, thereby forming the expanded metal 28 having a necessary full thickness D (see FIG. 8B). .

Further, the fuel cell expanded metal manufacturing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the mold 50 as shown in FIG. That is, a clearance holding means 52 is provided between the upper blade 40 and the lower receiving blade 38 to provide a predetermined clearance in a mold-clamped state over the entire direction (TD direction) orthogonal to the FD direction. In the example of FIG. 1, the clearance holding means 52 includes a pad 36 that also functions as a bottom dead center adjustment positioning member for the upper blade 40, and an upper blade for adjusting the bottom dead center of the upper blade 40 using the pad 36 as a clue. The protrusion 40b provided in the blade 40 is included.
As shown in FIG. 2, the protrusion 40 b of the upper blade 40 is formed to protrude so as to cover the upper surface of the pad 36 on the upstream side of the upper blade 40 in the FD direction. Note that the pad 36 is provided over the entire TD direction of the die 34, and the protrusion 40 b of the upper blade 40 is also provided over the entire TD direction of the die 34. In the illustrated example, the protrusion 40b is formed integrally with the upper blade 40, but may have a separate structure. A shim 54 is disposed between the upper surface of the pad 36 and the protrusion 40b of the upper blade 40 as necessary. The shim 54 is fixed to the upper surface of the pad 36 or the protrusion 40b of the upper blade 40 by an appropriate fixing means such as screwing. It is desirable to prepare a thickness.

In order to prevent the cutting portion of the upper blade 40 and the lower receiving blade 38 from colliding, specifically, at the bottom dead center of the upper blade 40, the protrusion of the upper blade 40 with respect to the cutting depth v of the upper blade 40. 40a does not directly contact the general part (valley part) 38b of the lower receiving blade 38, and the protrusion 38a of the lower receiving blade 38 does not directly contact the general part (valley part) 40c of the upper blade. The relationship between the cutting depth v of the upper blade 40, the height c of the protrusion 40a of the upper blade 40, and the height d of the protrusion 38a of the lower blade 38 is such that c> v and d> v. The dimensions of each part are set. When the height of the pad 36 is a and the thickness of the shim 54 is u, the distance b from the lower surface of the protrusion 40a of the upper blade 40 to the lower surface of the protrusion 40b of the upper blade 40 satisfies the relationship b = u + a + v. . In addition, the width 38l of the projection 38a of the lower receiving blade 38 is smaller than the bond length BOl of the mesh 22 (38l <BOl).
Therefore, as schematically shown in FIG. 3, when the upper blade 40 (FIG. 3A) in the mold open state is clamped (FIG. 3B), the protrusions of the pad 36 and the upper blade 40. 40b (the shim 54 if necessary) comes into contact (see symbol P), the bottom dead center of the upper blade 40 is determined, and a gap indicated by symbol S is formed between the upper blade 40 and the lower receiving blade 38. It is formed. In addition, as an example of each part dimension value, a = 9.65mm, b = 10mm, c = 0.4mm, d = 0.4mm, u = 0.05mm, v = 0.3mm, BOl = 0.5mm, 38l = 0.48 mm.

  Further, instead of using the pad 36 as a positioning member for adjusting the bottom dead center of the upper blade 40, as shown in FIG. 4, a positioning block 56 fixed to a molding machine for driving the mold is provided below the upper blade 40. It can also be used as a positioning member for adjusting the dead point. In this case, the protrusion 56a of the positioning block 56 extends over the entire TD direction of the upper blade 40 so that the protrusion 40b of the upper blade 40 abuts over the entire TD direction of the upper blade 40. Is desirable. Also in the example of FIG. 4, a shim 54 is disposed between the upper surface of the pad 36 and the protrusion 40 b of the upper blade 40 as necessary. Further, since the dimensions of the respective parts are the same as described with reference to FIG. 1, detailed description thereof will be omitted. Regarding the dimension a, the projection 56 a of the positioning block 56 contacts the projection 40 b from the lower surface of the pad 36. It becomes the height to the surface.

Now, according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the following operational effects can be obtained. That is, according to the fuel cell expanded metal manufacturing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, the die 34, the lower receiving blade 38 adjacent to the die 34 downstream in the FD direction, and the lower receiving blade 38 are paired. By providing the mold 50 including the formed upper blade 40 and the clearance holding means 52, a predetermined mold-clamped state is provided between the upper blade 40 and the cutting portion of the lower receiving blade 38 in the TD direction. A clearance S is given. Therefore, when the mesh 22 is formed by making a notch step by step with the mold 50 while feeding the flat plate material 42, the upper blade 40 and the lower receiving blade 38 collide directly or via the flat plate material 42. The progress of wear between the upper blade 40 and the lower receiving blade 38 is suppressed.
Here, in the example of FIG. 1, the protrusion 40 b provided on the upper blade 40 extends over the entire TD direction with respect to the pad 36 that is disposed on the upstream side of the upper blade 40 in the FD direction and sandwiches the flat plate material together with the die 34. The above-mentioned effects can be obtained by contacting. In the example of FIG. 4, the above-described effects can be obtained by bringing the protrusion 40 b of the upper blade 40 into contact with the positioning block 56 fixed to the molding machine that drives the mold over the entire TD direction. is there.

  Moreover, the protrusion 40 b provided on the upper blade 40 is directly or via a shim 54 with respect to the surface (upper surface) of the pad 36 or the positioning block 56 that is the bottom dead center adjusting positioning member of the upper blade 40. By making contact, the bottom dead center of the upper blade 40 can be accurately adjusted by changing the presence or absence of the shim 54 or the thickness u of the shim 54. Further, the protrusion 40b of the upper blade 40 has the shape of the protrusion 40b as long as the accuracy of the contact surface with the surface (upper surface) of the pad 36 or the positioning block 56 or the shim 54 and the necessary strength are ensured. Since there is no restriction, even if the size of the protrusion 40b changes due to wear or the like, it is easy to maintain the accuracy of the bottom dead center adjustment of the upper blade 40 by polishing the protrusion 40b or adjusting with the shim 54. .

It is a schematic diagram of the metal mold | die which comprises the manufacturing apparatus of the expanded metal for fuel cells which concerns on embodiment of this invention, (a) is a FD direction view, (b) is a TD direction view. FIG. 2 is an upper single view of the mold shown in FIG. 1, (a) a view in the FD direction, and (b) a view in the TD direction. It is a schematic diagram which shows the manufacturing operation of the expanded metal by the manufacturing apparatus of the expanded metal for fuel cells which concerns on embodiment of this invention, (a) shows a mold open state, (b) shows a mold clamping state. is there. It is a TD direction view which shows another example of the metal mold | die which comprises the manufacturing apparatus of the expanded metal for fuel cells which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the TD direction view which showed schematically the metal mold | die and roller which comprise the manufacturing apparatus of the expanded metal for fuel cells which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the metal mold | die which comprises the manufacturing apparatus of the expanded metal which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the TD direction view which showed roughly the manufacturing apparatus of the expanded metal which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and the rolling roller which has the same basic composition. It is explanatory drawing of each part name of an expanded metal, (a) is a top view of a rhombus mesh, (b) is sectional drawing in AA and A'-A 'line, (c) is a plane of a turtle shell shape mesh FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the cell structure of the conventional polymer electrolyte fuel cell. FIG. 10 is a three-dimensional view of an expanded metal having a turtle shell-shaped mesh that forms the gas flow path of the cell shown in FIG. 9. It is sectional drawing of the gas flow path of a cell using the expanded metal shown by FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  10: Cell, 12: MEA, 14, 14A, 14C: Gas diffusion layer, 16, 16A, 16C: Gas flow path, 18, 18A, 18C: Separator, 22: Tortoise shell mesh, 28: Expanded metal, 34: Die, 36: Pad, 38: Lower receiving blade, 38a, 40a: Projection of predetermined shape, 38b: General part, 40: Upper blade, 40b: Projection part, 42: Flat plate material, 50: Mold, 52: Clearance holding means

Claims (5)

In order to form a gas flow path inside the cell, an expanded metal manufacturing apparatus disposed between the cell constituent members of the fuel cell,
A material feeding means, a plurality of cuts arranged in a zigzag pattern with respect to the flat plate material fed by the material feeding means, and a mold for forming a cut and raised in a predetermined shape by expanding each notch,
The mold includes a die, a lower receiving blade adjacent to the die downstream in the feed direction of the flat plate material, and an upper blade paired with the lower receiving blade, and the upper blade and the lower receiving blade And a clearance holding means for giving a predetermined clearance in a clamped state over the entire direction perpendicular to the feed direction of the flat plate material. The clearance holding means is provided on the upper blade for adjusting the bottom dead center of the upper blade with the positioning member for adjusting the bottom dead center of the upper blade as a clue. The apparatus for producing an expanded metal for a fuel cell according to claim 1, further comprising a protrusion. The fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein the positioning member for adjusting the bottom dead center of the upper blade is a pad that is disposed upstream of the upper blade in the material feeding direction and sandwiches the flat plate material together with the die. Expanded metal manufacturing equipment. The positioning member for adjusting the bottom dead center of the upper blade is a positioning block fixed to the molding machine that drives the mold, in which the protrusion of the upper blade abuts over the entire direction perpendicular to the feed direction of the flat plate material. The apparatus for producing expanded metal for a fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is provided. The protrusion provided on the upper blade adjusts the bottom dead center of the upper blade by abutting directly or via a shim against the surface of the bottom dead center adjusting positioning member of the upper blade. The apparatus for producing an expanded metal for a fuel cell according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the apparatus has a shape that can be used.