EP4244038A2 - Procédé de réalisation de composants d'un empilement de cellules élémentaires - Google Patents

Procédé de réalisation de composants d'un empilement de cellules élémentaires

Info

Publication number
EP4244038A2
EP4244038A2 EP21814720.5A EP21814720A EP4244038A2 EP 4244038 A2 EP4244038 A2 EP 4244038A2 EP 21814720 A EP21814720 A EP 21814720A EP 4244038 A2 EP4244038 A2 EP 4244038A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
double
belt press
individual segments
manufacturing
bipolar plates
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP21814720.5A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Philipp Hausmann
Hubertus Rehermann
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Cellcentric GmbH and Co KG
Original Assignee
Cellcentric GmbH and Co KG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cellcentric GmbH and Co KG filed Critical Cellcentric GmbH and Co KG
Publication of EP4244038A2 publication Critical patent/EP4244038A2/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C43/32—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
    • B29C43/44—Compression means for making articles of indefinite length
    • B29C43/48—Endless belts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C33/00—Moulds or cores; Details thereof or accessories therefor
    • B29C33/20—Opening, closing or clamping
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C33/00—Moulds or cores; Details thereof or accessories therefor
    • B29C33/30—Mounting, exchanging or centering
    • B29C33/303—Mounting, exchanging or centering centering mould parts or halves, e.g. during mounting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C33/00—Moulds or cores; Details thereof or accessories therefor
    • B29C33/34—Moulds or cores; Details thereof or accessories therefor movable, e.g. to or from the moulding station
    • B29C33/36—Moulds or cores; Details thereof or accessories therefor movable, e.g. to or from the moulding station continuously movable in one direction, e.g. in a closed circuit
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C43/003—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor characterised by the choice of material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C43/22—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor of articles of indefinite length
    • B29C43/222—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor of articles of indefinite length characterised by the shape of the surface
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C43/32—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
    • B29C43/52—Heating or cooling
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0204—Non-porous and characterised by the material
    • H01M8/0213—Gas-impermeable carbon-containing materials
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0204—Non-porous and characterised by the material
    • H01M8/0221—Organic resins; Organic polymers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0204—Non-porous and characterised by the material
    • H01M8/0223—Composites
    • H01M8/0226—Composites in the form of mixtures
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0267—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C43/32—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
    • B29C43/44—Compression means for making articles of indefinite length
    • B29C43/48—Endless belts
    • B29C2043/483—Endless belts cooperating with a second endless belt, i.e. double band presses
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C2793/00—Shaping techniques involving a cutting or machining operation
    • B29C2793/0027—Cutting off
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C2793/00—Shaping techniques involving a cutting or machining operation
    • B29C2793/009—Shaping techniques involving a cutting or machining operation after shaping
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C43/22—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor of articles of indefinite length
    • B29C43/28—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor of articles of indefinite length incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2101/00—Use of unspecified macromolecular compounds as moulding material
    • B29K2101/10—Thermosetting resins
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2507/00—Use of elements other than metals as filler
    • B29K2507/04—Carbon
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2995/00—Properties of moulding materials, reinforcements, fillers, preformed parts or moulds
    • B29K2995/0003—Properties of moulding materials, reinforcements, fillers, preformed parts or moulds having particular electrical or magnetic properties, e.g. piezoelectric
    • B29K2995/0005—Conductive
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/34—Electrical apparatus, e.g. sparking plugs or parts thereof
    • B29L2031/3468—Batteries, accumulators or fuel cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M4/00—Electrodes
    • H01M4/02—Electrodes composed of, or comprising, active material
    • H01M2004/026—Electrodes composed of, or comprising, active material characterised by the polarity
    • H01M2004/029—Bipolar electrodes
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/10—Energy storage using batteries
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P70/00—Climate change mitigation technologies in the production process for final industrial or consumer products
    • Y02P70/50—Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a manufacturing method for components of a fuel cell stack according to the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 1.
  • the invention also relates to a manufacturing method for bipolar plates for a fuel cell stack.
  • thermosets provided with electrically conductive fillers are hot-pressed in a relatively lengthy process of 30 to 90 seconds.
  • cold pressing can also be used to produce such components based on thermoplastics.
  • This has the disadvantage of a significantly lower strength.
  • other methods such as rotary embossing of sheet mold compounds are also possible, but this requires relatively high wall thicknesses, which ultimately lead to a low energy density in the fuel cell stack produced in this way, and which are very limited in terms of geometric shape.
  • other plastics such as paint or similar can be used. These are then often arranged on carrier foils made of another plastic.
  • EP 2 801 121 B1 for further prior art.
  • a method for producing a flow field plate made of graphite and resin is described there, in which such a mixture is melted. For this will the mixture is extruded accordingly and introduced into a mold with a large number of flow fields, which are then divided into individual plates.
  • the mold is a shaping tool for generating the desired structures of the flow fields in a bipolar plate provided with them for a fuel cell stack.
  • the melting of the material and the subsequent curing in a mold is also relatively complex and time-consuming. When curing in the mold, it is also almost impossible to avoid unwanted deviations in shape due to shrinkage processes in the material filled in as a liquid, which makes relatively large material thicknesses necessary, particularly in the direction of stacking, in order to ensure the functionality of the flow field.
  • the object of the present invention is now to specify an energy- and time-efficient production method for components and/or bipolar plates of a fuel cell stack from a mixture of at least one plastic and at least one electrically conductive filler.
  • this object is achieved by a manufacturing method for components of a fuel cell stack according to claim 1.
  • Advantageous refinements and developments of this variant of the production method result from the dependent subclaims.
  • the object is also achieved by a manufacturing method for bipolar plates according to claim 8.
  • a particularly favorable and advantageous further development results from the dependent claim.
  • Favorable configurations and developments, which can be used for both production methods, are specified in the further dependent subclaims 10 to 12 for both production methods.
  • the manufacturing method according to the invention for components of a fuel cell stack uses a double band press, similar to the method in the above-mentioned prior art. Instead of just producing a web-shaped blank, as there, a web-shaped uncured or not yet fully cured blank is fed from the mixture to an isochoric double-belt press with individual segments in the production method according to the invention.
  • Each of the individual segments of this special type of double belt press has a shaping structure for shaping the blank as it passes through the double belt press.
  • the individual segments on the two bands of the Double belt presses lock themselves during the pressing process via corresponding locking elements and are thus positioned to each other reliably and with repeat accuracy during pressing.
  • the components are produced in the corresponding isochoric double belt presses until they are finally cured. This allows a continuous manufacturing process, which can deliver large quantities of components in a short time. Process times of well under 0.5 seconds per component are possible.
  • the components can be provided with a structure introduced by the individual segments both on one side and—preferably—on both sides.
  • the individual segments can be mounted interchangeably in the double belt press in order to be able to react easily and quickly to different requirements or changes in the geometry of the components, in particular the halves of bipolar plates.
  • At least one of the individual segments can have a shape-giving structure that differs from the shape-giving structure of the other individual segments.
  • the double belt press with the individual segments can preferably be designed to be relatively large.
  • such a double-belt press can be used, for example, to produce the cathode-side halves of the bipolar plates and another double-belt press arranged adjacent used to manufacture the anode-side halves of the bipolar plates. If a fuel cell stack or stack constructed from these bipolar plates is formed, for example, with a total number of 250 to 300 individual cells, a corresponding number of individual segments can produce all the required halves of bipolar plates in a single run or circulation of the strips.
  • one of the individual segments is designed in such a way that instead of a half-shell for a bipolar plate, it forms a half-shell for an interface plate, i.e. the plate that closes off the fuel cell stack, then a set of bipolar plates and interface plates for an entire fuel cell stack can be easily and efficiently combined into one Make circulation of two such double belt presses. Subsequent sorting and/or rearranging of the halves is then also not necessary. For the sake of simplicity, the text often only mentions bipolar plates, but this should also include the corresponding interface plates wherever this makes sense.
  • a particularly favorable embodiment of the manufacturing method provides that the individual segments of at least one of the belts of the isochoric double-belt press are fixed in a rotationally movable manner on a circulating belt.
  • This rotational mobility of the individual segments of at least one band makes it possible for them to rotate to a certain extent, independently of the orientation of the band in the respective area, in such a way that engagement of the corresponding locking elements of two individual segments that meet one another is facilitated.
  • the preferred production method for bipolar plates according to the invention then provides that two or more isochoric double-belt presses with individual segments are produced on the cathode side and on the anode side halves for the bipolar plates, in particular according to one of the design variants mentioned above. These halves are then glued together in a continuous process in a conventional isobaric double belt press.
  • no separate handling of the elements is necessary. Rather, they can be fed from the two isochoric double-belt presses to the one isobaric double-belt press directly and without having to be transferred or temporarily stored and glued to one another in the desired manner.
  • the adhesive is preferably applied with the aid of gravity, for example using a screen printing process or the like, to the halves of the bipolar plates that are fed in from below in the direction of gravity when used as intended, so that the bipolar plates are reliably bonded to one another in the subsequent isobaric double-belt press will.
  • This allows the entire bipolar plates to be manufactured easily in a continuous, very reliable and extraordinarily fast process.
  • seals which are used later to seal the individual cells and create a sealing effect between the respective bipolar plate and the so-called membrane electrode arrangement (MEA - Membrane Electrode) adjacent to it Assembly) or preferably a framed membrane electrode assembly (MEFA - Membrane Electrode Frame Assembly) to ensure.
  • the sealing material can be included in the etched structures of the bands and applied to the bipolar plates in the isobaric double-band press, so that they are not only glued together from their halves, but are also firmly connected to the required seal on at least one or preferably both of their outward-facing sides will.
  • zones can be different in the area of the respective double-belt press in the direction of the material flow Temperature are provided.
  • different demands on the processes running during production can be easily and efficiently within the Summarize double belt presses.
  • three zones with a temperature that decreases in the direction of material flow can be provided.
  • the temperature zones can include, in particular, a temperature zone for hot-pressing the structures into the web-shaped blank and subsequent cooling.
  • three temperature zones can also be provided here, which have hot, warm and cold temperatures for the hot-pressing in the direction of material flow and provide for the slow cooling of the halves.
  • a station for post-processing of the components or the bipolar plates is provided after at least one of the isochoric and/or isobaric double-belt presses, with the post-processing in particular including laser processing.
  • laser processing can be used, for example, to divide larger surfaces into individual elements.
  • Corresponding structures and/or microstructures can also be produced on the surface in order to make certain areas of the bipolar plates hydrophilic or hydrophobic, depending on the design of the corresponding halves of the bipolar plates.
  • structures can also be created in this way which, in particular during the production of the halves of the bipolar plates, produce structures which enable better adhesion of the bipolar plates to one another when the halves are finally glued to form the bipolar plates or better adhesion of subsequently applied seals to the bipolar plates.
  • Further post-processing can also include cleaning with superheated steam, plasma treatment or the like.
  • cutting or snapping off individual components along predetermined predetermined breaking points to separate the individual components and/or bipolar plates as part of such post-processing is also conceivable and possible in the continuous manufacturing process. Further advantageous configurations of the production method according to the invention also result from the exemplary embodiments, which are described in more detail below with reference to the figures.
  • the assembly of prefabricated membrane-electrode units takes place by means of the bipolar plates or interface plates produced in the previous production process using a continuous double-belt press process.
  • the membrane-electrode unit and the bonded and sealed bipolar plate or interface plate are continuously joined together with the aid of a DBP, with an isochoric press preferably curing of previously applied adhesive and with an isobaric press preferably injecting sealing material into a mold .
  • FIG. 2 shows a schematic enlargement of a detail from FIG. 1 ;
  • FIG. 3 shows a schematic enlargement of a detail from FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatically indicated method structure for the production of bipolar plates.
  • the double belt press designated in its entirety by 1 is shown. It consists of a band structure in the upper area and a band structure in the lower area.
  • the double-belt press 1 in the illustration in FIG. 1 is designed as a so-called isochoric double-belt press 1 .
  • a bipolar plate 5 is the plate lying between the individual cells of a fuel cell stack, with the illustration in Figure 4 showing an exemplary view of such a bipolar plate 5 is shown.
  • An interface plate is the last plate in the cell stack, i.e. the plate that is not followed by any other single cell. This is then an anode interface plate at one end of the fuel cell stack and a cathode interface plate at the other end.
  • bipolar plates 5 and one cathode-side and one anode-side interface plate are required accordingly.
  • bipolar plates 5 are mentioned below, but this should always include the corresponding interface plates.
  • Such a bipolar plate 5 itself is now typically produced from two halves which are glued together in the stacking direction.
  • 4 shows a plan view of the bipolar plate 5 and here, for example, of the anode-side half.
  • Hydrogen or hydrogen-containing gas for example, is fed in through an opening designated 6 in the bipolar plate 5 and distributed uniformly to the individual cell or the membrane electrode arrangement located there, which forms the core of the individual cell, via the flow field designated 7. Residual gas flows out again via opening 8 .
  • a corresponding flow field for cooling medium is formed on the opposite side of this half, which flows in through the opening 9 and out again through the opening 10 .
  • the opposite half which is covered here by the half shown, has a similar, mirror-inverted structure, so that air or oxygen flows into this cathode-side half via opening 11, is distributed over a flow field located there on the back of the illustration in Figure 4, and the residual gases or exhaust gases flow out again via the opening 12 .
  • This structure of a bipolar plate 5 is generally known to a person skilled in the art of fuel cells, so that it does not need to be discussed further here.
  • the individual segments 4 are preferably rotatably suspended on the belt 3, at least on the belt 3 lying at the top during production, so that they meet with the individual segments 4 supplied horizontally on the lower belt 3 with a precise fit during pressing.
  • locking elements 13 are provided, as can be seen in the representation in Figure 3, which is to be understood as a further enlargement of the representation in Figure 2, which position the individual segments 4 in a precise manner relative to one another so that during the Pressing to ensure the lowest possible manufacturing tolerances between one and the other side of the manufactured halves of bipolar plates.
  • the locking elements 13 can be implemented, for example, in the form of the pins indicated here and—preferably funnel-shaped—openings, which engage in one another as the individual segments 4 come closer together, and thus the individual segments 4 and the shaping structures introduced into the respective individual segments 4 can be reproduced in the desired position relative to each other.
  • the corresponding structure is then introduced into the material of the supplied blank 2 by the structures in the manner of pressing and embossing, so that at the end of the double-belt press 1 in the direction of the material flow m the corresponding halves of the bipolar plates 5 are produced in a dimensionally stable manner.
  • the double-belt press 1 preferably has three temperature zones in succession in the material flow direction m, which are denoted by I, II and III in the illustration in FIG. 1 and are drawn in with a dot-dash line.
  • a correspondingly high temperature prevails in the first temperature zone I, so that the mixture of the blank 2 is pressed and hardened by a hot pressing process in the isochoric double-belt press 1 in order to determine the shape of the individual halves of the bipolar plates 5 via the individual segments 4.
  • Zone marked II has a slightly lower temperature in order to gently cool the material, while remaining between the individual segments 4 of the double-belt press 1 ensures at the same time that the component produced does not warp during the cooling phase, but can be produced flat and with a precise shape .
  • the ambient temperature of the device then prevails again in the third temperature zone, designated III, so that further cooling takes place before the halves of the bipolar plates 5 produced in this way press the double band press 1.
  • the halves of the bipolar plates 5 can be produced continuously in the double belt press according to FIG.
  • the use of the individual segments 4, which can also be exchanged if necessary, in order to quickly adapt the system to changes in the design, also makes it possible, for example with a number of individual segments 4 corresponding to the number of individual cells, to replace all the halves required, for example on the anode side, with a single rotation of the Produce double-belt press 1, preferably one of the individual segments 4 realized the shape for an interface plate, so that it can be produced directly, without the need for a complex and parallel process is necessary. Since this interface board is typically required only once per 200 to 300 halves, this would otherwise involve considerable effort and would typically necessitate a parallel but very underutilized production process.
  • Another advantage of the structure of the isochoric double belt press 1 is that the individual segments 4, which run back on the side facing away from the pressing process, ie at the top of the upper belt 3 and at the bottom of the lower belt 3, are empty in this phase. For example, they can be cleaned there, sprayed with a release agent or prepared with inserts in order to make ideal use of the return flow and improve and accelerate the process overall.
  • the halves of the bipolar plate 5 produced in this way can then, as indicated in the illustration in FIG. 5, be connected to one another accordingly via an isobaric double-band press 14.
  • the structure is essentially the same as that of the double-belt press 1, which is designed as an isochoric double-belt press with individual segments 4. Only the individual segments are omitted, so that the bands 3 of the isobaric double-belt press 14 take over the pressing of the layers to each other directly, as is known in principle from the field of double-belt presses.
  • a web of halves on the anode side comes from above and is denoted by 15, for example, while a web denoted by 16 with halves on the cathode side is fed in from below or in this case.
  • an adhesive 17 is preferably applied to the lower web 16 in the direction of gravity in a predetermined structure, for example by means of screen printing or the like.
  • the adhesive will typically enclose the outer edges of each half of the bipolar plate 5 and the respective openings 6, 8, 11 and 12 which are not in communication with a cooling medium flow field.
  • the individual halves of the subsequent bipolar plate 5 are thus glued to one another via this adhesive 17 .
  • different temperature zones I, II and III are possible, e.g. to activate and/or liquefy, harden and/or align the components and allow them to cool in a directed way.
  • the belts 3 are not in contact with the materials to be pressed and bonded on their way back, ie in the upper part of the double belt press 14 at the top and in the lower part of the double belt press 14 at the bottom.
  • the bands 3 each have a structure.
  • This structure can be realized in particular as an etched structure, which is etched into the strips 3 using electrochemical or photochemical methods.
  • the structure can, for example, have the form of seals required later on the bipolar plate 5, which seal the bipolar plate in relation to a framed membrane electrode assembly (MEFA) accordingly.
  • the sealing material can be applied, for example, in the stations that are indicated and are each designated by the reference numeral 18 .
  • the applied sealing material bonds with the material of the individual bipolar plates 5 in the isobaric double-belt press 14, if necessary under the action of temperature in one of zones I, II or III, so that these are completely finished and only have to be divided into the individual plates.
  • the core is formed by two isochoric double-belt presses 1, each of which is supplied with a blank 2, which can be produced in further optional double-belt presses or other suitable devices, which are denoted by 19 here.
  • the blank 2 can be designed, for example, in the form of a foil of a web-shaped green compact made of resin that is not cured or not fully cured with electrically conductive fillers such as graphite, but in principle also from other plastics such as gels, lacquers or the like, optionally with a foil or the like as a carrier .
  • the respective isochoric double belt press 1 with individual segments 4 there are then two optional post-processing stations designated 20, which can be used, for example, to create different structures via plasma processing, laser processing or the like, for example to improve the adhesion of the adhesive 17 applied later, but also to create specific hydrophobic or hydrophilic areas within the flow fields, to cut out openings and/or the like.
  • This material 22 can then be transported in a further optional post-processing station 23 to form the individual bipolar plates 5, as indicated schematically in the representation of FIG. 6 using three bipolar plates 5.
  • Such a manufacturing method as shown for example in the illustration in FIG , which preferably come to lie exactly at the right place within the isolated bipolar plates 5 by means of a corresponding arrangement of the individual segments 4 .
  • bipolar plates 5 and interface plates can be manufactured very quickly, efficiently and with high accuracy.
  • These can then be packaged immediately after the post-processing station 23 in units corresponding to one fuel cell stack each, without further sorting, rearranging or the like becoming necessary.
  • This ensures a very efficient, simple and cost-effective high-volume production process for the bipolar plates 5, for example from a duromer filled with graphite, such as a phenolic resin, an epoxy resin or the like.
  • the bipolar plates 5 can then also be subjected to correspondingly high loads without the hitherto usual disadvantage of the very slow production of such mechanically advantageous bipolar plates 5.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Composite Materials (AREA)
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Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé de réalisation de composants d'un empilement de cellules élémentaires à partir d'un mélange de matière plastique et d'au moins une charge électriquement conductrice au moyen d'une presse à double bande (1, 14). Le procédé de réalisation selon l'invention est caractérisé en ce qu'une ébauche (2) en forme de bande non durcie ou non complètement durcie comprenant le mélange alimente une presse à double bande (1) isochore comprenant des segments individuels (4), chacun des segments individuels (4) présentant une structure de formage permettant de donner à l'ébauche la forme des composants lors du passage dans la presse à double bande (1), les segments individuels (4) se positionnant les uns par rapport aux autres lors du processus de pressage sur les deux bandes (3) de la presse à double bande (1) par l'intermédiaire d'éléments de verrouillage (13) correspondants. L'invention concerne par ailleurs un procédé de réalisation de plaques bipolaires (5) et/ou de plaques d'interface dont les moitiés sont réalisées au moyen du procédé préalablement mentionné et collées entre elles dans une presse à double bande (14) isobare.
EP21814720.5A 2020-11-12 2021-11-11 Procédé de réalisation de composants d'un empilement de cellules élémentaires Pending EP4244038A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102020006943.6A DE102020006943A1 (de) 2020-11-12 2020-11-12 Herstellungsverfahren für Komponenten eines Brennstoffzellenstapel
PCT/EP2021/081403 WO2022101351A2 (fr) 2020-11-12 2021-11-11 Procédé de réalisation de composants d'un empilement de cellules élémentaires

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EP4244038A2 true EP4244038A2 (fr) 2023-09-20

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US (1) US12564988B2 (fr)
EP (1) EP4244038A2 (fr)
JP (1) JP7579974B2 (fr)
KR (1) KR20230104681A (fr)
CN (1) CN116490334A (fr)
DE (1) DE102020006943A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2022101351A2 (fr)

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DE102023207496A1 (de) 2023-08-04 2025-02-06 Robert Bosch Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung Verfahren zur Herstellung von Komponenten für eine elektrochemische Zelleneinheit
DE102023210681A1 (de) 2023-10-27 2025-04-30 Robert Bosch Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung Verfahren zur Herstellung von Komponenten für eine elektrochemische Zelleneinheit

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JPH11297338A (ja) 1998-04-10 1999-10-29 Nisshinbo Ind Inc 固体高分子型燃料電地用セパレータ及びその製造方法
NL1014403C1 (nl) 2000-02-17 2001-08-20 Nedstack Holding B V Methode voor het vervaardigen van een plaatvormig halffabrikaat dat geschikt is voor toepassing in onder andere Polymeer Elektrolyt Brandstofcellen.
US6908295B2 (en) * 2000-06-16 2005-06-21 Avery Dennison Corporation Process and apparatus for embossing precise microstructures and embossing tool for making same
US6823584B2 (en) * 2001-05-03 2004-11-30 Ballard Power Systems Inc. Process for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly
US8758958B2 (en) 2004-12-29 2014-06-24 Clearedge Power, Llc Fuel cell separator plate assembly
JP2006269313A (ja) 2005-03-25 2006-10-05 Mitsubishi Plastics Ind Ltd 燃料電池用セパレータの製造方法
EP1957250B1 (fr) 2005-11-16 2018-05-23 Manufacturing Systems Limited Ameliorations apportees ou se rapportant a un dispositif de formage
JP5838341B2 (ja) 2011-04-20 2016-01-06 パナソニックＩｐマネジメント株式会社 燃料電池用セパレータの製造方法、前記方法により製造される燃料電池用セパレータ、及び前記方法で使用される燃料電池用セパレータ製造用圧縮成形金型
CN104321904B (zh) 2012-01-05 2017-04-19 奥迪股份公司 制造多个燃料电池分隔器板组件的方法
CN105874634B (zh) 2013-12-09 2018-12-04 奥迪股份公司 制造干铺燃料电池前期衬底的方法和衬底
JP2017103220A (ja) 2015-11-19 2017-06-08 東レ株式会社 触媒層付電解質膜の製造方法および製造装置
CN106876740B (zh) * 2015-12-10 2023-06-23 上海神力科技有限公司 一种燃料电池用软石墨双极板的连续生产方法
US10953584B2 (en) * 2016-10-24 2021-03-23 Third Shore Group, LLC Continuous polymeric liner production methods for conformable pressure vessels
CN108321400B (zh) * 2017-12-29 2023-05-05 上海神力科技有限公司 燃料电池模压双极板成对生产方法

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CN116490334A (zh) 2023-07-25
DE102020006943A1 (de) 2022-05-12
US20240017449A1 (en) 2024-01-18
JP2023547547A (ja) 2023-11-10
US12564988B2 (en) 2026-03-03
WO2022101351A3 (fr) 2022-08-11
KR20230104681A (ko) 2023-07-10
WO2022101351A2 (fr) 2022-05-19
JP7579974B2 (ja) 2024-11-08

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