EP4532169A2 - Dispositif électrochimique et procédé de production d'un élément d'étanchéité sur une couche de diffusion de gaz d'une unité électrochimique - Google Patents

Dispositif électrochimique et procédé de production d'un élément d'étanchéité sur une couche de diffusion de gaz d'une unité électrochimique

Info

Publication number
EP4532169A2
EP4532169A2 EP23724321.7A EP23724321A EP4532169A2 EP 4532169 A2 EP4532169 A2 EP 4532169A2 EP 23724321 A EP23724321 A EP 23724321A EP 4532169 A2 EP4532169 A2 EP 4532169A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
diffusion layer
gas diffusion
sealing
electrochemical device
channel
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
EP23724321.7A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Jürgen KRAFT
Oliver Fink
Gerhard Schuller
Manuel Morcos
Michael Götz
Peter Stahl
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.)
Ekpo Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH
Original Assignee
Ekpo Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH
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 Ekpo Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH filed Critical Ekpo Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH
Publication of EP4532169A2 publication Critical patent/EP4532169A2/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • 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
    • H01M8/0271—Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes
    • 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
    • H01M8/0258—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant
    • 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
    • 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
    • H01M8/0271—Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes
    • H01M8/0273—Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes with sealing or supporting means in the form of a frame
    • 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
    • H01M8/0271—Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes
    • H01M8/028—Sealing means characterised by their material
    • H01M8/0284—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
    • H01M8/0271—Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes
    • H01M8/0286—Processes for forming seals
    • 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
    • H01M8/24—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells
    • H01M8/2465—Details of groupings of fuel cells
    • H01M8/2483—Details of groupings of fuel cells characterised by internal manifolds
    • 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
    • H01M8/10—Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
    • H01M2008/1095—Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes

Definitions

  • an outer edge of the electrochemically active surface of the membrane-electrode arrangement is offset inwards, that is towards the center of the flow field, whereby the maximum distance from the outermost channel of the coolant flow field through which the coolant flows is reduced.
  • the sealing arrangement is preferably widened in the areas in which it crosses the connecting channels through which a coolant does not flow during operation of the electrochemical device.
  • the inner edge of the sealing arrangement can be formed on a sealing element of the sealing arrangement, which is cohesively connected to a gas diffusion layer of the electrochemical unit in question.
  • the sealing element is preferably formed from an elastomeric material.
  • the elastomer material of the sealing element penetrates a connection area of the gas diffusion layer.
  • the sealing projection can be locally interrupted.
  • the sealing projection can comprise a plurality of sections which are spaced apart from one another along the circumferential direction of the base body.
  • the overspraying of the gas diffusion layer with a passivation layer made of elastomeric material on an area of the gas diffusion layer that is otherwise subject to high thermal stress ensures local reaction inactivity and thus a desired reduction in the thermal stress on the gas diffusion layer, which increases the durability of the electrochemical device during operation.
  • the elastomer material is injected onto the gas diffusion layer in a cavity of an injection molding tool.
  • a connection area of the sealing element formed from the elastomeric material is created, in which porous material of the gas diffusion layer is at least partially penetrated by the elastomeric material.
  • the elastomer material can only penetrate poorly or not at all into the gas diffusion layer, which results in a poor, undefined connection between the gas diffusion layer and the elastomer material.
  • elastomer material contamination can form during such an overmolding process, which can endanger the later function of the electrochemical cell containing the overmolded gas diffusion layer and thus the later function of the electrochemical device.
  • Such a deformation limiting element can be designed, for example, as a hold-down device.
  • the deformation limiting element for example in the form of a hold-down device, ensures that during the injection process the elastomer material introduced into the cavity of the injection molding tool preferably reaches the side of the gas diffusion layer facing away from the membrane-electrode arrangement during operation of the electrochemical device.
  • the injection molding tool comprises at least one push-off tool part which has a push-off projection for pressing the gas diffusion layer during the injection molding process
  • the deformation limiting elements which are used in the area of the sealing projection are preferably spaced from the push-off projection of the push-off tool part.
  • the above-mentioned recesses are formed in the area of the sealing projection, which are preferably designed as passage openings in the sealing projection of the sealing element that extend through the sealing element.
  • the geometry and position of the deformation limiting elements are selected so that a required minimum binding force is maintained.
  • an inner edge of the cathode-side sealing element which borders the sealing element towards the center of the cathode-side gas diffusion layer, is moved further inwards, that is towards the center of the gas diffusion layer, than the inner edge of the anode-side sealing element.
  • the gas diffusion layer is essentially completely penetrated by the elastomeric material in the areas in which it is in contact with the deformation limiting elements, because this also electrochemically deactivates the areas of the gas diffusion layer that are in contact with the deformation limiting elements, for example hold-down devices become.
  • the areas of the gas diffusion layer that are in contact with the deformation limiting elements are only partially or not at all penetrated by the elastomer material. This results in the areas of the gas diffusion layer that are in contact with the deformation limiting elements being partially electrochemically activated or completely electrochemically activated.
  • These local height reductions serve to be able to produce a sufficiently high and easily produced sealing projection without increasing the local total height of an electrochemical cell (along the stacking direction). These local height reductions can also be carried out in an area adjacent to the area of the sealing projection to take assembly tolerances into account.
  • the size, shape, number, position and/or distance between the deformation limiting elements is preferably chosen so that there is an advantageous compromise between preventing the deformation of the gas diffusion layer on the one hand and a sufficient degree of filling of the cavity of the injection molding tool in the area of the sealing projection with the elastomeric material on the other hand.
  • the medium that flows through the connecting channel during operation of the electrochemical device is preferably an anode gas (fuel gas, in particular containing hydrogen) or a cathode gas (oxidizing agent, in particular containing oxygen) of the electrochemical device.
  • an outer edge of a cathode-side electrochemically active surface of the membrane-electrode arrangement faces inward, that is to say, relative to an outer edge of an anode-side electrochemically active surface of the membrane-electrode arrangement towards the center of the flow field.
  • the present invention further relates to a method for producing a sealing element on a gas diffusion layer of an electrochemical unit, the method comprising the following:
  • the sealing element comprises a sealing projection which projects from a base body of the sealing element in a projection direction pointing into an interior of the sealing element, wherein the sealing projection extends along the circumferential direction of the base body of the sealing element only over a part of the circumference of the base body of the sealing element.
  • the porous material of the gas diffusion layer is pressed to such an extent that the elastomer material introduced into the cavity of the injection molding tool does not penetrate the area of the gas diffusion layer lying between the pressing projections or only penetrates it to a very small extent, so that the central area of the gas diffusion layer surrounded by the pressing projections, i.e the part of the gas diffusion layer used in the electrochemical device for supplying cathode gas or anode gas to the membrane-electrode arrangement is only penetrated minimally.
  • Known push-off projections of injection molding tools have rectangular cross-sections that are easy to manufacture and are preferably designed to be mirror-symmetrical in relation to a plane aligned perpendicular to the stacking direction.
  • the contact surface of the push-off projection only has small changes in direction on the scale of the pore size of the gas diffusion layer.
  • the change in height of the contact surface of the push-off projection is preferably no more than approximately one pore size over the length of half a pore size.
  • the tangent on the contact surface of the push-off projection is therefore inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the stacking direction (for example one of the main planes of the uncompressed gas diffusion layer) by an angle ⁇ of less than 60°, particularly preferably of less than 45°.
  • the push-off projection is completely eliminated on one side of the gas diffusion layer.
  • This is preferably the side of the gas diffusion layer that is provided with a microporous layer (MPL), with a catalyst layer and/or with a membrane or with a complete membrane-electrode arrangement.
  • MPL microporous layer
  • Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a section of a fuel cell stack of a fuel cell device in the area of a connecting channel, which connects a medium channel and a flow field of the fuel cell device, with two fuel cell units following one another in a stacking direction of the fuel cell stack of the fuel cell stack and a third bipolar plate lying above the two fuel cell units Fuel cell unit are shown;
  • 1 to 6 designated as a whole by 100, for example a fuel cell device 102 or an electrolyzer, comprises a stack 104 of electrochemical units 106, for example fuel cell units 108 or electrolyzer units, the stack 104 having several in one stacking direction 110 successive electrochemical units 106 and a clamping device (not shown) for applying a clamping force directed along the stacking direction 110 to the electrochemical units 106.
  • the bipolar plate 112 has a plurality of medium passage openings 120, through which a fluid medium to be supplied to the electrochemical device 100 (in the case of a fuel cell stack, for example a fuel gas or anode gas, an oxidizing agent or cathode gas or a coolant) can pass through the bipolar plate 112.
  • a fluid medium to be supplied to the electrochemical device 100 in the case of a fuel cell stack, for example a fuel gas or anode gas, an oxidizing agent or cathode gas or a coolant
  • the medium passage openings 120 of the bipolar plates 112 successive in the stack 104 and the spaces lying between the medium passage openings 120 in the stacking direction 110 together each form a medium channel 122.
  • the anode gas medium channel 126 is in fluid communication with a flow field 138 for the anode gas via an anode gas connection channel 136, which is formed by a gap between the first bipolar plate layer 130 and the second bipolar plate layer 132 in which only one edge channel 140 is shown.
  • This edge channel 140 forms the outermost channel of the flow field 138, is open to the membrane-electrode arrangement 114 and is delimited on its outer side facing the medium channel 122 by an edge web 142, which lies sealingly against the membrane-electrode arrangement 114.
  • the cathode-side inner edge 156 of the sealing arrangement 150 lies on the side of the coolant channel 148 facing the medium channel 122. Furthermore, it is favorable if the cathode-side inner edge 156 of the sealing arrangement 150 lies in the area of the edge channel 140.
  • the cathode-side inner edge 156 of the sealing arrangement 150 can, however, lie on the side of the edge webs 142 facing the respective medium channel 122, whereby the available electrochemically active surface of the membrane electrode arrangements 114 in the areas is enlarged outside the connecting channels 128 for anode gas and cathode gas.
  • the cathode-side inner edge 156 of the sealing arrangement 150 is provided on a sealing projection 172 of the second sealing element 164, the sealing projection 172 being in the area of a connecting channel 128 of a base body 174 of the second sealing element 164 protrudes in a projection direction 176 facing away from the medium channel (see FIGS. 5 and 6).
  • the sealing projection 172 extends along the circumferential direction of the base body 174 of the first sealing element 162 only over a part of the circumference of the base body 174 of the first sealing element 162, preferably over less than 50% of the circumference of the base body 174 of the first sealing element 162, particularly preferably over less than 25% of the circumference of the base body 174 of the first sealing element 162.
  • the sealing arrangement 150 is provided with a plurality of recesses 182 in the at least one area outside the connecting channel 128 and thus outside the sealing projection 172, which are along the circumferential direction 134 of the seal assembly 150 are spaced apart from one another and are arranged on the inner edge 155 of the seal assembly 150, as shown in FIG.
  • the deformation limiting elements 184 have a circular section-shaped, in particular semicircular, cross section - taken perpendicular to the thickness direction 200 of the gas diffusion layer 116, 118.
  • the sealing projection forms a passivation layer made of an elastomeric material, which is preferably molded onto a gas diffusion layer 116, 118 together with at least one sealing lip 212 of the sealing arrangement 150.
  • the angle of inclination a or a' is smaller than 60°, particularly preferably smaller than 45°.
  • the contact element 238 can have one or more support lips 244.

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Fuel Cell (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Non-Metals, Compounds, Apparatuses Therefor (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif électrochimique comprenant un empilement de plusieurs unités électrochimiques se succédant le long d'une direction d'empilement, comprenant respectivement un ensemble membrane-électrodes électrochimiquement actif, une plaque bipolaire et un ensemble d'étanchéité, au moins un canal à milieu, au moins un champ d'écoulement à travers lequel le milieu peut s'écouler du canal à milieu jusqu'à un autre canal à milieu, et au moins un canal de communication par l'intermédiaire duquel le champ d'écoulement et le canal à milieu sont en communication fluidique l'un avec l'autre, le canal de liaison comprenant un élément de liaison de bord qui est traversé par le milieu provenant du canal à milieu, un canal à agent de refroidissement séparé de l'espace interne de l'élément de liaison de bord par l'intermédiaire d'une ligne d'assemblage étant traversé par un agent de refroidissement, le champ d'écoulement comportant un canal de bord qui est agencé entre l'élément de liaison de bord et le canal à agent de refroidissement et qui est traversé par le milieu provenant du canal à milieu, et l'ensemble d'étanchéité s'étendant autour du champ d'écoulement et comportant un bord intérieur qui borde une surface électrochimiquement active côté cathode ou une surface électrochimiquement active côté anode de l'ensemble membrane-électrodes. L'objectif de l'invention est de créer un tel dispositif électrochimique pour lequel il convient de réduire une augmentation de température locale dans la zone d'un élément de liaison de bord. À cet effet, le bord interne de l'ensemble d'étanchéité se trouve sur le côté de l'élément de liaison de bord opposé au canal à milieu.
EP23724321.7A 2022-05-25 2023-05-16 Dispositif électrochimique et procédé de production d'un élément d'étanchéité sur une couche de diffusion de gaz d'une unité électrochimique Pending EP4532169A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102022113249.8A DE102022113249A1 (de) 2022-05-25 2022-05-25 Elektrochemische Vorrichtung
PCT/EP2023/063148 WO2023227423A2 (fr) 2022-05-25 2023-05-16 Dispositif électrochimique et procédé de production d'un élément d'étanchéité sur une couche de diffusion de gaz d'une unité électrochimique

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4532169A2 true EP4532169A2 (fr) 2025-04-09

Family

ID=86387240

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP23724321.7A Pending EP4532169A2 (fr) 2022-05-25 2023-05-16 Dispositif électrochimique et procédé de production d'un élément d'étanchéité sur une couche de diffusion de gaz d'une unité électrochimique

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP4532169A2 (fr)
DE (1) DE102022113249A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2023227423A2 (fr)

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CA2866798C (fr) 2012-03-09 2017-07-04 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Plaque de fermeture et empilement de piles a combustible utilisant celle-ci
CA2909137C (fr) * 2013-04-22 2018-03-27 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Structures de cellules d'un empilement de pile a combustible
DE102014104017A1 (de) * 2014-03-24 2015-09-24 Elringklinger Ag Elektrochemische Vorrichtung
DE102014221351A1 (de) 2014-10-21 2016-04-21 Volkswagen Ag Brennstoffzelle
DE102015100740A1 (de) 2015-01-20 2016-07-21 Elringklinger Ag Elektrochemische Einheit für einen Brennstoffzellenstapel
DE102018115983A1 (de) 2018-07-02 2020-01-02 Elringklinger Ag Elektrochemische Vorrichtung

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2023227423A3 (fr) 2024-08-22
WO2023227423A2 (fr) 2023-11-30
DE102022113249A1 (de) 2023-11-30

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