Separator plate and electrochemical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11967739-B2
Application number	US-201917280161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2019
Priority date	Sep 28, 2018
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

The invention relates to a separator plate for an electrochemical system, comprising a first and a second plate, which are essentially congruently arranged on top of one another. The first and/or second plates furthermore include at least one elongated projection, which protrudes on opposite sides from a plate plane of the separator plate and extends along the plate plane from an outer edge to an interior of the separator plate so that the projection of the first plate and/or the projection of the second plate, if necessary together, form a receptacle for a connector pin. The projection of the first plate or the projection of the second plate includes an indentation directed toward the respective opposite plate for fixing the connector pin in the receptacle in a force-fit and/or form-locked manner.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A separator plate for an electrochemical system, comprising:
a first and a second plate, the first and second plates being essentially congruently arranged on top of one another,
the first and second plates each including at least one elongated projection, the projection of the first plate and the projection of the second plate protruding on opposite sides from a plate plane of the separator plate and extending along the plate plane parallel on top of one another, from an outer edge to an interior of the separator plate so that the projection of the first plate and the projection of the second plate together form a receptacle for a connector pin,
wherein the projection of the first plate or the projection of the second plate includes an indentation directed toward a respective opposite plate for fixing the connector pin in the receptacle in a force-fit and/or form-locked manner, and
wherein the receptacle extends from the outer edge to a location in the interior of the separator plate that is outside a perimeter of a sealing structure.

2. A separator plate for an electrochemical system, comprising:
a first and a second plate, the first and second plates being essentially congruently arranged on top of one another,
the first or the second plate including at least one elongated projection, the projection of the first plate or the projection of the second plate protruding toward a side that is directed away from the other plate from a plate plane of the separator plate and extending along the plate plane from an outer edge to an interior of the separator plate, so that the projection of the first plate or the projection of the second plate forms a receptacle for a connector pin,
wherein the projection of the first plate or the projection of the second plate, or a region in the second plate located opposite the projection of the first plate or a region in the first plate located opposite the projection of the second plate, includes an indentation that is directed toward the respective opposite plate, for fixing the connector pin in the receptacle in a force-fit and/or form-locked manner, and
wherein the receptacle extends from the outer edge to a location in the interior of the separator plate that is outside a perimeter of a sealing structure.

3. The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second plates include a plurality of projections that protrude from the plate plane of the separator plate and extend from the outer edge to the interior of the separator plate, so that the plurality of projections of the first and/or second plates form a plurality of receptacles for connector pins.

4. The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the indentation is designed as a cut-out tab or as a dome-shaped embossment.

5. The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the projections extend at an angle with respect to the outer edge, the angle being >0° and <180°, in particular >45° and ≤90°, or in particular ≥90° and <135°, particularly ≥80° and/or ≤100°.

6. The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second plates include in each case at least one mutually aligned first through-opening for conducting a reaction medium through the separator plate;
in each case at least one mutually aligned second through-opening for conducting a coolant through the separator plate;
in each case, on a surface thereof facing away from one another, an active region including guidance structures for guiding a reaction medium along the plate plane; and
a distribution region, which is in fluid connection with the first through-opening and the active region and includes distribution structures, for distributing a reaction medium that is introduced into the active region from the first through-opening and/or for collecting a reaction medium flowing from the active region toward the first through-opening.

7. The separator plate according to claim 6 , wherein the first and second plates each comprise a first sealing structure, extending circumferentially around the first through-opening, for sealing the first through-opening along the plate plane, the first sealing structure including at least one first passage, by way of which the first through-opening is in fluid connection with the distribution region and the active region.

8. The separator plate according to claim 6 , wherein the first and second plates comprise a second sealing structure for sealing the second through-opening along the plate plane.

9. The separator plate according to claim 6 , wherein the first and second plates comprise a third sealing structure, which extends circumferentially around the active region, the distribution region and the first through-opening and seals these with respect to the surrounding area along the plate plane.

10. The separator plate according to claim 6 , wherein the first, second and/or third sealing structures are embossed into the first or second plate or are designed as sealing beads embossed into the first and second plates.

11. The separator plate according to claim 10 , wherein the first, second and third sealing structures of the first plate, and the first, second and third sealing structures of the second plate protrude from the plate plane of the separator plate on opposite sides, and a height of the projections, by which the projections protrude from the plate plane of the separator plate, is less than a height of the first, second and third sealing structures, by which the first, second and third sealing structures protrude from the plate plane of the separator plate.

12. An electrochemical system, comprising a plurality of separator plates which are arranged parallel to one another, each separator plate, comprising:
a first and a second plate, the first and second plates being essentially congruently arranged on top of one another,
the first and second plates each including at least one elongated projection, the projection of the first plate and the projection of the second plate protruding on opposite sides from a plate plane of the separator plate and extending along the plate plane parallel on top of one another, from an outer edge to an interior of the separator plate so that the projection of the first plate and the projection of the second plate together form a receptacle for a connector pin,
wherein the projection of the first plate or the projection of the second plate includes an indentation directed toward a respective opposite plate for fixing the connector pin in the receptacle in a force-fit and/or form-locked manner, and
wherein the receptacle extends from the outer edge to a location in the interior of the separator plate that is outside a perimeter of a sealing structure.

13. The electrochemical system according to claim 12 , wherein a membrane of an electrochemical cell for converting chemical energy into electrical power is arranged between each two adjacent separator plates.

14. The electrochemical system according to claim 13 , wherein an edge region of the membrane abuts the at least one elongated projection of the first or second plate.

15. The electrochemical system according to claim 14 , further comprising a device for checking a cell voltage of a separator plate, wherein the device comprises the connector pin being insertable into the connector pin of the separator plate.

16. The electrochemical system according to claim 15 , wherein the connector pins have a substantially cylindrical or cuboid design, in particular with rounded corners.

17. An electrochemical system according to claim 15 , wherein

Assignees

• Reinz Dichtungs Gmbh

Inventors

• Oruc Ahmet
• Stoehr Thomas

Classifications

• H01M8/0254 Primary

  corrugated or undulated · CPC title

• H01M8/0256

  Vias, i.e. connectors passing through the separator material · CPC title

• H01M8/026 Primary

  characterised by grooves, e.g. their pitch or depth · CPC title

• H01M8/0271

  Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes · CPC title

• H01M8/0297 Primary

  Arrangements for joining electrodes, reservoir layers, heat exchange units or bipolar separators to each other (H01M8/0271 takes precedence) · CPC title