Separator plate arrangement for an electrochemical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12087977-B2
Application number	US-202017028653-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2020
Priority date	Sep 23, 2019
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A separator plate assembly for an electrochemical system, comprising a first metal sheet and a second metal sheet, which are in contact with one another at least in areas along the flat sides thereof facing one another, the first metal sheet including a first through-hole, or a group of first through-holes, and a first embossed structure surrounding the first through-hole, or the group of first through-holes, of the first metal sheet, and the second metal sheet including a first embossed structure, which is arranged at least in sections in an area of the second metal sheet that is defined by a perpendicular projection of the first through-hole, or of the group of first through-holes, of the first metal sheet onto the second metal sheet.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A separator plate assembly for an electrochemical system, comprising a first metal sheet and a second metal sheet which are in contact with one another at least in areas along the flat sides thereof facing one another,
the first metal sheet and second metal sheet each comprising a flow field and a perimeter sealing bead surrounding the flow field,
the first metal sheet including a first through-hole centered on a first central axis and a first embossed structure centered on a second central axis, the first embossed structure surrounding the first through-hole of the first metal sheet,
the first embossed structure and the at least one the first through-hole positioned outside of the respective perimeter sealing bead,
the second metal sheet including a second embossed structure, which is arranged at least in sections in an area of the second metal sheet that is defined by a perpendicular projection of the first through-hole, or of the group of first through-holes, of the first metal sheet onto the second metal sheet and centered on a third central axis, the second embossed structure positioned outside of the respective perimeter sealing bead, and
an offset between the first central axis and the second central axis is below a first maximum offset distance, and an offset between the second central axis and the third central axis is below a second maximum offset distance.

2. The separator plate assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first embossed structure of the first metal sheet includes an embossed structure that completely encloses the first through-hole, or the group of first through-holes, of the first metal sheet.

3. The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the first embossed structure of the first metal sheet includes a plurality of sub-structures, which are arranged around the first through-hole, or the group of first through-holes, of the first metal sheet.

4. A separator plate assembly for an electrochemical system, comprising a first metal sheet and a second metal sheet which are in contact with one another at least in areas along the flat sides thereof facing one another,
the first metal sheet and second metal sheet each comprising a flow field and a perimeter sealing bead surrounding the flow field,
the first metal sheet comprising a first embossed structure centered on a first central axis, and a group of first through-holes surrounding the first embossed structure and centered on a second central axis, and the first embossed structure, and the group of first through-holes positioned outside of the respective perimeter sealing bead,
the second metal sheet comprising a second embossed structure centered on a third central axis which are arranged at least in sections in an area of the second metal sheet that is defined by a perpendicular projection of the group of first through-holes of the first metal sheet onto the second metal sheet, and
an offset between the first central axis and the second central axis is below a first maximum offset distance, and an offset between the second central axis and the third central axis is below a second maximum offset distance.

5. The separator plate assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the second embossed structure of the second metal sheet comprises an embossed structure that completely encloses the first embossed structure of the first metal sheet.

6. The separator plate assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the second embossed structure of the second metal sheet comprises a plurality of sub-structures, which are arranged around the first embossed structure of the first metal sheet.

7. The separator plate assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the first embossed structure of the first metal sheet is entirely, or at least partially, raised above a first sheet plane in a direction facing away from the second metal sheet, perpendicular to the first sheet plane, the first sheet plane defined by the first metal sheet.

8. The separator plate assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the first embossed structure of the first metal sheet is spaced apart from the first through-hole, or an envelope around the group of first through-holes, of the first metal sheet.

9. The separator plate assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the first embossed structure of the first metal sheet is minor-symmetrical with respect to at least one minor plane, said mirror plane being situated perpendicularly on a first sheet plane defined by the first metal sheet.

10. The separator plate assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the first embossed structure of the first metal sheet is rotation-symmetrical with respect to an axis of symmetry, said axis of symmetry being situated perpendicularly on a first sheet plane defined by the first metal sheet.

11. The separator plate assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the first through-hole edge of the first metal sheet, or the envelope of the group of first through-holes, is mirror-symmetrical with respect to at least one minor plane, said minor plane being situated perpendicularly on a first sheet plane defined by the first metal sheet.

12. The separator plate assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the first through-hole edge, or the envelope of the group of first through-holes, of the first metal sheet is rotation-symmetrical with respect to an axis of symmetry, said axis of symmetry being situated perpendicularly on a first sheet plane defined by the first metal sheet.

13. The separator plate assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the second metal sheet includes a first through-hole, the second embossed structure of the second metal sheet being arranged around the first through-hole of the second metal sheet.

14. The separator plate assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the second embossed structure of the second metal sheet is minor-symmetrical with respect to a mirror plane of the second embossed structure of the second metal sheet, this minor plane being situated perpendicularly on a second sheet plane defined by the second metal sheet.

15. The separator plate assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the second embossed structure of the second metal sheet is rotation-symmetrical with respect to an axis of symmetry of the second embossed structure of the second metal sheet, this axis of symmetry being situated perpendicularly on a second sheet plane defined by the second metal sheet.

Assignees

• Reinz Dichtungs Gmbh

Inventors

• Gaugler Bernd
• Kunz Claudia
• Wenzel Stephan

Classifications

• H01M8/0228

  in the form of layered or coated products · CPC title

• H01M8/0206

  Metals or alloys · CPC title

• H01M8/0258

  characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title