Bipolar plate, retention sample for a bipolar plate, system, and method for producing and testing a bipolar plate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12132232-B2
Application number	US-202117372220-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2021
Priority date	Jul 10, 2020
Publication date	Oct 29, 2024
Grant date	Oct 29, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a bipolar plate for an electrochemical system, comprising two separator plates which are connected to one another, at least one of the separator plates having a plate body and at least one tab which is formed in one piece with the plate body and can be separated from the plate body via a predetermined breaking point. The disclosure additionally relates to a retention sample for a bipolar plate or flow plate, to a flow plate, to a system, and to a method for producing and testing a bipolar plate or flow plate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bipolar plate configured for an electrochemical system, comprising:
two separator plates which are connected to one another, at least one of the separator plates comprising:
a plate body; and
at least one tab which is formed in one piece with the plate body and separable from the plate body via a predetermined breaking point;

wherein the at least one tab has a first coding which is associated with the respective separator plate, and said separator plate has a second coding which corresponds to the first coding on the at least one tab.

2. The bipolar plate according to claim 1 , comprising at least one through-opening for the passage of a fluid, and the at least one tab being arranged on an inner edge of the at least one through-opening or on an outer edge of the plate body.

3. The bipolar plate according to claim 1 , wherein a stiffening structure, which extends at least partially along the predetermined breaking point, for separating the at least one tab in a defined manner along the predetermined breaking point is arranged on at least one side of the predetermined breaking point.

4. The bipolar plate according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one tab has at least one further stiffening structure for stiffening the at least one tab.

5. The bipolar plate according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one further stiffening structure is configured as an embossed structure, a bead, or a group of embossings.

6. The bipolar plate according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined breaking point comprises an indentation and/or a perforation.

7. The bipolar plate according to claim 1 , wherein the respective coding comprises an inscription, a coloured pattern, a punched pattern and/or an embossed pattern.

8. The bipolar plate according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one tab has at least one process monitoring area.

9. The bipolar plate according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one process monitoring area has a coating, a surface treatment, and/or a structuring.

10. The bipolar plate according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one tab has a positioning opening for receiving a centering pin or for position control.

11. The bipolar plate according to claim 1 , wherein each of the two separator plates comprises one of the at least one tab, and the tabs at least partially overlapping in a direction perpendicular to a plate plane of the bipolar plate.

12. A retention sample of a bipolar plate for an electrochemical system, comprising:
a tab with a first breaking edge which can be separated from the bipolar plate via a predetermined breaking point, the tab having a process monitoring area and/or a first coding which is associated with the bipolar plate and/or with a separator plate of the bipolar plate.

13. A system, comprising the retention sample according to claim 12 and the associated bipolar plate for an electrochemical system, which comprises:
two separator plates which are connected to one another, the bipolar plate having a second breaking edge which has a shape complementary to the first breaking edge.

14. A method for producing a bipolar plate for an electrochemical system, comprising the steps of:
providing a plate;
forming a first separator plate having a plate body and at least one tab formed in one piece with the plate body;
introducing a material weakening into the first separator plate so as to form a predetermined breaking point, via which the tab can be separated from the plate body;
providing a second separator plate; and
forming the bipolar plate by connecting the first separator plate to the second separator plate;
wherein the at least one tab has a first coding which is associated with the first separator plate, and said first separator plate has a second coding on the plate body which corresponds to the first coding on the at least one tab.

15. The method according to claim 14 , comprising the additional step of:
separating the tab from the first separator plate along the predetermined breaking point, by applying energy using laser or induction, or by separating the tab mechanically.

16. A bipolar plate configured for an electrochemical system, comprising:
two separator plates which are connected to one another, at least one separator plate of the two separator plates comprising:
a plate body; and
at least one tab which is formed in one piece with the plate body of the separator plate and is separable from the plate body via a predetermined breaking point;

wherein the at least one tab has a first coding which is associated with the bipolar plate, and the bipolar plate has a second coding which corresponds to the first coding on the at least one tab.

Assignees

• Reinz Dichtungs Gmbh

Inventors

• Neusigl Michaela
• Lemke Kai-Uwe
• Liedtke Harald
• Speidel André
• Walter Bernhard

Classifications

• G01N33/0078

  Testing material properties on manufactured objects · CPC title

• G01N33/20 Primary

  Metals · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/0245

  in the form of layered or coated products · CPC title

• H01M8/026

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