Separator plate with a bead passage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12512485-B2
Application number	US-202218055287-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2022
Priority date	Nov 15, 2021
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a separator plate for an electrochemical system. The electrochemical system may be, for example, a fuel cell system, an electrochemical compressor, or an electrolyzer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A separator plate for an electrochemical system, comprising a first individual plate and a second individual plate, which are connected to each other, wherein at least the first individual plate comprises:
an electrochemically active region, at least one through-opening for the passage of a fluid, having an inner edge that bounds the through-opening, a sealing bead arranged around the through-opening for sealing off the through-opening, wherein the sealing bead has a sealing bead interior, a first bead flank facing towards the through-opening, and a second bead flank, a plurality of first conveying channels, which adjoin the first bead flank of the sealing bead, are in fluid connection with the sealing bead interior, extend from the sealing bead in the direction of the through-opening, and are fluidically connected to the through-opening via at least one first aperture formed in the separator plate, wherein the through-opening and the sealing bead interior are fluidically connected to each other via the first conveying channels and the at least one first aperture, a first weld, surrounding the through-opening, for connecting the two individual plates, wherein the first weld is at a smaller distance from the inner edge than the at least one aperture and/or the first conveying channels, and a first auxiliary bead having a first auxiliary bead interior, a first auxiliary bead flank facing towards the through-opening, and a second auxiliary bead flank facing towards the sealing bead, wherein the first conveying channels adjoin the second auxiliary bead flank of the first auxiliary bead and are in fluid connection with the first auxiliary bead interior.

2 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , further comprising a second weld for connecting the individual plates, said second weld arranged around the sealing bead on a side of the sealing bead remote from the through-opening.

3 . The separator plate according to claim 2 , wherein the first weld and/or the second weld are continuous welds or stitch welds.

4 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein a maximum height of the first auxiliary bead, determined perpendicular to a flat surface plane of the separator plate, is smaller than a corresponding maximum height of the sealing bead.

5 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the first auxiliary bead extends all the way around the through-opening, or wherein the first auxiliary bead is provided only in a region in which the first conveying channels are arranged.

6 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the first auxiliary bead and the inner edge of the through-opening extend at least in part parallel to each other.

7 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of second conveying channels, which adjoin the second bead flank of the sealing bead and are in fluid connection with the sealing bead interior, wherein the electrochemically active region and the sealing bead interior are fluidically connected to each other via the second conveying channels.

8 . The separator plate according to claim 7 , wherein the second conveying channels are fluidically connected to the electrochemically active region via at least one second aperture formed in the separator plate.

9 . The separator plate according to claim 7 , comprising a second auxiliary bead having a second auxiliary bead interior, a first bead flank facing towards the sealing bead, and a second bead flank facing away from the sealing bead, wherein the second conveying channels adjoin the first bead flank of the second auxiliary bead and are in fluid connection with the second auxiliary bead interior.

10 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the first bead flank of the sealing bead comprises an inner surface adjacent to the sealing bead interior and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, and wherein each of the plurality of first conveying channels comprise a surface extending from the outer surface of the first bead flank of the sealing bead in a direction towards the through-opening and away from the sealing bead interior.

11 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the second auxiliary bead flank of the first auxiliary bead comprises an inner surface adjacent to the first auxiliary bead interior and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, and wherein each of the plurality of first conveying channels comprise a surface extending from the outer surface of the second auxiliary bead flank of the first auxiliary bead in a direction towards the sealing bead and away from the first auxiliary bead interior.

12 . The separator plate according to claim 9 , wherein the first bead flank of the second auxiliary bead comprises an inner surface adjacent to the second auxiliary bead interior and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, and wherein each of the plurality of second conveying channels comprise a surface extending from the outer surface of the first bead flank of the second auxiliary bead in a direction towards the sealing bead and away from the second auxiliary bead interior.

Assignees

• Reinz Dichtungs Gmbh

Inventors

• Oruc Ahmet
• Glueck Rainer

Classifications

• H01M8/0271

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

• H01M8/0247 Primary

  characterised by the form (characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258) · CPC title

• H01M8/0297

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

• H01M8/2483

  characterised by internal manifolds · CPC title

• H01M8/0276

  Sealing means characterised by their form (H01M8/0273 takes precedence) · CPC title