Bipolar plate with force concentrator pattern

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017082097-A1
Application number	US-201615270277-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 20, 2016
Priority date	Sep 21, 2015
Publication date	Mar 23, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of present disclosure are directed to a bipolar plate assembly. The bipolar plate assembly has a frame and a base. At least one of the frame and the base has a shape of a force concentrator pattern or has a first surface having a force concentrator pattern, the force concentrator pattern including a raised surface extending partially across the first surface. A surface area of the force concentrator pattern across the length of the frame or base is generally constant, thereby producing a uniform compressive pressure along the length of the frame or base when the bipolar plate assembly is under compression.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A bipolar plate assembly, comprising:
a frame and a base, at least one of the frame and the base having a shape of a force concentrator pattern or having a first surface comprising a force concentrator pattern, the force concentrator pattern comprising a raised surface extending partially across the first surface; wherein a surface area of the force concentrator pattern across the length of the frame or the base is generally constant, thereby producing a uniform compressive pressure along the length of the frame and/or the base when the bipolar plate assembly is under compression.

2 . The bipolar plate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the surface area of the force concentrator pattern across the length of the frame or the base ranges from between about 2 cm 2 /cm to about 10 cm 2 /cm.

3 . The bipolar plate assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one seal assembly between the frame and the base.

4 . The bipolar plate assembly of claim 3 , wherein the seal assembly is an elastomer seal or a polymeric seal.

5 . The bipolar plate assembly of claim 3 , wherein the compressive pressure on the seal assembly is generally evenly distributed across the seal assembly when the bipolar plate assembly is under compression.

6 . The bipolar plate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the frame and the base are two pieces coupled together or are one integrated part.

7 . The bipolar plate assembly of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the frame and the base is laminated with a polymeric material or coated with a polymeric film on a top surface and/or a bottom surface.

8 . The bipolar plate assembly of claim 7 , wherein the compressive pressure on the polymeric material or the polymeric film is generally evenly distributed across the frame and/or the base when the bipolar plate assembly is under compression.

9 . The bipolar plate assembly of claim 2 , wherein the bipolar plate assembly is at least one of a plurality of bipolar plate assemblies forming an electrochemical stack.

10 . The bipolar plate assembly of claim 2 , wherein the compressive pressure ranges from 5,000 psig to 40,000 psig.

11 . The bipolar plate assembly of claim 2 , wherein the force concentrator pattern has a thickness ranging from 0.025 mm to a thickness of the frame and/or the base.

12 . The bipolar plate assembly of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the frame and the base has a second surface comprising the force concentrator pattern.

13 . A method of assembling a bipolar plate assembly, comprising:
compressing a frame and a base of the bipolar plate assembly, at least one of the frame and the base having a shape of a force concentrator pattern or having a first surface comprising a force concentrator pattern, the force concentrator pattern comprising a raised surface extending partially across the first surface, wherein a surface area of the force concentrator pattern across the length of the frame or the base is generally constant, thereby producing a uniform compressive pressure along the length of the frame and/or the base when the bipolar plate assembly is under compression.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the surface area of the force concentrator pattern across the length of the frame or the base ranges from between about 2 cm 2 /cm to about 10 cm 2 /cm.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the bipolar plate assembly comprises at least one seal assembly between the frame and the base.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the seal assembly is an elastomer seal or a polymeric seal.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the compressive pressure on the seal assembly is generally evenly distributed across the seal assembly when the bipolar plate assembly is under compression.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the compressive pressure on the seal assembly is greater than the yield strength of the material of the seal assembly.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the frame and the base are two pieces coupled together or are one integrated part;
wherein at least one of the frame and the base is laminated with a polymeric material or coated with a polymeric film on a top surface and/or a bottom surface; and wherein the compressive pressure on the polymeric material or the polymeric film is generally evenly distributed across the frame and/or the base when the bipolar plate assembly is under compression.

20 . An electrochemical cell comprising:
a pair of bipolar plate assemblies and a membrane electrode assembly located between the pair of bipolar plate assemblies, wherein at least one of the bipolar plate assembly comprises: a frame and a base, at least one of the frame and the base having a shape of a force concentrator pattern or having a first surface comprising a force concentrator pattern, the force concentrator pattern comprising a raised surface extending partially across the first surface, wherein a surface area of the force concentrator pattern across the length of the frame or the base is generally constant, thereby producing a uniform compressive pressure along the length of the frame and/or base when the bipolar plate assembly is under compression.

Assignees

• Nuvera Fuel Cells Llc

Inventors

• Van Boeyen Roger

Classifications

• F04B37/18 Primary

  for specific elastic fluids · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• B01D2256/16

  Hydrogen · CPC title

• B01D53/326

  in electrochemical cells · CPC title

• C25B9/75

  having bipolar electrodes · CPC title