Separator plate and electrochemical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017324099-A1
Application number	US-201515519974-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 16, 2015
Priority date	Oct 18, 2014
Publication date	Nov 9, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A separator plate for an electrochemical system has two metal individual plates. The plates have passage openings for operating media and possibly coolant, and distribution structures. The distribution structures are formed in the metal individual plates and which each communicate with at least two of the passage openings. A peripherally extending sealing structure is formed in each of the metal individual plates at least peripherally around the electrochemically active region and at a distance therefrom and/or peripherally around at least one of the passage openings and at a distance from the edge thereof. The cross-section of the sealing structure has a bead roof, two bead flanks, and at least in some segments, two bead feet. At least in the region of the bead roof of the sealing structure at least in some segments, the sealing structure extends sinuously with at least two wave periods having convex and concave segments.

First claim

1 - 23 . (canceled)

24 . A separator plate for an electrochemical system, comprising two metallic individual plates,
wherein the metallic individual plates comprise through-openings at least for the operating media as well as distribution structures which are formed into the metallic individual plates and which each communicate with at least two of the through-openings, wherein a peripheral sealing structure is formed into each of the metallic individual plates at least peripherally around at least one of (1) the electrochemically active region and distanced from this region and (2) peripherally around at least one of the through-openings and distanced from the edge of these through-openings, the cross section of said sealing structure comprising a bead roof, two bead flanks and, at least in sections, two bead feet, wherein the sealing structure at least in the region of its bead roof extends, at least in sections, in a wave-like manner with at least two wave periods with convex and concave sections, characterised in that the bead roof has a constant width in the region of its wave-like extension and that the base width of at least one of the bead flanks changes in the region of the wave-like course of the bead roof.

25 . The separator plate according to claim 24 , wherein at least one of the bead flanks, in the region of the wave-like course of the bead roof, comprises continuations which comprise a roof, two flanks and two feet, wherein the total height of the continuations is lower than the total height of the sealing structure and that the distance of at least two continuations from one another at a bead flank is n×λ/2, with λ the period length of the wave shape of the bead roof.

26 . The separator plate according to claim 25 , wherein at least one of the continuations connects the interior of the sealing structure to one of the distribution structures or to one of the through-openings for operating media or coolant.

27 . The separator plate according to claim 24 , wherein the base width of at least one of the two bead flanks constantly changes.

28 . The separator plate according to claim 24 , wherein a flank angle between the bead roof and a bead flank extending in a concave section, changes along the wave-like extension region, at least regionally, to a different extent than a flank angle between the bead roof and the opposite bead flank extending in a convex section.

29 . The separator plate according to claim 24 , wherein the bead roofs of the sealing structures of the two metallic individual plates of the separator plate have a course which is mirror-symmetrical to one another with respect to their contact surface.

30 . The separator plate according to claim 24 , wherein the peripheral sealing structure in several sections extends in a wave-like manner with at least two wave periods along the electrochemically active region of an individual metallic plate, wherein at least two wave-like sections extend along edges of the electrochemically active region of the individual plates, said edges lying opposite one another.

31 . The separator plate according to claim 24 , wherein the peripheral sealing structure in several sections extends, in a wave-like manner with at least two wave periods, along the inner edge of at least one through-opening for operating media or coolant of a metallic individual plate, wherein at least two wave-like sections extend along inner edges of the through-opening which lie opposite one another.

32 . The separator plate according to claim 24 , wherein the width of the bead roof is between 0.2 and 2 mm.

33 . The separator plate according to claim 28 , wherein the flank angle (α I ) of a concave section is between 15° and 60°.

34 . The separator plate according to claim 33 , wherein the change of the flank angle with respect to the flank angle at the inflection point corresponds to a reduction of up to 50%.

35 . The separator plate according to claim 28 , wherein the flank angle of a convex section is between 20° and 65°.

36 . The separator plate according to claim 35 , wherein the change of the flank angle with respect to the flank angle at the inflection point corresponds to an increase of up to 100%.

37 . The separator plate according to claim 24 , wherein the reduction of the base width within a convex section is between 5 and 50% of the base width of the same bead flank at one of the inflection points delimiting the convex section.

38 . The separator plate according to claim 24 , wherein the increase of the base width within a concave section is between 5 and 100% of the base width of the same bead flank at one of the inflection points delimiting the concave section.

39 . The separator plate according to claim 24 , wherein a total width of the sealing structure from bead foot to bead foot is constant in the region of a wave-like extension of the sealing structure.

40 . The separator plate according to claim 24 , wherein the sealing structure as a whole extends linearly in the region of wave-like extension of the bead roof.

41 . A separator plate for an electrochemical system, comprising two metallic individual plates,
wherein the metallic individual plates comprise through-openings at least for operating media, as well as distribution structures which are formed into the individual metallic plates and which each communicate with at least two of the through-openings, wherein a peripheral sealing structure is formed into each of the metallic individual plates at least peripherally around at least one of (1) the electrochemically active region and distanced from this region and (2) peripherally around at least one of the through-openings and distanced from the edge of these through openings, the cross section of said sealing structure comprising a bead roof, two bead flanks and, at least in sections, two bead feet, wherein the sealing structure at least in the region of its bead roof extends, at least in sections, in a wave-like manner with at least two wave periods with convex and concave sections, so that upper inner and outer radii form at the transition from bead roof to the bead flanks and lower inner and outer radii form at the bead feet, weld connections are sectionally provided between the two metallic individual plates of the separator plate, at least at one side adjacent to the bead feet at least along the region in which the bead roof extends in a wave-like manner, wherein in each case the weld connections extend in the region adjacent to a convex region of the wave course and concentrically to the bead foot of the convex region.

42 . The separator plate according to claim 41 , wherein the weld connections each extend over at least 1/9 of the wavelength λ and maximally over the complete convex section.

43 . The separator plate according to claim 41 , wherein the sealing structure comprises a coating at least in the region of the bead roof.

44 . The separator plate according to claim 43 , wherein the coating comprises FPM (fluorocarbon rubber), silicone rubber or NBR rubber (acrylonitrile butadiene), PUR (polyurethane), NR (natural rubber), FFKM (perfluoroelastomeric compounds), SBR (styrene butadiene rubber), BR (butyl rubber), FVSQ (fluorosilicone), CSM (chlorosulphonated polyethylene), silicon resin, epoxy resin or mixtures of the above-mentioned substances or contact adhesive or a physically setting adhesive.

Assignees

• Reinz Dichtungs Gmbh

Inventors

• Stoehr Thomas
• Kunz Claudia
• Wenzel Stephan

Classifications

• H01M8/0273 Primary

  with sealing or supporting means in the form of a frame · CPC title

• H01M8/0202

  Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors · CPC title

• C25B9/75

  having bipolar electrodes · CPC title

• C25B11/036

  Bipolar electrodes · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title