Heat treatment apparatus and method of membrane electrode assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020203743-A1
Application number	US-201916680729-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 12, 2019
Priority date	Dec 24, 2018
Publication date	Jun 25, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A heat treatment apparatus of membrane electrode assemblies includes a base, a first member extending from the base in a first direction, and a plurality of second members formed on the base in a radially outward direction of the first member and having inner surfaces facing the first member, where the first member or the second members includes a heat wire member, and membrane electrode assemblies are disposed between the first member and the second members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A heat treatment apparatus of membrane electrode assemblies, comprising:
a base; a first member extending from the base in a first direction; and a plurality of second members formed on the base in a radially outward direction of the first member and comprising inner surfaces facing the first member, wherein: at least the first member or the second members comprises a heat wire member; and the membrane electrode assemblies are disposed between the first member and the second members.

2 . The heat treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the second members are spaced apart from one another by a designated angle and configured to be moved in a radially inward direction toward the first member.

3 . The heat treatment apparatus of claim 2 , wherein both ends of the second members in the first direction comprise protrusions protruding in the radially inward direction.

4 . The heat treatment apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:
the protrusions of each of the second members are formed in plural; a groove is formed between the protrusions; and electrodes of the membrane electrode assemblies are disposed in a region corresponding to the groove.

5 . The heat treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second members comprise a load cell configured to measure a pressurized load applied to the membrane electrode assemblies.

6 . The heat treatment apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
third members disposed on outer surfaces of the second members; and fourth members installed so as to be stretchable from the base and contacting the third members, wherein, when the fourth members are stretched from the base in the first direction, the third members pressurize the second members and the second members are moved in the radially inward direction toward the first member.

7 . The heat treatment apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the fourth members are stretchable in the first direction by a driver.

8 . The heat treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first member comprises stainless steel.

9 . The heat treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the membrane electrode assemblies exclude sub-gaskets.

10 . The heat treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the membrane electrode assemblies are stacked in plural and disposed between the first member and the second members; and interleaving sheets are formed between the membrane electrode assemblies.

11 . The heat treatment apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the interleaving sheets comprise one or more selected from the group consisting of: aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu).

12 . A heat treatment method of membrane electrode membranes, comprising:
disposing membrane electrode assemblies provided in plural between a first member and a plurality of second members of a heat treatment apparatus in which at least the first member or the second members includes a heat wire member; pressurizing the membrane electrode assemblies by moving the second members in a radially inward direction toward the first member; and conducting heat to the membrane electrode assemblies by heating at least the first member or the second members.

13 . The heat treatment method of claim 12 , wherein disposing the membrane electrode assemblies between the first member and the second members comprises:
winding the membrane electrode assemblies on the first member so as to be stacked on the first member in a radially outward direction.

14 . The heat treatment method of claim 12 , further comprising forming the membrane electrode assemblies, each membrane electrode assembly comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and an electrolyte membrane formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, prior to disposing the membrane electrode assemblies between the first member and the second members.

15 . The heat treatment method of claim 12 , further comprising forming interleaving sheets between the membrane electrode assemblies, prior to disposing the membrane electrode assemblies between the first member and the second members.

16 . The heat treatment method of claim 12 , wherein, in pressurizing the membrane electrode assemblies, the second members are moved in the radially inward direction toward the first member to pressurize the membrane electrode assemblies with a load of 500 kgf to 1000 kgf.

17 . The heat treatment method of claim 12 , wherein, in pressurizing the membrane electrode assemblies:
when a pressurized load applied to the membrane electrode assemblies is less than 500 kgf, the second members are moved in the radially inward direction toward the first member; and when the pressurized load applied to the membrane electrode assemblies exceeds 1000 kgf, the second members are moved in a radially outward direction.

18 . The heat treatment method of claim 12 , wherein, in the conducting heat to the membrane electrode assemblies, the heat is conducted to the membrane electrode assemblies by heating at least the first member or the second members to a temperature range of 100° C. to 200° C.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kim Min Jin
• Yu Sam Hee
• Park Young June
• Lee Woo Jin
• Lee Ki Sub

Classifications

• B32B37/10

  characterised by the pressing technique, e.g. using action of vacuum or fluid pressure · CPC title

• B32B37/0053 Primary

  Constructional details of laminating machines comprising rollers; Constructional features of the rollers · CPC title

• H01M8/1004 Primary

  characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B32B37/06

  characterised by the heating method · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title