Fuel cell stack assembly apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021098811-A1
Application number	US-202017033288-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2020
Priority date	Sep 26, 2019
Publication date	Apr 1, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell stack assembly apparatus comprising a base and a stack alignment feature extending generally perpendicular to said base for aligning ferritic fuel cell units stacked against it into a fuel cell stack assembly, wherein each fuel cell unit comprises a respective first alignment feature complimentary in shape to said stack alignment feature. Other features include a magnetic abutment extending generally perpendicular to said base for attracting the plurality of fuel cell units towards the stack alignment feature, and an alignment slider slidable generally perpendicular to said base for aligning ferritic fuel cell units stacked against the stack alignment feature. A method of using the assembly apparatus comprises stacking fuel cell units upon each other on the base with their respective first alignment features against the stack alignment feature, and attracted towards the same by virtue of the magnetic force of the at magnetic abutment.

First claim

We claim:

1 . Fuel cell stack assembly apparatus comprising:
a base; and, a stack alignment feature extending generally perpendicular to the base for aligning a plurality of ferritic fuel cell units stacked against it into a fuel cell stack assembly, wherein each fuel cell unit comprises a respective first alignment feature complimentary in shape to the stack alignment feature; and, at least one magnetic abutment extending generally perpendicular to the base for attracting the plurality of fuel cell units towards the stack alignment feature.

2 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnetic abutment is activatable for selectively exerting a magnetic alignment force on the plurality of fuel cell units.

3 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnetic abutment is a permanent magnet that is activatable by altering its position or orientation.

4 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnetic abutment comprises a device selected from the group comprising an electromagnet device, an electropermanent magnet device, and a switchable permanent magnetic device.

5 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the stack alignment feature is a male feature for engagement with a female shaped first alignment feature that is optionally in the form of a notch or recess.

6 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the stack alignment feature comprises an expansion mechanism adapted to move outwardly within the first alignment feature of the plurality of fuel cell units for further alignment thereof.

7 . Apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the stack alignment feature comprises two elongate members extending generally perpendicular to the base at least one of which is expandable away from the other.

8 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the stack alignment feature comprises a rotatable mechanism adapted to move outwardly within the first alignment feature of the plurality of fuel cell units for further alignment thereof.

9 . Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the stack alignment feature comprises two elongate members extending generally perpendicular to the base at least one of which is rotatable away from the other.

10 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an alignment slider mounted for sliding movement generally perpendicular to the base against the plurality of fuel cell units for further alignment thereof.

11 . Apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the alignment slider is mounted for sliding movement along the stack alignment feature.

12 . Apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the alignment slider is mounted for sliding movement in a gap defined between the stack alignment feature and adjacent respective first alignment features of a stack of fuel cell units.

13 . Apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the alignment slider is slidably mounted on a rail and supported by a spring mechanism providing an upward return force.

14 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a magnetic slider mounted for sliding movement generally perpendicular to the base against the plurality of fuel cell units for further alignment thereof.

15 . Apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the magnetic slider is mounted so as to exert a magnetic force acting perpendicular to the magnetic force of the at least one magnetic abutment.

16 . Apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the magnetic slider is slidably mounted on a rail and supported by a spring mechanism providing an upward return force.

17 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a guide member is provided on the base for assisting in positioning the plurality of fuel cell units.

18 . Fuel cell stack assembly apparatus comprising:
a base; a stack alignment feature extending generally perpendicular to the base for aligning a plurality of ferritic fuel cell units stacked against it into a fuel cell stack assembly, wherein each fuel cell unit comprises a respective first alignment feature complimentary in shape to the stack alignment feature; and, at least one magnetic abutment extending generally perpendicular to the base for attracting the plurality of fuel cell units towards the stack alignment feature; wherein the stack alignment feature comprises a male feature configured to engage with a female shaped first alignment feature in the fuel cell elements in the form of a notch or recess.

19 . A method of manufacture of a fuel cell stack assembly using fuel cell stack assembly apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises the steps of:
stacking a plurality of fuel cell units upon each other on the base with their respective first alignment features against the stack alignment feature, such that the fuel cell units are attracted towards the stack alignment feature by virtue of the magnetic force of the at least one magnetic abutment.

20 . A method according to claim 19 , wherein the method comprises the steps of:
stacking a plurality of fuel cell units upon each other on the base with their respective first alignment features against the stack alignment feature, such that the fuel cell units are attracted towards the stack alignment feature by virtue of the magnetic force of the at least one magnetic abutment; and performing a further alignment step by moving the expansion mechanism and/or rotatable mechanism outwardly within the first alignment feature of the plurality of fuel cell units for further alignment thereof.

21 . A method of manufacture of a fuel cell stack assembly using fuel cell stack assembly apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the method comprises the steps of:
(i) stacking a plurality of fuel cell units upon each other on the base with their respective first alignment features against the stack alignment feature, such that the fuel cell units are attracted towards the stack alignment feature by virtue of the magnetic force of the at least one magnetic abutment; and (ii) performing a further alignment step by sliding the alignment slider against the plurality of fuel cell units for further alignment thereof.

22 . A method according to claim 21 , wherein the at least one magnetic abutment is activatable and the magnetic alignment force is selectively exerted during an assembly step and subsequent compression step, but not during a final removal step.

Assignees

• Ceres Ip Co Ltd

Inventors

• Robertson Alan Hadleigh
• Ballard Andrew
• Erturk Eren
• Domanski Tomasz

Classifications

• H01M8/00 Primary

  Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof · CPC title

• H01M8/2432

  Grouping of unit cells of planar configuration · CPC title

• H01M8/248 Primary

  Means for compression of the fuel cell stacks · CPC title

• H01M2008/1293

  Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/2404 Primary

  Processes or apparatus for grouping fuel cells · CPC title