Separator plate with a homogenized bead strength in the port region

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022336825-A1
Application number	US-202217659279-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 14, 2022
Priority date	Apr 16, 2021
Publication date	Oct 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for separator plates, bipolar plates, stacks of plates, and electrochemical systems, comprising at least one through-opening for the passage of a fluid and a rim that delimits the through-opening. The rim having a curved course and a rectilinear course that adjoins the curved course. A bead arrangement extends around the curved course and the rectilinear course. An edge portion spans the bead arrangement and the rim, so that the bead arrangement is situated at a distance from the rim. A cutout formed in the curved course, so that a minimum distance of the bead arrangement from the rim is smaller in the curved course than in the rectilinear course.

First claim

1 . A separator plate for an electrochemical system, comprising:
at least one through-opening for the passage of a fluid, having a rim that delimits the through-opening, wherein the rim has at least one corner region with a curved course and a first region with a rectilinear first course that adjoins the corner region; and a bead arrangement that extends around the corner region and the first region, wherein an edge portion is spanned between the bead arrangement and the rim, so that the bead arrangement is situated at a distance from the rim, wherein the edge portion has a cutout in the corner region, so that a minimum distance of the bead arrangement from the rim is smaller in the corner region than in the first region.

2 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the cutout faces a concave portion of the bead arrangement.

3 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein, in the region of the cutout, the rim has a course in which at least one convex region, at least one concave region and at least one convex region alternate.

4 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein, in the region of the cutout, the rim follows at least in part a segment of a circle, a segment of an oval or a segment of an ellipse.

5 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein, in the region of the cutout, the rim and the bead arrangement have at least in part an identical course, so that the minimum distance of the bead arrangement from the rim is constant in the region of the identical course.

6 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the rim has a second region with a rectilinear second course that adjoins the corner region, wherein the first region and the second region adjoin different sides of the corner region.

7 . The separator plate according to claim 6 , wherein the first region with the rectilinear first course and the second region with the rectilinear second course are oriented at an angle to each other and enclose a first angle, wherein a circumferential angle of the rim in the region of the cutout is larger than the first angle.

8 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein a stiffening structure for strengthening the edge portion is provided in the first region, wherein no such stiffening structure is provided in the corner region on account of the cutout.

9 . The separator plate according to claim 8 , wherein the rim projects at least in part out of a plate plane defined by the separator plate, wherein the rim projecting out of the plate plane forms the stiffening structure for the edge portion.

10 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the bead arrangement has a periodic course in a portion facing the first region.

11 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the bead arrangement has an arc-shaped course in a portion facing the cutout.

12 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , the bead arrangement having:
a substantially flat bead top, at least one bead flank adjoining the bead top, and for each bead flank a bead foot adjoining the bead flank, or a curved bead top that merges directly into curved or rectilinear bead flanks, and for each bead flank a bead foot adjoining the bead flank.

13 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein a radius of curvature of the cutout is at least 3 mm, and/or a radius of curvature of the course of the bead arrangement relative to the neutral axis of the bead arrangement in the region of the cutout is at least 5 mm.

14 . A bipolar plate for an electrochemical system, comprising two interconnected separator plates each according to claim 1 , wherein the through-openings and the cutouts of the separator plates are arranged in alignment with each other, the bead arrangements of the separator plates pointing away from each other.

15 . The bipolar plate according to claim 14 , wherein the edge portions of the respective separator plates that are spanned between the bead arrangement and the rim are connected to each other by means of at least one welded joint, wherein no welded joint is provided in the corner region on account of the cutouts in the edge portions.

16 . The bipolar plate according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one welded joint comprises one continuous weld seam or a plurality of welded portions spaced apart from one another in a row.

17 . An electrochemical system, comprising a plurality of stacked separator plates according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Reinz Dichtungs Gmbh

Inventors

• Speidel Andre
• Gaugler Bernd

Classifications

• H01M8/2404

  Processes or apparatus for grouping fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/0267

  having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels · CPC title

• H01M8/0256

  Vias, i.e. connectors passing through the separator material · CPC title

• H01M8/025 Primary

  semicylindrical · CPC title

• H01M8/0247

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