Separator plate for an electrochemical system, having a load relief bead

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024170690-A1
Application number	US-202318515056-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2023
Priority date	Nov 21, 2022
Publication date	May 23, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A separator plate for an electrochemical system and a bipolar plate comprising two such separator plates for an electrochemical system. An electrochemical system comprising at least two separator plates and/or one bipolar plate. A separator plate comprising: at least one sealing bead for sealing off a region of the separator plate and at least one load relief bead which relieves load on the sealing bead, the load relief bead arranged spaced apart from the sealing bead, and, in a cross-section perpendicular to the course of the load relief bead, at least in a non-compressed state of the separator plate, at least one bead flank of the load relief bead comprises, in at least a first segment along the direction of extension, at least a first, outer portion and a second, inner portion which are at different positive angles to the separator plate plane.

First claim

1 . A separator plate for an electrochemical system, the separator plate comprising:
a separator plate plane; at least one sealing bead for sealing off a region of the separator plate, at least one load relief bead which relieves load on the sealing bead, the load relief bead arranged spaced apart from the sealing bead, and, in a cross-section perpendicular to the course of the load relief bead, at least in a non-compressed state of the separator plate, at least one bead flank of the load relief bead comprises, in at least a first segment along the direction of extension, at least a first, outer portion and a second, inner portion which are at different positive angles to the separator plate plane.

2 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein, in a compressed state of the separator plate, at least one bead flank of the sealing bead is at a smaller angle to the separator plate plane than the second inner portion of the bead flank of the load relief bead.

3 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein, in the non-compressed state and/or in the compressed state, the first, outer portion is at a first angle α and the second, inner portion is at a second angle β, where α<β.

4 . The separator plate according to claim 3 , wherein, in a cross-section perpendicular to the bead course, at least in the non-compressed state of the separator plate, at least one bead flank of the sealing bead has at least a third portion which is at a third positive angle φ to the separator plate plane, wherein the third angle φ is different from the first angle α and/or from the second angle β.

5 . The separator plate according to claim 4 , wherein the following applies: α<φ.

6 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing bead is a port bead for sealing off a through-opening formed in the separator plate or a perimeter bead for sealing off a flow field of the separator plate.

7 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the load relief bead is arranged between an outer edge, which delimits an outer circumference of the separator plate, and the sealing bead.

8 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the load relief bead is arranged adjacent to a port bead.

9 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the separator plate has at least two through-openings as well as distribution, flow and collection regions fluidically connected thereto, wherein at least one load relief bead is arranged in a distribution region or in a collection region.

10 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one load relief bead comprises a plurality of consecutive, spaced-apart load relief beads which are arranged along the course of the sealing bead.

11 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein, in one, some or all regions, the load relief bead and the sealing bead extend substantially alongside each other.

12 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein, in the non-compressed state of the separator plate, the load relief bead projects equally as far or less far out of the separator plate plane than the sealing bead.

13 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein, in the compressed state of the separator plate, the load relief bead projects equally as far out of the separator plate plane as the sealing bead.

14 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the load relief bead has a bead top which extends between the bead flanks, wherein the bead top is substantially planar or is curved away from the separator plate plane or has at least one depression in a portion of the load relief bead.

15 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion and/or the second portion of the load relief bead and/or the third portion of the sealing bead extends in a rectilinear or curved manner in cross-section.

16 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion extends from a bead foot towards the bead top at an increasing angle α in cross-section extends in a curved manner with a radius R1, where R1≤50 mm.

17 . The separator plate according to claim 16 , wherein in one, some or all of the portions in which the load relief bead and the sealing bead extend in a substantially parallel manner, the mutually facing bead flanks of the sealing bead and the load relief bead are at different positive angles to the separator plate plane in a cross-section perpendicular to the bead course.

18 . The separator plate according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing bead and/or the load relief bead extends in a wavy manner with at least one wave period in its direction of extension.

19 . A bipolar plate comprising two separator plates according to claim 1 , which are connected to each other and are arranged in such a way that the undersides thereof face towards each other and the sealing beads and load relief beads of the two separator plates point with their bead tops away from each other.

20 . The bipolar plate according to claim 19 , wherein the two separator plates are at least in part connected to each other by means of welded joints on both sides of the load relief bead and/or between the load relief bead and the sealing bead and/or on both sides of the sealing bead.

21 . An electrochemical system comprising a plurality of separator plates according to claim 1 and/or a plurality of bipolar plates, which are stacked in a stack perpendicular to the separator plate planes.

Assignees

• Reinz Dichtungs Gmbh

Inventors

• Speidel André
• Gaugler Bernd

Classifications

• C25B9/60

  Constructional parts of cells · CPC title

• H01M8/1004

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

• H01M8/0202

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

• H01M8/0276 Primary

  Sealing means characterised by their form (H01M8/0273 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/0247 Primary

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