Method of assembling an electrolytic cell and electrolytic cell

Abstract

The application provides an assembling method of an electrolytic cell and the electrolytic cell. The assembling method of the electrolytic cell comprises the following steps: determining the length of a first deflection control rod; assembling the first deflection control rod into an assembling hole of an end plate in the process of stacking an electric pile, a conductive plate and the end plate together to form an electrolytic cell to be assembled; obtaining a second deflection control rod and assembling the second deflection control rod into the end plate and the first deflection control rod; and obtaining a plurality of bolts and a plurality of nuts and assembling the plurality of bolts and the plurality of nuts at the edge of the end plate to form the electrolytic cell. The application solves the problem of uneven stress of the electric pile in the prior art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrolytic cell equipment technology, and more specifically, to an assembly method for an electrolytic cell and an electrolytic cell. Background Technology

[0002] The end plates of the electrolyzer serve to clamp the fuel cell stack. Under the clamping action of the end plates, the bipolar plates in the fuel cell stack can come into contact with the gas diffusion layer. Current can be conducted through the bipolar plates to the gas diffusion layer, and then from the gas diffusion layer to the membrane electrode, allowing the electrolytic hydrogen production reaction to occur.

[0003] Currently, PEM (proton exchange membrane) electrolyzers typically have bolt holes on the edges of the end plates. Bolts pass through the upper and lower end plates to secure them, thereby clamping the fuel cell stack. However, under the pressure of the bolts, the end plates strain. The strain direction at the periphery of the end plate is vertically downward, while the strain direction at the center is vertically upward, causing the end plate to bend. At this time, the bipolar plates and gas diffusion layer in the fuel cell stack also bend in the same direction as the end plates. Under these conditions, the pressure on the gas diffusion layer is unevenly distributed horizontally, with higher pressure at the periphery of the bipolar plates and lower pressure at the center. This increases the surface contact resistance between the center of the bipolar plates and the center of the gas diffusion layer, leading to a decrease in the hydrogen production efficiency of the PEM electrolyzer.

[0004] Shanghai Electric Group Co., Ltd. has proposed a fuel cell endplate assembly structure (CN107146904B). This structure includes an endplate comprising an outer plate, an inner plate, and a spring array sandwiched between the outer and inner plates. The spring array consists of multiple springs arranged in a specific pattern. The springs are compressed between the outer and inner plates. The spring array applies a pushing force to the outer and inner plates. In other words, pressure is applied to the fuel cell stack through the spring array, increasing the pressure in the center of the stack. However, the pressure provided by helical springs is very small, limiting the pressure supplied to the center of the stack. Furthermore, using helical springs cannot control the magnitude of the force in the center of the stack, and cannot solve the problem of uneven force distribution within the stack.

[0005] The Kunshan Innovation Research Institute of Nanjing University has proposed an adjustable endplate assembly (CN208738361U). The endplate assembly includes an upper endplate group and a lower endplate group. The upper endplate group consists of an upper pressure equalizing plate and an upper endplate stacked sequentially from bottom to top. The lower endplate group consists of a lower endplate and a lower pressure equalizing plate stacked sequentially from bottom to top. An upper pressure regulating device is provided between the upper endplate and the upper pressure equalizing plate to adjust the pressure between them, and a lower pressure regulating device is also provided between the lower endplate and the lower pressure equalizing plate to adjust the pressure between them. The upper pressure regulating device includes several ball-head plungers, all distributed in the middle of the upper endplate. Several plunger screw holes are formed on the upper endplate, and the ball-head plungers are screwed into these holes, with the ball heads facing the upper pressure equalizing plate. Several spherical recesses are formed on the upper pressure equalizing plate opposite to the ball-head plungers, with the radius of the spherical recesses being larger than the radius of the ball heads. That is, by applying pressure to the fuel cell stack through the ball-head plungers, the pressure in the middle of the fuel cell stack increases. The design can adjust the pressure in the middle of the fuel cell stack; however, even a slight twist of the ball-end plug will cause a huge strain, meaning the ball-end plunger cannot precisely control the strain of the upper pressure equalization plate; under this condition, the deflection of the upper pressure equalization plate is not zero; under the compression of the pressure equalization plate in this strain state, the pressure in the center of the fuel cell stack and the pressure around the fuel cell stack are different, and the problem of uneven stress on the fuel cell stack is not solved.

[0006] In other words, existing electrolytic cells suffer from uneven stress distribution on the fuel cell stack. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The main objective of this invention is to provide an assembly method and an electrolytic cell to solve the problem of uneven stress on the fuel cell stack in existing electrolytic cells.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, an assembly method for an electrolytic cell is provided, comprising: determining the length of a first deflection control rod; assembling the first deflection control rod into an assembly hole in the end plate during the process of stacking a fuel cell stack, a conductive plate, and an end plate together to form an electrolytic cell to be assembled; obtaining a second deflection control rod and assembling the second deflection control rod into the end plate and the first deflection control rod; obtaining a plurality of bolts and a plurality of nuts and assembling the plurality of bolts and the plurality of nuts to the edge of the end plate to form an electrolytic cell.

[0009] Furthermore, the process of determining the length of the first deflection control rod includes: stacking an end plate, a conductive plate, a fuel cell stack, another conductive plate, and another end plate together in sequence to form a pre-assembled electrolytic cell; assembling bolts onto the pre-assembled electrolytic cell and adjusting the bolt preload to a preset preload; obtaining the deflection value that the first deflection control rod needs to balance; obtaining the deformation of the second deflection control rod; and determining the length of the first deflection control rod based on the preset preload, the deflection value that needs to be balanced, and the deformation of the second deflection control rod.

[0010] Furthermore, the process of assembling the bolts onto the pre-assembled electrolytic cell and adjusting the bolt preload to the preset preload includes: obtaining a press and pressing the press onto the top surface of the pre-assembled electrolytic cell; passing multiple bolts through the edges of the upper and lower end plates respectively; and measuring the bolt preload while assembling nuts onto both ends of the bolts until the preload is the same as the preset preload.

[0011] Furthermore, during the process of assembling the nuts onto both ends of the bolt, the preload of the bolt is measured until the preload is the same as the preset preload. This also includes measuring the deflection value of the end plate as the deflection that needs to be balanced.

[0012] Furthermore, the process of determining the length of the first deflection control rod based on the preset preload, the deflection value to be balanced, and the deformation of the second deflection control rod includes: obtaining the material of the first deflection control rod; obtaining the deformation of the first deflection control rod based on the preset preload, the material of the first deflection control rod, and the deflection value of the end plate; obtaining the thickness of the end plate; and determining the length of the first deflection control rod based on the deformation of the first deflection control rod, the deflection value to be balanced, the thickness of the end plate, and the deformation of the second deflection control rod.

[0013] Furthermore, in the process of determining the length of the first deflection control rod based on the deformation of the first deflection control rod, the deflection value to be balanced, the thickness of the end plate, and the deformation of the second deflection control rod, the length of the first deflection control rod is equal to the sum of the deformation of the first deflection control rod, the deflection value to be balanced, the thickness of the end plate, and the deformation of the second deflection control rod.

[0014] Furthermore, in the process of obtaining the deformation of the first deflection control rod based on the preset preload, the material of the first deflection control rod, and the deflection value of the end plate, the elastic modulus of the first deflection control rod is determined based on the material of the first deflection control rod; the force-bearing length of the first deflection control rod is determined based on the deflection value of the end plate; and the deformation of the first deflection control rod is determined based on the elastic modulus and the force-bearing length.

[0015] Furthermore, in the process of determining the force-bearing length of the first deflection control rod based on the deflection value of the end plate, the distance from the second deflection control rod to the side surface of the end plate facing the fuel cell stack is determined; the force-bearing length is the sum of the deflection value of the end plate and the distance from the second deflection control rod to the side surface of the end plate facing the fuel cell stack.

[0016] Furthermore, the process of obtaining the deformation of the second deflection control rod includes: obtaining the material of the second deflection control rod; obtaining the force exerted by the first deflection control rod on the second deflection control rod; obtaining the length, width, and height of the contact between the first and second deflection control rods; and determining the deformation of the second deflection control rod based on the material of the second deflection control rod, the force exerted by the first deflection control rod on the second deflection control rod, and the length, width, and height of the contact between the first and second deflection control rods.

[0017] Furthermore, in the process of stacking the fuel cell stack, conductive plate, and end plate together to form the electrolytic cell to be assembled, assembling the first deflection control rod into the assembly hole of the end plate includes: placing one end plate as a lower end plate; assembling at least one first deflection control rod into the assembly hole of the lower end plate; placing a conductive plate above the lower end plate as a lower conductive plate; placing the fuel cell stack on the lower conductive plate; placing another conductive plate on the fuel cell stack as an upper conductive plate; placing another end plate on the upper conductive plate as an upper end plate; assembling at least another first deflection control rod into the assembly hole of the upper end plate, and forming the electrolytic cell to be assembled.

[0018] Furthermore, the first deflection control rod on the lower end plate extends toward the lower conductive plate; the first deflection control rod on the upper end plate extends away from the upper conductive plate.

[0019] Furthermore, after stacking the fuel cell stack, conductive plate, and end plate together to form the electrolytic cell to be assembled, the process also includes: obtaining a press; pressing the press onto the first deflection control rod of the upper end plate, pressing the first deflection control rod of the upper end plate into the conductive plate and abutting against the conductive plate, and one end of the first deflection control rod located on the lower end plate is flush with the side of the lower end plate away from the fuel cell stack.

[0020] Furthermore, the process of acquiring the second deflection control rod and assembling the second deflection control rod into the end plate and the first deflection control rod also includes: inserting the second deflection control rod from the insertion hole on one side of the end plate into the limiting hole of the first deflection control rod to limit the first deflection control rod.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, an electrolytic cell is provided, which is assembled using the above-described electrolytic cell assembly method.

[0022] According to the technical solution of the present invention, the assembly method of the electrolytic cell includes: determining the length of the first deflection control rod; assembling the first deflection control rod into the assembly hole of the end plate; stacking the fuel cell stack, the conductive plate and the end plate together to form the electrolytic cell to be assembled; obtaining the second deflection control rod and assembling the second deflection control rod into the end plate and the first deflection control rod; obtaining a plurality of bolts and a plurality of nuts and assembling the plurality of bolts and a plurality of nuts to the edge of the end plate to form the electrolytic cell.

[0023] By determining the length of the first deflection control rod, it is ensured that the rod always abuts against the conductive plate, guaranteeing the flatness of the conductive plate and thus maintaining a constant contact area between the conductive plate and the fuel cell stack. Bolts and nuts are installed at the edges of the end plate to ensure that the edges are stressed, thus ensuring that the end plate is stressed both in its center and at its edges. This prevents deformation of the end plate, maintains the pressure exerted by the end plate on the conductive plate, and consequently, maintains the pressure between the conductive plate and the fuel cell stack, resulting in a more uniform stress distribution on the fuel cell stack. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electrolytic cell according to an optional embodiment of the present invention is shown; and

[0026] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the relationship between the electrolytic cell, press, and tooling in an optional embodiment of the present invention is provided.

[0027] Figure 3 It shows Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the intermediate tooling, the end plate, and the first deflection control rod.

[0028] The above figures include the following reference numerals:

[0029] 10. First deflection control rod; 11. Limiting hole; 20. End plate; 21. Assembly hole; 22. Insertion hole; 30. Fuel cell stack; 40. Conductive plate; 50. Second deflection control rod; 60. Bolt; 70. Nut; 80. Press; 90. Tooling. Detailed Implementation

[0030] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0031] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0032] In this invention, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "top," and "bottom" are generally used in relation to the direction shown in the accompanying drawings, or in relation to the vertical, perpendicular, or gravitational direction of the component itself; similarly, for ease of understanding and description, "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of each component itself, but the above directional terms are not intended to limit this invention.

[0033] To address the problem of uneven stress on the fuel cell stack in existing electrolytic cells, this invention provides an assembly method and an electrolytic cell.

[0034] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the assembly method of the electrolytic cell includes: during the process of stacking the fuel cell stack 30, the conductive plate 40 and the end plate 20 together to form the electrolytic cell to be assembled, assembling the first deflection control rod 10 into the assembly hole 21 of the end plate 20; obtaining the second deflection control rod 50 and assembling the second deflection control rod 50 into the end plate 20 and the first deflection control rod 10; obtaining multiple bolts 60 and multiple nuts 70 and assembling the multiple bolts 60 and multiple nuts 70 to the edge of the end plate 20 to form the electrolytic cell.

[0035] By determining the length of the first deflection control rod 10, it is ensured that the first deflection control rod 10 always abuts against the conductive plate 40, guaranteeing the flatness of the conductive plate 40 and thus ensuring that the contact area between the conductive plate 40 and the fuel cell stack 30 remains constant. Bolts 60 and nuts 70 are installed at the edge of the end plate 20 to ensure that the end plate 20 applies force to the edge of the conductive plate 40, while the first deflection control rod 10 applies force to the middle of the conductive plate 40, so that the middle and edge of the conductive plate 40 are evenly stressed, avoiding the risk of deformation of the conductive plate 40, and making the pressure applied by the conductive plate 40 to the middle and edge of the fuel cell stack 30 more uniform. To ensure smooth assembly of the electrolytic cell, the first deflection control rod 10 is assembled onto the end plate 20 during the assembly process.

[0036] It should be noted that if bolts 60 and nuts 70 are only installed at the edge of end plate 20, the middle part of conductive plate 40 will bend and deform. Specifically, the middle part of conductive plate 40 will bulge away from the fuel cell stack 30. This application reduces the deformation of conductive plate 40 by setting a first deflection control rod 10 to be pressed into the middle part of conductive plate 40. By precisely controlling the length of the first deflection control rod 10, this bending deformation can be balanced so that conductive plate 40 does not deform, thereby ensuring that the fuel cell stack is uniformly stressed.

[0037] Specifically, the process of determining the length of the first deflection control rod 10 includes: stacking an end plate 20, a conductive plate 40, a fuel cell stack 30, another conductive plate 40, and another end plate 20 together in sequence to form a pre-assembled electrolytic cell; assembling bolts 60 onto the pre-assembled electrolytic cell and adjusting the preload of bolts 60 to a preset preload; obtaining the deflection value that the first deflection control rod 10 needs to balance; obtaining the deformation of the second deflection control rod 50; and determining the length of the first deflection control rod 10 based on the preset preload, the deflection value that needs to be balanced, and the deformation of the second deflection control rod 50. First, the fuel cell stack 30, conductive plate 40, and end plate 20 are pre-assembled. After bolts 60 and nuts 70 are installed at the edge of end plate 20, the edge of end plate 20 is subjected to force, causing bending deformation in the middle of end plate 20. Based on the degree of deformation in the middle of end plate 20, the required deflection value for the first deflection control rod 10 is determined. Then, the length of the first deflection control rod 10 is determined based on the preset preload and the required deflection value, thereby preventing deformation of end plate 20. In determining the length of the first deflection control rod 10, the deformation of the second deflection control rod 50 needs to be considered to precisely control the length of the first deflection control rod 10.

[0038] Specifically, the process of assembling the bolts 60 onto the pre-assembled electrolytic cell and adjusting the preload of the bolts 60 to the preset preload includes: obtaining a press and pressing it onto the top surface of the pre-assembled electrolytic cell; inserting multiple bolts 60 through the edges of the upper and lower end plates 20 respectively; and measuring the preload of the bolts while assembling the nuts 70 onto both ends of the bolts 60 until the preload is the same as the preset preload. After pre-assembling the electrolytic cell, the preload of the bolts 60 is adjusted to the preset preload to facilitate obtaining the deformation of the first deflection control rod 10 later.

[0039] Specifically, during the process of assembling the nuts 70 onto both ends of the bolts 60, the preload of the bolts is measured until it matches the preset preload. This process also includes measuring the deflection value of the end plate 20 as the deflection that needs to be balanced. In other words, the degree of bending of the end plate 20 is the deflection value that the first deflection control rod 10 needs to balance; or, the first deflection control rod 10 is used to balance the bending of the end plate 20.

[0040] Specifically, the process of determining the length of the first deflection control rod 10 based on the preload, the required deflection value, and the deformation of the second deflection control rod 50 includes: obtaining the material of the first deflection control rod 10; obtaining the deformation of the first deflection control rod 10 based on the preset preload, the material of the first deflection control rod 10, and the deflection value of the end plate 20; obtaining the thickness of the end plate 20; and determining the length of the first deflection control rod 10 based on the deformation of the first deflection control rod 10, the required deflection value, the thickness of the end plate 20, and the deformation of the second deflection control rod 50. Since the first deflection control rod 10 will be subjected to a force after being assembled onto the end plate 20, causing it to deform, and this deformation can easily lead to uneven stress on the fuel cell stack 30, the deformation of the first deflection control rod 10 is considered during the determination of its length to ensure that the deflection value of the finally assembled end plate is 0, thus ensuring uniform stress on the fuel cell stack 30.

[0041] Furthermore, in determining the length of the first deflection control rod 10 based on the deformation of the first deflection control rod 10, the deflection value to be balanced, the thickness of the end plate 20, and the deformation of the second deflection control rod 50, the length of the first deflection control rod 10 is equal to the sum of the deformation of the first deflection control rod 10, the deflection value to be balanced, the thickness of the end plate 20, and the deformation of the second deflection control rod 50. This arrangement ensures that after the first deflection control rod 10 is assembled, it is flush with the surface of the end plate 20 on the side away from the fuel cell stack 30, guaranteeing that the fuel cell stack 30 is subjected to uniform force.

[0042] The process of obtaining the deformation of the second deflection control rod 50 includes: obtaining the material of the second deflection control rod 50; obtaining the force exerted by the first deflection control rod 10 on the second deflection control rod 50; obtaining the length, width, and height of the contact between the first deflection control rod 10 and the second deflection control rod 50; and determining the deformation of the second deflection control rod based on the material of the second deflection control rod 50, the force exerted by the first deflection control rod 10 on the second deflection control rod 50, and the length, width, and height of the contact between the first deflection control rod 10 and the second deflection control rod 50. The elastic modulus of the second deflection control rod 50 is determined based on its material, and the deformation of the second deflection control rod 50 is calculated based on the magnitude of the force exerted by the first deflection control rod 10 on the second deflection control rod 50, and the length, width, and height of the contact between the first deflection control rod 10 and the second deflection control rod 50.

[0043] After the second deflection control rod 50 is assembled, it will be subjected to a force that causes it to deform. This will cause the first deflection control rod 10 to move, which in turn causes the conductive plate 40 to deform, resulting in uneven force on the fuel cell stack 30.

[0044] It should be noted that when calculating the deformation of the second deflection control rod 50, the calculation is performed using software such as Abaqus or Ansys, based on the elastic modulus of the second deflection control rod 50, the force exerted by the first deflection control rod 10 on the second deflection control rod 50, and the length, width, and height of the contact between the first deflection control rod 10 and the second deflection control rod 50.

[0045] In the process of determining the deformation of the first deflection control rod 10 based on the preset preload, the material of the first deflection control rod 10, and the deflection value of the end plate 20, the elastic modulus of the first deflection control rod 10 is determined based on its material; the force-bearing length of the first deflection control rod 10 is determined based on the deflection value of the end plate 20; and the deformation of the first deflection control rod 10 is determined based on its elastic modulus and force-bearing length. The deformation of the first deflection control rod 10 is related to its elastic modulus and force-bearing length, allowing for accurate calculation of the deformation and avoiding the risk of uneven stress on the fuel cell stack 30.

[0046] In determining the force-bearing length of the first deflection control rod 10 based on the deflection value of the end plate 20, the distance from the second deflection control rod 50 to the side surface of the end plate 20 facing the fuel cell stack is determined. The force-bearing length is the sum of the deflection value of the end plate 20 and the distance from the second deflection control rod 50 to the side surface of the end plate 20 facing the fuel cell stack. By accurately calculating the force-bearing length of the first deflection control rod 10, the deformation of the first deflection control rod 10 is accurately obtained, and the length of the first deflection control rod 10 is further accurately obtained, so that the electrolytic cell remains uniformly stressed during subsequent operation.

[0047] Specifically, during the process of stacking the fuel cell stack 30, conductive plate 40, and end plate 20 together to form the electrolytic cell to be assembled, assembling the first deflection control rod 10 into the assembly hole 21 of the end plate 20 includes: placing one end plate 20 as a lower end plate; assembling at least one first deflection control rod 10 into the assembly hole 21 of the lower end plate; placing a conductive plate 40 above the lower end plate as a lower conductive plate; placing the fuel cell stack 30 on the lower conductive plate; placing another conductive plate 40 on the fuel cell stack 30 as an upper conductive plate; placing another end plate 20 on the upper conductive plate as an upper end plate; assembling at least another first deflection control rod 10 into the assembly hole 21 of the upper end plate, thus forming the electrolytic cell to be assembled. Assembling the first deflection control rod 10 into the assembly hole 21 of the end plate 20 during the assembly of the fuel cell stack 30, conductive plate 40, and end plate 20 facilitates smooth assembly. Simultaneously, the upper and lower surfaces of the fuel cell stack 30 are evenly stressed, ensuring stable operation of the fuel cell stack 30.

[0048] Specifically, the first deflection control rod 10 on the lower end plate extends towards the lower conductive plate; the first deflection control rod 10 on the upper end plate extends away from the upper conductive plate. This arrangement facilitates the subsequent assembly of the first deflection control rod 10.

[0049] Furthermore, after stacking the fuel cell stack 30, conductive plate 40, and end plate 20 together to form the electrolytic cell to be assembled, the process further includes: obtaining a press 80; the press 80 presses onto the first deflection control rod 10 of the upper end plate, pressing the first deflection control rod 10 of the upper end plate into contact with the conductive plate 40, and one end of the first deflection control rod 10 on the lower end plate is flush with the side of the lower end plate away from the fuel cell stack 30. The press 80 can simultaneously press the first deflection control rods 10 on both the upper and lower end plates into place, ensuring that the first deflection control rod 10 mounted on the lower end plate is flush with the lower surface of the lower end plate, and the first deflection control rod 10 mounted on the upper end plate is flush with the upper surface of the upper end plate, thus ensuring a more uniform force exerted by the end plate 20 on the fuel cell stack 30. Of course, during this process, a fixture 90 can be provided below the lower end plate to ensure that the first deflection control rod 10 is flush with the lower surface of the lower end plate.

[0050] When the press 80 is used to press the first deflection control rod 10 into the designated position, the pressure provided by the press 80 is the designated pressure.

[0051] After assembling the first deflection control rod 10, keep the pressure of the press 80 constant, then assemble the bolts 60 and nuts 70, and tighten the bolts 60 in the specified order until all bolts reach the target preload.

[0052] Specifically, the process of acquiring the second deflection control rod 50 and assembling it into the end plate 20 and the first deflection control rod 10 further includes: inserting the second deflection control rod 50 from the insertion hole 22 on one side of the end plate 20 into the limiting hole 11 of the first deflection control rod 10 to limit the first deflection control rod 10. This setting can accurately limit the first deflection control rod 10, prevent the first deflection control rod 10 from disengaging from the end plate 20, and ensure the stability of the first deflection control rod 10 during operation.

[0053] Optionally, the second deflection control rod 50 is clearance-fitted with the insertion hole 22 and the limiting hole 11. Under the pre-tightening force of the electrolytic cell assembly, the second deflection control rod 50 will not detach from the end plate 20. This facilitates the assembly of the second deflection control rod 50 into the insertion hole 22 and reduces assembly time.

[0054] Of course, the second deflection control rod 50 can also be interference-fitted with the insertion hole 22 and the limiting hole 11 to ensure that there is a large friction between the second deflection control rod 50 and the hole wall of the insertion hole 22 and the hole wall of the limiting hole 11, so as to ensure that the second deflection control rod 50 is stably assembled on the end plate 20.

[0055] Furthermore, the insertion hole 22 on the end plate 20 and the limiting hole 11 of the first deflection control rod 10 are pre-machined. During the machining process, it is necessary to ensure that the size of the limiting hole 11 and the insertion hole 22 is compatible with the second deflection control rod 50. During the machining of the limiting hole 11, it is necessary to ensure that the distance between the limiting hole 11 and the end face of one end of the first deflection control rod 10 is a fixed distance, and at the same time, the distance between the insertion hole 22 and one side surface of the end plate 20 is also a fixed distance, so as to ensure that after the electrolytic cell is assembled, the first deflection control rod 10 is flush with the end plate 20.

[0056] The electrolyzer is assembled using the aforementioned assembly method. This assembly method solves the problem of uneven stress on the fuel cell stack 30, reduces the contact resistance between the bipolar plates and the gas diffusion layer, improves the hydrogen production efficiency of the fuel cell stack 30, and reduces hydrogen production power consumption. Furthermore, the two conductive plates 40, the gas diffusion layer, and the membrane electrode in the fuel cell stack 30 do not experience bending strain in the vertical direction, thus increasing the service life of the fuel cell stack 30 and the overall service life of the electrolyzer.

[0057] It should be noted that the aforementioned fuel cell stack 30 is used for electrolysis to produce hydrogen.

[0058] Obviously, the embodiments described above are merely some, not all, embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0059] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0060] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein.

[0061] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for assembling an electrolytic cell, characterized in that, include: Determine the length of the first deflection control rod (10); During the process of stacking the fuel cell stack (30), conductive plate (40) and end plate (20) together to form the electrolytic cell to be assembled, the first deflection control rod (10) is assembled into the assembly hole (21) of the end plate (20); Obtain the second deflection control rod (50) and assemble the second deflection control rod (50) into the end plate (20) and the first deflection control rod (10); Obtain multiple bolts (60) and multiple nuts (70), and assemble the multiple bolts (60) and multiple nuts (70) onto the edge of the end plate (20) to form an electrolytic cell; Wherein, the length of the first deflection control rod (10) is equal to the sum of the deformation of the first deflection control rod (10), the deflection value that needs to be balanced, the thickness of the end plate (20), and the deformation of the second deflection control rod (50); The process of determining the length of the first deflection control rod (10) includes: One end plate (20), one conductive plate (40), a fuel cell stack (30), another conductive plate (40) and another end plate (20) are stacked together in sequence to form a pre-assembled electrolytic cell; The bolt (60) is assembled onto the pre-assembled electrolytic cell, and the preload of the bolt (60) is adjusted to the preset preload. Obtain the deflection value that the first deflection control rod (10) needs to balance; Obtain the deformation of the second deflection control rod (50); The length of the first deflection control rod (10) is determined based on the preset preload, the deflection value to be balanced, and the deformation of the second deflection control rod (50); The process of assembling the bolt (60) onto the pre-assembled electrolytic cell and adjusting the preload of the bolt (60) to a preset preload includes: Obtain the press (80) and press the press (80) onto the top surface of the pre-assembled electrolytic cell; Multiple bolts (60) are respectively driven through the edges of the upper and lower end plates (20); During the process of assembling the nuts (70) to both ends of the bolt (60), the preload of the bolt (60) is measured until the preload is the same as the preset preload. During the process of assembling the nuts (70) to both ends of the bolt (60), the preload of the bolt (60) is measured until the preload is the same as the preset preload. Then, the deflection value of the end plate (20) is measured as the deflection value that needs to be balanced.

2. The assembly method of the electrolytic cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of determining the length of the first deflection control rod (10) based on the preset preload, the deflection value to be balanced, and the deformation of the second deflection control rod (50) includes: Obtain the material of the first deflection control rod (10); The deformation of the first deflection control rod (10) is obtained based on the preset preload, the material of the first deflection control rod (10), and the deflection value of the end plate (20); Obtain the thickness of the end plate (20); The length of the first deflection control rod (10) is determined based on the deformation of the first deflection control rod (10), the deflection value to be balanced, the thickness of the end plate (20), and the deformation of the second deflection control rod (50).

3. The assembly method of the electrolytic cell according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the process of obtaining the deformation of the first deflection control rod (10) based on the preset preload, the material of the first deflection control rod (10), and the deflection value of the end plate (20), The elastic modulus of the first deflection control rod (10) is determined based on the material of the first deflection control rod (10); The force-bearing length of the first deflection control rod (10) is determined based on the deflection value of the end plate (20); The deformation of the first deflection control rod (10) is determined based on the elastic modulus and the force-bearing length.

4. The assembly method of the electrolytic cell according to claim 3, characterized in that, During the process of determining the force-bearing length of the first deflection control rod (10) based on the deflection value of the end plate (20), Determine the distance from the second deflection control rod (50) to the side surface of the end plate (20) facing the fuel cell stack (30); The force-bearing length is the sum of the deflection value of the end plate (20) and the distance from the second deflection control rod (50) to the side surface of the end plate (20) facing the stack (30).

5. The assembly method of the electrolytic cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of obtaining the deformation of the second deflection control rod (50) includes: Obtain the material of the second deflection control rod (50); Obtain the force exerted by the first deflection control lever (10) on the second deflection control lever (50); Obtain the length, width, and height of the contact between the first deflection control rod (10) and the second deflection control rod (50); The deformation of the second deflection control rod (50) is determined based on the material of the second deflection control rod (50), the force exerted by the first deflection control rod (10) on the second deflection control rod (50), and the length, width, and height of the contact between the first deflection control rod (10) and the second deflection control rod (50).

6. The assembly method of the electrolytic cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of stacking the fuel cell stack (30), the conductive plate (40), and the end plate (20) together to form the electrolytic cell to be assembled, including assembling the first deflection control rod (10) into the assembly hole (21) of the end plate (20), includes: Place one of the end plates (20) as the lower end plate; At least one of the first deflection control rods (10) is fitted into the mounting hole (21) of the lower end plate; A conductive plate (40) is placed above the lower end plate as a lower conductive plate; The fuel cell stack (30) is placed on the lower conductive plate. Another conductive plate (40) is placed on the stack (30) as an upper conductive plate; Another end plate (20) is placed on the upper conductive plate as an upper end plate, and at least one of the first deflection control rods (10) is assembled into the assembly hole (21) of the upper end plate to form the electrolytic cell to be assembled.

7. The assembly method of the electrolytic cell according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first deflection control rod (10) on the lower end plate extends toward the lower conductive plate; The first deflection control rod (10) on the upper end plate extends away from the upper conductive plate.

8. The assembly method of the electrolytic cell according to claim 6, characterized in that, After stacking the fuel cell stack (30), conductive plate (40), and end plate (20) together to form the electrolytic cell to be assembled, the following steps are also included: Get the press (80); The press (80) presses on the first deflection control rod (10) on the upper end plate, presses the first deflection control rod (10) on the upper end plate into the conductive plate (40) and abuts against the conductive plate (40), and one end of the first deflection control rod (10) on the lower end plate is flush with the side of the lower end plate away from the fuel cell stack (30).

9. The assembly method of the electrolytic cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of acquiring the second deflection control rod (50) and assembling the second deflection control rod (50) into the end plate (20) and the first deflection control rod (10) further includes: The second deflection control rod (50) is inserted from the insertion hole (22) on one side of the end plate (20) into the limiting hole (11) of the first deflection control rod (10) to limit the first deflection control rod (10).

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