A membrane electrode test fixture and test method

Abstract

The application provides a membrane electrode test tool and a test method. The test tool comprises a support plate, a first gas inlet channel, a first test channel and a first gas outlet channel which are sequentially connected, a first sensor arranged in the first gas inlet channel, a second sensor arranged in the first gas outlet channel, a first gas supply assembly in communication with the first gas inlet channel, a pressing plate arranged on the side of the support plate facing the first test channel, and a driving assembly connected with the pressing plate and used for driving the pressing plate to a first position state. When the pressing plate is in the first position state, the membrane electrode is tightly attached to the pressing plate and the support plate on two opposite sides, and the first gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode is arranged in the first test channel. The application aims to solve the technical problem that the single piece of membrane electrode cannot be subjected to pressure drop test in the prior art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of membrane electrode performance testing technology, and in particular to membrane electrode testing fixtures and testing methods. Background Technology

[0002] The fuel cell stack is the main power unit of the device. Bipolar plates and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) form the base plate of the power generation unit, essentially a single cell. The entire fuel cell stack consists of hundreds of individual cells. If one or more MEAs experience overpressure, water blockage, or impaired gas flow, the entire stack will exhibit quality defects such as low cell performance. In such cases, the stack needs to be disassembled, a tedious process that inevitably causes damage to the MEAs or bipolar plates. Therefore, performance testing of individual MEAs is both urgent and necessary. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main purpose of this application is to provide a membrane electrode testing fixture and testing method, which aims to solve the technical problem that the voltage drop test of a single membrane electrode is not possible in the prior art.

[0004] This application proposes a membrane electrode testing fixture, comprising:

[0005] A support plate having a first air inlet channel, a first test channel, and a first air outlet channel connected in sequence.

[0006] The first sensor is disposed in the first air intake channel;

[0007] The second sensor is located inside the first air outlet channel;

[0008] A first air supply component, which is connected to the first air intake channel;

[0009] A pressure plate, the pressure plate being disposed on the side of the support plate having the first test channel; and

[0010] A driving assembly is connected to the pressure plate and is used to drive the pressure plate to a first position. When the pressure plate is in the first position, the opposite sides of the membrane electrode are in close contact with the pressure plate and the support plate, respectively, and the first gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode is placed in the first test channel.

[0011] In some embodiments, the membrane electrode testing fixture further includes a second gas supply component, a third sensor, and a fourth sensor; the pressure plate includes a second test channel on one side facing the support plate; the support plate also has a second air outlet channel and a second air inlet channel communicating with the second gas supply component; the third sensor is disposed in the second air inlet channel, and the fourth sensor is disposed in the second air outlet channel; when the pressure plate is in the first state, the second gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode is placed in the second test channel, and the second air inlet channel is connected to the second test channel, and the second air outlet channel is connected to the second test channel.

[0012] In some embodiments, the air inlet of the first air inlet channel and the air outlet of the second air outlet channel are located on the same side of the support plate; the air inlet of the second air inlet channel and the air outlet of the first air outlet channel are located on the other side of the support plate.

[0013] In some embodiments, the centerlines of the second air intake channel and the second air outlet channel are located on both sides of the centerline of the second test channel.

[0014] In some embodiments, the test fixture further includes: a control component, which is connected to the first sensor, the second sensor, the third sensor and the fourth sensor respectively; the control component is also connected to the drive component, the first air supply component and the second air supply component respectively.

[0015] The present invention also proposes a membrane electrode testing method, utilizing the membrane electrode testing fixture described above, wherein the membrane electrode testing method includes at least the following steps:

[0016] The driving component is controlled to drive the pressure plate to the first position state, pressing the membrane electrode onto the support plate;

[0017] Control the start-up of the first gas supply component;

[0018] Acquire the first pressure data collected by the first sensor, and acquire the second pressure data collected by the second sensor;

[0019] Based on the first pressure data and the second pressure data, a first test result is obtained.

[0020] Optionally, the step of obtaining the first test result based on the first pressure data and the second pressure data specifically includes: calculating a first difference between the first pressure data and the second pressure data; determining the magnitude of the first difference and a first set threshold to obtain a first determination result; determining the magnitude of the first difference and a second set threshold to obtain a second determination result; and obtaining the first test result based on the first determination result and the second determination result.

[0021] Optionally, after the step of obtaining the first test result based on the first pressure data and / or the second pressure data, the steps of the membrane electrode testing method further include: controlling the first gas supply component to stop operating; controlling the drive component to drive the pressure plate to a second position state; wherein, when the pressure plate is in the second position state, the pressure plate is disengaged from the membrane electrode.

[0022] Optionally, the membrane electrode testing method includes at least the following steps: controlling the second gas supply component to start; acquiring third pressure data collected by the third sensor and acquiring fourth pressure data collected by the fourth sensor; and obtaining a second test result based on the third pressure data and the fourth pressure data.

[0023] Optionally, the membrane electrode testing method further includes: if the first test result and / or the second test result do not meet the preset conditions, then: control the first gas supply component to inject heated and humidified air into the first test channel; control the second gas supply component to inject heated and humidified hydrogen into the second test channel to polarize the membrane electrode; obtain the voltage of the membrane electrode; and obtain a third test result based on the voltage and the preset voltage.

[0024] The testing fixture proposed in this invention includes a support plate having a first air inlet channel, a first test channel, and a second air outlet channel connected in sequence; a first sensor disposed within the first air inlet channel; a second sensor disposed within the second air inlet channel; a first air supply assembly connected to the first air inlet channel; a pressure plate facing the side of the support plate having the first test channel; and a driving assembly connected to the pressure plate for driving the pressure plate to a first position. In the first position, the opposite sides of the membrane electrode are in close contact with the pressure plate and the support plate, respectively, and the first gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode is placed within the first test channel. When measuring the pressure drop performance of the membrane electrode using the testing fixture, the first gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode is located within the first test channel. The first air supply assembly is activated to inject test gas into the first test channel, at which point the gas passes sequentially through the first air inlet channel, the first test channel, and the first air outlet channel. The first sensor and the second sensor respectively collect first pressure data and second pressure data; the first pressure data and the second pressure data are used to determine the pressure drop performance of the membrane electrode. Therefore, the test fixture proposed in this invention can detect the voltage drop performance of a single membrane electrode and identify defective membrane electrodes before stacking, thus avoiding the situation where the performance of individual cells in the entire stack is low and they need to be repaired.

[0025] In the membrane electrode testing method proposed in this invention, the membrane electrode is located on a support plate; a control plate presses the membrane electrode onto the support plate, forming a first test channel communicating with a first air inlet channel and a first air outlet channel; subsequently, the first air supply component is activated, and gas enters the first test channel through the first air inlet channel and exits from the first air outlet channel; first pressure data and second pressure data collected by the first sensor and the second sensor are acquired respectively; based on the first pressure data and the second pressure data, a first test result is obtained, which is used to determine the pressure drop performance of the membrane electrode. Therefore, the testing fixture proposed in this invention can detect the pressure drop performance of a single membrane electrode, identify defective membrane electrodes before stacking, and avoid situations where the entire stack has low individual cell performance requiring rework. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the test fixture of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the support plate of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the pressure plate of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a membrane electrode;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the test fixture of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the testing fixture of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the control architecture of the test fixture of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the testing method of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a specific method for step S400;

[0036] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the testing method of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the testing method of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 12 for Figure 11 A schematic diagram of a specific method for step S700. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0040] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of this application are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.

[0041] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0042] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this application involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the meaning of "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions; for example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0043] The performance of a single membrane electrode affects the performance of the entire stack. For traditional single-cell quality assurance methods, even if the quality of a single cell is qualified, it cannot ensure that there are no problems at the single-cell level. Generally, the quality at the single-cell level can only be reflected after the activation or polarization test of the entire stack. Once there is overvoltage in the membrane electrode of a certain single cell, resulting in water blockage or poor gas entry, the performance of the single cell in the entire stack will be low. At this time, to ensure the quality of the fuel cell stack product, repair is required to find the problematic cell.

[0044] Therefore, this application proposes a membrane electrode test tooling, which combines Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 7 As shown, it includes a support plate 100, a first sensor 10, a second sensor 20, a first gas supply component 200, a pressing plate 300 and a driving component 400. This membrane electrode test tooling aims to test the pressure drop of a single membrane electrode 500 before the stacking of single membrane electrodes 500, timely screen out defective membrane electrodes 500, reduce the rework and repair rate, improve the operation efficiency and enhance the performance of the entire stack of cells.

[0045] In this invention, the test tooling includes:

[0046] Support plate 100,

[0047] The support plate 100 has a first air inlet channel 100d, a first test channel and a first air outlet channel 100e that are sequentially connected;

[0048] First sensor 10, the first sensor 10 is arranged in the first air inlet channel 100d;

[0049] Second sensor 20, the second sensor 20 is arranged in the first air outlet channel 100e;

[0050] First gas supply component 200, the first gas supply component 200 is connected to the first air inlet channel 100d;

[0051] Pressing plate 300, the pressing plate 300 is arranged facing the side of the support plate 100 that has the first test channel; and

[0052] Driving component 400, the driving component 400 is connected to the pressing plate 300 and is used to drive the pressing plate 300 to the first position state; when the pressing plate 300 is in the first position state, the opposite sides of the membrane electrode 500 are respectively pressed against the pressing plate 300 and the support plate 100, and the first gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode 500 is placed in the first test channel.

[0053] In practical implementation, the support plate 100 serves two purposes: firstly, as a support platform for the voltage drop test of the membrane electrode 500; and secondly, it is constructed with flow channels and test slots to form test channels. Specifically, as shown... Figure 2 As shown, the support plate 100 has a first flow channel 100a, a first test channel 100b, and a second flow channel 100c, which is a first test channel (after the membrane electrode 500 is placed on the support plate 100, the first flow channel 100a, the first test channel 100b, and the second flow channel 100c form a first test channel with the membrane structure of the membrane electrode 500); the first test channel 100b is correspondingly disposed with the first gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode 500; one end of the first flow channel 100a is connected to one side of the first test channel 100b, and the second flow channel 100c is connected to the other side of the first test channel 100b; the support plate 100 also has a first air inlet channel 100d and a first air outlet channel 100e, the first air inlet channel 100d is connected to the first flow channel 100a, and the first air outlet channel 100e is connected to the second flow channel 100c.

[0054] After the membrane electrode 500 is placed on the support plate 100, the first gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode 500 is located in the first test groove 100b, and the support plate 100 has a first flow groove 100a, a first test groove 100b, and a second flow groove 100c connected in sequence. In order to simulate the real working conditions, the pressure plate 300 is provided on the side of the support plate 100 facing the first test groove 100b; and the pressure plate 300 is connected to the drive assembly 400, which drives the pressure plate 300 to a first position. When the pressure plate 300 is in the first position, the pressure plate 300 acts on the side of the membrane electrode 500 away from the support plate 100, so that both sides of the membrane electrode 500 are in close contact with the pressure plate 300 and the support plate 100, respectively. At this time, the first flow groove 100a, the first test groove 100b, and the second flow groove 100c form a relatively sealed first test channel with the membrane electrode 500. When measuring the pressure drop performance of the membrane electrode 500 using the testing fixture, the first gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode 500 is located within the first test channel. The first gas supply assembly 200 is activated to inject test gas into the first test channel. The gas sequentially passes through the first inlet channel 100d, the first test channel, and the first outlet channel 100e. The first sensor 10 and the second sensor 20 respectively collect first pressure data and second pressure data; these data are used to determine the pressure drop performance of the membrane electrode 500. Therefore, the testing fixture proposed in this invention can detect the pressure drop performance of a single membrane electrode 500, identifying defective membrane electrodes 500 before they are stacked, thus avoiding the need for rework due to low performance of individual cells in the entire stack.

[0055] It should be noted that if the test is of the pressure drop performance on the cathode side of the membrane electrode 500, the test gas injected by the first gas supply component 200 is air or oxygen. If the test is of the pressure drop performance on the anode side of the membrane electrode 500, the test gas injected by the first gas supply component 200 can be, but is not limited to, hydrogen. Generally, the first gas supply component 200 humidifies and heats the injected gas to match the actual operating conditions of the membrane electrode 500.

[0056] It should be noted that, generally, the structure of the support plate 100 is the same as that of the bipolar plate. That is, the support plate 100 can be designed according to the structure of the bipolar plate corresponding to the membrane electrode 500, so that the membrane electrode 500 can be tested under the same operating conditions, thereby improving the accuracy of the test. For example, the size and shape of the first flow channel 100a, the first test channel 100b, and the second flow channel 100c are consistent with the flow channel structure on the bipolar plate.

[0057] It should be noted that, generally, the drive assembly 400 is a drive device capable of linear motion, such as an electric push rod, hydraulic telescopic rod, pneumatic telescopic rod, ball screw, or rack and pinion. The drive assembly 400 is connected to the side of the pressure plate 300 opposite to the support plate 100. Generally, the pressure plate 300 is located above the support plate 100, and the drive assembly 400 drives the pressure plate 300 to move in a vertical direction (vertically downward and vertically upward).

[0058] Furthermore, it should be noted that the drive assembly 400 applies a certain pressure load to the pressure plate 300, ensuring that the pressure state of the membrane electrode 500 is consistent with that of the entire stack, thereby improving the effectiveness of the membrane electrode 500 pressure drop test; and it also ensures that the gas flow channel system composed of the first inlet channel 100d, the first test channel, and the first outlet channel 100e is in a relatively closed environment, preventing gas escape. The applied pressure load is determined based on the assembly force of the entire stack.

[0059] It should be noted that both the first sensor 10 and the second sensor 20 are sensors capable of collecting gas pressure, such as pressure sensors.

[0060] The membrane electrode 500 includes a cathode side and an anode side. Therefore, in order to perform voltage drop tests on both the cathode and anode sides simultaneously, [further details are needed]. Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 7As shown, the membrane electrode testing fixture also includes a second gas supply assembly 600, a third sensor 30, and a fourth sensor 40. The pressure plate 300 includes a third flow channel 300a, a second test channel 300b, and a fourth flow channel 300c disposed facing the support plate 100. One end of the third flow channel 300a is connected to one side of the second test channel 300b, and the fourth flow channel 300c is connected to the other side of the second test channel 300b. The second test channel 300b is correspondingly disposed with the second gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode 500, and the first gas diffusion layer and the second gas diffusion layer are respectively located on opposite sides of the proton exchange membrane of the membrane electrode 500. The support plate 100 also has a second air outlet channel 100g and a second air inlet channel 100f connected to the second air supply component 600; the third sensor 30 is disposed in the second air inlet channel 100f, and the fourth sensor 40 is disposed in the second air outlet channel 100g; when the pressure plate 300 is in the first state, the second air inlet channel 100f is connected to the third flow channel 300a through the air inlet of the membrane electrode 500, and the second air outlet channel 100g is connected to the fourth flow channel 300c through the air outlet of the membrane electrode 500. The third flow channel 300a, the second test channel 300b, and the fourth flow channel 300c together with the membrane electrode 500 form a second test channel.

[0061] It should be noted that the flow channel structure of the pressure plate 300 is consistent with that of the bipolar plate. The pressure plate 300 and the support plate 100 respectively simulate the bipolar plates on both sides of the membrane electrode 500. Since the pressure plate 300 needs to move up and down, the second air inlet channel 100f and the second air outlet channel 100g are set on the support plate 100 to avoid the connecting pipeline from moving with it. Referring to Figures 2 to 4, the membrane electrode 500 itself has an air inlet and an air outlet. When the pressure plate 300 presses the membrane electrode 500 onto the support plate 100, the air inlet of the membrane electrode 500 is directly opposite to the second air inlet channel 100f and is directly opposite to the third flow groove 300a. Therefore, the gas from the second gas supply assembly 600 enters the second test channel through the air inlet via the second air inlet channel 100f. The air outlet of the membrane electrode 500 is directly opposite to the second air outlet channel 100g and is directly opposite to the fourth flow groove 300c. Therefore, the gas from the second gas supply assembly 600 passes through the second test channel and is discharged through the air inlet via the second air outlet channel 100g.

[0062] The third sensor 30 is located within the second air inlet channel 100f, and the fourth sensor 40 is located within the second air outlet channel 100g. When the second air supply assembly is activated, gas enters the second test channel, and the third sensor 30 and the fourth sensor 40 collect third and fourth pressure data, respectively. The third and fourth pressure data are used to determine the pressure drop performance of the membrane electrode 500. Therefore, the test fixture proposed in this invention can simultaneously activate the first air supply assembly 200 and the second air supply assembly 600 to simultaneously detect the pressure drop performance on both sides of a single membrane electrode 500. This allows for the identification of defective membrane electrodes 500 before stacking, improving detection efficiency and avoiding the need for rework due to low performance of individual cells in the entire stack.

[0063] Furthermore, it should be noted that if the side of the membrane electrode 500 facing the support plate 100 is the cathode side and the side facing the pressure plate 300 is the anode side, the test gas of the first gas supply assembly 200 is air or nitrogen, and the test gas of the second gas supply assembly 600 is hydrogen. If the side of the membrane electrode 500 facing the support plate 100 is the anode side and the side facing the pressure plate 300 is the cathode side, the test gas of the first gas supply assembly 200 is hydrogen, and the test gas of the second gas supply assembly 600 is air or nitrogen.

[0064] Under normal circumstances, the second gas supply unit 600 will humidify and heat the injected gas.

[0065] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, combined with Figure 2 and 5 As shown, the air inlet of the first air inlet channel 100d and the air outlet of the second air outlet channel 100g are located on the same side of the support plate 100; the air inlet of the second air inlet channel 100f and the air outlet of the first air outlet channel 100e are located on the other side of the support plate 100. In order to simulate the interaction between the gas and the membrane electrode 500 as closely as possible, generally, the air inlet of the first air inlet channel 100d and the air inlet of the second air inlet channel 100f are located on opposite sides of the support plate 100, while the air outlet of the second air outlet channel 100g and the air inlet of the first air inlet channel 100d are located on the same side (as shown on the left), and the air outlet of the first air outlet channel 100e and the air inlet of the second air inlet channel 100f are located on the same side (as shown on the right). Based on the above structure, the gas in the first gas supply component 200 flows from left to right, and the gas in the second gas supply component 600 flows from right to left, which can simulate the actual flow direction of the two gas streams on both sides of the membrane electrode 500 and improve the accuracy of pressure drop testing.

[0066] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, the centerlines of the third flow channel 300a and the fourth flow channel 300c are located on both sides of the centerline of the second test channel 300b. Generally, in a top view, the centerlines of the second air inlet channel and the second air outlet channel are located on both sides of the centerline of the second test channel. The third flow channel 300a and the fourth flow channel 300c are respectively connected to two opposite corners of the second test channel 300b, so that the gas can flow fully within the second gas diffusion layer, ensuring the accuracy and authenticity of the pressure drop test.

[0067] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, the test fixture further includes: a control component 700, which is connected to the first sensor 10, the second sensor 20, the third sensor 30, and the fourth sensor 40, respectively; the control component 700 is also connected to the drive component 400, the first air supply component 200, and the second air supply component 600, respectively. The first sensor 10, the second sensor 20, the third sensor 30, and the fourth sensor 40 transmit first pressure data, second pressure data, third pressure data, and fourth pressure data to the control component 700, respectively. According to preset steps, the control component 700 determines whether the pressure drop test is qualified based on the first pressure data, second pressure data, third pressure data, and fourth pressure data. The control component 700 is also connected to the drive component 400, the first air supply component 200, and the second air supply component 600. Generally, the control component 700 controls the drive component 400 to move the pressure plate 300 in the vertical direction. When the pressure plate 300 is in the first position state, the control component 700 controls the first air supply component and the second air supply component 600 to start. After the test is completed, the control component 700 controls the first and second air supply components 600 to stop operating, and controls the drive component 400 to move the pressure plate 300 from the first position state to the second position state. The suction hand transports the tested membrane electrode 500 to the designated position according to the command of the control component 700, and places the next membrane electrode 500 to be tested on the support plate 100 for testing. If the test is qualified, the suction hand transports the membrane electrode 500 to the stacking station according to the first command of the control component 700; if the test is unqualified, the suction hand transports the membrane electrode 500 to the unqualified station according to the second command of the control component 700.

[0068] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, Figure 2As shown, the centerline of the first flow channel 100a and the centerline of the second flow channel 100c are located on both sides of the centerline of the first test channel 100b. Generally, in a top view, the centerlines of the first air inlet channel 100d and the first air outlet channel 100e are located on both sides of the centerline of the first test channel. Typically, the first flow channel 100a and the second flow channel 100c are connected to two opposite corners of the first test channel 100b, respectively, to allow the gas to flow fully within the first gas diffusion layer, ensuring the accuracy and authenticity of the pressure drop test.

[0069] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, Figure 6 As shown, the pressure plate 300 also has a second position state; when the pressure plate 300 is in the second position state, the pressure plate 300 is disengaged from the membrane electrode 500; the driving assembly 400 is configured to drive the pressure plate 300 to move between the first position state and the second position state. When the membrane electrode 500 is tested, the driving assembly 400 drives the pressure plate 300 to the second position state, the pressure plate 300 disengages from the membrane electrode 500, and the tested membrane electrode 500 can be removed and the next membrane electrode 500 to be tested can be placed in. The driving assembly 400 is configured to drive the pressure plate 300 to move between the first position state and the second position state. Generally, the pressure plate 300 moves linearly between the first position state and the second position state.

[0070] This invention also proposes a membrane electrode testing method, utilizing the membrane electrode testing fixture described above. The membrane electrode testing method includes at least the following steps: Figure 8 As shown:

[0071] S100, control the drive assembly 400 to drive the pressure plate 300 to the first position state, and press the membrane electrode 500 onto the support plate 100;

[0072] S200, control the first gas supply component 200 to start;

[0073] S300, acquire the first pressure data collected by the first sensor 10, acquire the second pressure data collected by the second sensor 20;

[0074] S400, based on the first pressure data and the second pressure data, obtain the first test result.

[0075] In the membrane electrode testing method proposed in this invention, the membrane electrode 500 is located on the support plate 100; the control plate 300 presses the membrane electrode 500 onto the support plate 100, forming a first test channel communicating with the first air inlet channel 100d and the first air outlet channel 100e; subsequently, the control first air supply component 200 is activated, and gas enters the first test channel through the first air inlet channel 100d and exits from the first air outlet channel 100e; the first pressure data and the second pressure data collected by the first sensor 10 and the second sensor 20 are acquired respectively; based on the first pressure data and the second pressure data, a first test result is obtained, which is used to determine the voltage drop performance of the membrane electrode 500. Therefore, the testing fixture proposed in this invention can detect the voltage drop performance of a single membrane electrode 500, and can identify defective membrane electrodes 500 before stacking, thus avoiding the situation where the entire stack has low individual cell performance requiring rework.

[0076] In some cases, a first test result can be obtained by comparing the first pressure data alone with the corresponding set value, and by comparing the second pressure data alone with the corresponding set value. In other cases, a first test result can be obtained by combining the first pressure data and the second pressure data.

[0077] Typically, the membrane electrode testing fixture includes at least one control component 700, at least one memory, and a control program for a test method stored in the memory and operable on the control component 700. The control program for the test method is configured to implement the steps of the control method as described above.

[0078] The control component 700 may include one or more processing cores, such as a quad-core processor or an octa-core processor. The control component 700 may be implemented using at least one hardware form selected from DSP (Digital Signal Processing), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), and PLA (Programmable Logic Array). The control component 700 may also include a main processor and a coprocessor. The main processor, also known as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), is used to process data in the wake-up state; the coprocessor is a low-power processor used to process data in the standby state. In some embodiments, the control component 700 may integrate a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), which is responsible for rendering and drawing the content to be displayed on the screen. The control component 700 may also include an AI (Artificial Intelligence) processor, which handles control method operations related to the test method, enabling the control method model of the test method to learn autonomously, improving efficiency and accuracy.

[0079] The memory may include one or more computer-readable storage media, which may be non-transitory. The memory may also include high-speed random access memory and non-volatile memory, such as one or more disk storage devices or flash memory devices. In some embodiments, the non-transitory computer-readable storage media in the memory is used to store at least one instruction, which is executed by the control component 700 to implement the control method of the test method provided in the method embodiments of this application.

[0080] The control component 700 can be used to call the control program of the test method stored in the memory, and can at least execute the operation of the test method: control the drive component 400 to drive the pressure plate 300 to the first position state, press the membrane electrode 500 onto the support plate 100; control the first air supply component 200 to start; acquire the first pressure data collected by the first sensor 10, acquire the second pressure data collected by the second sensor 20; and obtain the first test result based on the first pressure data and the second pressure data.

[0081] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, Figure 9 As shown, the step of obtaining the first test result based on the first pressure data and / or the second pressure data specifically includes:

[0082] S400a, Calculate the first difference between the first pressure data and the second pressure data.

[0083] S400b, determine the magnitude of the first difference and the first set threshold to obtain a first determination result; determine the magnitude of the first difference and the second set threshold to obtain a second determination result;

[0084] S400c, based on the first judgment result and the second judgment result, obtain the first test result.

[0085] In this embodiment, if the first difference exceeds a first preset threshold, or if the first difference is lower than a second preset threshold, the membrane electrode 500 has a quality defect and cannot proceed to the stacking process or subsequent testing. Generally, the first and second preset thresholds are determined based on design values ​​and then input into the control component 700 for storage. If the test is of the voltage drop on the cathode side, the first preset threshold can be P. Cathode-max The second threshold is P Cathode-min If the voltage drop on the anode side is being tested, the first set threshold can be P. Anode-max The second threshold is set as P. Anode-min .

[0086] The control component 700 can also be used to call the control program of the test method stored in the memory, and is at least able to perform the following operations:

[0087] After the step of obtaining the first test result based on the first pressure data and / or the second pressure data, Figure 10 As shown, the steps of the membrane electrode testing method further include:

[0088] S800, control the first gas supply component 200 to stop operating;

[0089] S900, control the drive assembly 400 to drive the pressure plate 300 to the second position state; wherein, when the pressure plate 300 is in the second position state, the pressure plate 300 is disengaged from the membrane electrode 500.

[0090] After the membrane electrode 500 test is completed, the first air supply component 200 is stopped, and the test is stopped. The drive component 400 is then driven to the second position, at which point the pressure plate 300 is disengaged from the membrane electrode 500. The suction arm, based on the command of the control component 700, transports the tested membrane electrode 500 to the designated position and places the next membrane electrode 500 to be tested on the support plate 100 for testing. If the test is successful, the suction arm, based on the first command of the control component 700, transports the membrane electrode 500 to the stacking station; if the test fails, the suction arm, based on the second command of the control component 700, transports the membrane electrode 500 to the failure station.

[0091] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, after step S100... Figure 11 As shown, the test method further includes:

[0092] S500, control the second air supply component 600 to start;

[0093] S600, acquire the third pressure data collected by the third sensor 30, and acquire the fourth pressure data collected by the fourth sensor 40;

[0094] S700, based on the third pressure data and the fourth pressure data, a second test result is obtained.

[0095] The above steps are stored in memory and can be invoked by the control component 700.

[0096] When the second gas supply component is activated, gas enters the second test channel, acquiring third and fourth pressure data collected by the third sensor 30 and the fourth sensor 40, respectively. Based on the third and fourth pressure data, a second test result is obtained, used to determine the pressure drop performance of the membrane electrode 500. Therefore, the test fixture proposed in this invention can simultaneously activate the first gas supply component 200 and the second gas supply component 600 to simultaneously detect the pressure drop performance on both sides of a single membrane electrode 500. This allows for the identification of defective membrane electrodes 500 before stacking, improving detection efficiency and avoiding the need for rework due to low performance of individual cells in the entire stack.

[0097] In some embodiments, steps S200 and S500 can be executed sequentially or simultaneously.

[0098] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, Figure 12 As shown, the steps for obtaining the second test result based on the third pressure data and the fourth pressure data specifically include:

[0099] S700a, Calculate the first difference between the third pressure data and the fourth pressure data.

[0100] S700b, determine the magnitude of the second difference and the third set threshold to obtain a third determination result; determine the magnitude of the second difference and the fourth set threshold to obtain a third determination result;

[0101] S700c, based on the third judgment result and / or the fourth judgment result, the second test result is obtained.

[0102] The above steps are stored in memory and can be invoked by the control component 700.

[0103] In this embodiment, if the second difference exceeds the third preset threshold, or if the second difference is lower than the fourth preset threshold, the membrane electrode 500 has a quality defect and cannot proceed to the stacking process or subsequent testing. Generally, the third and fourth preset thresholds are determined based on design values ​​and then input into the control component 700 for storage. If the first test channel corresponds to testing the voltage drop on the cathode side, the first preset threshold can be P. Cathode-max The second threshold is set as P. Cathode-min The third threshold can be P. Anode-max The fourth threshold is set as P. Anode-min If the first test channel corresponds to testing the voltage drop on the anode side, then the first set threshold can be P. Anode-max The second threshold is set as P. Anode-min Then the third threshold can be P. Cathode-max The fourth threshold is set as P. Cathode-min .

[0104] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, to improve product yield, activation and polarization tests are performed on membrane electrodes that fail the pressure drop test. Specifically, during the pressure drop test, the first gas supply component provides heated and humidified nitrogen, and the second gas supply component provides heated and humidified hydrogen. During the activation and polarization test, the first gas supply component provides heated and humidified air, and the second gas supply component provides heated and humidified hydrogen. Specifically, if the first test result and / or the second test result are unqualified, then after steps S400 and / or S700:

[0105] Control the first air supply component to inject heated and humidified air into the first test channel;

[0106] The second gas supply component is controlled to inject heated and humidified hydrogen into the second test channel, thereby polarizing the membrane electrode.

[0107] Obtain the voltage Vtest of the membrane electrode; based on the voltage and a preset voltage, obtain the third test result.

[0108] For example, if Vtest is greater than Vmin, the third test result is OK, and this membrane electrode can be used for subsequent stack assembly; if Vtest is less than Vmin, this membrane electrode is considered NG and must not proceed to the stacking process. The above descriptions are merely optional embodiments of this application and do not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the concept of this application and the content of this specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A membrane electrode testing fixture, characterized in that, This testing fixture is used to test the voltage drop performance of a monolithic film electrode, and includes: A support plate having a first air inlet channel, a first test channel, and a first air outlet channel connected in sequence. The first sensor is disposed in the first air intake channel; The second sensor is located inside the first air outlet channel; A first air supply component, which is connected to the first air intake channel; A pressure plate, the pressure plate being disposed on the side of the support plate having the first test channel; and A driving assembly is connected to the pressure plate and is used to drive the pressure plate to a first position state. When the pressure plate is in the first position state, the opposite sides of the membrane electrode are in close contact with the pressure plate and the support plate, respectively, and the first gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode is placed in the first test channel. The structure of the support plate is the same as that of the bipolar plate, and the first gas supply component can humidify and heat the injected gas. The membrane electrode testing fixture also includes a second gas supply component, a third sensor, and a fourth sensor; The pressure plate includes a second test channel on the side facing the support plate; The support plate also has a second air outlet channel and a second air inlet channel connected to the second air supply component; the third sensor is located in the second air inlet channel and the fourth sensor is located in the second air outlet channel; When the pressure plate is in the first position, the second gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode is placed in the second test channel, and the second air inlet channel is connected to the second test channel, and the second air outlet channel is connected to the second test channel.

2. The membrane electrode testing fixture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The air inlet of the first air inlet channel and the air outlet of the second air outlet channel are located on the same side of the support plate; The air inlet of the second air inlet channel and the air outlet of the first air outlet channel are located on the other side of the support plate.

3. The membrane electrode testing fixture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The center lines of the second air intake channel and the second air outlet channel are located on both sides of the center line of the second test channel.

4. The membrane electrode testing fixture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The testing fixture also includes: The control component is connected to the first sensor, the second sensor, the third sensor, and the fourth sensor, respectively; the control component is also connected to the drive component, the first air supply component, and the second air supply component, respectively.

5. A method for testing membrane electrodes, characterized in that, Using the membrane electrode testing fixture according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the membrane electrode testing method includes at least the following steps: The driving component is controlled to drive the pressure plate to the first position state, pressing the membrane electrode onto the support plate; Control the start-up of the first gas supply component; Acquire the first pressure data collected by the first sensor, and acquire the second pressure data collected by the second sensor; Based on the first pressure data and the second pressure data, a first test result is obtained.

6. The membrane electrode testing method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the first test result based on the first pressure data and the second pressure data specifically includes: Calculate the first difference between the first pressure data and the second pressure data. The first difference is compared with the first set threshold to obtain the first judgment result; The first difference is compared with the second set threshold to obtain a second judgment result; Based on the first judgment result and the second judgment result, the first test result is obtained.

7. The membrane electrode testing method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, After the step of obtaining the first test result based on the first pressure data and the second pressure data, the membrane electrode testing method further includes the following steps: Control the first gas supply component to stop operating; The drive assembly is controlled to drive the pressure plate to a second position state; wherein, when the pressure plate is in the second position state, the pressure plate is disengaged from the membrane electrode.

8. The membrane electrode testing method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The membrane electrode testing method includes at least the following steps: Control the start of the second gas supply component; Acquire the third pressure data collected by the third sensor, and acquire the fourth pressure data collected by the fourth sensor; Based on the third and fourth pressure data, a second test result is obtained.

9. The membrane electrode testing method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The membrane electrode testing method further includes: If the first test result and the second test result do not meet the preset conditions, then: Control the first air supply component to inject heated and humidified air into the first test channel; The second gas supply component is controlled to inject heated and humidified hydrogen into the second test channel, thereby polarizing the membrane electrode. Obtain the voltage of the membrane electrode; based on the voltage and a preset voltage, obtain a third test result.

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