Pressure-bearing sealing gasket and sealing structure of electrochemical equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a pressure-bearing type sealing gasket and a sealing structure of electrochemical equipment, the pressure-bearing type sealing gasket comprises an elastic sealing part and at least one pressure-bearing part, the elastic sealing part is made of a rubber material, and a center hole is formed in the elastic sealing part; a circle of first sealing lips and a circle of second sealing lips are arranged on the elastic sealing part in the radial direction at intervals, the first sealing lips are arranged close to the center hole, and the second sealing lips are arranged away from the center hole; the pressure bearing part is arranged on the elastic sealing part, comprises a rigid framework and is configured to reinforce the elastic sealing part in the radial direction and limit the compression amount of the elastic sealing part in the axial direction. The pressure-bearing part of the pressure-bearing type sealing gasket can effectively inhibit extrusion failure of an outer edge material caused by overload radial load (internal fluid pressure) under a high-pressure working condition; and the over-limit deformation of the elastic sealing part caused by excessive compression in the assembly process is effectively prevented.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of sealing technology, and particularly relates to a pressure-bearing gasket and a sealing structure for electrochemical equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment (electrolyzer) is currently the mainstream pressure-type electrochemical equipment. The electrolyzer structure consists of multiple electrode frames, sealing units, and other related electrochemical components. Specifically, each internal electrochemical unit is formed by the combination of adjacent electrode frames, sealing units, and electrochemical components. The sealing unit is compressed and deformed by the electrode frames on both sides to achieve the sealing function.

[0003] In the operation of existing electrolyzers, the extreme working environment of high temperature, high pressure, corrosive electrolyte, and oxygen-rich hydrogen coupling necessitates that the sealing unit maintain zero leakage under multiple coupled loads such as chemical corrosion, stress relaxation, and creep failure. This places extremely stringent requirements on the material selection for the sealing unit. Given that polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) exhibits zero corrosion rate and wide-temperature inertness in corrosive electrolytes, it is currently the preferred material for electrolyzer sealing units in the industry. By constructing a special sealing structure on the electrode frame, it can perform a sealing function in the aforementioned complex and harsh application scenarios, thus maintaining the stable operation of the electrolyzer to a certain extent.

[0004] Please see Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing structure of an existing electrolytic cell. The sealing structure of an existing electrolytic cell includes a first electrode frame 10, a second electrode frame 11, a diaphragm 13, and a sealing gasket 14. The sealing gasket 14 is clamped between the first electrode frame 10 and the second electrode frame 11. The outer edge of the diaphragm 13 is sealed and pressed against the second electrode frame 11 by the sealing gasket 14. The sealing surfaces of the sealing gasket 14 and the first electrode frame 10 and the second electrode frame 11 are provided with irregular sealing features such as serrated water lines. The first electrode frame 10 and the second electrode frame 11 are provided with sealing features such as bosses at the corresponding positions of the diaphragm 13 to maintain the sealing integrity under high cell pressure conditions.

[0005] Clearly, the serrated and raised sealing structures on the first electrode frame 10, the second electrode frame 11, and the sealing gasket 14 of the existing electrolytic cell significantly increase the loss of system design freedom and the difficulty of topology optimization, resulting in high processing costs. Moreover, the sealing gasket 14 is usually made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which limits its high-pressure resistance. During actual operation, the sealing unit will be subjected to outward radial force. When the high-pressure condition induces excessive radial load, the sealing gasket 14, due to its inherent low friction characteristics, cannot obtain effective radial restraint, causing the outer edge material to be squeezed out of the equipment by the high-pressure fluid. This compresses and damages the sealing surface, creating a leakage channel and affecting the safety and stability of the entire cell operation. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a pressure-bearing sealing gasket to solve the aforementioned problems existing in the sealing structure of the current electrolytic cell; in addition, another purpose of this invention is to provide a sealing structure for an electrochemical device including the pressure-bearing sealing gasket.

[0007] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a pressure-bearing sealing gasket, comprising an elastic sealing portion and at least one pressure-bearing portion, wherein: The elastic sealing part is made of rubber material and has a central hole. At least one ring of first sealing lip and at least one ring of second sealing lip are arranged radially on the elastic sealing part. The first sealing lip is located close to the central hole and the second sealing lip is located away from the central hole. The pressure-bearing part is disposed on the elastic seal part, the pressure-bearing part includes a rigid frame, and the pressure-bearing part is configured to limit the amount of compression of the elastic seal part in the axial direction and to limit the amount of displacement of the elastic seal part in the radial direction away from the central hole when compressed.

[0008] Optionally, the elastic sealing part has at least one first flow channel hole in the area between the first sealing lip and the second sealing lip, and a third sealing lip is provided at the first flow channel hole.

[0009] Optionally, a pressure-bearing part is provided, and the pressure-bearing part is fixedly disposed on the inner circumferential side of the elastic sealing part; Alternatively, the pressure-bearing part is fixedly installed on the outer periphery of the elastic sealing part; Alternatively, the pressure-bearing part is fixedly located in the area between the outer and inner circumferential sides of the elastic sealing part.

[0010] Optionally, two pressure-bearing parts are provided, with the first pressure-bearing part located on the inner circumferential side of the elastic sealing part and the second pressure-bearing part located on the outer circumferential side of the elastic sealing part; Alternatively, the first pressure-bearing part is located on the inner circumferential side of the elastic sealing part, and the second pressure-bearing part is located in the area between the outer circumferential side and the inner circumferential side of the elastic sealing part. Alternatively, the first pressure-bearing part is located on the outer periphery of the elastic seal, and the second pressure-bearing part is located in the area between the outer and inner periphery of the elastic seal.

[0011] Optionally, at least three pressure-bearing parts are provided, two of which are respectively provided on the inner and outer peripheral sides of the elastic sealing part, and the remaining pressure-bearing parts are radially spaced in the area between the outer and inner peripheral sides of the elastic sealing part. Alternatively, one of the pressure-bearing parts is located on the inner circumferential side of the elastic seal, and the remaining pressure-bearing parts are located in the area between the outer circumferential side and the inner circumferential side of the elastic seal. Alternatively, one of the pressure-bearing parts is located on the outer periphery of the elastic seal, and the remaining pressure-bearing parts are located in the area between the outer and inner periphery of the elastic seal.

[0012] Optionally, the pressure-bearing part is disposed between the upper and lower surfaces of the elastic sealing part along the axial direction.

[0013] Optionally, the outer surface of the rigid frame may be entirely or partially covered with an elastic covering layer.

[0014] Optionally, the pressure-bearing part and the elastic sealing part are an integral structure, and the pressure-bearing part is joined to the elastic sealing part by a vulcanization molding process; Alternatively, the pressure-bearing part and the elastic sealing part are separate components, with the pressure-bearing part mechanically connected to the elastic sealing part through a mechanical fitting structure.

[0015] Optionally, the resilient sealing part is further provided with at least one fourth sealing lip along the radial direction, wherein: The fourth sealing lip is disposed between the first sealing lip and the second sealing lip, and the first flow channel hole is disposed on the elastic sealing part between the fourth sealing lip and the second sealing lip; The distance between the fourth sealing lip and the first sealing lip is less than the distance between the fourth sealing lip and the second sealing lip.

[0016] Optionally, the first sealing lip, the second sealing lip, and the fourth sealing lip each include a first lip body and a second lip body, wherein: The first lip body protrudes from the first surface of the elastic sealing part; The second lip body protrudes from the second surface of the elastic sealing part, and the first surface and the second surface are opposite to each other; The third sealing lip includes a third lip body and a fourth lip body. The third lip body is provided to protrude from the first surface of the elastic sealing portion, and the fourth lip body is provided to protrude from the second surface of the elastic sealing portion.

[0017] Optionally, the outer surface of the elastic seal is entirely or partially covered with a corrosion-resistant layer.

[0018] Optionally, the resilient seal is made of any one of the following materials: EPDM rubber, fluororubber, perfluororubber, silicone rubber, or hydrogenated nitrile rubber.

[0019] Optionally, the rigid skeleton is made of any of the following materials: metal, metal mesh, resin, plastic, plastic mesh, glass, ceramic, ceramic-metal composite, or fiber-reinforced rubber.

[0020] Optionally, the pressure-bearing part and the elastic sealing part are an integral structure. The pressure-bearing part is joined to the elastic sealing part by a vulcanization molding process. The pressure-bearing part is provided with radially distributed radial positioning parts and axial positioning parts.

[0021] Secondly, the present invention proposes a sealing structure for an electrochemical device, comprising a first electrode frame, a second electrode frame, a diaphragm, and the aforementioned pressure-bearing sealing gasket, wherein: The first pole frame and the second pole frame are stacked along the height direction, with the first pole frame located above the second pole frame. The internal area of ​​the combination of the first pole frame and the second pole frame serves as the reaction area. A diaphragm is disposed within the reaction area to divide the reaction area into an upper cavity and a lower cavity. The first pole frame and the second pole frame are respectively provided with second flow channel holes. The pressure-bearing gasket is clamped and sealed between the first pole frame and the second pole frame. The sealing surfaces of the first pole frame and the second pole frame that contact the pressure-bearing gasket are both planar structures with a preset roughness. The outer edge of the diaphragm is pressed and sealed to the second pole frame by the first sealing ring of the pressure-bearing sealing gasket. The first flow channel hole is sealed and connected to the second flow channel hole on the first pole frame and the second pole frame through the third sealing lip to form the fluid flow channel required for equipment operation.

[0022] The pressure-bearing sealing gasket and sealing structure of the electrochemical equipment proposed in this invention have the following advantages: 1) The elastic sealing part is made of rubber material. Based on the rebound characteristics of the elastic sealing part and the self-sealing effect of the sealing lip, the electrode frame does not need to be processed with a specific sealing structure. It only needs to control the surface roughness within the range of Ra 1.6~3.2μm to meet the sealing requirements, which greatly reduces the manufacturing cost. 2) The pressure-bearing part can effectively suppress the extrusion failure of the outer material caused by overload radial load (internal fluid pressure) under high pressure conditions; the elastic sealing part has a higher coefficient of friction than PTFE, which can further limit the radial slippage tendency of the sealing gasket; at the same time, due to its high elasticity material properties, it can allow the sealing lip material of its components to maintain close contact and ensure sufficient contact surface pressure even when the contact surfaces move relative to each other due to changes in operating conditions. The above three mechanisms work together to significantly improve the sealing reliability under high pressure conditions. 3) The pressure-bearing part also has axial limiting, sealing and insulation functions, which effectively prevents the elastic sealing part from being deformed beyond the limit due to excessive compression during the assembly process. This frees the compression amount control from dependence on the overall length measurement of the system, significantly simplifies the assembly process and improves the controllability of assembly accuracy. 4) The elastic sealing part is optimized according to the functional zoning and divided into three-level sealing areas: inner, middle and outer. The coordinated configuration of multiple sealing areas constructs a multi-level and redundant sealing barrier system, which significantly improves the overall reliability and failure tolerance of the sealing structure. 5) Due to its high resilience and low creep properties, the elastic seal can be installed quickly and with low pressure in one go, unlike PTFE, without the need for complex installation processes such as high pressure, long-term hot immersion, and repeated tightening. This activates its sealing function. At the same time, the elastic seal can be repeatedly disassembled and reused, which greatly reduces the cost of system installation and maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing structure of an existing pressure-type electrolytic cell; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first pressure-bearing type sealing gasket of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first type of pressure-bearing sealing gasket of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the radial positioning part of the first type of pressure-bearing sealing gasket of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the axial positioning part of the first type of pressure-bearing sealing gasket of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing structure of the electrochemical device based on the first type of pressure-bearing gasket according to the present invention; Figure 7 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the second type of pressure-bearing sealing gasket of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing structure of the electrochemical device based on the second type of pressure-bearing gasket of the present invention.

[0024] Figures 1 to 8 The following reference numerals are included: First pole frame 10, second flow channel hole 100, second pole frame 11, diaphragm 13, sealing gasket 14; Pressure-bearing gasket 20, elastic sealing part 21, first sealing lip 210, first lip body 2100, second lip body 2101, second sealing lip 211, first flow channel hole 212, third sealing lip 213, fourth sealing lip 214, first surface 215, second surface 216, corrosion-resistant layer 217, pressure-bearing part 22, rigid skeleton 220, elastic covering layer 221, radial positioning part 222, first positioning groove 2220, axial positioning part 223, second positioning groove 2230, center hole 23, reaction area 24, inner sealing area 25, intermediate sealing area 26, outer sealing area 27. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0026] Firstly, please refer to Figures 2 to 5 As shown, this embodiment of the invention proposes a pressure-bearing sealing gasket 20, which includes an elastic sealing part 21 and at least one pressure-bearing part 22. The elastic sealing part 21 is made of rubber material and has a central hole 23. The elastic sealing part 21 has a radially ( Figure 3 At least one ring of first sealing lip 210 and at least one ring of second sealing lip 211 are provided at intervals in the X direction (in the center hole 23). The first sealing lip 210 is disposed near the center hole 23, and the second sealing lip 211 is disposed away from the center hole 23. A pressure-bearing part 22 is disposed on the elastic sealing part 21, and the pressure-bearing part 22 includes a rigid frame 220. The pressure-bearing part 22 is configured to limit the elastic sealing part 21 along the axial direction (in the X direction). Figure 3 The amount of compression in the Y direction and the amount of displacement of the elastic sealing part 21 in the radial direction away from the central hole 23 when it is compressed.

[0027] Specifically, both the elastic sealing part 21 and the pressure-bearing part 22 can be circular, square, or irregularly shaped annular structures.

[0028] Specifically, the first sealing lip 210 and the second sealing lip 211 can be provided with two or more rings at radial intervals according to sealing requirements.

[0029] The elastic sealing portion 21 of the pressure-bearing sealing gasket 20 proposed in this application is made of rubber material. Based on the rebound characteristics of the elastic sealing portion 21 and the self-sealing effect of the sealing lip, the electrode frame does not need to be processed with a specific sealing structure; only the surface roughness needs to be controlled within Ra. The sealing requirements can be met within the range of 1.6~3.2μm, which greatly reduces the manufacturing cost. At the same time, the pressure-bearing part 22 can strengthen the radial direction of the elastic sealing part 21, which can effectively suppress the extrusion failure of the outer edge material caused by overload radial load (internal fluid pressure) under high pressure conditions. The elastic sealing part 21 has a higher coefficient of friction than PTFE, which can further limit the radial slippage tendency of the sealing gasket. Meanwhile, due to the high elasticity of the elastic sealing part 21, it allows the sealing lip material of its components to maintain close contact and ensure sufficient contact surface pressure even when the contact surfaces move relative to each other due to changes in operating conditions. The above three mechanisms work together to significantly improve the sealing reliability under high pressure conditions. Moreover, the pressure-bearing part 22 also has axial limiting, sealing and insulation functions, which effectively prevents the elastic sealing part 21 from over-deformation due to excessive compression during assembly. This frees the compression amount control from dependence on the overall length measurement of the system, significantly simplifies the assembly process and improves the controllability of assembly accuracy.

[0030] In one embodiment, at least one first flow channel hole 212 is provided on the elastic sealing part 21 in the region between the first sealing lip 210 and the second sealing lip 211, and a third sealing lip 213 is provided at the first flow channel hole 212.

[0031] By providing a first flow channel hole 212 on the elastic sealing part 21, the pressure-bearing sealing gasket 20 has the function of allowing fluid medium to flow.

[0032] In one embodiment, a pressure-bearing part 22 is provided, and the pressure-bearing part 22 is fixedly disposed on the inner circumferential side of the elastic sealing part 21.

[0033] In one embodiment, the pressure-bearing part 22 is fixedly disposed on the outer periphery of the elastic sealing part 21.

[0034] In one embodiment, the pressure-bearing part 22 is fixedly disposed in the area between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the elastic sealing part 21.

[0035] Preferably, the pressure-bearing part 22 is fixedly disposed on the outer periphery of the elastic sealing part 21.

[0036] In one embodiment, two pressure-bearing parts 22 are provided. The first pressure-bearing part 22 is provided on the inner peripheral side of the elastic sealing part 21, and the second pressure-bearing part 22 is provided on the outer peripheral side of the elastic sealing part 21.

[0037] In one embodiment, the first pressure-bearing part 22 is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the elastic sealing part 21, and the second pressure-bearing part 22 is disposed in the area between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the elastic sealing part 21.

[0038] In one embodiment, the first pressure-bearing part 22 is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the elastic sealing part 21, and the second pressure-bearing part 22 is disposed in the area between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the elastic sealing part 21.

[0039] In one embodiment, at least three pressure-bearing parts 22 are provided, wherein two pressure-bearing parts 22 are respectively provided on the inner and outer peripheral sides of the elastic sealing part 21, and the remaining pressure-bearing parts 22 are radially spaced in the region between the outer and inner peripheral sides of the elastic sealing part 21.

[0040] In one embodiment, one pressure-bearing portion 22 is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the elastic sealing portion 21, and the remaining pressure-bearing portion 22 is disposed in the area between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the elastic sealing portion 21.

[0041] In one embodiment, one pressure-bearing portion 22 is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the elastic sealing portion 21, and the remaining pressure-bearing portion 22 is disposed in the area between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the elastic sealing portion 21.

[0042] The above provides various arrangements of the pressure-bearing parts 22, which can be selected according to the actual working conditions. When two or more pressure-bearing parts 22 are set, the pressure-bearing capacity and sealing reliability of the gasket can be further improved.

[0043] In one embodiment, the pressure-bearing part 22 is disposed between the upper and lower surfaces of the elastic sealing part 21 along the axial direction.

[0044] In one embodiment, the outer surface of the rigid frame 220 is entirely or partially covered with an elastic covering layer 221.

[0045] Specifically, the elastic coating layer 221 is made of rubber material, which can be made of any one of EPDM rubber, fluororubber, silicone rubber or hydrogenated nitrile rubber. Preferably, the fluororubber is perfluororubber. Of course, the elastic coating layer 221 can also be made of other known rubber materials with roughly the same properties, which will not be listed here.

[0046] Specifically, the rigid frame 220 can be a single structure or composed of multiple segments, and the rigid frame 220 is ring-shaped as a whole.

[0047] By setting the elastic covering layer 221, the chemical erosion of the rigid skeleton 220 by the corrosive medium in the system can be effectively blocked, while providing a controllable elastic deformation margin in the thickness direction to prevent damage to the seal due to excessive compression.

[0048] In one embodiment, the pressure-bearing part 22 and the elastic sealing part 21 are an integral structure, and the pressure-bearing part 22 is joined to the elastic sealing part 21 through a vulcanization molding process. The vulcanization molding process achieves chemical bonding at the molecular level between the pressure-bearing part 22 and the elastic sealing part 21.

[0049] In one embodiment, the pressure-bearing part 22 and the elastic sealing part 21 are separate mechanisms, and the pressure-bearing part 22 is mechanically connected to the elastic sealing part 21 through a mechanical fitting structure. The mechanical fitting structure achieves a physical interlocking connection between the pressure-bearing part 22 and the elastic sealing part 21.

[0050] Specifically, the mechanical fitting structure can be either a snap-fit ​​or a socket-fit.

[0051] In one embodiment, at least one fourth sealing lip 214 is provided radially on the elastic sealing portion 21. The fourth sealing lip 214 is disposed between the first sealing lip 210 and the second sealing lip 211. The first flow channel hole 212 is disposed on the elastic sealing portion 21 between the fourth sealing lip 214 and the second sealing lip 211. The distance between the fourth sealing lip 214 and the first sealing lip 210 is smaller than the distance between the fourth sealing lip 214 and the second sealing lip 21.

[0052] Specifically, the fourth sealing lip 214 can be provided with two or more rings at radial intervals according to actual sealing needs.

[0053] It can be seen that by setting the fourth sealing lip 214, multi-level sealing of the gasket is achieved, forming a zoned progressive sealing protection system, which improves the sealing effect of the gasket.

[0054] In one embodiment, the first sealing lip 210, the second sealing lip 211, and the fourth sealing lip 214 each include a first lip body 2100 and a second lip body 2101. The first lip body 2100 protrudes from the first surface 215 of the elastic sealing portion 21; the second lip body 2101 protrudes from the second surface 216 of the elastic sealing portion 21, and the first surface 215 and the second surface 216 are opposite surfaces; the third sealing lip 213 includes a third lip body and a fourth lip body. The third lip body protrudes from the first surface 215 of the elastic sealing portion 21, and the fourth lip body protrudes from the second surface 216 of the elastic sealing portion 21.

[0055] In one embodiment, the outer surface of the elastic sealing part 21 is entirely or partially covered with a corrosion-resistant layer 217.

[0056] Specifically, the corrosion-resistant layer 217 is made of corrosion- and oxygen-resistant polymer materials such as PTFE. It can be physically bonded to the interface using special adhesives, or chemically bonded to the elastic sealing part 21 using a rubber vulcanization reaction. The corrosion-resistant layer 217 can be configured according to the corrosion and oxygen resistance requirements of the elastic substrate and specific design requirements. The covering form (full circumference or partial) is determined according to the sealing conditions to enhance the chemical stability of the composite gasket.

[0057] In one embodiment, the elastic sealing part 21 is made of any one of the following materials: EPDM rubber, fluororubber, silicone rubber or hydrogenated nitrile rubber. Preferably, the fluororubber is perfluororubber. The elastic sealing part 21 can be made by precision injection or compression molding.

[0058] Of course, the elastic sealing part 21 can also be made of other known rubber materials with roughly the same properties, which will not be listed here.

[0059] In one embodiment, the rigid skeleton 220 is made of any material such as metal, metal wire mesh, resin, plastic, glass, ceramic, ceramic-metal composite material or fiber-reinforced rubber, and the rigid skeleton 220 can be obtained by machining or injection molding.

[0060] Of course, the rigid frame 220 can also be made of other known rigid materials with roughly the same properties, which will not be listed here.

[0061] In one embodiment, the pressure-bearing part 22 and the elastic sealing part 21 are an integral structure. The pressure-bearing part 22 is joined to the elastic sealing part 21 by a vulcanization molding process. The pressure-bearing part 22 is provided with radially distributed radial positioning parts 222 and axial positioning parts 223.

[0062] Specifically, the radial positioning part 222 consists of a plurality of first positioning grooves 2220 distributed radially on the rigid frame 220, and the axial positioning part 223 consists of a plurality of second positioning grooves 2230 distributed radially on the rigid frame 220.

[0063] Specifically, the radial positioning part 222 and the axial positioning part 223 are equally distributed, and their quantity and type are determined according to the product size specifications and molding / injection process characteristics, so as to achieve precise positioning and structural stability control of the rigid skeleton 220 during the vulcanization process.

[0064] Secondly, please refer to Figure 6 As shown, this embodiment of the invention also proposes a sealing structure for an electrochemical device, which includes a first electrode frame 10, a second electrode frame 11, a diaphragm 13, and the aforementioned pressure-bearing sealing gasket 20. The first electrode frame 10 and the second electrode frame 11 are stacked along the height direction, with the first electrode frame 10 located above the second electrode frame 11. The internal region of the combination of the first electrode frame 10 and the second electrode frame 11 serves as a reaction region 24. The diaphragm 13 is disposed within the reaction region 24 to divide the reaction region 24 into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. Second flow channels are correspondingly provided on the first electrode frame 10 and the second electrode frame 11. Hole 100; a pressure-bearing gasket 20 is clamped and sealed between the first pole frame 10 and the second pole frame 11. The sealing surfaces of the first pole frame 10 and the second pole frame 11 in contact with the pressure-bearing gasket 20 are both planar structures with a preset roughness. The outer edge of the diaphragm 13 is pressed and sealed on the second pole frame 11 by the first sealing ring 210 of the pressure-bearing gasket 20. The first flow channel hole 212 is sealed and connected to the second flow channel hole 100 on the first pole frame 10 and the second pole frame 11 through the third sealing lip 213 to form the fluid flow channel required for the operation of the equipment.

[0065] Specifically, the electrochemical device in this embodiment is a pressure-type water electrolysis hydrogen production device, and the sealing structure is suitable for the electrolysis cell of the hydrogen production device.

[0066] Specifically, an inner sealing region 25 is formed between the first sealing lip 210 and the fourth sealing lip 214 of the pressure-bearing gasket 20; an intermediate sealing region 26 is formed between the fourth sealing lip 214 and the second sealing lip 211; and an outer sealing region 27 is formed by the pressure-bearing portion 22 outside the second sealing lip 211. The inner sealing region 25: Its core function is to prevent fluid leakage from the reaction region 24 to the outside, avoiding the degradation of electrochemical reaction efficiency and potential equipment safety risks due to media loss. A first sealing lip 210 is configured inside this region, which effectively reduces the surface contact stress of the diaphragm 13 through a flexible contact and compression deformation mechanism, thereby achieving a reliable seal at the interface of the diaphragm 13. Intermediate sealing area 26: Primarily responsible for preventing fluid leakage and isolating cross-contamination within the flow channel, while also meeting specific sealing conditions. A third sealing lip 213 is independently installed at the location of the tank flow channel to enhance the sealing integrity of the flow channel system and prevent cross-contamination and abnormal internal / external leakage of fluids. External sealing area 27: As a terminal protection barrier, it is used to intercept liquids that may leak from inside, prevent them from escaping into the external environment of the tank, and ensure the safe operation of the equipment and the occupational health protection of on-site personnel.

[0067] The sealing structure of the electrochemical equipment proposed in this invention can ensure zero leakage sealing throughout the entire life cycle of the electrochemical equipment under extreme working environments such as high temperature, high pressure, corrosive electrolyte, and oxygen-rich and hydrogen-rich coupling, thus ensuring continuous and stable operation of pressure-type electrochemical equipment throughout its life cycle.

[0068] It should be noted that the present invention provides two different embodiments of the pressure-bearing sealing gasket 20 and the corresponding sealing structure. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3 and Figure 6 In this embodiment, the pressure-bearing sealing gasket 20 has a first flow channel hole 212 to cooperate with the first pole frame 10 and the second pole frame 11, which have a second flow channel hole 100; please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the pressure-bearing sealing gasket 20 of this embodiment does not have flow channel holes, but the other structures are roughly the same as those of the other embodiments.

[0069] It should be noted that the pressure-bearing sealing gasket proposed in this invention is not limited to electrochemical equipment, but can also be applied to other equipment with the same sealing requirements.

[0070] The elastic sealing part 21 of the sealing structure of the aforementioned electrochemical device is made of rubber elastomer. Based on the rebound characteristics of the elastic sealing part 21 and the self-sealing effect of the sealing lip, the electrode frame does not need to be machined with a specific sealing structure. It only needs to control the surface roughness within the range of Ra 1.6~3.2μm to meet the sealing requirements. This roughness level is within the scope of conventional machining, which can reduce manufacturing costs and improve the price competitiveness of the product in cost-sensitive markets. When the sealing performance deteriorates or the system is upgraded, functional improvements can be achieved by independently optimizing the sealing structure. The electrode frame maintains a general design, enhancing the adaptability to leakage faults and product evolution.

[0071] The elastic sealing part 21 of the aforementioned electrochemical device is surrounded by a pressure-bearing part 22, which effectively suppresses the extrusion failure of the outer edge material caused by overload radial load (internal fluid pressure) under high cell pressure conditions. Simultaneously, the rubber elastomer has a higher coefficient of friction than PTFE, further limiting the radial slippage tendency of the sealing gasket. This dual mechanism works synergistically to significantly improve sealing reliability under high cell pressure conditions, providing effective sealing technology support for the development of next-generation high-pressure electrolytic cells.

[0072] The high elasticity of the rubber elastomer in the sealing structure of the aforementioned electrochemical device endows it with excellent surface adhesion, enabling it to effectively compensate for surface roughness and flatness defects of the electrode frame. This reduces the required machining precision compared to PTFE sealing units and allows it to absorb assembly errors. The elastic properties also reduce the dependence on the thickness accuracy of the sealing gasket, which helps control the manufacturing costs of the electrode frame and sealing gasket. The assembly process only needs to ensure the compression of the electrode frame and skeleton, eliminating the need for precision machining due to assembly errors. Only the dimensional accuracy of the rubber sealing unit needs to be confirmed, significantly reducing assembly complexity.

[0073] The low elastic modulus of the rubber material in the sealing structure of the aforementioned electrochemical equipment reduces the required clamping force by 1-2 orders of magnitude compared to PTFE sealing structures when reaching design compression, and eliminates the need for secondary thermal tightening, significantly reducing assembly difficulty. Simultaneously, the reduced clamping force relaxes the requirements for electrode frame material strength and wall thickness, allowing for the direct selection of lightweight materials such as corrosion-resistant plastics; the specifications of connecting parts can also be reduced accordingly, eliminating the need for multi-layer disc springs or large-diameter bolts, providing greater design freedom for lightweight tank design and structural optimization.

[0074] The high elasticity and low creep characteristics of the rubber material in the sealing structure of the aforementioned electrochemical equipment enable it to have reversible elastic recovery capability within a reasonable compression range, without irreversible plastic deformation after assembly and application. If secondary disassembly is required due to assembly deviations, the sealing gasket can be reinstalled after cleaning; if disassembly is required again for maintenance, it can be reused after cleaning and re-measuring of key sealing dimensions. Those that meet the tolerance limits after re-measuring can be reused. This reusability significantly extends the service life of the sealing unit and reduces maintenance costs and downtime.

[0075] The rubber material of the sealing structure of the aforementioned electrochemical equipment possesses excellent adaptability to molding and injection molding processes, and can be precisely molded into geometric lip sealing units after vulcanization. During assembly, the compression deformation of the sealing lip provides the initial sealing specific pressure, ensuring sealing reliability under low-pressure conditions. As the internal pressure of the electrolyzer increases, the sealing lip generates a 'self-sealing' effect under the action of the medium pressure, dynamically enhancing the sealing performance. This mechanism effectively compensates for operating condition disturbances such as pressure fluctuations, temperature changes, and structural deformation, providing a reliable sealing technology foundation for the electrolyzer to adapt to a wide range of power fluctuation conditions in wind, solar, and hydrogen production systems, significantly improving the dynamic load response capability and long-term stable sealing stability of the electrolyzer.

[0076] The sealing lip geometry parameters of the aforementioned electrochemical equipment's sealing structure can be customized based on the specific design boundary conditions (working pressure, temperature, media characteristics, and sealing grade) of the electrolytic cell system, achieving a precise match between sealing performance and system requirements. Compared to traditional PTFE sealing units, rubber materials have extremely low stress relaxation rates and compression set, exhibiting almost no creep decay throughout their service life. This eliminates the need for periodic re-tightening maintenance, significantly reducing system operation and maintenance costs and downtime frequency, and improving overall operating efficiency and economy.

[0077] The elastic sealing part 21 of the sealing structure of the aforementioned electrochemical device features a sealing lip structure at the diaphragm. Relying on the extremely low compression set and excellent elastic recovery of rubber, the required compressive force is far lower than that of traditional sealing materials such as PTFE, significantly reducing the mechanical load on the diaphragm while ensuring reliable sealing. This characteristic effectively alleviates the dependence on the tensile strength of the diaphragm material, significantly broadening the selection space for diaphragm materials and enabling the application of lightweight, low-cost, low-compressive-strength, and function-oriented diaphragm materials. It achieves performance decoupling between the sealing structure and the diaphragm material, realizing system lightweighting, cost control, and process simplification while ensuring sealing performance, thus improving overall technical economy and engineering feasibility.

[0078] The above embodiments merely illustrate the basic principles and characteristics of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the above examples. Various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A pressure-bearing sealing gasket, characterized in that, The pressure-bearing gasket includes an elastic sealing portion and at least one pressure-bearing portion, wherein: The elastic sealing part is made of rubber material, and a central hole is provided on the elastic sealing part. At least one first sealing lip and at least one second sealing lip are provided radially spaced on the elastic sealing part. The first sealing lip is located close to the central hole, and the second sealing lip is located away from the central hole. The pressure-bearing portion is disposed on the elastic sealing portion, the pressure-bearing portion includes a rigid frame, and the pressure-bearing portion is configured to limit the amount of compression of the elastic sealing portion in the axial direction and to limit the amount of displacement of the elastic sealing portion in the radial direction away from the central hole when compressed.

2. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic sealing part has at least one first flow channel hole in the area between the first sealing lip and the second sealing lip, and a third sealing lip is provided at the first flow channel hole.

3. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, One pressure-bearing part is provided, and the pressure-bearing part is fixedly disposed on the inner circumferential side of the elastic sealing part; Alternatively, the pressure-bearing part can be fixedly disposed on the outer periphery of the elastic sealing part; Alternatively, the pressure-bearing portion is fixedly disposed in the area between the outer and inner peripheral sides of the elastic sealing portion.

4. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The pressure-bearing part is provided in two parts. The first pressure-bearing part is provided on the inner circumferential side of the elastic sealing part, and the second pressure-bearing part is provided on the outer circumferential side of the elastic sealing part. Alternatively, the first pressure-bearing part is disposed on the inner circumferential side of the elastic sealing part, and the second pressure-bearing part is disposed in the area between the outer circumferential side and the inner circumferential side of the elastic sealing part; Alternatively, the first pressure-bearing part is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the elastic sealing part, and the second pressure-bearing part is disposed in the area between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the elastic sealing part.

5. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The pressure-bearing part is provided in at least three, wherein two of the pressure-bearing parts are respectively provided on the inner circumferential side and the outer circumferential side of the elastic sealing part, and the remaining pressure-bearing parts are radially spaced in the area between the outer circumferential side and the inner circumferential side of the elastic sealing part. Alternatively, one of the pressure-bearing portions is disposed on the inner circumferential side of the elastic seal, and the remaining pressure-bearing portions are disposed in the region between the outer circumferential side and the inner circumferential side of the elastic seal. Alternatively, one of the pressure-bearing portions may be disposed on the outer peripheral side of the elastic seal, and the remaining pressure-bearing portions may be disposed in the region between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the elastic seal.

6. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The pressure-bearing part is disposed between the upper and lower surfaces of the elastic sealing part along the axial direction.

7. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The outer surface of the rigid frame is entirely or partially covered with an elastic covering layer.

8. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The pressure-bearing part and the elastic sealing part are an integral structure, and the pressure-bearing part is joined to the elastic sealing part by a vulcanization molding process; Alternatively, the pressure-bearing part and the elastic sealing part are separate mechanisms, and the pressure-bearing part is mechanically connected to the elastic sealing part through a mechanical fitting structure.

9. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic sealing part is further provided with at least one fourth sealing lip along the radial direction, wherein: The fourth sealing lip is disposed between the first sealing lip and the second sealing lip, and the first flow channel hole is disposed on the elastic sealing portion between the fourth sealing lip and the second sealing lip; The distance between the fourth sealing lip and the first sealing lip is less than the distance between the fourth sealing lip and the second sealing lip.

10. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first sealing lip, the second sealing lip, and the fourth sealing lip each include a first lip body and a second lip body, wherein: The first lip body is provided to protrude from the first surface of the elastic sealing portion; The second lip body protrudes from the second surface of the elastic sealing portion, and the first surface and the second surface are opposite surfaces; The third sealing lip includes a third lip body and a fourth lip body. The third lip body protrudes from the first surface of the elastic sealing portion, and the fourth lip body protrudes from the second surface of the elastic sealing portion.

11. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The outer surface of the elastic sealing part is entirely or partially covered with a corrosion-resistant layer.

12. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The elastic sealing part is made of any one of the following materials: EPDM rubber, fluororubber, silicone rubber, or hydrogenated nitrile rubber.

13. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The rigid skeleton is made of any one of the following materials: metal, metal mesh, resin, plastic, plastic mesh, glass, ceramic, ceramic-metal composite material, or fiber-reinforced rubber.

14. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket according to claim 7, characterized in that, The pressure-bearing part and the elastic sealing part are an integral structure. The pressure-bearing part is joined to the elastic sealing part by a vulcanization molding process. The pressure-bearing part is provided with radially distributed radial positioning parts and axial positioning parts.

15. A sealing structure for an electrochemical device, characterized in that, The sealing structure of the electrochemical device includes a first electrode frame, a second electrode frame, a diaphragm, and a pressure-bearing sealing gasket as described in any one of claims 2-14, wherein: The first pole frame and the second pole frame are stacked along the height direction, with the first pole frame located above the second pole frame. The internal region of the combination of the first pole frame and the second pole frame serves as the reaction region. The diaphragm is disposed within the reaction region to divide the reaction region into an upper cavity and a lower cavity. The first pole frame and the second pole frame are respectively provided with second flow channel holes. The pressure-bearing sealing gasket is clamped and sealed between the first pole frame and the second pole frame, and the sealing surfaces of the first pole frame and the second pole frame that contact the pressure-bearing sealing gasket are both planar structures with a preset roughness. The outer edge of the diaphragm is pressed and sealed to the second pole frame by the first sealing ring of the pressure-bearing sealing gasket. The first flow channel hole is sealed and connected to the second flow channel hole on the first pole frame and the second pole frame by the third sealing lip to form the fluid flow channel required for the operation of the equipment.

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