Method for producing a metal substrate, method for producing an electrochemical cell, and metal substrate and electrochemical cell

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a metal substrate (10), in particular for an electrochemical cell, wherein a plurality of holes are introduced into the metal substrate (10) by means of laser drilling. It is proposed to prestress the metal substrate (10) for at least one step of the laser drilling. The invention also relates to a method for producing an electrochemical cell, in particular a fuel cell or an electrolysis cell. It is proposed to produce a metal substrate (10) using the aforementioned method in at least one production step. The present invention also relates to a metal substrate (10) which is manufactured in at least one manufacturing step by means of the above-mentioned method. Furthermore, the invention relates to an electrochemical cell, in particular a fuel cell or electrolysis cell, comprising a metal substrate which is manufactured in at least one manufacturing step by means of the above-mentioned method.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a metal substrate, in particular for an electrochemical cell, wherein a plurality of holes are introduced into the metal substrate by means of laser drilling.

[0002] The invention also relates to a method for producing an electrochemical cell, in particular a fuel cell or an electrolysis cell.

[0003] The present invention also relates to a metal substrate.

[0004] Furthermore, the invention relates to an electrochemical cell, in particular a fuel cell or electrolysis cell, comprising a metal substrate. State of the art

[0005] There are known processes in which a metal substrate is perforated using laser drilling. This frequently results in thermal distortion of the metal substrate, which requires complex cooling during laser drilling or a complex straightening process of the metal substrate afterward. Disclosure of the invention

[0006] The present invention, with the features of the main claim, has the advantage that the metal substrate is prestressed for at least one step of the laser drilling process. This minimizes or virtually eliminates thermal distortion of the metal substrate. Accordingly, complex cooling during laser drilling or a subsequent, complex straightening process can be eliminated. Furthermore, a more stable process control is enabled.

[0007] In the context of the present invention, a "metal substrate" can be understood to mean, in particular, a thin layer or carrier made of metal. Preferably, other materials or layers can be applied to the metal substrate. The metal substrate is preferably a metal sheet.

[0008] In the context of the present invention, an “electrochemical cell” can be understood to mean, in particular, a cell which is intended to convert chemical energy into electrical energy or vice versa. An electrochemical cell can, for example, be a fuel cell, which in particular enables the conversion of a fuel, e.g. hydrogen, into electrical energy, or an electrolysis cell, which in particular enables the conversion of electrical energy into chemical energy, preferably for storage. In the case of a fuel cell, this can be designed, for example, as a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) or, for example, as a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC).In the case of an electrolysis cell, this can be designed as a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) or as a proton exchange membrane electrolysis cell (PEMEC).

[0009] In the context of this invention, "prestressing" is understood in particular to mean that a stress is intentionally created in a component or structure before it is subjected to an external load. In particular, the strength, stiffness, or stability of the component or structure is to be increased by already creating an internal stress that can counteract the opposing external load.

[0010] The features listed in the subclaims enable advantageous developments of the invention according to the main claim. It is advantageous if the metal substrate is prestressed by means of at least one, in particular predetermined, force in at least one direction or a plurality of directions, preferably parallel to a main extension plane of the metal substrate. This enables effective prestressing of the metal substrate.

[0011] In the context of the present invention, “predetermined” can be understood in particular to mean that a variable or a plurality of variables, in the present case preferably the force or forces for prestressing the metal substrate, are determined, preferably fixed or ascertained, in advance, in particular before the production of the metal substrate.

[0012] It is also advantageous if the prestressing force is determined depending on the expected deformation of the metal substrate. This allows for a particularly targeted and even more effective prestressing, which further minimizes thermal distortion.

[0013] It is also advantageous if the prestressing force is determined based on the expected energy input into the metal substrate. This also allows for a particularly targeted and even more effective prestressing, which further minimizes thermal distortion.

[0014] It is also advantageous if the prestressing force is determined depending on a, particularly predetermined, hole distribution that is to be created by laser drilling the numerous holes into the metal substrate. This also allows for a particularly targeted and even more effective prestressing, which further minimizes thermal distortion.

[0015] It is also advantageous if the prestressing force is determined depending on a, in particular, predetermined, hole density that is to be created by creating the large number of holes in the metal substrate by laser drilling. This also allows for a particularly targeted and even more effective prestressing, which further minimizes thermal distortion.

[0016] The invention also relates to a method for producing an electrochemical cell, in particular a fuel cell or an electrolysis cell. The method for producing the electrochemical cell has the advantage that, in at least one production step, a metal substrate is manufactured using a method according to the above description. This also minimizes or virtually eliminates thermal distortion of the metal substrate. Accordingly, complex cooling during laser drilling or a subsequent, complex straightening process can be eliminated. This, in turn, makes the production of the electrochemical cell as a whole simpler, faster, and thus more cost-effective.

[0017] The present invention also relates to a metal substrate. The metal substrate has the advantage of being manufactured in at least one manufacturing step using a method according to the above description. As a result, the metal substrate exhibits less or almost no permanent thermal distortion, which in turn makes the production of other products, such as electrochemical cells, easier, faster, and thus more cost-effective.

[0018] Furthermore, the invention relates to an electrochemical cell, in particular a fuel cell or electrolysis cell, comprising a metal substrate. The electrochemical cell has the advantage that the metal substrate has been manufactured in at least one manufacturing step using a method according to the above description. As a result, the metal substrate exhibits little or almost no permanent thermal distortion, which in turn makes the production of the electrochemical cell simpler, faster, and thus also more cost-effective. Accordingly, the electrochemical cell can also be offered on the market at a lower cost. Drawings

[0019] Embodiments of the invention are shown schematically in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description. Fig. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a metal substrate, and Fig. 2 a cross section of the embodiment of the metal substrate from Fig. 1. Description of the embodiments

[0020] In Fig. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a metal substrate 10, in this case for an electrochemical cell, while in Fig.2 shows a cross-section of this metal substrate 10. The metal substrate 10 is to be manufactured according to the present method. According to the present method, a plurality of holes are introduced into the metal substrate 10 by means of laser drilling, wherein the metal substrate 10 is prestressed for at least one step of the laser drilling, in this case for the entire period in which the laser drilling takes place. This can minimize or almost completely prevent thermal distortion of the metal substrate. Accordingly, complex cooling during laser drilling or a subsequent, complex straightening process can be eliminated. In addition, a more stable process control is enabled. Furthermore, the manufacture of other products, such as electrochemical cells, can be carried out more easily, more quickly, and thus also more cost-effectively using a correspondingly manufactured metal substrate 10.

[0021] In the illustrated embodiment, the metal substrate 10 is prestressed by means of a prestressing tool 12. The prestressing tool 12 comprises four clamping elements 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, which grip and prestress the metal substrate 10.

[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, the metal substrate 10 is prestressed by at least one force, in this case predetermined, in at least one or a plurality of directions, in this case by four predetermined forces F1, F2, F3, and F4 in different directions. This enables effective prestressing of the metal substrate.

[0023] In the case shown, the metal substrate is prestressed by means of the four predetermined forces F1, F2, F3 and F4 in different directions parallel to the main extension plane of the metal substrate 10, or in the present case perpendicular to the direction of incidence of the laser by means of which the laser drilling is carried out.

[0024] In the case shown, the forces F1, F2, F3, and F4 for prestressing the metal substrate 10 are determined depending on the expected deformation of the metal substrate 10. This allows for a particularly targeted and even more effective prestressing, which further minimizes thermal distortion.

[0025] Alternatively, it would also be possible to determine the forces F1, F2, F3, and F4 for prestressing the metal substrate 10 as a function of, for example, an expected energy input into the metal substrate 10. This also allows for a particularly targeted and even more effective prestressing, which further minimizes thermal distortion.

[0026] The deformation or energy input can be determined using a model calculation, a simulation and / or empirical knowledge.

[0027] Alternatively, it would also be possible to determine the forces F1, F2, F3, and F4 for prestressing the metal substrate 10 depending on, for example, a predetermined hole distribution that is to be created by creating the plurality of holes in the metal substrate by laser drilling. This also allows for a particularly targeted and even more effective prestressing, which further minimizes thermal distortion.

[0028] Alternatively, it would also be possible to determine the forces F1, F2, F3, and F4 for prestressing the metal substrate 10 depending, for example, on a predetermined hole density that is to be created by creating the large number of holes in the metal substrate by laser drilling. This also allows for a particularly targeted and even more effective prestressing, which further minimizes thermal distortion.

[0029] In the case shown, the metal substrate 10 is used in at least one manufacturing step for producing an electrochemical cell, for example, a fuel cell or an electrolysis cell, using a method according to the above description. This allows the overall production of the electrochemical cell to be simpler, faster, and thus also more cost-effective. This also allows an electrochemical cell produced in this manner to be offered on the market at a lower cost.

Claims

[1] Method for manufacturing a metal substrate (10), in particular for an electrochemical cell, wherein a plurality of holes are introduced into the metal substrate by means of laser drilling, characterized by that the metal substrate (10) is prestressed for at least one step of laser drilling. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that the metal substrate (10) is prestressed by means of at least one, in particular predetermined, force (F1, F2, F3, F4) in at least one direction or a plurality of directions, preferably parallel to a main extension plane of the metal substrate (10). [3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the force (F1, F2, F3, F4) for prestressing is determined as a function of a, in particular expected, deformation of the metal substrate (10). [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the force (F1, F2, F3, F4) for prestressing is determined as a function of an energy input, in particular an expected one, into the metal substrate (10). [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the force (F1, F2, F3, F4) for the prestressing is determined as a function of a, in particular predetermined, hole distribution which is to be created by the introduction of the plurality of holes into the metal substrate (10) by means of laser drilling. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the force (F1, F2, F3, F4) for the prestressing is determined as a function of a, in particular predetermined, hole density which is to be created by the introduction of the plurality of holes into the metal substrate (10) by means of laser drilling. [7] Process for producing an electrochemical cell, in particular a fuel cell or an electrolysis cell, characterized bythat in at least one manufacturing step a metal substrate (10) is manufactured by means of a method according to the preceding claims. [8] Metal substrate (10) which has been manufactured in at least one manufacturing step by means of a method according to one of the preceding claims. [9] Electrochemical cell, in particular fuel cell or electrolysis cell, comprising a metal substrate (10) which has been manufactured in at least one manufacturing step by means of a method according to one of the preceding claims.

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