Method for manufacturing 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 provided in the metal substrate (10) by means of laser drilling. According to the invention, the metal substrate (10) is preloaded at least for a laser drilling step. The invention also relates to a method for producing an electrochemical cell, in particular a fuel cell or an electrolytic cell. According to the invention, in at least one production step, a metal substrate (10) is manufactured by means of the previously mentioned method. The present invention also relates to a metal substrate (10) which is manufactured in at least one production step by means of the previously mentioned method. The invention additionally relates to an electrochemical cell, in particular fuel cell or electrolytic cell, comprising a metal substrate which is manufactured in at least one production step by means of the previously mentioned method.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] title

[0003] Method for producing a metal substrate, method for producing an electrochemical cell, and metal substrate and electrochemical cell

[0004] 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.

[0005] The invention also relates to a method for producing an electrochemical cell, in particular a fuel cell or an electrolysis cell.

[0006] The present invention also relates to a metal substrate.

[0007] Furthermore, the invention relates to an electrochemical cell, in particular a fuel cell or electrolysis cell, comprising a metal substrate.

[0008] State of the art

[0009] 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.

[0010] Disclosure of the invention

[0011] 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 is enabled.

[0012] 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. Other materials or layers can preferably be applied to the metal substrate. The metal substrate is preferably a metal sheet.

[0013] In the context of the present invention, an “electrochemical cell” can be understood in particular to mean 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 or become a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) or 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).

[0014] In the context of this invention, "prestressing" is understood in particular to mean the intentional creation of stress 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.

[0015] 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. Within the context of the present invention, "predetermined" can be understood in particular to mean that a variable or a plurality of variables, in this case preferably the force or forces for prestressing the metal substrate, are determined, preferably specified or ascertained, in advance, in particular before the production of the metal substrate.

[0016] It is also advantageous if the prestressing force is determined based on a deformation of the metal substrate, especially one that is expected. This allows for a particularly targeted and even more effective prestressing, which further minimizes thermal distortion.

[0017] 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.

[0018] It is also advantageous if the prestressing force is determined based 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.

[0019] 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 using laser drilling. This also allows for a particularly targeted and even more effective prestressing, which further minimizes thermal distortion.

[0020] 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 preceding 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 overall production of the electrochemical cell simpler, faster, and thus more cost-effective. The present invention also relates to a metal substrate.The metal substrate has the advantage that it has been manufactured in at least one manufacturing step by means of a method according to the preceding description. As a result, the metal substrate has less or almost no permanent thermal distortion, which in turn makes the manufacture of other products, such as electrochemical cells, easier, faster and therefore also more cost-effective.

[0021] 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 less or almost no permanent thermal distortion, which in turn makes the production of the electrochemical cell simpler, faster, and thus more cost-effective. Accordingly, the electrochemical cell can also be offered on the market at a lower cost.

[0022] Drawings

[0023] The drawings schematically illustrate embodiments of the invention and explain them in more detail in the following description.

[0024] Fig. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a metal substrate, and

[0025] Fig. 2 shows a cross section of the embodiment of the metal substrate from Fig. 1 .

[0026] Description of the embodiments

[0027] Fig. 1 shows a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a metal substrate 10, in this case for an electrochemical cell, while 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 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. As a result, thermal distortion of the metal substrate can be minimized or almost completely avoided. Accordingly, complex cooling during laser drilling or a subsequent, complex straightening process can be omitted. Furthermore, 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] In the illustrated embodiment, the metal substrate 10 is prestressed by at least one force, in this case a predetermined force, 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] The deformation or energy input can be determined using a model calculation, a simulation, and / or empirical knowledge. 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 numerous holes in the metal substrate by laser drilling. This also allows for a particularly targeted and even more effective prestress, which further minimizes thermal distortion.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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 manufactured in this way to be offered on the market at a lower cost.

Claims

Claims 1 . 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 by means of laser drilling, characterized in that the metal substrate (10) is prestressed for at least one step of the laser drilling.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in 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 in that the force (F1, F2, F3, F4) for the 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 in that the force (F1, F2, F3, F4) for the prestressing is determined as a function of an, in particular expected, energy input into the metal substrate (10).

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in 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 in 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 introducing the plurality of holes into the metal substrate (10) by means of laser drilling.

7. A method for producing an electrochemical cell, in particular a fuel cell or an electrolysis cell, characterized in that in at least one production 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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