Electrochemical Cell Frame Seal for Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrochemical cells with gas diffusion electrodes face challenges in achieving adequate sealing to prevent electrolyte leakage and ensure easy replacement of electrodes, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to welding and potential leakage through bores.
Innovation Solution
An electrochemical cell design featuring a peripheral frame seal with overlapping profiles and a deformable sealing cord, which provides a secure seal between the anode and cathode half-shells, allowing for easy installation and removal of gas diffusion electrodes while minimizing inactive sealing surface and preventing electrolyte leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If welding is used to fasten gas diffusion electrodes, then electrical insulation between anode and cathode is ensured, but electrode replacement becomes difficult and active electrode surface is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The frame seal is divided into multiple profiles (first profile, second profile, third profile) that perform different functions: the first profile provides electrical insulation, while the second and third profiles provide sealing. This segmentation allows the frame seal to maintain electrical insulation through the insulating first profile while enabling easy electrode replacement through the removable sealing profiles.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame seal acts as an intermediary component between the anode and cathode half-shells, providing both electrical insulation and sealing functions. The deformable sealing cord serves as an intermediary sealing element that can be compressed to ensure sealing while allowing for electrode removal and replacement.
2Reliability
If frame seal with multiple profiles is used, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sealing functions are merged into a single frame seal component with integrated profiles. The first profile provides electrical insulation, while the second and third profiles provide sealing at different locations, combining multiple functions in one element rather than using separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame seal serves multiple functions simultaneously: electrical insulation through the first profile, sealing between half-shells through the second profile, and sealing around the gas diffusion electrode through the third profile. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components.
3Reliability
If deformable sealing cord is added, then sealing against electrolyte leakage is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing cord's deformability is utilized to change its physical state during assembly. The cord can be compressed during installation to ensure sealing, and its material properties allow it to deform and conform to the sealing surface, providing reliable sealing while simplifying the assembly process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design ensures a reliable seal, reduces leakage, facilitates electrode replacement, and maximizes the active electrode surface area for effective electrochemical reactions, while maintaining electrical insulation between the anode and cathode.
Implementation Method 1
the electrolyte, due to capillary action, would penetrate into these fine-pored structures and fill them
Implementation Method 2
the formation of a liquid column in a liquid at rest, as is the case in the electrolyte solution, means, for example, that the hydrostatic pressure is highest at the lower end of the column
Implementation Method 3
The electrochemical conversion takes place within these electrodes only at the so-called three-phase boundary. The three-phase boundary is the area where the gas, electrolyte and metallic conductor meet
Implementation Method 4
in electrolysis, electrical energy is converted into chemical energy. This is achieved by breaking down a chemical compound when exposed to an electric current
Implementation Method 5
In order for the catalysts to be particularly effective, their surface area must be large. This is achieved by using fine or porous powders with an inner surface
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to an electrochemical cell, comprising an anode half-shell (14) and a cathode half-shell (15) which are separated from one another by a membrane (8), having the corresponding electrodes, and the anode half-shell (14) and the cathode half-shell (15) each have an outer wall (12, 13), each outer wall having in the contact region of both half-shells flange regions (16, 17) which are designed as a frame, and the flange regions (16 and 17) have assembly holes (4) which mark an inner region (23) and an outer region (24) of the electrochemical cell and a gas diffusion electrode (6) which rests on a support system (7), and a porous medium (9) which is located above the gas diffusion electrode (6), and devices for delivering and removing gas (18, 19) and electrolyte. The invention is in particular characterised in that at least one peripheral frame seal (3) is provided in the contact region of both half-shells between the frame-like flange regions (16 and 17) of the outer walls (12 and 13) of both half-shells, and said seal rests on the membrane (8), wherein the porous medium (9) and the gas diffusion electrode (6) are located on the frame-like cathodic flange region (17) and in said region the peripheral frame seal (3) overlaps the porous medium (9) and the gas diffusion electrode (5), wherein said overlap region (2) has at least two profiled areas (1), wherein the peripheral frame seal has at least one further profiled area (22) in the contact region of both half-shells between the frame-like flange regions (16 and 17) outside the overlap region of the porous medium (9) and the gas diffusion electrode (6) and/or at least one deformable sealing cord is arranged, wherein the further profiled area (22) and/or the deformable sealing cord (5) is disposed in the inner region (23) of the electrochemical cell.