Flow Guide Rib Printing With Sacrificial Support for Calendering
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of fluidic circuits for proton exchange membrane fuel cells is hindered by complex manufacturing processes, high costs, and difficulties in reducing thickness and weight, which affect the volume and mass energy density of fuel cells, due to limitations in machining and forming techniques.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a sacrificial elastomer layer to create a flat surface for calendering, allowing for homogeneous stress application and improved conductivity, enabling the use of more conductive inks and alternative deposition techniques such as coating or spraying, which relaxes constraints on ink formulation and reduces the negative effects of calendering on the shape of the fluidic circuit ribs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If machining or forming techniques are used to produce fluidic circuits, then the channels can be created in electrically conductive plates, but the manufacturing process becomes complicated and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing approach from mechanical machining/forming to a deposition-based process using screen printing and calendering. This parameter change in the manufacturing method simplifies the process by eliminating complex machining operations and reducing production costs while maintaining the ability to create precise fluidic circuit channels in bipolar plates
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical machining and forming systems with a deposition and calibration system. Instead of removing material through machining or deforming plates through forming, the invention uses screen printing to deposit conductive ink followed by calendering to create the fluidic circuits, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process
2Weight of moving object
If conventional forming methods are used, then channels can be created in plates, but the thickness and weight reduction is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables thickness and weight reduction by changing the manufacturing parameters to allow for thinner plate formulations. The screen printing and calendering process permits precise control of channel dimensions in thinner plates, breaking the conventional limitation where thinner plates could not maintain adequate channel geometry
Solution Approach 2:
The calendering process uses rollers that apply controlled pressure to deform the plate and create precise channel dimensions. This hydraulic/mechanical pressure application during calendering enables accurate dimension control even in reduced-thickness plates, allowing weight reduction without sacrificing manufacturing precision
3Ease of manufacture
If non-conductive inks are used, then formulation constraints are relaxed, but conductivity of the fluidic circuit is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces calendering as an intermediary process between ink deposition and final product formation. The calendering step compacts the deposited ink and enhances its electrical conductivity, thereby enabling the use of more flexible ink formulations that would otherwise lack sufficient conductivity. This intermediary process mediates between formulation flexibility and conductivity requirements
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
This approach simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces costs, and enhances the conductivity and performance of fluidic circuits, enabling the production of fuel cells with improved energy density and reduced production complexity.
Implementation Method 1
removing the first sacrificial layer
Implementation Method 2
removing the first sacrificial layer
Implementation Method 3
calendering at least the ribs of the second flow guide
Implementation Method 4
Printing, on a first face of the substrate, a first sacrificial layer based on a first elastomer by screen printing using the first mesh screen
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6A
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a flow guide for an electrochemical reactor, comprising supplying a mesh screen 11 having openings 111 configured to form at least one negative of a pattern 21 of ribs 211 of a first flow guide 1, printing, on a face 101 of a substrate 10, a sacrificial layer 31 based on an elastomer by screen printing using the mesh screen, deposition, on the first face of the substrate, of a non-sacrificial layer 33 based on a printing ink to form the ribs of the first flow guide, and manufacturing, then calendering, on the second face 102 of the substrate 10, the ribs 221 of a second flow guide 1', before removing the sacrificial layer. The invention thus relates to the provision of an almost flat mechanical support for calendering the ribs of the second flow guide so that the stresses applied on these ribs are less inhomogeneous.