Unified Seal for Fuel Cell Bipolar Plate Coolant Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for sealing coolant chambers in fuel cells are cost-intensive and require significant material and time expenditure, necessitating either separate sealing of the coolant chamber or a permanent, coolant-tight connection of bipolar plate halves.
Innovation Solution
A method where a single seal is used to contact both bipolar plate halves and the membrane-electrode unit, effectively sealing both the gas and coolant chambers, eliminating the need for separate sealing and permanent connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate sealing of the coolant chamber or a permanent, coolant-tight connection of bipolar plate halves is implemented, then the coolant chamber sealing reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sealing of the coolant chamber with the sealing of the gas chamber into a single sealing element. The seal is arranged to contact both bipolar plate halves simultaneously, creating a unified sealing structure that prevents coolant leakage without requiring separate sealing components or permanent connections between the bipolar plate halves.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element serves multiple functions: it seals the gas chamber between the bipolar plate and membrane-electrode unit, and simultaneously seals the coolant chamber between the two bipolar plate halves. This multi-functional seal eliminates the need for dedicated separate sealing structures for the coolant chamber.
2Reliability
If a separate sealing of the coolant chamber or permanent connection of bipolar plate halves is implemented, then the coolant leakage prevention is improved, but the material and time expenditure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sealing operations for both chambers into a single step by using one sealing element that contacts both bipolar plate halves. This eliminates the need for separate sealing operations and permanent connection processes, thereby reducing material consumption and manufacturing time while maintaining effective coolant leakage prevention.
3Device complexity
If a single seal contacts both bipolar plate halves, then the manufacturing process is simplified and costs are reduced, but the sealing reliability must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The single sealing element is designed to perform multiple sealing functions simultaneously. By contacting both bipolar plate halves, it creates reliable seals for both the gas chamber and coolant chamber, maintaining sealing reliability while simplifying the overall structure and reducing the number of components required.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for sealing a coolant chamber (5) of a bipolar plate (1) of a fuel cell (20), the fuel cell (20) having at least one membrane-electrode unit (21) and the bipolar plate (1) having a first bipolar plate half (2) and a second bipolar plate half (3), at least one of the bipolar plate halves (2, 3) having a coolant distributing structure (4) and the coolant chamber (5) that is formed at least by the coolant distributing structure (4) being formed between the bipolar plate halves (2, 3).