Non-Circular Bipolar Plates for High-Pressure Electrochemical Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
High pressure or high differential pressure electrochemical cells face challenges in containing fluid pressure, leading to suboptimal material usage and complex manifold geometries, which complicates cell stack design and scalability.
Innovation Solution
Designing bipolar plates with non-circular geometries and varying thickness based on material yield strength and fluid pressure, along with flow structures that balance pressure and provide structural support, allowing for flexible cell design and efficient material utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If bipolar plates with non-circular geometries and varying thickness are designed, then material usage efficiency improves and manufacturing cost decreases, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bipolar plate is designed with varying thickness across different regions, with greater thickness at high-pressure zones and reduced thickness at low-pressure zones. This local variation in geometric properties optimizes material distribution to match pressure distribution, improving material usage efficiency while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from traditional uniform 2D plate designs to 3D variable-thickness plates, adding a thickness dimension variation to the geometric design. This dimensional change allows for optimized material distribution that matches the pressure profile, reducing overall material usage while maintaining strength where needed.
2Loss of substance
If bipolar plates with varying thickness are used to optimize material usage, then manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The plate thickness parameter is varied continuously or in steps across different regions of the bipolar plate, changing from a constant parameter to a spatially varying parameter. This parameter change allows optimization of material usage by matching thickness to local pressure requirements, while modern manufacturing techniques can achieve the required precision.
3Loss of substance
If non-circular bipolar plate geometries are designed for better material utilization, then device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bipolar plate adopts non-circular, asymmetric geometries that match the actual pressure distribution patterns in the electrochemical cell. Instead of symmetric circular designs, the plate geometry is tailored to the specific application requirements, allowing better material utilization in regions of varying pressure while reducing material in less critical areas.
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 solution enables effective containment of high fluid pressures, prevents membrane rupture, and allows for scalable and cost-effective electrochemical cell stacks with improved material usage and simplified manifold geometries.
Implementation Method 1
the thickness of the at least one bipolar plate is determined based on the yield strength of the material selected for fabricating the at least one bipolar plate, the thickness of the first flow structure, and the maximum intended fluid pressure
Implementation Method 2
flow structures that balance pressure and provide structural support
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed towards the design of electrochemical cells for use in high pressure or high differential pressure operations. The electrochemical cells of the present disclosure have non-circular external pressure boundaries, i.e., the cells have non-circular profiles. In such cells, the internal fluid pressure during operation is balanced by the axial tensile forces developed in the bipolar plates, which prevent the external pressure boundaries of the cells from flexing or deforming. That is, the bipolar plates are configured to function as tension members during operation of the cells. To function as an effective tension member, the thickness of a particular bipolar plate is determined based on the yield strength of the material selected for fabricating the bipolar plate, the internal fluid pressure in the flow structure adjacent to the bipolar plate, and the thickness of the adjacent flow structure.