Planar Fuel Cell Compression via Hydraulic Support Frame
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional converters for transforming chemical energy into electrical energy or vice versa face issues with non-uniform compression leading to overpotentials and thermal management challenges, particularly at high power classes, due to mechanical compression, and hydraulic compression's limitations in electrical interconnection and geometry flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A converter design using electrochemically active, planar cells held between coaxial rings of an insulating support frame with pressurizable compartments for homogeneous compression, allowing for flexible geometry and integrated thermal management, combining mechanical clamping with hydraulic compression for efficient energy transformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If mechanical compression is used to compress the cell stack, then contact pressure is applied to reduce electrical contact resistance, but non-uniform compression occurs leading to increased overpotentials and local hot spots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies hydraulic compression by introducing a liquid medium into the support frame that uniformly distributes pressure across all cells through fluid pressure transmission. This eliminates the non-uniform compression caused by mechanical clamping while maintaining the necessary contact pressure to reduce electrical contact resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the compression function with the support frame structure itself. The support frame serves both as the structural element holding the cells and as the compression medium distributor, eliminating the need for separate compression mechanisms and ensuring uniform pressure distribution across all cells.
2Loss of energy
If mechanical compression is used to apply contact pressure, then electrical contact resistance is reduced, but material requirements and dimensional accuracy become stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic compression system replaces mechanical clamping elements with a liquid pressure medium that automatically distributes force uniformly. This eliminates the need for high-strength materials and tight dimensional tolerances in the support frame and cells, as the fluid pressure inherently self-equalizes across the entire stack.
3Temperature
If cooling cells are added for thermal management, then excess heat is dissipated, but device complexity, weight, and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame is designed to serve multiple functions: structural support, compression force application, and thermal management. The same hydraulic medium used for compression also serves as the coolant, eliminating the need for separate cooling cells and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the compression structure and cooling system into a single integrated support frame. The channels that distribute compression pressure also serve as coolant flow paths, combining two separate systems into one unified structure that reduces weight and manufacturing costs.
4Manufacturing precision
If hydraulic compression is used for homogeneous compression, then compression uniformity is improved, but electrical interconnection becomes complex and geometry flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the support frame into multiple independent compartments, each capable of hydraulic compression. This allows each cell to be compressed independently and uniformly while maintaining simple electrical interconnections through the segmented structure, avoiding the complexity of external electrical connections required in conventional hydraulic systems.
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 design achieves homogeneous compression and efficient energy conversion with reduced material and manufacturing costs, enabling high power operation while minimizing thermal and electrical losses, and allowing for various geometries and efficient thermal control.
Implementation Method 1
the compartments are each open into a pressurizable chamber via at least one passage through the respective ring, the pressurizable chamber being filled with a pressurized medium during operation of the converter
Implementation Method 2
a convertor for transforming chemical energy into electrical energy or electrical energy into chemical energy, comprising at least one electrochemically active, planar cell
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for Converting chemical energy into electrical energy, or electrical energy into chemical energy, having at least one electrochemically active, planar cell (2) that is held securely between coaxial annular disks (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) of an electrically insulating support frame (10), through which a supply structure with Channels (22, 23, 13, 33) for process media extends to the cell (2). A free spatial region (8a, 8b) is present on either side of the cell (2) in the axial direction, which region is bounded in the radial direction by at least one of the annular disks (10a, 10b). The spatial regions (8a, 8b) are open toward a pressure Chamber (5) via at least one passage (42a, 42b) through the corresponding annular disk (10a, 10b). When the device (1) is in Operation, the pressure Chamber (5) is filled with a pressurized medium, as a consequence of which the cells are compressed. In this manner, the device (1) according to the invention combines the advantages of a conventional Stack of cells (2, 2′) with a hydraulic or pneumatic compression.