Segmented Fuel Cell Voltage Connector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric connectors for fuel cell stack voltage monitoring require minimum bipolar plate thickness, are prone to detachment, and demand precise manufacturing tolerances, leading to costly and time-consuming processes, and fail to allow flexible voltage monitoring due to the need for jumpers and precise plate contact.
Innovation Solution
An electric connector with multiple units, each having adjustable pins for flexible reference voltage measurement, allowing skipping of plates without jumpers, and utilizing a friction fit connection and flexible plastic material for adaptable positioning and reduced manufacturing constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a comb-shaped electric contact element is used to contact bipolar plates, then electrical contact is established, but the bipolar plates must have a certain minimum thickness and additional fixing elements are required
Solution Approach 1:
The electric connector is divided into multiple separate units, each unit comprising multiple pins that can independently contact different bipolar plates. This segmentation allows each pin to be optimally positioned and secured individually, eliminating the need for additional fixing elements while ensuring reliable electrical contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector uses a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) as the support structure, which provides inherent flexibility and adaptability to accommodate variations in bipolar plate thickness and positioning. The FPC can bend and conform to the stack geometry, ensuring reliable contact without requiring rigid fixing elements.
2Manufacturing precision
If the distances between the teeth of the electric contact are carefully designed, then fit to the fuel cell stack is achieved, but only minimal manufacturing tolerances are allowed resulting in costly and time-consuming manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The connector design allows for adjustable pin configurations and spacing on the FPC, enabling adaptation to different fuel cell stack geometries and plate thicknesses. This flexibility eliminates the need for precise, fixed spacing calculations and minimal tolerances, significantly simplifying the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The FPC provides dynamic adaptability through its flexibility, allowing the pin positions to naturally adjust to the actual positions of the bipolar plates during assembly. This eliminates the need for pre-calculated fixed spacing and tight tolerances, as the flexible circuit board self-adjusts to accommodate manufacturing variations.
3Measurement precision
If each plate needs to be contacted for voltage monitoring, then complete voltage measurement is achieved, but plates cannot be easily skipped and jumpers are required
Solution Approach 1:
The electric connector is divided into multiple independent units, each capable of contacting and measuring voltage from specific bipolar plates. This segmentation allows selective activation of units to monitor specific plates while skipping others, providing flexibility in monitoring configuration without requiring jumpers or complex wiring.
Solution Approach 2:
Each unit of the electric connector is designed with universal functionality to contact and measure voltage from any bipolar plate in the stack. The modular design allows the same unit structure to be used for continuous monitoring or selective monitoring of specific plates, eliminating the need for different connector configurations or jumpers.
4Ease of operation
If more than one plate is skipped in voltage monitoring, then fewer contacts are made, but wrong voltage measurement occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented unit design allows each unit to independently reference the voltage of its first contacted plate and measure subsequent plates relative to that reference. This ensures that even when plates are skipped, each measurement maintains a proper reference point, preventing wrong voltage measurements while simplifying the monitoring operation.
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
Enables easy and flexible voltage monitoring of fuel cell stacks with reduced manufacturing complexity and cost, allowing for variable pin configurations and improved tolerance to stack size variations, while avoiding short circuits and reducing heat generation.
Implementation Method 1
The pins of one unit are arranged to contact the fluid flow field plates of the fuel cell stack for monitoring a fuel cell stack voltage
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a friction fit connection and flexible plastic material for adaptable positioning
Data Source
AI summary
An electric connector for fuel cell stack voltage monitoring includes at least two separate units, each unit including a plurality of pins, each pin being adapted to contact a plate of the fuel cell stack for monitoring a fuel cell stack voltage. The first pin of each unit is adapted to provide a measurement of a reference voltage.