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JP-2026514291-A - Expandable and contractible flow field for electrochemical cells and method for rapidly producing the same

JP2026514291AJP 2026514291 AJP2026514291 AJP 2026514291AJP-2026514291-A

Abstract

This application relates to a flow field for an electrolytic cell comprising one or more sheets of porous material having a corrugated structure. The electrolytic cell comprises a membrane, an anode, a cathode, an anode reinforcing layer, a cathode reinforcing layer, an anode flow field, a cathode flow field, and a bipolar plate assembly having an embedded hydrogen seal. The anode flow field comprises one or more porous sheets having at least one linear edge, at least one of the porous sheets having a corrugated pattern with multiple peaks and valleys, the axes of which are substantially aligned with one linear edge of the sheet. The geometric shape of the anode flow field simultaneously provides elasticity for efficient mechanical compression of the cell and well-distributed mechanical support for the anode reinforcing layer adjacent to the anode flow field. [Selection Diagram] Figure 1

Inventors

  • ブランシェ スコット

Assignees

  • エヴォロー インコーポレイテッド

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20240206
Priority Date
20230207

Claims (20)

  1. film, anode, Cathode, Anode reinforcement layer, Cathode reinforcement layer, Anode flow field, An electrolytic cell comprising a cathode flow field and a bipolar plate assembly, The anode flow field includes one or more porous sheets having at least one linear edge, An electrolytic cell comprising at least one porous sheet having a corrugated pattern with multiple peaks and valleys, the axes of which are generally aligned with one straight edge of the sheet, and which protrude by a height "h" along the z-axis which is generally aligned with the thickness dimension of the sheet.
  2. The anode flow field is configured such that its thickness decreases by 0.05% to 5% when exposed to a load of 10 to 100 kilograms per square centimeter. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the anode flow field returns to within 0.05% of its original thickness when the exposed load is removed.
  3. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein at least one corrugated porous sheet can withstand a compressive load of at least 20 kilograms-force/square centimeter applied along the z-axis, which is roughly aligned with the thickness of the sheet, without permanent deformation.
  4. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein one or more porous sheets are calendered to a thickness selected to achieve a target yield strength, hardness, or modulus of elasticity.
  5. The anode flow field includes two or more porous sheets. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the two or more porous sheets are spot-welded to form a single flow field structure.
  6. The anode flow field includes a corrugated porous sheet adjacent to the anode reinforcement layer. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the corrugated pitch "p1" of the porous sheet to the height "h0" of the anode reinforcement layer is less than 10, less than 5, or less than 2.5.
  7. The anode flow field contains two precisely two waveform porous sheets. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the waveform pitch "p2" of the sheet furthest from the anode electrode to the height "h1" of the sheet closest to the electrode is less than 10, less than 5, or less than 2.5.
  8. The anode flow field includes at least one porous sheet of waveform, The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the wave pitch "p" to the sheet thickness "t" is less than 15, less than 10, or less than 5.
  9. The anode flow field includes at least one porous sheet of waveform, The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the waveform height "h" to the sheet thickness "t" is less than 10, less than 5, or less than 2.5.
  10. The anode flow field contains two precisely two waveform porous sheets. The waveform pitch "p1" of the sheet closest to the anode electrode is 0.2 mm to 2.0 mm. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the waveform pitch "p2" of the sheet furthest from the anode electrode is 0.25 mm to 2.5 mm.
  11. The anode flow field contains two precisely two waveform porous sheets. The height "h1" of the sheet closest to the anode electrode is 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the height "h2" of the sheet furthest from the anode electrode is 0.2 mm to 2.0 mm.
  12. The anode flow field contains two precisely two waveform porous sheets. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the waveform pitch "p1" of the sheet closest to the anode electrode is less than or equal to the waveform pitch "p2" of the sheet furthest from the anode electrode.
  13. The anode flow field contains two precisely two waveform porous sheets. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the height "h1" of the sheet closest to the anode electrode is less than or equal to the height "h2" of the sheet furthest from the anode electrode.
  14. The anode flow field contains two precisely two waveform porous sheets. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the sheet located furthest from the anode electrode is oriented such that its peak and valley axes are substantially parallel to the flow direction of the anode reactant.
  15. The anode flow field contains two precisely two waveform porous sheets. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the sheet positioned closest to the anode electrode is oriented such that its peaks and valleys are substantially perpendicular to the flow direction of the anode reactant.
  16. All of the above one or more porous sheets are corrugated. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the waveform peaks of adjacent sheets are oriented substantially perpendicular to each other.
  17. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the one or more porous sheets are selected from stainless steel, titanium, nickel, and nickel-chromium materials.
  18. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the one or more porous sheets are selected from wire mesh, expanded foil, and perforated sheets.
  19. The cathode flow field includes a porous sheet containing an embedded hydrogen seal. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein the porous sheet provides both mechanical reinforcement for embedded hydrogen seals and an open space for hydrogen gas flow from the active region of the electrolytic cell to the cell outlet.
  20. Electrolytic stack containing one or more electrolytic cells: Here, each electrolytic cell is: film, anode, Cathode, Anode reinforcement layer, Cathode reinforcement layer, Anode flow field, Including a cathode flow field and a bipolar plate assembly, The anode flow field includes one or more porous sheets having at least one linear edge, At least one of the porous sheets has a corrugated pattern with multiple peaks and valleys, the axes of which are generally aligned with one straight edge of the sheet, and they protrude by a height "h" along the z-axis which is generally aligned with the thickness dimension of the sheet. The above stack includes a compression system that includes a structural wrap, which includes one or more wrap layers that surround at least a portion of an electrolytic cell stack containing multiple cells in the circumferential direction.

Description

This application, incorporated by reference to a related patent application , claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/483,658, filed on 7 February 2023, and all its contents are incorporated herein by general reference. The present disclosure relates to electrochemical cells and stacks, and more particularly to components designed for scalable active regions for electrochemical cells and stacks, and to the rapid manufacturing of the same. An electrochemical cell is a device that uses electricity to induce a chemical reaction or uses a chemical reaction to generate electricity. When electricity is the output, the cell can be considered a fuel cell or an expander cell, depending on the chemical product. When electricity is the input, the cell can be considered an electrolytic cell, a compressor cell, or a purifier cell, depending on the chemical product. For example, an electrolytic cell takes in electrical energy and stores it in a fuel such as hydrogen by breaking down water into its components. In contrast, a fuel cell can essentially be thought of as an electrolytic cell running in the reverse direction, where hydrogen and oxygen are supplied to the cell, and these molecules are then combined to form water, releasing electrical energy in the process. Other chemical reactions, such as the reduction of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, ethylene or ethylene glycol, the reduction of nitrogen to ammonia or related compounds, the formation of hydrogen peroxide from water and oxygen, or the extraction of lithium from a lithium brine solution, can be facilitated by the use of an electrochemical cell or a stack of cells. The basic elements of these devices are two electrodes, an ion-conducting electrolyte, and an ion-permeable layer separating the two electrodes, although it is also possible to operate electrolytic cells or fuel cells in a membrane-less configuration. Electrochemical cells may also include separators between electrodes to prevent the products from mixing inside the cell. In the case of solid electrolytic cells, the membrane and separator may be combined into an integrated solid ion-conducting layer. A complete electrochemical cell may also include one or more impermeable separator plates, also called bipolar plates, for a flow field to deliver reactants to the electrodes, a seal to isolate the reactants from each other and from the environment, and for isolating one cell from adjacent cells in a stack, and in some embodiments for accommodating a separate cooling fluid for thermal management of the cell. Various electrolytes, including proton exchange membranes, anion exchange membranes, solid oxide ceramic membranes, and liquid alkaline solutions such as potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide, can be used in electrochemical cells. Different electrolytes require different operating conditions, each with its own advantages and limitations. Advantages of proton exchange and anion exchange membrane electrolytes include relatively low operating temperatures and the ability to construct cells using unitized electrolyte/membrane layers. Electrolyzers using such membranes have a clear advantage over other electrolyzers: they can operate using relatively pure liquid water as the feedstock, rather than caustic solutions or water vapor, thereby significantly simplifying the system balance. Relatively pure water can be defined as water containing more than 1% by weight of elements other than hydrogen and oxygen. Such electrolyzers can also operate without liquid water on the cathode, enabling hydrogen production in a gas phase with a non-zero vapor-phase moisture content. A non-zero vapor-phase moisture content can be defined as a gas containing more than one part per million of water vapor by volume. The impact of carbon dioxide on global climate change is well-documented. As societal efforts to address global climate change accelerate, the need to deeply decarbonize a large or all of human energy use is becoming clear and urgent. Using hydrogen as a carbon-free energy carrier is essential to reaching certain human-industrial sectors where direct decarbonization with electricity is difficult or impossible. Examples of such sectors include steel production, fertilizer manufacturing, construction, and heavy transport such as trucking, sea transport, and air transport. In addition to these sectors, hydrogen's energy density and stable storage properties make it a most promising candidate for establishing seasonal-scale energy storage and power grids using only renewable electricity. This would be necessary to completely transform energy use to carbon-free sources. These and other advantages have attracted a high level of interest in the production of “green hydrogen.” Hydrogen is given the "green" label when it is produced by electrolysis from renewable electricity (wind, solar, hydro, etc.). Other "colors" of hydrogen have traditionally been assigned to