Electrochemical cell bipolar plate with sealing feature
View Patent ↗A bipolar plate for an electrochemical cell having a first side, a second side, and a sealing region is disclosed. The first side has a first fluid flow region bordered by a first sealing region, and the second side has a second fluid flow region bordered by a second sealing region. The first sealing region is composed of a mesh bonded to the first side.
1. An electrochemical cell, comprising:
a first cell separator plate and a second cell separator plate;
a plurality of membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs) between the first cell separator plate and the second cell separator plate;
a plurality of flow field members alternatively arranged in between each of said MEA's, wherein at least one of the plurality of flow field members comprises a metal bipolar plate, the bipolar plate comprising:
a first side having a first fluid flow region bordered by a first sealing region, the first sealing region comprising a metal mesh securely metallurgically bonded to the first side, the mesh being made from a material configured to provide fluid flow therethrough; and
a second side having a second fluid flow region bordered by a second sealing region.
2. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein:
the second sealing region comprises a mesh securely metallurgically bonded to the second side.
3. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , further comprising:
a gasket disposed between the mesh of the first sealing region and an adjacent MEA.
4. The electrochemical cell of claim 3 , wherein the second sealing region comprises a mesh bonded to the second side, and further comprising:
a second gasket disposed between the mesh of the second sealing region and a second adjacent MEA.
5. An electrochemical cell, comprising:
a first cell separator plate and a second cell separator plate;
a plurality of membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs) between the first cell separator plate and the second cell separator plate;
a plurality of flow field members alternatively arranged in between each of said MEA's, wherein at least one of the plurality of flow field members comprising a metal bipolar plate;
a porous support plate disposed proximate at least one of the plurality of MEAs;
a metal mesh disposed between the bipolar plate and an adjacent MEA, the mesh configured to define a sealing region about an active area of the bipolar plate, the mesh being made from a material configured to provide fluid flow therethrough, the mesh having a centrally arranged opening, the porous support plate disposed within the centrally arranged opening;
a first gasket disposed between the bipolar plate and the mesh; and a second gasket disposed between the mesh and the MEA.
6. The electrochemical cell of claim 5 , wherein: the bipolar plate comprises an unitary bipolar plate.
7. The electrochemical cell of claim 5 , wherein:
the bipolar plate comprises a laminated arrangement of electrically conductive layers, each layer being uniquely identifiable via distinctly different patterns of pierced-through flow channels.
8. An electrochemical cell, comprising:
a first cell separator plate and a second cell separator plate;
a plurality of membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs) between the first cell separator plate and the second cell separator plate;
a plurality of flow field members alternatively arranged in between each of said MEA's, wherein at least one of the plurality of flow field members comprising a metal bipolar plate;
a porous support plate disposed proximate at least one of the plurality of MEAs;
a metal mesh disposed between the bipolar plate and a MEA on one side of the bipolar plate, the mesh configured to define a sealing region about an active area of the bipolar plate, the mesh being made from a material configured to provide fluid flow therethrough, the mesh having a centrally arranged opening, the porous support plate disposed within the centrally arranged opening;
a first gasket disposed between the bipolar plate and the mesh; and
a second gasket disposed between the mesh and the MEA.
9. The electrochemical cell of claim 8 , wherein:
the bipolar plate is an unitary bipolar plate.
10. The electrochemical cell of claim 8 , wherein:
the bipolar plate is a laminated arrangement of electrically conductive layers, each layer being uniquely identifiable via distinctly different patterns of pierced-through flow channels.
11. The electrochemical cell of claim 8 , further comprising:
a membrane support disposed between the bipolar plate and a MEA on one side of the bipolar plate.
12. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said bipolar plate has centrally positioned active region, and wherein said mesh extends across said active region.
13. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 wherein said mesh includes ridges and voids, and wherein a portion of said MEA is positioned within said voids.
14. The electrochemical cell of claim 5 wherein said mesh includes ridges and voids, and wherein a portion of said first gasket is positioned within said voids.
15. The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein said mesh includes ridges and voices, and wherein a portion of said first gasket is positioned within said voids.