DE102007061416A1 - Heating-pressure-clamping device for the production of a 5-layer MEA - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a heating-pressure-chuck for manufacturing a 5-layer membrane-electrode group (MEA) in which: metal plates are integrally formed with heating plates to a difficulty in raising the temperature of the metal plates to prevent a normal value each time a plurality of 5-layer MEAs are made, an MEA is mounted on outer guides, being spaced from lower guides by predetermined distances to prevent the MEA from being dried by the heated metal plates, contracted and deformed; and the lower and upper plate supports are resiliently supported by springs so that the outer guides can react in real time to the change in thickness caused when upper and lower gas diffusion layers are compressed, thereby preventing the MEA from being bent.

Description

BACKGROUND

(a) Technical area

The The present invention relates to a heating-pressure-tensioning device for the preparation of a 5-layer membrane-electrode group (MEA). In particular, the present invention relates to a heating-pressure-tensioning device for the preparation of a 5-layer membrane-electrode group (MEA), provided in the outer guides are metal plates to separate the MEA from heating plates are integrally connected to the heating plates to the temperature to maintain the metal plates for a predetermined period of time, and a spring structure is provided to the position of the outer Guides according to the thickness of a gas diffusion layer adjust.

(B) Background

A Fuel cell has an existing of electrode catalysts MEA in which fuel gases such as hydrogen and air react, and an electrolyte membrane for the transport of hydrogen ions in the fuel cell.

The Fuel cell also has a gas diffusion layer (GDL), around the fed through a separator flow field Distribute gas evenly and as a result of a effectively dissipate water generated electrochemical reaction.

The MEA, the GDL and the separator are stacked consecutively, to form a fuel cell stack. In this case, if the MEA and the GDL are designed as a module, the productivity of the fuel cell stack can be increased.

A 5-layer MEA and a process for producing the same with reference to the accompanying drawings described.

1 is a schematic representation of a 5-layer MEA, and 2a and 2 B FIG. 12 are diagrams showing the positional relationship between a gas diffusion layer and electrode catalysts of the 5-layer MEA of FIG 1 demonstrate.

Usually, an MEA 130 consisting of a hydrogen electrode catalyst 110 , a solid electrolyte membrane 100 and an air electrode catalyst 120 exists, referred to as a 3-layer group. A GDL 140 is on both sides of the MEA 130 attached. For reasons of convenience in manufacturing, an MEA 130 and two GDLs 140 connected together to make a final product that works as a 5-layer MEA 90 referred to as.

For the preparation of the 5-layer MEA 90 The components are successively stacked, aligned and then connected together by application of pressure at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time.

The Temperature and pressure vary according to the characteristics of the product, and different types of additives for the purpose of connecting the components, if necessary, added.

In the production of 5-layer MEA 90 a hot press, whose temperature and pressure are adjustable, and a clamping device, which can place the components in a precise position, are needed.

Usually the GDL 140 , the MEA 130 and the GDL 140 stacked on top of each other, and will put a steady pressure on the two GDLs 140 using heated hot plates.

Here, as in 2a is one of the important considerations in the preparation of the 5-layer MEA 90 to take into account, in that the two GDLs 140 the electrode catalysts 110 and 120 the MEA 130 fully cover and the positions of the two GDLs 140 should coincide exactly with each other.

As in 2 B can be shown when the GDL 140 the electrode catalysts 110 and 120 not completely covered, gas are not supplied to the catalysts in a sufficient manner. Furthermore, it is when the GDL 140 exits the separator, impossible to produce the fuel cell.

Furthermore, if the positions of the two GDLs 140 do not coincide with one another, creates an imbalance of power in the manufacture of the fuel cell, whereby the performance of the fuel cell is reduced.

In connection with such a heating-pressure-clamping device discloses the Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-208140 a laminating apparatus having heating-compression-main bodies arranged in parallel and between which electrode members to be heated and compressed are interposed.

Furthermore, this discloses U.S. Patent No. 6,613,470 a fixture that preheats and pressurizes components that are to be temporarily fixed prior to making an MEA by a total heating-and-pressure method.

The conventional heating / pressing jig for manufacturing a 5-layer MEA will be described below in detail with reference to FIG 3 described.

3 Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the heating / pinning fixture for the manufacture of a 5-layer MEA. As shown in this figure, a lower metal plate is formed 160 between main bodies 150 arranged, becomes a lower GDL 170 on top of the lower metal plate 160 arranged, and becomes an MEA 130 on top of the lower GDL 170 piled up.

A GDL leadership 190 will be on both sides of the MEA 130 attached, an upper GDL 200. is placed on this, and an upper metal plate is provided thereon as a cover. Then, a predetermined temperature and a predetermined pressure are applied thereto by using a hot press, not shown, to form a 5-layer MEA.

In this case, since hot plates, not shown, are the hot press of the upper and lower metal plates 160 and 210 are spaced, difficult to maintain the temperature, and it takes a long time to the Tempera ture of the upper and lower metal plate 160 and 210 to a desired value.

Furthermore, since the polymeric MEA 130 on the heated lower metal plate 160 is arranged, the MEA 130 wrinkles as a result of moisture evaporation, which degrades bond strength, MEA properties, and dimensional stability.

Further, during the process of pressurizing by means of the tensioning device, the two sides of the MEA 130 that with the upper and the lower GDL 200. and 170 come in contact, be bent while the upper and lower GDL 200. and 170 be compressed, causing them to be damaged.

The Information disclosed at the background section is only for information to improve the understanding of the background of the Invention and is not an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this information forms the state of the art, which is already known to the person skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE REVELATION

Corresponding the present invention is in an effort to avoid the above has been made, and is It is one of the objects of the present invention, a heating-pressure-tensioning device for the preparation of a 5-layer MEA with an improved Structure for efficiently producing the 5-layer MEA available to deliver.

Under In one aspect, the present invention provides a heat press tensioner for the preparation of a 5-layer membrane-electrode group available, wherein the tensioning device comprises: a lower metal plate, a lower guide, a guide spring, an outer guide, an upper metal plate and an upper plate support. The lower metal plate is installed on the upper surface of the lower heating plate. On the lower metal plate is a lower gas diffusion layer piled up. The bottom guide is on both sides the lower metal plate for accurate guidance of the lower Gas diffusion layer to a predetermined position installed. The guide spring is under the lower guide for elastic support of the lower guide Installed. The outer leadership is on the top of the lower guide for attaching a Membrane electrode group and an upper gas diffusion layer appropriate. The upper metal plate is on the lower surface an upper heating plate attached. The upper metal plate is seated the upper gas diffusion layer under pressure when the press after is moved down. The upper plate support is attached to the installed on both sides of the upper metal plate. The upper plate support comes into contact with the outer leadership, though the press is moved down.

at a preferred embodiment is the upper plate support supported elastically by an upper plate spring.

at Another preferred embodiment is an insulating layer arranged between the guide spring and the lower heating plate.

at Yet another preferred embodiment is a Tab at the bottom of the outer guide formed, and is an insertion groove that corresponds to the projection, formed at the top of the lower guide.

Brief description of the drawings

1 is a schematic representation of a 5-layer MEA;

2a and 2 B are representations showing the positional relationship between a gas diffusi onsschicht and electrode catalysts of the 5-layer MEA of 1 demonstrate.

3 Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of a conventional heating-and-pinning chuck for manufacturing a 5-layer MEA;

4 Fig. 12 is a schematic representation of a heating-and-pinning chuck for fabricating a 5-layer MEA according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

5 FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration of the operation of the heating-and-pressing-jig for manufacturing a 5-layer MEA according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

The in the drawings, reference numbers refer to the following specified elements, as further discussed below, reference:

130

MEA

210

lower metal plate

230

lower guide

270

outer guide

200

GDL

220

guide spring

260

insulation material

300

upper metal plate

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will now be described in detail on the preferred embodiment of the present invention, examples of which are given in FIG the accompanying drawings are shown, wherein the same reference numerals refer to the same elements throughout. The embodiments will be described below to explain the present invention with reference to the figures.

4 FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a heating-and-pinning chuck for fabricating a 5-layer MEA according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

As shown in this figure, a lower guide 230 through a guide spring 220 supported on the two sides of a lower metal plate 210 installed on which a lower gas diffusion layer (GDL) 170 is piled up. An outside guide 270 for mounting a membrane-electrode group (MEA) 130 and an upper GDL 200. is on the upper side of the lower guide 230 intended. Furthermore, an upper plate support 310 and an upper metal plate 300 that the outside leadership 270 or the GDL 200. put pressure on a press 160 is moved down, on the upper side of the outer guide 270 intended.

The lower metal plate 210 is integral with the upper side of a lower heating plate 250 designed to generate heat from the lower heating plate 250 to the lower GDL 170 to transfer that at the top of the lower metal plate 110 is piled up.

The bottom guide 230 is close to the two sides of the lower metal plate 210 to guide the lower GDL 170 attached to their exact positioning when the lower GDL 170 on the upper surface of the lower metal plate 210 is piled up.

In this case, the distance between the two lower guides 230 equal to the length of the lower GDL 170 , and is the height of the lower guides 230 larger than those of the lower metal plate 210 so the lower GDL 170 between the two lower guides 230 is arranged.

Furthermore, the leader is 220 under the lower leadership 230 attached so that the lower guide 230 contracts when the top metal plate 300 and the upper plate support 310 be put under pressure. A leadership support 240 is close to the bottom guide 230 provided so that the bottom guide 230 not pushed outward when the bottom guide 230 contracts.

Here is an insulation material 260 at the bottom of the guide spring 220 and the leadership support 240 piled up so that the heat of the lower heating plate 250 not directly to the guide spring 220 and the leadership support 240 is transmitted.

The outer leadership 270 is at the top of the two lower guides 230 attached and has an insertion area 271 to the leadership of the MEA 130 and a leadership area 272 which is on the top surface of the application area 271 is appropriate to guide the upper GDL 200. on.

In this case, the distance between the insertion areas 271 equal to the length of the MEA 130 , and is the distance between the guide areas 272 equal to the length of the upper and lower GDL 200. and 170 ,

Furthermore, there is a lead 280 at the bottom of the outer guide 270 out forms, and is an insertion groove 290 that's the lead 280 corresponds to, at the top of the lower guide 230 designed so that the outer guide 270 in an exact position of the lower guide 230 is attached, and thereby the lower GDL 170 the electrode catalyst of the MEA 130 completely cover.

Here are the MEA 130 and the upper GDL 200. on the outer guides 270 attached separately so they work before the press 360 from the lower metal plate 210 spaced, thereby preventing the MEA 130 through the heated lower metal plate 210 dried and deformed.

The upper metal plate 300 is in the center of the underside of an upper heating plate 340 arranged and used during the work of the press 360 moved down, causing the MEA 130 on the outer guides 270 attached, and the lower GDL 170 be put under pressure.

The sizes of the upper and lower metal plate 300 and 210 are the same as those of the upper and lower GDLs 200. and 170 , so the pressure of the upper and lower metal plate 300 and 210 evenly across the total area of the upper and lower GDL 200. and 170 is brought to action.

Furthermore, a fastening body 330 with an inner space 350 on the two sides of the upper metal plate 300 attached, and is an area of the upper plate support 310 in the inner space 350 of the fastening body 330 inserted and attached so that the upper plate support 310 can move up and down.

Here is an upper plate spring 320 between the upper plate support 310 and the fastening body 330 arranged to the top plate support 310 resiliently support when the upper plate support 310 the outer leadership 270 put under pressure.

Next, the operation of the heating / pressing jig for manufacturing a 5-layer MEA having the above-mentioned configuration will be described with reference to FIG 5 described.

5 FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration of the operation of the heating / pressing jig for manufacturing a 5-layer MEA according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

First, the lower GDL 170 on the upper surface of the lower metal plate 210 attached, and become the outer guides 270 where the MEA 130 and the upper GDL 200. piled up, installed with the insertion grooves 290 the lower guides 230 collapsing.

Subsequently, as in 5 is shown, the upper heating plate 340 through the work of the press 360 according to the pressure of a load cell 370 at the top of the press 360 is installed, moved down, and so put the top plate supports 310 at the bottom of the upper heating plate 340 are attached, the outer guides 270 vacuum.

Next, when the top hotplate 340 continues to move down, the guide springs 220 that the lower guides 230 elastically support, contracted so that the MEA 130 with the lower GDL 170 comes into contact. Then comes the upper plate springs 320 holding the upper plate supports 310 support, be contracted, the upper metal plate 300 with the upper GDL 200. in touch.

At this time, with the change in the thickness caused by the upper and lower GDL 200. and 170 be compressed, the outer guides 270 by the contraction and relaxation of leadership feathers 220 and the upper plate springs 320 moves, and so can prevent the MEA 130 in the outer guides 270 is used, is bent.

Thus, a 5-layer MEA in which the upper GDL becomes 200. , the MEA 130 and the lower GDL are successively piled, formed when the respective layers for a predetermined period of time through the upper and the lower metal plate 300 and 310 with heat from the upper and lower heating plates 340 and 250 be supplied, heated and pressurized.

• (1) Da die Metallplatten einstückig mit den Heizplatten ausgebildet sind, ist die Schwierigkeit, die Temperatur der Metallplatten auf einen normalen Wert jedesmal dann zu erhöhen, wenn eine Vielzahl von 5-Schicht-MEAs hergestellt wird, herabgesetzt.
• (2) Da die MEA an den äußeren Führungen angebracht ist, wobei sie von den unteren Führungen um vorbestimmte Abstände beabstandet ist, ist es möglich zu verhindern, dass die MEA infolge der erhitzten Metallplatten getrocknet, zusammengezogen und deformiert wird.
• (3) Da die unteren Führungen bzw. die oberen Plattenabstützungen durch die Federn elastisch abgestützt sind, können sich die äußeren Führungen aktiv in Echtzeit mit der Änderung der Dicke befassen, die dann verursacht ist, wenn die obere und die untere GDL zusammengedrückt werden, wodurch verhindert ist, dass die MEA verbogen wird; und
• (4) Wenn die Größen der MEA und der GDL entsprechend der Entwicklung eines neuen Fahrzeugmodells geändert werden, ist es möglich, nur einen Austausch gegen eine neu entwickelte und hergestellte Spanneinrichtung durchzuführen, wodurch die 5-Schicht-MEAs zu geringen Kosten ohne Austausch der Presse hergestellt werden.

As described above, the hot-pressing chuck according to the invention for producing a 5-layer MEA has the following advantageous effects:

• (1) Since the metal plates are integrally formed with the heating plates, the difficulty of raising the temperature of the metal plates to a normal value every time a plurality of 5-layer MEAs are manufactured is lowered.
• (2) Since the MEA is attached to the outer guides while being spaced from the lower guides by predetermined intervals, it is possible to prevent the MEA from being dried, contracted and deformed due to the heated metal plates.
• (3) Since the lower guides and the upper plate supports are elastically supported by the springs, the outer guide can actively deal in real time with the change in thickness that is caused when the upper and lower GDLs are compressed, thereby preventing the MEA from being bent; and
• (4) When the sizes of the MEA and the GDL are changed according to the development of a new vehicle model, it is possible to perform only replacement with a newly developed and manufactured tensioner, whereby the 5-layer MEAs at a low cost without replacement of the press getting produced.

The The invention is described in detail with reference to its preferred embodiments been described. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes are made in these embodiments can be without the principles and spirit of the invention leaving the scope of the invention in the appended claims and their equivalents.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list The documents listed by the applicant have been automated generated and is solely for better information recorded by the reader. The list is not part of the German Patent or utility model application. The DPMA takes over no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• - JP 2000-208140 [0015]
• - US 6613470 [0016]

Claims (4)

Heating-pressure-clamping device for the preparation of a 5-layer membrane electrode group, wherein the tensioning device has: a lower metal plate, the installed on the upper surface of a lower heating plate is, on which a lower gas diffusion layer is stacked; a lower guide, which is on both sides of the lower metal plate for accurate guidance of the lower gas diffusion layer a predetermined position is installed; a leader pen, the under the lower guide to the elastic guide the lower guide is installed; an outer one Guiding at the top of the lower guide for fixing a membrane-electrode group and an upper one Gas diffusion layer is attached; an upper metal plate, attached to the lower surface of an upper heating plate is and pressurizes the upper gas diffusion layer when a press is moved down; and an upper plate support, which is installed on both sides of the upper metal plate and in contact with the outer leadership comes when the press is moved down. Heating-pressure-clamping device for the preparation of a 5-layer membrane-electrode group according to claim 1, wherein the upper plate support by an upper plate spring is supported. Heating-pressure-clamping device for the preparation of a 5-layer membrane-electrode group according to claim 1, wherein an insulating material between the guide spring and the lower heating plate is arranged. Heating-pressure-clamping device for the preparation of a 5-layer membrane-electrode group according to claim 1, wherein a projection on the underside of the outer Guides is formed and an insertion groove, the Projection corresponds to the top of the lower guides is trained.