Method of manufacturing fuel cells

Abstract

An apparatus and method for substantially continuously manufacturing fuel cells are provided. Each cell generates electrical power from reactions of reactants therein. Each cell includes component parts assembled and/or laminated together in a stacked configuration. The apparatus includes an assembly zone for receiving rolls of material and/or pre-formed component parts for fabricating the cells, and assembly devices for, commencing from a starting layer, progressively assembling and/or laminating layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts from the rolls to the starting layer to manufacture the fuel cells, a testing zone for applying a test procedure to the cells to identify functional cells thereof or parts thereof, a separating zone for mutually separating the functional cells into individual fuel cells, parts thereof or groups of such fuel cells, and a stacking zone for mutually assembling the functional fuel cells or the groups of such functional cells into stacks of such fuel cells to manufacture fuel cell packs.

1 . A method of substantially continuously manufacturing fuel cells operable to generate electrical power from reactions of one or more reactants therein, wherein each fuel cell comprises a plurality of component parts assembled together in a stacked configuration, the method including:
 (a) providing a plurality of rolls of material and/or pre-formed component parts for fabricating the fuel cells;   (b) in a substantially continuous manner, progressively assembling layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts from the plurality of rolls to fabricate the fuel cells;   (c) applying a testing procedure to the fuel cells to identify one or more functional fuel cells; and   (d) mutually separating the one or more functional fuel cells for subsequent use,   wherein the step (c) includes at least one testing operation including at least one of:   (o) testing the fuel cells by applying thereto a fluid under excess pressure to pressure test the fuel cells and identify any occurrence of leaks therein;   (p) testing the fuel cells by weighing them to determine whether or not their weight is within a given range, or above and/or below a given threshold weight;   (q) testing the fuel cells by measuring one or more physical dimensions thereof to determine whether or not the fuel cells have each been correctly assembled together;   (r) testing the fuel cells by optically interrogating the fuel cells to ensure that their layers and/or component parts have been correctly mutually aligned;   (s) testing the fuel cells by performing one or more electrical measurements thereon to determine open circuit faults, short circuit faults and/or cell resistance faults;   (t) testing the fuel cells by applying “sniffing” or chemical detection tests thereto for detecting trace quantities of undesirable substances remaining from fuel cell manufacturing processes; and   (u) testing the fuel cells to test for leaks between electrode compartments included within the fuel cells, the testing including further steps of plugging outlets of electrodes of the electrode compartments, supplying reactants to the electrode compartments and monitoring output potentials generated by the fuel cells;   (v) leak testing the fuel cells by applying sniffing gases and/or tracer gases under excess pressure and detecting any leaks of the sniffing gases and/of trace gases from the fuel cells to their surroundings by using gas sensing apparatus;   (w) testing pressure drop occurring in fuel cell components, half fuel cells or complete fuel cells in response to flow of a liquid and/or gas therethrough; and   (x) testing flow signatures of fuel cell components, half fuel cells or completed fuel cells in response to a flow of a liquid and/or gas therethrough.   
   
   
       2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein step (b) involves supplying layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts to one or more preparatory processes before and/or whilst being assembled to form the fuel cells, wherein the one or more preparatory processes include one or more of:
 (e) bonding or molding gaskets or seals to one or more of the layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts;   (f) mechanically working one or more of the layers of material and/or component parts to shape them and/or to flatten them;   (g) cutting one or more apertures or holes in one or more of the layers of material and/or component parts;   (h) treating cut edges of one or more of the layers and/or component parts to passivate them from corrosion or chemical reaction with one or more of the reactants;   (i) adding coatings to one or more of the layers and/or component parts to activate and/or passivate them;   (j) cutting or otherwise releasing one Of more of the layers and/or components to release them from their respective rolls;   (k) grinding and/or polishing surfaces of one or more of the layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts;   (l) electro-polishing one or more of the layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts for enhancing their corrosion protection and/or for providing them with a smooth surface operable to exhibit lower electrical contact resistance;   (m) cleaning one or more of the layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts for removing contamination therefrom; and   (n) applying a welding operation to one or more of the layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts.   
   
   
       3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of step (o) or step (v) includes steps of:
 (y) applying a tracer gas under excess pressure to each fuel cell; and   (z) spatially sampling using one or more tracer gas probes around an external periphery of each fuel cell to check for local leakage of the tracer gas therefrom.   
   
   
       4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein step (r) includes one or more steps of:
 (aa) optically interrogating the fuel cells using one or more optical radiation beams around a peripheral region of each fuel cell and/or whereat aperture and/or holes are formed into the fuel cells; and   (bb) executing imaging of layers and/or component parts included in each fuel cell using (Rontgen) X-rays to detect faults or defects arising therein during fabrication.   
   
   
       5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , including a step of mutually synchronizing delivery of material and/or components parts from the plurality of rolls for ensuring mutually accurate alignment thereof in the fuel cells. 
   
   
       6 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , including steps of forming holes, channels and chambers in the material and/or components parts so as to provide the fuel cells with one or more paths through which S the one or more reactants are operable to flow when the fuel cells are in operation. 
   
   
       7 . A method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the steps of forming the holes, channels and chambers are such so as to enable the fuel cells to be assembled into corresponding stacks of fuel cells, each stack being susceptible to being terminated by one or more end plates at which electrical connections and fluid and/or gas connections are provided. 
   
   
       8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in step (b), assembly is commenced from a substantially central layer providing each fuel cell with structural rigidity. 
   
   
       9 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the central layer is a substantially rigid structural layer of each of the fuel cells, or is a central chamber of each of the fuel cells. 
   
   
       10 . An apparatus operable to substantially continuously manufacture fuel cells operable to generate electrical power from reactions of one or more reactants therein, and wherein each fuel cell comprises a plurality of component parts assembled together in a stacked configuration, the apparatus including:
 (a) a mounting arrangement for receiving a plurality of rolls of material and/or pre-formed component parts for fabricating the fuel cells or parts thereof;   (b) one or more assembly devices operable, in a substantially continuous manner, to progressively assemble layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts from the plurality of rolls to fabricate the fuel cells;   (c) a testing facility operable to apply a test procedure to the fuel cells to identify one or more functional fuel cells; and   (d) a separating facility operable to mutually separate the one or more functional fuel cells into individual fuel cells for subsequent use,   wherein the testing facility is operable to test fuel cell operation by at least one of:   (o) testing the fuel cells by applying thereto a fluid under excess pressure to pressure test the fuel cells and identify any occurrence of leaks therein;   (p) testing the fuel cells by weighing them to determine whether or not their weight is within a given range, or above and/or below a given threshold weight;   (q) testing the fuel cells by measuring one or more physical dimensions thereof to determine whether or not the fuel cells have each been correctly assembled together;   (r) testing the fuel cells by optically interrogating the fuel cells to ensure that their layers and/or component parts have been correctly mutually aligned;   (s) testing the fuel cells by performing one or more electrical measurements thereon to determine open circuit faults, short circuit faults and/or cell resistance faults.   (t) testing the fuel cells by applying “sniffing” or chemical detection tests thereto for detecting trace quantities of undesirable substances remaining from fuel cell manufacturing processes;   (u) testing the fuel cells to test for leaks between electrode compartments included within the fuel cells, the testing including further steps of plugging outlets of electrodes of the electrode compartments, supplying reactants to the electrode compartments and monitoring output potentials generated by the fuel cells;   (v) leak testing the fuel cells applying sniffing gases and/or tracer gases under excess pressure and detecting any leaks of the sniffing gases and/of trace gases from the fuel cells to their surroundings by using gas sensing apparatus;   (w) testing pressure drop occurring in fuel cell components, half fuel cells or complete fuel cells in response to flow of a liquid and/or gas therethrough; and   (x) testing flow signatures of fuel cell components, half fuel cells or completed fuel cells in response to a flow of a liquid and/or gas therethrough.   
   
   
       11 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus includes one or more preparatory stages operable to receive layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts from the rolls for preparatory processing prior to and/or whilst being assembled to form the fuel cells, wherein the one or more preparatory stages include one or more of:
 (e) a preparatory stage for bonding or molding gaskets or seals to one or more of the layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts;   (f) a preparatory stage for mechanically working one or more of the layers of material and/or component parts to shape them and/or to flatten them;   (g) a preparatory stage for cutting one or more apertures or holes in one or more of the layers of material and/or component parts;   (h) a preparatory stage for treating cut edges of one or more of the layers and/or component parts to passivate them from corrosion or chemical reaction with one or more of the reactants:   (i) a preparatory stage for adding coatings to one or more of the layers and/or component parts to activate and/or passivate them;   (j) a preparatory stage for cutting or otherwise releasing one or more of the layers and/or components to release them from their respective rolls;   (k) a preparatory stage for grinding and/or polishing surfaces of one or more of the layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts;   (l) a preparatory stage for electro-polishing one or more of the layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts for enhancing their corrosion protection and/or for providing them with a smooth surface operable to exhibit lower electrical contact resistance;   (m) a preparatory stage for cleaning one or more of the layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts for removing contamination therefrom; and   (n) a preparatory stage for applying a welding operation to one or more of the layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts.   
   
   
       12 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the testing facility is operable to:
 (y) apply a tracer gas under excess pressure to each fuel cell; and   (z) spatially sample using one or more tracer gas probes around an external periphery of the fuel cell to check for local leakage of the tracer gas therefrom.   
   
   
       13 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the testing facility is operable to:
 (aa) optically interrogate the fuel cells using one or more optical radiation beams around a peripheral region of each fuel cell and/or whereat aperture and/or holes are formed into the fuel cells; and for   (bb) execute imaging of layers and/or component parts included in each fuel cells using (Rontgen) X-rays to detect fabrication faults arising therein during fabrication.   
   
   
       14 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus includes a synchronization arrangement for mutually synchronizing in operation delivery of material and/or components parts from the plurality of rolls for ensuring mutually accurate alignment thereof in the fuel cells. 
   
   
       15 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus includes tools which are operable to form holes, channels and chambers in the material and/or components parts so as to provide the fuel cells with one or more paths through which the one or more reactants are operable to flow when the fuel cells are in operation. 
   
   
       16 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the tools for forming the holes, channels and chambers are disposed so as to enable the fuel cells to be assembled into corresponding stacks of fuel cells, each stack being susceptible to being terminated by one or more end plates at which electrical connections and fluid connections are provided. 
   
   
       17 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , the apparatus being operable to commence from a substantially central layer providing each fuel cell with structural rigidity. 
   
   
       18 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the apparatus is operable to manufacture the series of fuel cells so that the central layer is a substantially rigid structural layer of each of the fuel cells, or is a central chamber of each of the fuel cells. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the one or more assembly devices for progressively assembling layers of material and/or preformed component parts layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts from the plurality of rolls to fabricate the fuel cells laminates layers of material and/or preformed component parts. 
   
   
       20 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein assembling layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts from the plurality of rolls to fabricate the fuel cells comprises laminating layers of material and/or pre-formed component parts.