Scalable electrolysis cell and stack and method of high-speed manufacturing the same

Abstract

An electrolyzer stack is configured for high-speed manufacturing and assembly of a plurality of scalable electrolysis cells. Each cell comprises a plurality of water windows configured to maintain a pressure loss, temperature rise and/or oxygen outlet volume fraction below predetermined thresholds. Repeating components of the cells are configured based on a desired roll web width for production and a stack compression system is configured to enable a variable quantity and variable area of said repeating cells in a single stack. A high-speed manufacturing system is configured to produce scalable cells and assemble scalable stacks at rates in excess of 1,000 MW-class stacks per year.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a bipolar plate assembly for an electrolysis cell, the method comprising:
 providing a bipolar plate, a cathode flow field, a fluid distribution frame, and a hydrogen seal;   embedding a hydrogen seal in the cathode flow field;   aligning and compressing the fluid distribution frame, the cathode flow field, and bipolar plate to engage the hydrogen seal therebetween;   curing the hydrogen seal,   wherein the hydrogen seal is embedded in the cathode flow field and bonds to the cathode flow field, the bipolar plate, and the fluid distribution frame such that these components are bonded together as a physical unit, and the cathode flow field is sealed against the environment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 further comprising applying a water seal to the fluid distribution frame.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 further comprising using an ultraviolet light curing method, a microwave curing method, a thermal curing method, a solvent curing method, a two-part epoxy curing method, or a humidity curing method to cure the hydrogen seal.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 further comprising using an ultraviolet light curing method, a microwave curing method, a thermal curing method, a solvent curing method, a two-part epoxy curing method, or a humidity curing method to cure the water seal.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein both the hydrogen and water seals are cured simultaneously.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the water seal is formed during production of the fluid distribution frame, before the fluid distribution frame is engaged with the hydrogen seal.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the cathode flow field comprises a wire mesh, open cell foam, expanded metal sheet, or sintered metal frit.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the hydrogen seal is applied using a robotic dispensing, screen or stencil printing process.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the hydrogen seal is applied in an uncured state with a thickness between 10 and 1000 micrometers and a width between 0.5 and 15 millimeters.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the water seal is applied using a robotic dispensing, screen or stencil printing process.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the water seal is applied in an uncured state with a thickness between 10 and 1000 micrometers and a width between 0.5 and 15 millimeters.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the bipolar plate, hydrogen seal, water seal, and fluid distribution frame comprise two-dimensional patterns suitable for production using die cutting, laser cutting, waterjet cutting, robotic dispensing and/or screen-printing methods.   
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing an electrolyzer stack comprising:
 providing a plurality of individual cells, each comprising a bipolar plate assembly constructed according to the method of  claim 1 ,   placing a lower wrap element and end unit assembly into a stacking fixture;   placing an upper wrap element and end unit assembly into a stacking fixture;   aligning a freely accessible face of the lower wrap normal to the direction of piece-part flow in a manufacturing line producing scalable electrolysis cells;   placing the individual cells into the lower wrap through the freely accessible face;   lowering an upper wrap and end unit assembly along a z-axis to pre-compress the cell stack;   engaging the joint element of the wrap-style compression system to join the lower and upper wraps into an integral structure;   further compressing the cell stack according to a desired compression profile; and   locking the stack under compressive load using an adjustable element of the compression system.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the stack assembly is accomplished using a rotational table at the end of a cell manufacturing line.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the rotational table comprises stations for loading non-repeating components, placing and aligning cells, compressing and quality checking the assembly, and unloading the final stack.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein cell alignment fixtures are provided on at least two adjacent edges of the cell stack.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the cells are automatically moved from the end of the cell manufacturing line to the inside of the lower wrap using one of a robotic placement, linear-motion actuator, or gravity.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the cells are moved through a freely accessible face of the lower wrap directly by the conveyer system of the cell manufacturing line.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the lower wrap and end unit assembly is moved downward along a z-axis after each cell is moved into position.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the z-axis of the stack assembly is angled relative to the gravity vector such that cells placed into the lower wrap are directed by gravity toward cell alignment fixtures on one or more edges of the cell stack.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein movable cell alignment actuators are engaged on one or more edges of the cell stack such that cells placed into the lower wrap are directed toward cell alignment fixtures on one or more opposite edges of the cell stack.   
     
     
         22 . A compression system for an electrolyzer cell stack comprising:
 a structural wrap comprising one or more wrap layers circumferentially surrounding at least a portion of an electrolyzer cell stack containing a plurality of cells, each comprising a bipolar plate assembly constructed according to the method of  claim 1 ;   end units at opposite ends of the electrolyzer cell stack; and   one or more adjustable elements proximate to one or more of the end units,   wherein the structural wrap permits free access to opposing sides of the cell stack,   wherein the structural wrap serves as a tensile element of the compression system,   wherein the one or more wrap layers are essentially flat sheets of material having an essentially uniform thickness,   wherein a total thickness of the one or more wrap layers is determined by an x-axis dimension of the cell stack and the maximum allowable working pressure of the electrolyzer cell stack.   
     
     
         23 . An electrolysis cell comprising:
 a membrane,   an anode electrode,   a cathode electrode,   an anode flow field,   a cathode flow field; and   a bipolar plate assembly,   wherein the bipolar plate assembly comprises a plurality of repeating water delivery windows positioned adjacent to a leading edge of the anode flow field aligned with a y-axis, wherein each water delivery window is associated with a window length along a y-axis of an anode flow field, and   wherein the electrolysis cell is configured such that a number, an effective diameter, or the window length of the water delivery windows is selected to maintain a water flow resistance, a water temperature rise, or a cell outlet oxygen volume fraction below a target threshold for the electrolyzer cell.