Robotic Arm for Automated Assembly of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Stacks

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Williams ◽  
Kenneth Tignor ◽  
Luke Sigler ◽  
Chitra Rajagopal ◽  
Vladimir Gurau
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Membrane Electrode ◽  
Assembly Process ◽  
Automated Assembly ◽  
Component Alignment ◽  
End Effector ◽  
Cell Components ◽  
Exchange Membrane

We present an innovative, inexpensive end-effector, the robot workcell, and the fuel cell components used to demonstrate the automated assembly process of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack. The end-effector is capable of handling a variety of fuel cell components including membrane electrode assemblies, bipolar plates and gaskets using vacuum cups mounted on level compensators and connected to a miniature vacuum pump. The end-effector and the fuel cell components are designed with features that allow an accurate component alignment during the assembly process within a tolerance of 0.02 in. and avoiding component overlapping which represents a major cause of overboard gas leaks during the fuel cell operation. The accurate component alignment in the stack is achieved with electrically nonconductive alignment pins permanently mounted on one fuel cell endplate and positioning holes machined on the fuel cell components and on the end-effector. The alignment pins feature a conical tip which eases the engagement between them and the positioning holes. A passive compliance system consisting of two perpendicularly mounted miniature linear blocks and rails allow compensating for the robot's limitations in accuracy and repeatability.

scholarly journals MOF Derived Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

2018 ◽  
Vol 778 ◽  
pp. 275-282
Author(s):  
Noaman Khan ◽  
Saim Saher ◽  
Xuan Shi ◽  
Muhammad Noman ◽  
Mujahid Wasim Durani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotubes ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Membrane Electrode Assembly ◽  
Reduction Reaction ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Membrane Electrode ◽  
Nitrogen Doped ◽  
Nitrogen Doped Carbon ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Highly porous ZIF-67 (Zeolitic imidazole framework) has a conductive crystalline metal organic framework (MOF) structure which was served as a precursor and template for the preparation of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) electrocatalysts. As a first step, the chloroplatinic acid, a platinum (Pt) precursor was infiltrated in ZIF-67 with a precise amount to obtain 0.12 mg.cm-2 Pt loading. Later, the infiltrated structure was calcined at 700°C in Ar:H2 (90:10 vol%) gas mixture. Multi-walled nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes were grown on the surface of ZIF-67 crystals following thermal activation at 700°C. The resulting PtCo-NCNTs electrocatalysts were deposited on Nafion-212 solid electrolyte membrane by spray technique to study the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in the presence of H2/O2 gases in a temperature range of 50-70°C. The present study elucidates the performance of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes ORR electrocatalysts derived from ZIF-67 and the effects of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) steaming on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) employing PtCo-NCNTs as ORR electrocatalysts. We observed that the peak power density at 70°C was 450 mW/cm2 for steamed membrane electrode assembly (MEA) compared to 392 mW/cm2 for an identical MEA without steaming.

Multidimensional nanostructured membrane electrode assemblies for proton exchange membrane fuel cell applications

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (16) ◽  
pp. 9447-9477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guoliang Wang ◽  
Liangliang Zou ◽  
Qinghong Huang ◽  
Zhiqing Zou ◽  
Hui Yang
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Recent Progress ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Membrane Electrode ◽  
Membrane Electrode Assemblies ◽  
Electrode Assemblies ◽  
Exchange Membrane

This review highlights the recent progress in multidimensional nanostructured membrane electrode assemblies for PEMFCs and DMFCs.

Investigation of Thermal Influence on the Assembly of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Stacks

2012 ◽  
Vol 512-515 ◽  
pp. 1509-1514
Author(s):  
Lin Fa Peng ◽  
Dian Kai Qiu ◽  
Pei Yun Yi ◽  
Xin Min Lai
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Expansion ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Contact Pressure ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Membrane Electrode ◽  
Fe Model ◽  
Assembly Process

The assembly force in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack affects the characteristics of the porosity and electrical conductivity. Generally, the stack is assembled at room temperature while it’s operated at about 80 °Cor even higher. As a result, the assembly pressure can’t keep constant due to thermal expansion. This paper focuses on the contact pressure between membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and bipolar plates in real operations. A three-dimensional finite element (FE) model for the assembly process is established with coupled thermal-mechanical effects. The discipline of contact pressure under thermal-mechanical effect is investigated. A single cell stack is fabricated in house for the analysis of contact pressures on gas diffusion layer at different temperatures. The results show that as the temperature increases, contact pressure increases due to thermal expansion. It indicates that the influence of thermal expansion due to temperature variation should be taken into consideration for the design of the stack assembly process.

Recent Advances in High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Manufacturing

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond H. Puffer ◽  
Stephen J. Rock
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Flexible Manufacturing ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Manufacturing Processes ◽  
Cell Manufacturing ◽  
Cell Components ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Not enough attention has been devoted to developing the manufacturing processes required to transition fuel cell science into commercially viable products, despite clear recognition that cost and reliability are two key factors preventing more rapid introduction of the technology. Understandably, there is a natural reluctance of many companies to invest resources in manufacturing processes and systems for a product that is still evolving. Changes in materials, geometries, and even the basic fuel cell architecture can have profound effects on the viability of certain manufacturing processes and equipment. This situation suggests that modular flexible manufacturing processes be adopted to accommodate these uncertainties. Since 1999 researchers in the Center for Automation Technologies and Systems (CATS) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have focused on developing flexible manufacturing processes and systems for the manufacture of high temperature proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell components. One result has been a fully automated membrane and electrode assembly (MEA) pilot manufacturing line developed for BASF Fuel Cell, GmbH, formerly Pemeas, GmbH that has been operating since September of 2002. This pilot line has been designed as a highly flexible modular manufacturing system that is able to respond quickly and cost effectively to changes in product materials, geometries, and architectures. For example, the line has easily accommodated three generations of membrane materials and a broad range of MEA sizes and geometries. Because of this flexibility, short runs of prototype MEAs are feasible, and the pilot line is able to produce a high mix of a broad range of MEA sizes. The CATS research team continues to optimize manufacturing processes to provide increased capacity, consistency, reduced costs, and high product quality. This paper will describe the many challenges and risks associated with the development and implementation of an advanced manufacturing capability for high temperature PEM MEAs, and the continuing collaboration between the BASF Fuel Cell and the CATS. Specific examples of several technical challenges and the adopted solutions are presented, along with ongoing fuel cell manufacturing initiatives.

Investigation of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) hot-pressing parameters for proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Energy ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 32 (12) ◽  
pp. 2401-2411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Apichai Therdthianwong ◽  
Phochan Manomayidthikarn ◽  
Supaporn Therdthianwong
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Hot Pressing ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Membrane Electrode Assembly ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Membrane Electrode ◽  
Exchange Membrane
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