Fraunhofer IPT is striving to improve the formability of bipolar plates. Hot-forming will also lower production costs, enabling the mass production of fuel cells.
In a series of first tests, engineers in Aachen formed the necessary surface structure of a bipolar plate.
Fraunhofer IPT
As part of the 'Flygo' research project, scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) and 5 partners from industry and science are developing new ways of mass-producing fuel cells. Bipolar plates contribute to a large part of the weight of a fuel cell, and almost half of the production costs. A new production process could lower these costs dramatically.
The bipolar plates regulate various aspects of the fuel cell stack, including the supply and distribution of hydrogen and oxygen. .Up until now, the thin metal sheets, which are only one-tenth of a millimetre thick, have been produced using forming and cutting processes. The plates are then welded together, two at a time, before being coated in a sealant. If the plates are formed under high temperatures and are particularly small, cracks can appear in the metal.
More Cost-Effective Thanks to Hot-Formed Bipolar Plates
Hot-forming sheets of titanium and stainless steel will shorten the production process and prevent cracks from appearing. This new approach has implications for the entire process chain, including hot-forming, welding, coating and assembly. The Fraunhofer researchers will be giving visitors a preview of the mass production of bipolar plates at the 'Blechexpo' trade fair at the beginning of November.