초록 ▼

The invention relates to an electrochemical device intended for the production of products through electrochemical reaction of reactants, said electrochemical device comprising a stack of electrochemical cells (10), each cell (10) comprising a structure (16), two bipolar plates (18a, 18b) shared wit

The invention relates to an electrochemical device intended for the production of products through electrochemical reaction of reactants, said electrochemical device comprising a stack of electrochemical cells (10), each cell (10) comprising a structure (16), two bipolar plates (18a, 18b) shared with adjacent cells (10), a membrane/electrode assembly (20) and two intermediate elements (21, 22) arranged to carry a current and the reactants/products to/from the membrane/electrode assembly (20). According to the invention, said structure (16) of the cell (10) comprises a single frame (23) made in one piece, said frame (23) having upper and lower faces respectively arranged to form a plane contact with the bipolar plates (18a, 18b) disposed on either side of said frame (23), and a central opening (26) arranged to receive the membrane/electrode assembly (20) and the two intermediate elements (21, 22), said frame (23) comprising all the orifices (38, 40, 42, 44) necessary for feeding reactants and evacuating products, and housings (34, 54a, 58a, 60a) arranged to receive sealing means (36, 56a, 56b; 62a, 62b, 64a, 64b) ensuring the sealing of each reactant and product.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An electrochemical device for production of products through electrochemical reaction of reactants, said electrochemical device comprising a stack of electrochemical cells, each cell comprising a structure, two bipolar plates shared with adjacent cells, a membrane/electrode assembly and two inter

1. An electrochemical device for production of products through electrochemical reaction of reactants, said electrochemical device comprising a stack of electrochemical cells, each cell comprising a structure, two bipolar plates shared with adjacent cells, a membrane/electrode assembly and two intermediate elements that carry current and reactants/products, wherein said structure of the cell comprises a single frame made in one-piece, said frame having upper and lower faces respectively arranged to form a plane contact with the bipolar plates disposed on either side of said frame, and a central opening arranged to receive the membrane/electrode assembly and the intermediate elements, said frame comprising orifices for feeding reactants and evacuating products, and housings arranged to receive O-ring joints ensuring the sealing of each reactant and product,wherein the opening of the frame comprises an inner peripheral shoulder on which rests a peripheral area of the membrane/electrode assembly, defining a first space which houses an intermediate element and a second space which houses the other intermediate element, said first and second spaces being respectively closed by one of the bipolar plates,wherein said shoulder comprises a first peripheral groove arranged to receive an O-ring joint, andwherein the upper and lower faces of the frame respectively comprise, around the opening, a second peripheral groove arranged to receive an O-ring joint, and positioned so that the inlet and outlet ports pertaining to the reactants and products present on the same side of the membrane/electrode assembly are disposed inside the second peripheral groove and the orifices corresponding to the inlet and outlet ports pertaining to the reactants and products present on the other side of the membrane/electrode assembly are disposed outside said second peripheral groove, and a third and a fourth peripheral grooves arranged around orifices corresponding to the inlet and outlet ports pertaining to the reactants and products present on the other side of the membrane/electrode assembly, said third and fourth grooves being arranged to receive O-ring joints. 2. The electrochemical device according to claim 1, wherein the height of the membrane/electrode assembly and of the intermediate elements is selected to be slightly greater than the thickness of the frame prior to assembly. 3. The electrochemical device according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower faces of the frame respectively comprise a first hollow arranged to place the reactant feed orifice in fluid communication with the associated intermediate element, and a second hollow arranged to place said intermediate element in fluid communication with the product evacuation orifice. 4. The electrochemical device according to claim 1, wherein the orifices for feeding the reactants and evacuating the products are disposed perpendicularly to the upper face and lower face of the frame. 5. The electrochemical device according to claim 1, wherein each bipolar plate is a smooth metallic plate comprising reactant feed orifices and product evacuation orifices corresponding to those of the frame.