# US 2019/0318055 A1 · Method for determining the dimensions of an electrochemical cell comprising pcb holding plates

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- Number: US 2019/0318055 A1
- Document ID: US20190318055A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/385,525
- Filed: 2019-04-16
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-17
- Assignees: Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives
- Applicants: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives
- Inventors: Mathias Gerard; Jean-Noel Carminati; Laurent Garnier; Ramon Naiff da Fonseca; Ludovic Rouillon; Remi Vincent
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190318055A1

## CPC

- G06F 30/23: using finite element methods [FEM] or finite difference methods [FDM]
- H01M 8/04305: {Modeling, demonstration models of fuel cells, e.g. for training purposes}
- C25B 15/00: Operating or servicing cells
- H01M 8/04992: characterised by the implementation of mathematical or computational algorithms, e.g. feedback control loops, fuzzy logic, neural networks or artificial intelligence
- H01M 8/1004: characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence)
- G06F 2111/10: Numerical modelling
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining the dimensions of an electrochemical cell allowing a total area of the electrochemical cell to be minimized while maximizing an electrical signal generated by the electrochemical cell in operation, including: a/ determining a first cost function expressing the variation in a first parameter representative of the total area as a function of an adjustment variable representative of an aspect ratio of the active zone; b/ determining a second cost function expressing the variation in a second parameter representative of the generated electrical signal as a function of the adjustment variable; c/ determining a compound cost function from the first and second cost functions and identifying a value of the adjustment variable that optimizes the compound cost function and that therefore conjointly optimizes the first and second cost functions.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented method for determining the dimensions of an electrochemical cell, the method minimizing a total area of the electrochemical cell while maximizing an electrical signal generated by the electrochemical cell in operation, the electrochemical cell comprising:
a membrane electrode assembly formed from two electrodes separated from each other by an electrolytic membrane, and two holding plates between which the membrane electrode assembly is in contact;
the total area of the electrochemical cell being defined in a plane parallel to the plane of the electrolytic membrane by:
an active zone of elongate shape having an aspect ratio defined by a length and a width, the length being larger than the width, in which zone each holding plate is liable to be deformed in a direction opposite to the plane of the electrolytic membrane, and by
a fastening zone encircling the active zone, in which zone each holding plate is fastened to the membrane electrode assembly;
the method comprising the following steps:
a. determining a first cost function expressing the variation in a first parameter representative of the total area as a function of an adjustment variable representative of said aspect ratio of the active zone;
b. determining, from a predetermined physical model of the electrochemical cell implemented in the computer, a second cost function expressing the variation in a second parameter representative of the generated electrical signal as a function of the adjustment variable;
c. determining a compound cost function from the first and second cost functions and identifying a value of the adjustment variable that optimizes the compound cost function and that therefore conjointly optimizes the first and second cost functions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined physical model furnishes a variation, under given operating conditions, in said generated electrical signal as a function of an electrical resistance the value of which depends on a local deformation of a holding plate in the active zone, said local deformation itself being dependent on the adjustment variable.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, comprising:
implementing steps a to c several times so that, in each implementation, the predetermined physical model furnishes a different variation in said generated electrical signal, said variations in said generated electrical signal corresponding to various operating conditions of the electrochemical cell in operation, a plurality of optimal values of the adjustment variable thus being identified;
a step d of selecting one of said identified optimal values depending on a predetermined target value for the total area and/or on a predetermined target value for the generated electrical signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, during said reiterations of steps a to c, said variations in said generated electrical signal correspond to a given value of an electrical signal imposed on the electrochemical cell in operation.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first parameter, the second parameter and the adjustment variable are normalized.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5, wherein the first cost function tends to be optimized when the adjustment variable tends to 1 or 0, respectively, and the second cost function tends to be optimized when the adjustment variable tends to 0 or 1, respectively.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first parameter is chosen so that the first cost function is decreasing or increasing function, respectively, and the second parameter is chosen so that the second cost function is an increasing or decreasing function, respectively.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first parameter is chosen so that the minimization or maximization, respectively, of the first cost function tends to minimize the total area, and the second parameter is chosen so that the minimization or maximization, respectively, of the second cost function tends to maximize the electrical signal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the compound cost function is a norm of a vector formed, for each value of the adjustment variable, from the corresponding values of the first parameter and of the second parameter, the identified value of the adjustment variable corresponding to an extremum of the compound cost function.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the compound cost function is a linear combination of the first cost function and the second cost function, the identified value of the adjustment variable corresponding to an extremum of the compound cost function.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A manufacturing process for manufacturing an electrochemical cell, comprising the following steps:
determining the dimensions of an electrochemical cell using the method according to claim 1;
manufacturing the electrochemical cell so that the aspect ratio of the active zone is a function of the identified value of the adjustment variable.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The manufacturing process according to claim 11, wherein the aspect ratio of the active zone is chosen in a range of the adjustment variable for which the compound cost function has a deviation smaller than or equal to a predetermined percentage from the extremum corresponding to the identified value of the adjustment variable.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A data storage medium comprising computer instructions for executing the determining method according to claim 1.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A device for determining the dimensions of an electrochemical cell comprising:
a computer, comprising a processor and a memory, configured to implement the determining method according to claim 1;
means for inputting data in order to furnish the computer with a value for the area of the active zone and a value for the dimension of the fastening zone;
means for outputting at least one identified value of the adjustment variable.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the compound cost function is a combination of the first cost function and the second cost function, the identified value of the adjustment variable corresponding to an extremum of the compound cost function.