Leak Testing By Helium Detecting System Of Flow Plates (Single And Bipolar Plates)
Leak testing is a specific test operation in the Flow plates production process, since it verifies the tightness of coolant, hydrogen and air circuits (total no. 3) of the fuel cell’s Bipolar plates, simulating real operating condition. Fundamental is the design and construction of the components sealings, fully customized by Helium Technology.
The perfect circuits configuration and sealing of the single and bipolar plates are the most important features to guarantee the efficiency and longevity of the fuel cell system. The leak test guarantees the correct production (by stamping or hydroforming) and prevents any other criticalities in stack assembly and its functioning.
This test is really important for the use of fuel cell in fuel cell electric vehicle applications, in order to guarantee the quality and safety standards typical of the automotive market.
Four test chambers machine for Single and Bipolar Plates with manual loading/unloading. Each test chamber is composed of two half chambers, upper and lower, and the flow plate is placed on a movable fixture between these two half chambers.
The test fixtures consist of removable and exchangeable back plates on the upper and lower half chambers containing sealings which comply with the component’s pattern and make tightness against each of the 3 circuits.
Machines can be upgraded for automatic loading/unloading by robot.
Principle of measurement: global test in vacuum chamber with helium as tracer gas and mass-spectrometer analysis.
The machine provides 4 vacuum chambers (composed each of 2 half chambers), assembled on a welded and painted steel frame. The vacuum pumping system, housed on a support frame within a soundproofed and ventilated cabin is placed under the vacuum chambers.
The cabinet containing the electric switchboard, the analysis system and the pneumatic distribution system of the process gas are also placed under the vacuum chambers.
HMI is made by a touch-screen colour monitor built in the cabinet side and one remote control box with the push-buttons and light signals for the operator.
The equipment provides separate outlet ports for helium and air discharge and it is suitable to be connected to a helium recovery system, if required.
The machine can test both single and bipolar flow plates by means of easily and quickly removable and exchangeable fixtures suitable for all models of single and bipolar plates.
Each BP is composed by 2 Single Flow Plates lasercut and welded together. The aim of the equipment is to test the volume between the 2 single plates which generates 3 circuits, by pressurizing them in the most suitable sequence. The circuits are:
- Circuit 1 : Coolant
- Circuit 2 : Hydrogen
- Circuit 3 : Air
- Development of customized sealings and couplers to make perfect tightness on such a peculiar component
- Development of new systems to avoid component deformation
- Generally speaking, knowledge of a brand-new component and its critical issues
- Experience gained in a significantly increasing new market segment to support other customers in the development of similar projects
Basic configuration of the machine:
- Manual loading/unloading, prepared for automatic loading/unloading by robot
- Test Pressure: 1,7 bar
- Output rate: 1 component each 4 seconds (1 machine provided with 4 chambers)
- Leak rate: 1X10-4 mbar*l/s @100% He
BROCHURES AND MANUALS
| Brochure | |
|---|---|
| English |
FUEL CELLS: (867.71kB)
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| German |
FUEL CELLS: (1.68MB)
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| Japanese |
FUEL CELLS: (1.32MB)
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| Korean |
FUEL CELLS: (2.52MB)
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| Simplified Chinese |
FUEL CELLS: (1.27MB)
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