Project description

Metallic bipolar plates (BPPs) are key components of fuel cells, influencing their performance, service life and cost-effectiveness. The design of the established BPP production chain, consisting of forming, cutting and joining, is complex due to the multiple target criteria involved, and has so far been carried out exclusively sequentially. This means that interactions and uncertainties between the process stages are not adequately considered, resulting in limitations in tolerance definition, process reliability, and resource efficiency.

The research project aims at developing a methodology for the holistic analysis and modelling of the BPP process chain. To this end, individual models of the sub-processes are developed, linked to each other and validated using experimental data, in order to create a consistent overall model. This will enable inverse process chain analysis and multi-criteria optimization of production, taking stochastic uncertainties into account.

The research project combines processes such as hollow embossing rolling for producing bipolar half plates (BPHP) with state-of-the-art measurement technologies and numerical simulations. This provides an in-depth understanding of the process chain, contributing to improvements in the quality and cost‑effectiveness of BPP production, with the potential for transfer to other plate-based components in the future.

Process chain