Applications / Electrolyzers And Fuel Cells

Disc Springs also called Belleville washers are absolutely excellent to distribute the force from the tie rods or bolts into the end flanges, more importantly to eliminate the thermal expansion or contraction of the plastic of each cell.

During system operation, the Electrolyzers stacks will get to somewhere in the range of 80-90℃, will result in a linear thermal expansion on the Electrolyzer stacks which are made of mostly PSU plastic.

Adding Optimum Disc Spring stacks or Belleville Washer stacks to take up all that expansion without adding any additional stress to the tie rod.

When the Electrolyzers are turned off and cooled down, the plastic and gaskets will thermally contract, often not back to their original position which will result in a reduction in the compressive stresses between each cell and gasket.

Then the leakage will occur.

Adding Optimum Disc Spring stacks or Belleville Washer stacks to unload some of the pretension back onto the cells, keeping the required compressive and performance stresses required.

Disc springs' elastic properties make them ideal for tightness in Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers, providing the perfect seal to prevent the leakage of hydrogen and oxygen.