Flow element, bipolar plate and method for producing a flow element

Abstract

To provide a flow element which in particular is used as a component of a bipolar plate in electrochemical devices, which is stable and permits efficient flow guiding, it is proposed that the flow element comprises a plate-like main body that is formed as a shaped sheet metal product and has a channel structure, wherein the channel structure comprises a plurality of channels which are formed by recesses in the main body and are separated from one another by raised portions of the main body, wherein there is provided at least one region with normal level difference that defines, with respect to a height direction running perpendicular to two main directions of extent of the main body, a height difference between a recess and an adjoining raised portion, wherein there is provided at least one region with reduced level difference, in which a height difference between a recess and an adjoining raised portion is less than the normal level difference, wherein the at least one region with reduced level difference comprises a parallel expansion region of the main body that, in the event of an expansion of the main body resulting from the deformation of the shaped sheet metal product, is expanded along expansion vectors which lie in mutually parallel planes, wherein the at least one region with reduced level difference, that comprises the parallel expansion region of the main body, adjoins a curvature expansion region of the main body which, in the event of an expansion of the main body resulting from the deformation of the shaped sheet metal product, is expanded along expansion vectors which lie in intersecting planes.