A humidifier core for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell and a humidifier

Abstract

The present invention discloses a humidifier core for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell and a humidifier. The humidifier core includes a core unit, and the core unit includes a first gas separator, a first humidifying membrane, a second gas separator, a third gas separator, a second humidifying membrane, and a fourth gas separator arranged in sequence, and a first moisture channel, a first fuel gas channel, a cold air channel, a second fuel gas channel, and a second fuel gas channel are formed in sequence. The present invention utilizes the temperature exchange between cold air and fuel gas, the temperature of the humidified fuel gas is controllable, the gas separator has good structural stability, and the structure and process of the present invention are simple, easy to process, and have low cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of fuel cells, and in particular to a humidifier core and a humidifier for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell. Background Art

[0002] Currently, the commonly used fuel cells include: polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, phosphate fuel cells, alkaline fuel cells, solid oxide fuel cells, and molten carbonate fuel cells. Among them, the proton exchange membrane fuel cell is a type of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. Due to its advantages such as high energy density, fast startup speed, and long working life, it is very suitable for application in transportation tools. Therefore, most of the fuel cells developed by current automobile companies also focus on proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

[0003] During the operation of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, water molecules are required. If the fuel cell lacks water, it will lead to an increase in the internal resistance of the electrode and a decrease in battery performance. In order to ensure the transmission ability of protons from the anode of the membrane electrode to the cathode of the electrode, a humidifier is needed to humidify the gas entering the fuel cell stack.

[0004] Taking the hydrogen fuel cell in gas fuel cells as an example, it is necessary to introduce high-temperature and high-humidity gas into the humidifier and humidify the hydrogen through the humidification membrane in the humidifier. The temperature of the hydrogen humidified by the humidifier is uncontrollable, and it will greatly affect the working efficiency of the proton exchange membrane after flowing into the fuel cell reactor. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the deficiencies in the prior art and propose a humidifier core and a humidifier for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A humidifier core for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell, the humidifier core includes a core unit, and the core unit includes a first gas partition, a first humidification membrane, a second gas partition, a third gas partition, a second humidification membrane, and a fourth gas partition arranged in sequence;

[0007] The two opposite sides of the first gas partition and the first humidification membrane are respectively sealed by first moisture-side seals, and a first moisture channel is formed between the first gas partition and the first humidification membrane. The two opposite sides of the second gas partition and the first humidification membrane are respectively sealed by first fuel gas-side seals, and a first fuel gas channel is formed between the second gas partition and the first humidification membrane;

[0008] The opposite sides of the second gas partition and the third gas partition are respectively sealed by cold air-side seals, and a cold air channel is formed between the second gas partition and the third gas partition;

[0009] The two opposite sides of the third gas separator and the second humidification film are respectively sealed by the second fuel gas side seals, and a second fuel gas channel is formed between the third gas separator and the second humidification film. The two opposite sides of the fourth gas separator and the second humidification film are respectively sealed by the second moisture side seals, and a second moisture channel is formed between the fourth gas separator and the second humidification film.

[0010] Furthermore, the channel directions of the first moisture channel, the first fuel gas channel, the cold air channel, the second fuel gas channel, and the second moisture channel are the same and are arranged in parallel.

[0011] Furthermore, the humidifier core is formed by stacking a plurality of the core units. When stacking, the fourth gas separator of the current core unit serves as the first gas separator of the next core unit.

[0012] Furthermore, the specific structures of the first to fourth gas separators are as follows: including a separator body, with seal setting parts on both sides of the separator body, and a plurality of convex parts are respectively arranged on two surfaces of the middle part, and the convex parts are symmetrically arranged with respect to the separator body.

[0013] Furthermore, the convex parts on the separator body are all of cuboid structures, and the intervals between the convex parts are the same.

[0014] Furthermore, the convex parts on the first gas separator close to the first moisture channel are separated from the first humidification film by a certain distance, and the convex parts on the second gas separator close to the first fuel gas channel are also separated from the first humidification film by a certain distance.

[0015] Furthermore, the convex parts on the second gas separator and the third gas separator close to the cold air channel are in contact with each other, and a cold air channel is formed between two adjacent groups of contacting convex parts.

[0016] Furthermore, the gas fuel cell is a hydrogen fuel cell, and both the first fuel gas channel and the second fuel gas channel are hydrogen channels.

[0017] To solve its technical problems, the present invention also provides a humidifier core and a humidifier for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell, including a housing, a fuel gas inlet, a moisture inlet, a cold air inlet, a fuel gas outlet, a moisture outlet, a cold air outlet located on the housing, and the humidifier core for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell as described in any one of the above items provided in the housing. The fuel gas inlet communicates with one end of the first fuel gas channel and one end of the second fuel gas channel. The fuel gas outlet communicates with the other end of the first fuel gas channel and the other end of the second fuel gas channel. The moisture inlet communicates with one end of the first moisture channel and one end of the second moisture channel. The moisture outlet communicates with the other end of the first moisture channel and the other end of the second moisture channel. Both ends of the cold air channel communicate with the cold air inlet and the cold air outlet respectively.

[0018] Temperature sensors are provided at the fuel gas outlet and the cold air inlet, and are respectively connected to a processor.

[0019] Implementing the humidifier core and the humidifier for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell of the present invention has the following technical effects: The present invention utilizes the temperature exchange between cold air and fuel gas, the temperature of the humidified fuel gas is controllable, the structural stability of the gas separator is good, and the structure and process of the present invention are simple, easy to process, and have low cost. Description of the Drawings

[0020] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the humidifier core for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell;

[0021] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the gas separator;

[0022] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the humidifier for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell. Detailed Embodiments

[0023] In order to make the technical means, creative features, achieved purposes and effects of the present invention easy to understand, the present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments and drawings. However, the following embodiments are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in the embodiments, other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work all belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

[0024] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0025] Refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1The figure is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the humidifier core for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell. For the humidifier core of the integrated cooling gas fuel cell in this embodiment, the humidifier core includes a core unit, and the core unit includes a first gas separator 1, a first humidification membrane 2, a second gas separator 3, a third gas separator 4, a second humidification membrane 5, and a fourth gas separator 6 arranged in sequence.

[0026] The two opposite sides of the first gas separator 1 and the first humidification membrane 2 are respectively sealed by a first wet gas side seal 7 (only one is marked in the figure, Figure 1 and there is also a corresponding first wet gas side seal 7 on the left side in the figure. The same applies to other seals and will not be elaborated later). A first wet gas channel A is formed between the first gas separator 1 and the first humidification membrane 2. The two opposite sides of the second gas separator 3 and the first humidification membrane 2 are respectively sealed by a first fuel gas side seal 8, and a first fuel gas channel B is formed between the second gas separator 3 and the first humidification membrane 2.

[0027] The opposite sides of the second gas separator 3 and the third gas separator 4 are respectively sealed by a cold gas side seal 9, and a cold gas channel C is formed between the second gas separator 3 and the third gas separator 4.

[0028] The two opposite sides of the third gas separator 4 and the second humidification membrane 5 are respectively sealed by a second fuel gas side seal 10, and a second fuel gas channel D is formed between the third gas separator 4 and the second humidification membrane 5. The two opposite sides of the fourth gas separator 6 and the second humidification membrane 5 are respectively sealed by a second wet gas side seal 11, and a second wet gas channel E is formed between the fourth gas separator 6 and the second humidification membrane 5.

[0029] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the channel directions of the first wet gas channel A, the first fuel gas channel B, the cold gas channel C, the second fuel gas channel D, and the second wet gas channel E are the same and are arranged in parallel.

[0030] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 2It is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the gas separator. The specific structures of the first to fourth gas separators are the same, all in a fence shape, specifically: including a separator body 12, with sealing member setting parts 122 on both sides of the separator body 12, and a plurality of convex parts 121 are respectively arranged on two surfaces of the middle part (only one is marked in the figure), and the convex parts 121 on both sides of the separator body 12 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the separator body 12. The convex parts 121 on the separator body 12 are all in a cuboid structure, and the intervals between the convex parts 121 are the same. The convex part 121 on the first gas separator 1 close to the first moisture channel A is separated from the first humidifying film 2 by a certain distance, and the convex part 121 on the second gas separator 3 close to the first fuel gas channel B is also separated from the first humidifying film 2 by a certain distance. The convex parts 121 on the second gas separator 3 and the third gas separator 4 close to the cold air channel C are in contact, and a cold air channel C is formed between two adjacent groups of contacting convex parts 121.

[0031] In this embodiment, the gas fuel cell is a hydrogen fuel cell, the fuel gas can be hydrogen, and the corresponding fuel gas channel is also a hydrogen channel. However, in other embodiments, other fuel gases can also be used instead of hydrogen.

[0032] In this embodiment, the humidifier core for the gas fuel cell only includes one inner core unit as shown in Figure 1 In the gas embodiment of the present invention, the humidifier core is formed by stacking a plurality of the inner core units. One implementation method is to directly stack the inner core units as shown in Figure 1 However, as a preferred embodiment of the invention, when stacking, the fourth gas separator 6 of the current inner core unit serves as the first gas separator 1 of the next inner core unit, that is, the fourth gas separator 6 of the current inner core unit and the first gas separator 1 of the next inner core unit are the same gas separator.

[0033] Refer to Figure 3 , which is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of a humidifier for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell. The humidifier for the gas fuel cell includes a housing, a fuel gas inlet 17, a moisture inlet 16, a cold air inlet 18, a fuel gas outlet 14, a moisture outlet 13, a cold air outlet 15 located on the housing, and a humidifier core for the integrated cooling gas fuel cell as described in any one of the above located inside the housing. The fuel gas inlet 17 communicates with one end of the first fuel gas channel B and one end of the second fuel gas channel D, the fuel gas outlet 14 communicates with the other end of the first fuel gas channel B and the other end of the second fuel gas channel D, the moisture inlet 16 communicates with one end of the first moisture channel A and one end of the second moisture channel E, the moisture outlet 13 communicates with the other end of the first moisture channel A and the other end of the second moisture channel E, and both ends of the cold air channel C communicate with the cold air inlet 18 and the cold air outlet 15 respectively.

[0034] The working principle of the present invention is described in detail below.

[0035] The dry fuel gas flows into the first fuel gas channel B and the second fuel gas channel D in the humidifier through the moisture inlet 16, and flows out of the humidifier through the fuel gas outlet 14. The moisture flows into the first moisture channel A and the second moisture channel E in the humidifier through the moisture inlet 16, and flows out of the humidifier through the moisture outlet 13. The cold air flows into the cold air channel C in the humidifier through the cold air inlet 18, and flows out of the humidifier through the moisture outlet 13.

[0036] After the dry fuel gas, the moisture and the cold air flow into the fuel gas channel, the moisture channel and the cold air channel of the humidifier respectively, the dry fuel gas and the moisture exchange humidity through the first humidification membrane 2 and the second humidification membrane 5. In this process, the moisture also transfers heat to the dry fuel gas; the cold air and the dry fuel gas exchange heat through the cold air flow channel.

[0037] Temperature sensors are arranged at the fuel gas outlet and the cold air inlet, and are respectively connected to the processor. The temperature of the cold air entering the humidifier is adjusted through the processor, so as to control the temperature of the fuel gas flowing out of the humidifier.

[0038] Implementing the humidifier inner core and the humidifier for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell of the present invention has the following technical effects: The present invention utilizes the temperature exchange between the cold air and the fuel gas, the temperature of the humidified fuel gas is controllable, the gas separator structure has good stability, and the structure and process of the present invention are simple, easy to process, and have low cost.

[0039] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may include the direct contact between the first and second features, and may also include the situation where the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through other features therebetween. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "over" and "on" the second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The first feature being "below", "under" and "beneath" the second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than that of the second feature.

[0040] The above shows and describes the basic principle, main features and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art of this industry should understand that the present invention is not limited by the above embodiments. The above embodiments and the descriptions in the specification are only preferred examples of the present invention, and are not used to limit the present invention. Without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the present invention will have various changes and improvements, and these changes and improvements all fall within the scope of the present invention claimed. The scope of protection claimed by the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A humidifier core for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell, characterized in that, The humidifier inner core includes inner core units, and each inner core unit includes a first gas partition, a first humidification membrane, a second gas partition, a third gas partition, a second humidification membrane, and a fourth gas partition arranged in sequence; The two opposite sides of the first gas partition and the first humidification membrane are respectively sealed by first moisture-side seals, and a first moisture channel is formed between the first gas partition and the first humidification membrane. The two opposite sides of the second gas partition and the first humidification membrane are respectively sealed by first fuel gas-side seals, and a first fuel gas channel is formed between the second gas partition and the first humidification membrane; The opposite sides of the second gas partition and the third gas partition are respectively sealed by cold gas-side seals, and a cold gas channel is formed between the second gas partition and the third gas partition; The two opposite sides of the third gas partition and the second humidification membrane are respectively sealed by second fuel gas-side seals, and a second fuel gas channel is formed between the third gas partition and the second humidification membrane. The two opposite sides of the fourth gas partition and the second humidification membrane are respectively sealed by second moisture-side seals, and a second moisture channel is formed between the fourth gas partition and the second humidification membrane; The specific structures of the first to fourth gas partitions are as follows: they include partition bodies. The two sides of the partition bodies are seal setting parts. On the two surfaces of the middle part, a plurality of convex parts are respectively arranged, and the convex parts are symmetrically arranged with respect to the partition bodies. The convex parts on the partition bodies are all in the shape of rectangular parallelepipeds, and the intervals between the convex parts are the same. The convex parts on the second gas partition and the third gas partition close to the cold gas channel are in contact with each other, and a cold gas channel is formed between adjacent two groups of contacting convex parts. The humidifier inner core is formed by stacking a plurality of such inner core units. When stacking, the fourth gas partition of the current inner core unit serves as the first gas partition of the next inner core unit.

2. The humidifier core for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The channel directions of the first moisture channel, the first fuel gas channel, the cold gas channel, the second fuel gas channel, and the second moisture channel are the same and are arranged in parallel.

3. The humidifier core for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The convex parts on the first gas partition close to the first moisture channel are separated from the first humidification membrane by a certain distance, and the convex parts on the second gas partition close to the first fuel gas channel are also separated from the first humidification membrane by a certain distance.

4. The humidifier core for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas fuel cell is a hydrogen fuel cell, and both the first fuel gas channel and the second fuel gas channel are hydrogen channels.

5. A humidifier for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell, characterized in that, It includes a housing, a fuel gas inlet, a moisture inlet, a cold gas inlet, a fuel gas outlet, a moisture outlet, a cold gas outlet located on the housing, and a humidifier inner core for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell as described in any one of claims 1-4 arranged in the housing. The fuel gas inlet is connected to one end of the first fuel gas channel and one end of the second fuel gas channel. The fuel gas outlet is connected to the other end of the first fuel gas channel and the other end of the second fuel gas channel. The moisture inlet is connected to one end of the first moisture channel and one end of the second moisture channel. The moisture outlet is connected to the other end of the first moisture channel and the other end of the second moisture channel. The two ends of the cold gas channel are respectively connected to the cold gas inlet and the cold gas outlet.

6. The humidifier for an integrated cooling gas fuel cell according to claim 5, characterized in that, Temperature sensors are provided at the fuel gas outlet and the cold air inlet, and are respectively connected to the processor.

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