A structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for automotive fuel cells

Abstract

The present invention provides a structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell for a vehicle, comprising a humidifier shell, wherein two ends of the humidifier shell are respectively installed with a front cover and a rear cover through bolt connection, a rear support ring is installed on a side of the humidifier shell close to the rear cover, and a front support ring is installed on a side of the humidifier shell close to the front cover, a straight-through wet-side air intake channel is provided between the front support ring and the rear support ring, a plurality of hollow fiber tubes are evenly installed between the front support ring and the rear support ring, the hollow fiber tubes are communicated with the front end cavity and the rear end cavity, the interior of the hollow fiber tubes is an in-tube flow channel, and compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: the moisture on the wet side is more evenly distributed, the flow resistance is smaller, and the drainage hidden danger is less.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention discloses a tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell for a vehicle with an optimized structure, and belongs to the field of fuel cells. Background Art

[0002] Proton exchange membrane fuel cells are power generation devices that use proton conductive polymer membranes as electrolytes and utilize the electrochemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen in the air. Existing technology shows that in order to improve battery life and efficiency, it is necessary to use the high-humidity exhaust gas of the fuel cell to pre-humidify the air entering the fuel cell stack.

[0003] Tubular membrane humidifier is a common fuel cell membrane humidifier. It uses a hollow membrane bundle tube, and the dry and wet gases flow through the inner and outer surfaces of the membrane tube respectively. The water migrates from the outer surface of the tube diameter to the inner surface through the hollow fiber membrane tube to humidify the dry reaction gas. Traditional tubular membrane humidifiers are often designed with front / rear end covers with dry side inlet / outlet connected to the shell with wet side inlet / outlet, and the hollow fiber tubes are concentrated in the middle of the shell. Therefore, traditional tubular membrane humidifiers often have disadvantages such as poor humidification effect and large resistance along the way. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for automotive fuel cells to solve the problems raised in the above-mentioned background technology. The present invention makes the moisture on the wet side more evenly distributed, the flow resistance is smaller, and the drainage risks are less.

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention is implemented through the following technical scheme: a structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell in a vehicle comprises a humidifier shell, wherein two ends of the humidifier shell are respectively installed with a front cover and a rear cover through bolt connection, a wet-side gas inlet and a dry-side gas outlet are installed on a side of the rear cover facing away from the humidifier shell, a dry-side gas inlet is installed on a side of the front cover facing away from the humidifier shell, and a wet-side gas outlet is installed on an outer surface of the humidifier shell, a rear support ring is installed on a side of the humidifier shell close to the rear cover, a front support ring is installed on a side of the humidifier shell close to the front cover, a straight-through wet-side air intake channel is provided between the front support ring and the rear support ring, the straight-through wet-side air intake channel is installed at the inner center of the humidifier shell, and a hollow tube is fixedly connected to the end of the straight-through wet-side air intake channel away from the rear support ring, and the hollow tube The humidifier shell is a shell that is provided with a plurality of hollow fiber tubes, each of which is provided with a plurality of hollow fiber tubes, each of which is provided with a plurality of hollow fiber tubes, each of which is provided with a plurality of hollow fiber tubes. The hollow fiber tubes are ...

[0006] Furthermore, a first flange is fixedly connected to the front end cover, and a third flange matching the first flange is fixedly connected to the outer surface of one end of the humidifier housing close to the front end cover, and the third flange is fixedly connected to the first flange by bolts.

[0007] Furthermore, a front sealing ring is provided between the front end cover and the humidifier housing.

[0008] Furthermore, a second flange is fixedly connected to the rear end cover, and a fourth flange matching the second flange is fixedly connected to the outer surface of one end of the humidifier housing close to the rear end cover, and the fourth flange is fixedly connected to the second flange by bolts.

[0009] Furthermore, a rear sealing ring is provided between the rear end cover and the humidifier housing.

[0010] Furthermore, the hollow tube and the straight-through wet-side air intake passage are an integrally formed structure, and the straight-through wet-side air intake passage and the rear support ring are an integrally formed structure.

[0011] Furthermore, the humidifier housing is a hollow single-outlet cylindrical structure.

[0012] Furthermore, the outer wall of the straight-through wet side air inlet channel is provided with variable diameter holes, the diameter of the variable diameter holes gradually decreases along the flow direction, the straight-through wet side air inlet channel has a large number of variable diameter holes on the wall near the wet side gas outlet, and a small total hole area.

[0013] Furthermore, the other side of the wet side gas inlet is combined with the straight-through wet side air inlet channel, the rear packaging colloid and the rear support ring to form a closed structure.

[0014] Furthermore, the dry-side gas outlet in the rear end cover may be arranged in different forms and shapes at different positions of the rear end cover.

[0015] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0016] 1. The internal space layout of the humidifier shell is better, the distribution of wet air in the flow channel outside the tube is more reasonable, and the humidification effect is better.

[0017] 2. The straight-through inlet pipe outer flow channel is adopted, and the flow resistance of the wet side flow channel is smaller.

[0018] 3. The wet side gas outlet serves as the only channel for condensed water to be discharged, which reduces the complexity of condensed water treatment and reduces or even avoids the situation where condensed water flows into the fuel cell stack from the wet side inlet and accumulates in the humidifier shell (when the wet side gas outlet is installed downward).

[0019] 4. The straight-through wet side air inlet channel avoids the disadvantage of the traditional structure that a protective shell is added to the membrane tube bundle to prevent the wet side gas from impacting the membrane tube. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of non-limiting embodiments made with reference to the following drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell used in a vehicle according to the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the assembly of a straight-through wet-side air inlet passage and a rear support ring in a structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell used in a vehicle according to the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 A three-dimensional diagram of a front end cover of a tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell for a vehicle with an optimized structure according to the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 A three-dimensional diagram of a rear end cover of a tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell for a vehicle with an optimized structure according to the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 A three-dimensional diagram of a humidifier housing in a tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell in a vehicle with an optimized structure according to the present invention;

[0026] In the figure: 1-humidifier shell, 2-rear end cover, 3-rear packaging colloid, 4-dry side gas outlet, 5-wet side gas inlet, 6-hollow tube, 7-rear support ring, 8-rear end cavity, 9-rear sealing ring, 10-hollow fiber tube, 11-front sealing ring, 12-front packaging colloid, 13-front end cavity, 14-dry side gas inlet, 15-front support ring, 16-front end cover, 17-wet side gas outlet, 18-tube outer flow channel, 19-straight-through wet side air inlet channel, 20-first flange, 21-second flange, 22-third flange, 23-fourth flange. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In order to make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects achieved by the present invention easy to understand, the present invention is further explained below in conjunction with specific implementation methods.

[0028] See also Figure 1-Figure 5 The present invention provides a technical solution: a structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell in a vehicle, comprising a humidifier shell 1, the humidifier shell 1 is a hollow single-outlet cylindrical structure, the two ends of the humidifier shell 1 are respectively installed with a front cover 16 and a rear cover 2 by bolt connection, the front cover 16 is fixedly connected with a first flange 20, the outer surface of one end of the humidifier shell 1 close to the front cover 16 is fixedly connected with a third flange 22 matched with the first flange 20, the third flange 22 is fixedly connected with the first flange 20 by bolts, a front sealing ring 11 is provided between the front cover 16 and the humidifier shell 1, the first flange 20 and the third flange 22 are connected by bolts, so as to facilitate the disassembly and assembly of the front cover 16 and the humidifier shell 1.

[0029] A second flange 21 is fixedly connected to the rear end cover 2, and a fourth flange 23 matching the second flange 21 is fixedly connected to the outer surface of one end of the humidifier housing 1 close to the rear end cover 2. The fourth flange 23 is fixedly connected to the second flange 21 by bolts. A rear sealing ring 9 is provided between the rear end cover 2 and the humidifier housing 1. The second flange 21 and the fourth flange 23 are connected by bolts, which facilitates the disassembly and assembly of the rear end cover 2 and the humidifier housing 1.

[0030] A wet side gas inlet 5 and a dry side gas outlet 4 are installed on the side of the rear end cover 2 facing away from the humidifier shell 1. The dry side gas outlet 4 in the rear end cover 2 can be set in different forms and shapes at different positions of the rear end cover 2. A dry side gas inlet 14 is installed on the side of the front end cover 16 facing away from the humidifier shell 1. A wet side gas outlet 17 is installed on the outer surface of the humidifier shell 1. The wet side gas outlet 17 serves as the only channel for condensed water to be discharged, which reduces the complexity of condensed water treatment and reduces or even avoids the condensed water flowing into the fuel cell stack from the wet side inlet and accumulating in the humidifier shell 1 (when the wet side gas outlet 17 is installed downward).

[0031] A rear support ring 7 is installed on the side of the humidifier shell 1 close to the rear end cover 2, and a front support ring 15 is installed on the side of the humidifier shell 1 close to the front end cover 16. A straight-through wet side air inlet channel 19 is provided between the front support ring 15 and the rear support ring 7. The straight-through wet side air inlet channel 19 is installed in the center of the humidifier shell 1. The front support ring 15 and the rear support ring 7 jointly support the straight-through wet side air inlet channel 19 and the hollow fiber tube 10.

[0032] The end of the straight-through wet side air inlet channel 19 away from the rear support ring 7 is fixedly connected with a hollow tube 6, the hollow tube 6 passes through the front support ring 15 and is inserted in the wet side gas inlet 5, the hollow tube 6 and the straight-through wet side air inlet channel 19 are an integrally formed structure, the straight-through wet side air inlet channel 19 and the rear support ring 7 are an integrally formed structure, the other side of the wet side gas inlet 5 is combined with the straight-through wet side air inlet channel 19, the rear packaging colloid 3 and the rear support ring 7 to form a closed structure, a plurality of hollow fiber tubes 10 are evenly installed between the front support ring 15 and the rear support ring 7, and the hollow fiber tubes 10 surround The straight-through wet-side air inlet channel 19 is evenly distributed in the humidifier shell 1. A rear encapsulation colloid 3 for sealing the gap between the rear support ring 7 and the hollow fiber tube 10 is installed on the side of the humidifier shell 1 close to the rear end cover 2. A front encapsulation colloid 12 for sealing the gap between the front support ring 15 and the hollow fiber tube 10 is installed on the side of the humidifier shell 1 close to the front end cover 16. The front encapsulation colloid 12 and the rear encapsulation colloid 3 play a sealing role. The straight-through wet-side air inlet channel 19 avoids the disadvantage of the traditional structure of adding a protective shell to the membrane tube bundle to prevent the wet-side gas from impacting the membrane tube.

[0033] The rear packaging colloid 3, the rear end cover 2 and the straight wet side air inlet channel 19 form the rear end cavity 8, the front packaging colloid 12 and the front end cover 16 form the front end cavity 13, the hollow fiber tube 10 is connected with the front end cavity 13 and the rear end cavity 8, the interior of the hollow fiber tube 10 is the tube flow channel, the front end cavity 13, the rear end cavity 8 and the tube flow channel are the dry side gas flow cavity, and the internal space of the humidifier shell 1 is the wet side gas flow cavity. The dry air first enters the front end cavity 13 from the dry side gas inlet 14 of the front end cover 16, the dry air enters the tube flow channel and exchanges heat and moisture with the wet air, and finally flows out from the dry side gas outlet 4 of the rear end cover 2, the wet air flows in from the wet side gas inlet of the rear end cover 2, is more reasonably distributed in the tube outer flow channel 18 through the straight wet side air inlet channel 19, and finally flows out from the wet side gas outlet 17 of the humidifier shell 1. The straight-through tube outer flow channel 18 is adopted, and the flow resistance of the wet side flow channel is smaller.

[0034] The outer wall of the straight-through wet side air inlet channel 19 is provided with variable diameter holes, the diameter of which gradually decreases along the flow direction. The straight-through wet side air inlet channel 19 has a large number of variable diameter holes on the side wall near the wet side gas outlet 17, and the total hole area is small, which promotes a more reasonable distribution of wet side gas.

[0035] Although this specification is described according to implementation modes, not every implementation mode includes only one independent technical solution. This description of the specification is only for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment may also be appropriately combined to form other implementation modes that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell vehicle, comprising a humidifier housing (1), wherein a front end cover (16) and a rear end cover (2) are respectively installed at both ends of the humidifier housing (1) by bolt connection, a wet side gas inlet (5) and a dry side gas outlet (4) are installed on the side of the rear end cover (2) facing away from the humidifier housing (1), a dry side gas inlet (14) is installed on the side of the front end cover (16) facing away from the humidifier housing (1), a wet side gas outlet (17) is installed on the outer surface of the humidifier housing (1), and a gas outlet (17) is installed near the inner surface of the humidifier housing (1). A rear support ring (7) is installed on one side of the rear end cover (2); a front support ring (15) is installed on the side of the humidifier housing (1) close to the front end cover (16); a straight-through wet side air inlet channel (19) is provided between the front support ring (15) and the rear support ring (7); the straight-through wet side air inlet channel (19) is installed at the center of the interior of the humidifier housing (1); a hollow tube (6) is fixedly connected to one end of the straight-through wet side air inlet channel (19) away from the rear support ring (7); the hollow tube (6) passes through the front support ring (15) and is inserted into the wet side gas inlet (5); A plurality of hollow fiber tubes (10) are evenly installed between the front support ring (15) and the rear support ring (7); the hollow fiber tubes (10) are evenly distributed in the humidifier housing (1) around the straight-through wet side air inlet channel (19); a rear encapsulation colloid (3) for sealing the gap between the rear support ring (7) and the hollow fiber tubes (10) is installed on one side of the humidifier housing (1) close to the rear end cover (2); and a front encapsulation colloid (3) for sealing the gap between the front support ring (15) and the hollow fiber tubes (10) is installed on one side of the humidifier housing (1) close to the front end cover (16). The humidifier housing (1) is a housing for humidifying gas, wherein the rear packaging colloid (3), the rear end cover (2) and the straight wet side air inlet channel (19) form a rear end cavity (8), the front packaging colloid (12) and the front end cover (16) form a front end cavity (13), the hollow fiber tube (10) is in communication with the front end cavity (13) and the rear end cavity (8), the interior of the hollow fiber tube (10) is an in-tube flow channel, the front end cavity (13), the rear end cavity (8) and the in-tube flow channel are a dry side gas flow cavity, and the internal space of the humidifier housing (1) is a wet side gas flow cavity, characterized in that: The outer wall surface of the straight-through wet side air inlet channel (19) is provided with variable diameter holes, the diameter of which gradually decreases along the flow direction. The number of variable diameter holes on the side wall surface of the straight-through wet side air inlet channel (19) close to the wet side gas outlet (17) is large, and the total hole area is small.

2. The structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell used in a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first flange (20) is fixedly connected to the front end cover (16); a third flange (22) matching the first flange (20) is fixedly connected to the outer surface of one end of the humidifier housing (1) close to the front end cover (16); and the third flange (22) is fixedly connected to the first flange (20) by bolts.

3. The structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell used in a vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that: A front sealing ring (11) is provided between the front end cover (16) and the humidifier housing (1).

4. The structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell used in a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: A second flange (21) is fixedly connected to the rear end cover (2); a fourth flange (23) matching the second flange (21) is fixedly connected to the outer surface of one end of the humidifier housing (1) close to the rear end cover (2); and the fourth flange (23) is fixedly connected to the second flange (21) by bolts.

5. The structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell used in a vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that: A rear sealing ring (9) is provided between the rear end cover (2) and the humidifier housing (1).

6. The structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell used in a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hollow tube (6) and the straight-through wet-side air inlet passage (19) are an integrally formed structure, and the straight-through wet-side air inlet passage (19) and the rear support ring (7) are an integrally formed structure.

7. The structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell used in a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The humidifier housing (1) is a hollow cylindrical structure with a single outlet.

8. The structurally optimized tubular membrane humidifier for a fuel cell used in a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The other side of the wet side gas inlet (5) is combined with the straight-through wet side air inlet channel (19), the rear packaging colloid (3) and the rear support ring (7) to form a closed structure.

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