A membrane tube humidifier and fuel cell system

Abstract

This invention discloses a membrane tube humidifier and a fuel cell system. The membrane tube humidifier includes a humidifier body and multiple membrane modules disposed within the humidifier body. The humidifier body has a wet inlet and a wet outlet for humidified airflow to flow in and out, and a dry inlet and a dry outlet for dry airflow to flow in and out. The multiple membrane modules are stacked in a first direction with gaps between them. The dry airflow flows in each membrane module along a second direction, and the humidified airflow flows into the gap between two adjacent membrane modules along a third direction. The second direction and the third direction both intersect the first direction. A blocking member is provided within the humidifier body in the third direction to block the humidified airflow. The humidified airflow blocked by the blocking member is forced to flow through the membrane modules along the first direction to enhance the humidification of the dry airflow flowing through the membrane modules.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fuel cell technology, and in particular to a membrane tube humidifier and a fuel cell system. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the mainstream fuel cell humidifier on the market is the membrane tube humidifier. The membrane tube humidifier contains multiple membrane modules, each including several membrane tubes and a plastic substrate that fixes the membrane tubes. A schematic diagram of a membrane module in an existing membrane tube humidifier is shown below. Figure 1 As shown, the membrane module 2' includes multiple membrane tubes 20' fixed by a plastic substrate, and the length directions of the membrane tubes 20' are all consistent, as shown in the figure. Figure 1 The left-right direction shown is the length direction of the membrane tube 20'. Windows are provided at both ends of the plastic substrate near the length direction. Moisture enters the membrane assembly 2' through one of the windows and flows along the length direction of the membrane tube 20'. When it reaches the window at the other end, it exits from the membrane assembly 2'. The moisture flowing within the membrane assembly 2' humidifies the dry airflow inside the membrane tube 20'.

[0003] However, in this prior art, because the membrane tubes 20' have a high degree of aggregation after being bundled, the gaps between the membrane tubes 20' are small, making it difficult for the wet water vapor to contact all the membrane tubes during the flow process. At the same time, because the wet water vapor flows along the length of the membrane tubes 20', the path is long and the flow resistance is also large, which reduces the water transfer efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to propose a technical solution to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, this invention proposes a membrane tube humidifier and fuel cell system, which can shorten the humidified airflow path, reduce flow resistance, and improve humidification efficiency.

[0006] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution: a membrane tube humidifier, comprising a humidifier body and a plurality of membrane components disposed within the humidifier body, wherein the humidifier body has a wet inlet and a wet outlet for humidified airflow to flow in and out, and a dry inlet and a dry outlet for dry airflow to flow in and out, wherein: The plurality of membrane modules are stacked in a first direction with gaps between them; the dry airflow flows in each membrane module in a second direction; and the humid airflow flows in a third direction into the gap between two adjacent membrane modules; wherein the second direction and the third direction both intersect the first direction. The humidifier body has a blocking member in the third direction to block the humidified airflow. The humidified airflow blocked by the blocking member is forced to flow through the membrane assembly in the first direction to enhance the humidification of the dry airflow flowing through the membrane assembly.

[0007] As a further improved technical solution, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction intersect each other perpendicularly; or, the third direction is the same as the second direction and perpendicular to the first direction.

[0008] As a further improved technical solution, the blocking member blocks the gap space at intervals in the first direction, so that the humid airflow passes through the membrane assembly from one gap space, enters the gap space adjacent to the gap space, and continues to flow out in the third direction.

[0009] As a further improved technical solution, the humidifier body includes a humid airflow distribution chamber that communicates with the humid inlet. An opening communicating with the gap space is provided on the wall panel of the humid airflow distribution chamber, wherein there is a gap space between two adjacent openings, with one end of the gap space being closed by the wall panel.

[0010] As a further improved technical solution, both the blocking member and the wall panel of the humid airflow distribution cavity cover the opposite two end faces of the membrane assembly.

[0011] As a further improved technical solution, the membrane module includes a plurality of membrane tubes extending along the second direction, and the plurality of membrane tubes are arranged along the third direction.

[0012] As a further improved technical solution, the membrane tube is also configured to be multiple layers stacked in the first direction.

[0013] As a further improved technical solution, the membrane assembly includes a body for fixing the plurality of membrane tubes, and the body has a plurality of windows extending through in a first direction.

[0014] As a further improved technical solution, the distance from the wet inlet to the wet outlet is less than the distance from the dry inlet to the dry outlet.

[0015] The present invention is also achieved through the following technical solution: a fuel cell system comprising a hydrogen supply subsystem and an air supply subsystem, wherein the air supply subsystem comprises a membrane tube humidifier as described above.

[0016] The membrane tube humidifier provided by the present invention includes a blocking member disposed in the flow path of the humidified airflow to block the humidified airflow and force the humidified airflow to penetrate the membrane assembly along the stacking direction of the membrane assembly. This makes the humidified airflow flow radially in the membrane tubes within the membrane assembly. The humidified airflow must fully contact all the membrane tubes before it can flow out. At the same time, the flow path of the humidified airflow within the membrane assembly is shortened and the flow resistance is reduced, which greatly improves the humidification efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a membrane module in the prior art.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the membrane tube humidifier of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the membrane tube humidifier of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the humidified airflow in an embodiment of the membrane tube humidifier of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the membrane assembly of an embodiment of the membrane tube humidifier of the present invention.

[0022] The attached figures are labeled as follows: 1-humidifier body; 11-wet inlet; 12-humid airflow distribution chamber; 121-wall panel; 122-opening; 13-gap space; 14-humid airflow collection chamber; 15-blocking component; 151-outlet; 16-end cap; 17-wet outlet; 18-dry inlet; 19-dry outlet; 2-membrane module; 20-membrane tube; 21-body; 210-window. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To provide a clearer understanding of the technical features, objectives, and effects of the present invention, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] Please see Figures 2 to 5 As shown, the present invention provides a membrane tube humidifier, which includes a humidifier body 1 and a plurality of membrane modules 2 disposed within the humidifier body 1. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the humidifier body 1 has a wet inlet 11 and a wet outlet 17 for the inflow and outflow of humidified airflow WF, and a dry inlet 18 and a dry outlet 19 for the inflow and outflow of dry airflow DF. The plurality of membrane modules 2 are stacked in a first direction with a gap space 13. The dry airflow DF flows in each membrane module along a second direction, and the humidified airflow WF flows into the gap space 13 between two adjacent membrane modules 2 along a third direction. Both the second direction and the third direction intersect the first direction. A blocking member 15 is provided within the humidifier body 1 in the third direction to block the humidified airflow WF. The humidified airflow WF blocked by the blocking member 15 is forced to flow through the membrane module 2 along the first direction to enhance the humidification of the dry airflow DF flowing through the membrane module 2.

[0026] In this embodiment, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction intersect each other perpendicularly. The first direction is... Figure 3 The upper and lower directions shown refer to the directions in which the plate-shaped membrane modules 2 are stacked; the second direction is the direction indicated by the dry airflow DF, which is also the length direction of the membrane tubes 20 included in each membrane module 2; the third direction is the direction indicated by the wet airflow WF, which is parallel to the plane where the plate-shaped membrane modules 2 are located and perpendicular to the length direction of the membrane tubes 20 in the membrane module 2. In another embodiment, the third direction may be the same as the second direction and perpendicular to the first direction.

[0027] In this embodiment, the plurality of membrane modules 2 are stacked in a first direction with gap spaces 13, meaning that adjacent membrane modules 2 are not stacked in direct surface-to-surface contact, but rather with a gap between them. Specifically, the humidifier body 1 is provided with a support portion that can support each membrane module 2. The membrane module 2 is supported and fixed within the humidifier body 1 by the support portion, and the gap spaces 13 are formed between adjacent membrane modules 2. The gap spaces 13 are used for the flow of humidified airflow.

[0028] Please refer to this carefully. Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the humidifier body 1 includes a humidified airflow distribution chamber 12 communicating with the humidified inlet 11. An opening 122 communicating with the gap space 13 is provided on the wall panel 121 of the humidified airflow distribution chamber 12. A gap space 13, with one end closed by the wall panel 121, exists between two adjacent openings 122. Because the area of ​​the humidified inlet 11 is small, the humidified airflow through it is relatively concentrated and cannot completely align with the gap space 13; therefore, a humidified airflow distribution chamber 12 is necessary. The humidified airflow entering from the humidified inlet 11 first fills the humidified airflow distribution chamber 12, and then disperses into the multiple gap spaces 13 through the opening 122 on the wall panel 121 of the humidified airflow distribution chamber 12. In this embodiment, since the humidified airflow within the obstructed gap space 13 of an outlet 151 can pass upward or downward through the membrane module 2 and enter the adjacent upper or lower gap space 13, the gap space 13 with the opening 122 and the gap space 13 with the port closed by the wall panel 121 can be spaced apart. This not only makes the humidified airflow relatively concentrated and prevents excessive dispersion, but also ensures that the humidified airflow passing through a certain membrane module 2 is only in a single direction, avoiding two opposing humidified airflows from passing through the same membrane module 2 at the same time and affecting the flow of humidified airflow and humidification effect.

[0029] Please continue reading. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the blocking member 15 is disposed at the end of the membrane assembly 2 and the gap space 13, that is, downstream of the humid airflow WF passing through the membrane assembly 2. The blocking member 15 blocks the gap space 13 at intervals in a first direction, so that the humid airflow passes through the membrane assembly 2 from one gap space 13, enters the gap space 13 adjacent to the first gap space 13, and continues to flow out in a third direction. In other words, the blocking member 15 is provided with an outlet 151, which is offset from the opening 122 on the wall panel 121. Therefore, the humid airflow entering the gap space 13 from the opening 122 cannot be directly discharged from the end of the gap space 13, but must pass through the membrane assembly 2 and flow out from the outlet 151 of the adjacent gap space 13. That is, the flow path of the humid airflow is Z-shaped, thereby achieving forced humidification of the dry airflow flowing through the membrane tube 20 of the membrane assembly 2. The blocking member 15 and the housing at this end of the humidifier body 1 form a humid airflow collecting cavity 14. Multiple streams of humid airflow discharged from multiple gap spaces 13 are collected in the humid airflow collecting cavity 14 and then discharged from the humid outlet 17. In this embodiment, both the blocking member 15 and the wall plate 121 of the humid airflow distribution cavity 12 shield the opposite end faces of the membrane assembly 2 to prevent the humid airflow from directly impacting the end faces of the membrane assembly 2.

[0030] Please see Figure 5As shown, in this embodiment, the membrane assembly 2 includes multiple membrane tubes 20 extending along the second direction, and the multiple membrane tubes 20 are arranged along the third direction. That is, the length direction of the membrane tubes 20 is the second direction, and the multiple membrane tubes 20 are arranged in the third direction. Further, the membrane tubes 20 are also configured as multiple layers stacked in the first direction. It should be noted that the multiple membrane tubes 20 can be single or bundled, extending along the length direction of the body 21 of the membrane assembly 2, and uniformly arranged in the width and thickness directions of the body 21. In this embodiment, the distance from the wet inlet 11 to the wet outlet 17 is less than the distance from the dry inlet 18 to the dry outlet 19, so as to reduce the flow path of the humid airflow. In this embodiment, the membrane assembly 2 includes a rectangular plate-shaped body 21 for fixing the multiple membrane tubes 20. The body 21 has multiple windows 210 extending in a first direction. The multiple windows 210 are arranged in an array. The multiple windows 210 are used to allow humidified airflow to pass through the membrane assembly 2 along the radial direction of the membrane tubes 20, that is, along the thickness direction of the membrane assembly 2.

[0031] In one embodiment, the humidifier body 1 includes end caps 16 disposed at both ends of the dry airflow DF. The end caps 16 form an air inlet chamber and an air outlet chamber for the dry airflow DF, which can realize the distribution of the dry airflow before humidification and the collection and discharge of the dry airflow after humidification.

[0032] The membrane tube humidifier provided by this invention, in use, introduces a humid airflow WF through the wet inlet 11 and a dry airflow DF through the dry inlet 18; the dry airflow DF enters the membrane tube 20 of the membrane module 2 and flows along the length of the membrane tube 20; the humid airflow WF enters the gap space 13 between adjacent membrane modules 2, and is forced to pass through the membrane module 2 along the thickness direction (i.e., the radial direction of the membrane tube 20) due to the obstruction of the blocking member 15, and flows into the adjacent gap space 13, thus flowing through the entire membrane tube 20 for moisture transfer; the humid airflow WF after moisture exchange is discharged from the humidifier from the wet outlet 17, and the humidified dry airflow DF is discharged from the humidifier from the dry outlet 19 and transported to the subsequent system for use.

[0033] The present invention also provides a fuel cell system comprising a hydrogen supply subsystem and an air supply subsystem, wherein the hydrogen supply subsystem supplies hydrogen to the fuel cell stack, and the air supply subsystem supplies air to the fuel cell stack. Hydrogen and oxygen in the air undergo a chemical reaction in the fuel cell stack to generate electrical energy and produce water as a byproduct. The air supply subsystem includes a membrane tube humidifier as described above. In one embodiment, the humidified airflow can be provided by air discharged from the cathode of the fuel cell, which enters the humidifier's wet side. The humidified airflow passes through a special membrane material of the membrane tube 20, transferring moisture to the dry airflow within the membrane tube 20, thus humidifying the air supplied from the air supply device (such as an air compressor) and supplying it to the cathode.

[0034] As can be seen from the above description of the specific embodiments, the membrane tube humidifier provided by the present invention includes a blocking member 15. The blocking member 15 is disposed in the flow path of the humid airflow WF to block the humid airflow WF, thereby forcing the humid airflow WF to penetrate the membrane assembly 2 along the stacking direction of the membrane assembly 2. In this way, the humid airflow WF flows radially in the membrane tubes 20 within the membrane assembly 2. The humid airflow WF must fully contact all the membrane tubes 20 before it can flow out. At the same time, the flow path of the humid airflow WF within the membrane assembly 2 is shortened and the flow resistance is reduced, which greatly improves the humidification efficiency.

[0035] This invention has been illustrated through several specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent substitutions can be made to this invention without departing from its scope. Furthermore, various modifications can be made to this invention for specific situations or circumstances without departing from its scope. Therefore, this invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, but should include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A membrane tube humidifier, comprising a humidifier body and a plurality of membrane modules disposed within the humidifier body, the humidifier body having a wet inlet and a wet outlet for humidified airflow to flow in and out, and a dry inlet and a dry outlet for dry airflow to flow in and out, characterized in that: The plurality of membrane modules are stacked in a first direction with gaps between them; the dry airflow flows in each membrane module in a second direction; and the humid airflow flows in a third direction into the gap between two adjacent membrane modules; wherein the second direction and the third direction both intersect the first direction. The humidifier body has a blocking member in the third direction to block the humidified airflow. The humidified airflow blocked by the blocking member is forced to flow through the membrane assembly in the first direction to enhance the humidification of the dry airflow flowing through the membrane assembly. The humidifier body includes a humidified airflow distribution chamber communicating with the humidified inlet. The wall panel of the humidified airflow distribution chamber has multiple openings communicating with the gap space. Among two adjacent openings, there is a gap space with one end closed by the wall panel. The blocking member blocks the gap space at intervals in a first direction. The blocking member is provided with multiple outlets. The outlets are staggered with the openings on the wall panel, so that the humidified airflow passes through the membrane assembly from a gap space, enters the gap space adjacent to the gap space, and continues to flow out in a third direction.

2. The membrane tube humidifier as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction intersect each other perpendicularly; or, the third direction is the same as the second direction and perpendicular to the first direction.

3. The membrane tube humidifier as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Both the blocking member and the wall panel of the humidified airflow distribution cavity cover the opposite two end faces of the membrane assembly.

4. The membrane tube humidifier as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The membrane assembly includes a plurality of membrane tubes extending along the second direction, the plurality of membrane tubes being arranged along the third direction.

5. The membrane tube humidifier as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The membrane tube is also configured to be multiple layers stacked in the first direction.

6. The membrane tube humidifier as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The membrane assembly includes a body for fixing the plurality of membrane tubes, the body having a plurality of windows extending through in a first direction.

7. The membrane tube humidifier as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The distance from the wet inlet to the wet outlet is less than the distance from the dry inlet to the dry outlet.

8. A fuel cell system comprising a hydrogen supply subsystem and an air supply subsystem, characterized in that, The air supply subsystem includes a membrane tube humidifier as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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