Low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier

Abstract

The utility model provides a low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier, which comprises a main shell, an inner through cavity, a water inlet pipe, a water outlet pipe, a water inlet pipe and a water outlet pipe, the membrane component is detachably mounted in the inner through cavity; the pressing plate is detachably connected to the end face of the main shell; the end covers are detachably mounted at the two ends of the main shell; wherein the membrane component is an assembly consisting of a membrane bundle frame, a pouring sealant and a hollow fiber membrane tube, and the pouring sealant is used for fixing and restraining the membrane bundle frame and the hollow fiber membrane tube; wherein the main shell is respectively connected with the end cover and the membrane component through sealing pieces; the sealing element is configured to be easy to replace; the position of the pressing plate corresponds to the position of the end face of the membrane assembly, so that when the pressing plate is fixed to the main shell, a sealing piece between the main shell and the membrane assembly is directly or indirectly extruded. By means of the membrane humidifier, the technical problem that only the membrane assembly is aged, but the whole membrane humidifier needs to be replaced, and consequently economic benefits are low is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of fuel cells, and particularly to a low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier. Background Art

[0002] Among many fuel cell systems, PEMFC is favored by the automotive, aerospace, marine, energy conversion, and power generation industries due to its advantages such as rapid startup at room temperature, fast response to load changes, and high specific energy. Water management in fuel cell systems is one of the main factors affecting system performance. The purpose of "water management" is to maintain the water balance inside the fuel cell, that is, while ensuring that the PEM has good proton conduction ability, it is also necessary to ensure that the excess liquid water in the catalyst layer and gas diffusion layer can be removed in a timely manner to prevent flooding in the catalyst layer and gas diffusion layer.

[0003] As an important component of fuel cell water management, the fuel cell membrane humidifier plays an indispensable role. However, due to the attachment of impurities on the membrane surface and the aging of the membrane structure of the hollow fiber membrane filaments inside the traditional membrane humidifier after long-term use, the humidification performance decays, which in turn leads to a decrease in the performance of the fuel cell stack and an increase in system power consumption.

[0004] Currently, when the humidifier decays and fails, the common countermeasure in the industry is to replace the entire new humidifier product, and the disassembled humidifier is directly scrapped, resulting in a relatively high after-sales maintenance cost for the fuel cell system. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier to solve the technical problem of low economic efficiency caused by only the membrane component aging but needing to replace the entire membrane humidifier.

[0006] The technical solution of the present application is as follows:

[0007] A low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier, comprising:

[0008] A main housing with an internal through cavity;

[0009] A membrane component detachably installed in the internal through cavity;

[0010] A pressing plate detachably connected to the end face of the main housing;

[0011] End caps detachably installed at both ends of the main housing;

[0012] Wherein, the membrane component is an assembly composed of a membrane bundle frame, potting glue, and hollow fiber membrane tubes, and the potting glue is used to fix and restrain the membrane bundle frame and the hollow fiber membrane tubes;

[0013] Wherein, the main housing is respectively connected to the end cover and the membrane module through a seal to jointly establish a sealed space for humidity exchange between dry gas and wet gas; the seal is configured to be easily replaceable;

[0014] Wherein, the position of the pressing plate corresponds to the end face position of the membrane module, so that when the pressing plate is fixed to the main housing, the seal between the main housing and the membrane module is directly or indirectly extruded to enhance the airtightness of the sealed space.

[0015] As one of the preferred solutions, the seal includes a main housing seal ring and a membrane module seal ring; wherein,

[0016] The main housing seal ring is installed at the connection between the end cover and the main housing;

[0017] The membrane module seal ring is installed in the area where the membrane module contacts the end face of the main housing.

[0018] As one of the preferred solutions, one end of the membrane module is provided with a sealing ear, the inner diameter of the sealing ear is larger than the inner diameter of the inner through cavity, and the inner diameter of the other end of the membrane module is smaller than the inner diameter of the inner through cavity.

[0019] As one of the preferred solutions, the membrane module seal ring includes a dry gas inlet side seal ring and a dry gas outlet side seal ring;

[0020] Wherein, the dry gas inlet side seal ring is fixed between the sealing ear and the sealing bone position on one end face of the main housing, and the pressing plate contacts the sealing ear;

[0021] Wherein, the dry gas outlet side seal ring is fixed at the area where the pressing plate, the other end face of the main housing and the membrane module jointly contact.

[0022] As one of the preferred solutions, a plurality of round holes are formed in the pressing plate, and the plurality of round holes, the plurality of membrane modules and the plurality of inner through cavities correspond to each other one by one.

[0023] As one of the preferred solutions, the hollow fiber membrane tube is arranged in the membrane bundle frame, and potting glue is sealed at both ends of the membrane bundle frame to assemble the membrane bundle frame and the hollow fiber membrane tube into an integral structure.

[0024] As one of the preferred solutions, a wet gas inlet window and a wet gas outlet window are respectively arranged on both sides of the membrane bundle frame;

[0025] A wet gas inlet and a wet gas outlet corresponding to the positions of the wet gas inlet window and the wet gas outlet window are respectively arranged on both sides of the main housing;

[0026] A dry gas inlet and a dry gas outlet are respectively arranged on the two end covers.

[0027] As one of the preferred solutions, the moisture inlet and the moisture outlet are arranged on the same side or different sides of the main housing;

[0028] When the moisture inlet and the moisture outlet are arranged on the same side, they are axially symmetric, and when the moisture inlet and the moisture outlet are arranged on different sides, they are centrosymmetric;

[0029] The dry gas inlet and the dry gas outlet are arranged axially symmetrically.

[0030] As one of the preferred solutions, the end cover is connected to the main housing by bolts, and the pressing plate is connected to the main housing by bolts.

[0031] As one of the preferred solutions, the cross-section of the seal is at least one of the shapes of S-shaped, F-shaped, and circular.

[0032] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following advantages:

[0033] The embodiment of the present application provides a low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier, including: a main housing with an inner through cavity penetrating therein; a membrane assembly detachably installed in the inner through cavity; a pressing plate detachably connected to the end face of the main housing; end covers detachably installed at both ends of the main housing; wherein, the membrane assembly is an assembly composed of a membrane bundle frame, potting glue, and hollow fiber membrane tubes, and the potting glue is used to fix and constrain the membrane bundle frame and the hollow fiber membrane tubes; wherein, the main housing is respectively connected to the end covers and the membrane assembly through seals to jointly establish a sealed space for humidity exchange of dry gas and moisture; the seal is configured to be easily replaceable; wherein, the position of the pressing plate corresponds to the end face position of the membrane assembly, so that when the pressing plate is fixed to the main housing, the seal between the main housing and the membrane assembly is directly or indirectly extruded to enhance the airtightness of the sealed space.

[0034] By adopting the technical solution of the present application, the potting glue is transferred to both sides of the membrane bundle frame of the membrane assembly, and the hollow fiber membrane tubes and the membrane bundle frame form an integrated structure. Then, the main housing is respectively sealed and assembled with the end covers and the membrane assembly using seals, and the tightness of the membrane assembly in the main housing is enhanced through the pressing plate. Even without potting the end face of the main housing with potting glue, the same sealing effect as that of the potting glue can be obtained, meeting the sealing requirements of the membrane humidifier.

[0035] In this way, the membrane module and the main housing can be replaced and maintained independently. Since the membrane module can be detached separately, the hollow fiber membrane tube bundle can be cleaned or a new membrane module can be directly replaced, reducing the impact of impurities on the membrane surface on mass transfer, thereby restoring product performance, extending product life, and reducing product costs. Also, since only the membrane module needs to be replaced or cleaned instead of the entire humidifier, the housing can be reused multiple times, significantly reducing maintenance costs and resource waste, which conforms to the concept of sustainable development and environmental protection, improves the return on investment of the enterprise in the fuel cell system, and enhances its competitiveness in the market. Description of the Drawings

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of this application, the drawings required for use in the description of this application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of this application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0037] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional structure diagram of a fuel cell membrane humidifier in the related art;

[0038] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a sectional view of

[0039] Figure 3 is an exploded view of the low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier according to an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 4 is a three-dimensional structure diagram of the low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier according to an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 5 is a front sectional view of the low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier according to an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 6 is a three-dimensional structure diagram of the membrane module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0043] Description of the Reference Numerals:

[0044] 1. Main housing; 11. Inner through cavity; 2. End cover; 3. Pressure plate; 4. Main housing sealing ring; 5. Membrane module sealing ring; 51. Dry inlet side sealing ring; 52. Dry outlet side sealing ring; 6. Membrane module; 61. Membrane bundle frame; 62. Sealing ear; 63. Moisture discharge window; 64. Moisture inlet window; 7. Dry gas inlet; 8. Dry gas outlet; 9. Moisture outlet; 10. Moisture inlet. Detailed Embodiments

[0045] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without making creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0046] Fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas are still the main support for current economic development and occupy a dominant position in China's energy structure. However, the environmental pollution problems caused by the use of fossil fuels are becoming increasingly serious, and they are the main source of carbon emissions. Since COP21 (the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference), governments of various countries have implemented a long-term low-carbon emission strategy in the context of economic development, and have orderly transformed from conventional non-renewable energy to clean and renewable energy. In addition, 22 member states and governments have signed the vision of striving to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. While actively responding to global climate change policies and actions, China proceeds from its actual national conditions, strives to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, and endeavors to achieve the carbon neutrality goal before 2060.

[0047] Hydrogen energy is widely regarded as the most potential and competitive energy in the 21st century. From a chemical perspective, the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen only produces heat and water without any by-products. It is a substance with zero pollution and high calorific value, and is the best clean energy carrier in the low-carbon emission plan. Hydrogen energy has the ability to be stored and used directly, enabling it to have the potential to be applied across time and space. When effectively combined with different clean and sustainable energies such as wind energy and solar energy, it forms the development and consumption of a larger-scale clean energy, greatly alleviating the dependence on fossil fuels and environmental pollution problems.

[0048] A fuel cell is a power device that directly converts the chemical energy in the fuel into electrical energy. Its conversion efficiency is not limited by the Carnot cycle, so the efficiency of converting a fuel cell into electrical energy can reach 40%-60%. If considering combined heat and power supply, its efficiency can be as high as over 80%, which is obviously higher than the energy conversion efficiency of an internal combustion engine. Therefore, the fuel cell is one of the most potential energy conversion systems. Thus, fuel cells have broad application prospects in the automotive industry, aerospace, navigation, mobile power sources, distributed power stations, and centralized power stations.

[0049] Currently, most hydrogen fuel cells are proton exchange membrane fuel cells, which consist of a stack and system accessories. The fuel cell system usually additionally sets a membrane humidifier to keep the proton exchange membrane moist. Usually, the membrane humidifier is set before the stack, and the incoming air first passes through the membrane humidifier for humidification and then enters the stack for energy supply.

[0050] For the membrane humidifier of a fuel cell, tightness is of great importance, and any leakage will affect the humidification effect and the overall performance of the system. Potting glue can provide reliable sealing performance to prevent the leakage of water vapor or other liquids. Therefore, in related technologies, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 respectively show the three-dimensional structure diagram and cross-sectional view of a traditional fuel cell membrane humidifier, the membrane module is integrated with other sub-components through potting glue. During the use of the fuel cell membrane humidifier, due to irreversible changes in the structure of the hollow fiber membrane tube and the accumulation of pollutants on the inner and outer surfaces of the membrane, the humidification efficiency of the membrane humidifier continuously decays, restricting the service life of the fuel cell membrane humidifier. Since existing membrane humidifiers all use potting glue to seal the membrane humidifier, usually the potting glue is sealed at the end face of the humidifier housing. After curing, the potting glue will form a hard protective layer, firmly adhering to the housing and the hollow fiber membrane filaments, sealing and connecting the housing and the membrane module 6 inside the housing into one body, ensuring its sealing performance.

[0051] However, when the membrane module 6 ages and needs to be replaced or cleaned, due to the strong adhesiveness and hardness after curing of the potting glue, to break this hard protective layer, irreversible damage will inevitably be caused to the end face of the humidifier housing during the removal process, resulting in the entire humidifier being unable to be used anymore. Therefore, when problems occur with the membrane module 6, operators usually choose to directly scrap it and replace it with a brand-new humidifier product instead of replacing the membrane filaments alone or performing repairs.

[0052] In the actual application scenario of a fuel cell, the housing of the humidifier is usually much more expensive than the membrane module 6, and the housing is usually made of durable materials and generally has a long service life. Therefore, in most cases, it is a reusable component. However, due to the sealing by potting glue, the housing cannot be disassembled and reused alone, and having to replace the entire membrane humidifier will significantly increase the maintenance and operation costs. Especially in large-scale applications, the housing is also forced to be scrapped when the membrane module 6 is scrapped, causing serious waste of resources.

[0053] In view of this, as shown in Figures 3 - 5 shown, Figure 3 is an exploded view of a low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier shown in this application; Figure 4 is a three-dimensional structure diagram of a low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier shown in this application; Figure 5 is a front cross-sectional view of a low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier. As Figures 3 - 5As shown in the figure, the present application provides a low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier, including: a main housing 1 with an internal through cavity 11; a membrane module 6 detachably installed in the through cavity 11; a pressing plate 3 detachably connected to the end face of the main housing 1; and end caps 2 detachably installed at both ends of the main housing 1. Among them, the membrane module 6 is an assembly composed of a membrane bundle frame 61, potting glue, and hollow fiber membrane tubes, and the potting glue is used to fix and restrain the membrane bundle frame 61 and the hollow fiber membrane tubes. Among them, the main housing 1 is connected to the end caps 2 and the membrane module 6 through seals respectively to jointly establish a sealed space for humidity exchange between dry gas and wet gas; the seals are configured to be easily replaced. Among them, the position of the pressing plate 3 corresponds to the end face position of the membrane module 6, so that when the pressing plate 3 is fixed to the main housing 1, the seal between the main housing 1 and the membrane module 6 is directly or indirectly squeezed to enhance the airtightness of the sealed space.

[0054] Specifically, in this embodiment, the membrane humidifier includes a membrane module 6, a main housing 1, two end caps 2, seals, and a pressing plate 3. The membrane module 6 is the humidifying main body of the humidifier, including a hollow fiber membrane tube bundle formed by multiple hollow fiber membrane tubes and a membrane bundle frame 61 for accommodating the hollow fiber membrane tube bundle. Dry gas enters the hollow fiber membrane tubes of the membrane module 6 through the main housing 1, so that the wet gas outside the tubes exchanges humidity with the dry gas inside the tubes. The main housing 1 provides an installation space and protection for the membrane module 6 and other parts, and at the same time provides the connection of the wet gas inlet 10 and the wet gas outlet 9.

[0055] Both ends of the main housing 1 are open, respectively communicating with the dry gas inlet 7 and the dry gas outlet 8, for introducing the gas to be humidified and discharging the humidified gas after humidity increase. The main housing 1 is provided with a wet gas inlet 10 and a wet gas outlet 9. The wet gas inlet 10 is used to input humidifying gas into the membrane module 6, and the wet gas outlet 9 is used to discharge the humidifying gas after humidity exchange.

[0056] Two end caps 2 are detachably connected to the openings at both ends of the main housing 1. For example, the left end cap is sealed and connected to the left end opening of the main housing 1, and the right end cap is sealed and connected to the right end opening of the main housing 1. The two end caps 2 close both ends of the main housing 1 and jointly form a sealed chamber with the main housing 1 and the membrane module 6. Among them, the end caps 2 are designed to be easy to disassemble and assemble, which is convenient for subsequent replacement and maintenance of the membrane module 6.

[0057] Exemplarily, the two end caps 2 are installed on both ends of the main housing 1 through bolts, and the screw holes on the end caps 2 and the screw holes at both ends of the main housing 1 are through holes. After installing the seals, the bolts are tightened by passing through the two screw holes to ensure the seal between the end caps 2 and the main housing 1, and the end caps 2 are fixed in place by bolts.

[0058] Further, both ends of the main housing 1 are open axially, penetrating through the left and right ends of the main housing 1 to form an internal through cavity 11. Therefore, the openings at both ends of the main housing 1 are through holes, and the through holes extend from the left end face of the main housing 1 through to its right end face. Among them, multiple through holes can be provided to penetrate the two end faces of the main housing 1, correspondingly forming multiple internal through cavities 11. The number of membrane bundle frames 61 is the same as the number of multiple internal through cavities 11 or through holes, and one membrane bundle frame 61 is arranged in each internal through cavity 11. Each membrane bundle frame 61 passes through its corresponding internal through cavity 11 and is close to the two end caps 2 of the main housing 1, and a cluster of hollow fiber membrane bundles is bound inside each membrane bundle frame 61.

[0059] In some embodiments, multiple membrane bundle frames 61 are fixed in several internal through cavities 11 and are limited by frustum and clamping positions with the internal through cavities 11. The membrane bundle frames 61 are used to restrain the hollow fiber membrane tubes, maintain the shape and position of the hollow fiber membrane tubes, and prevent them from bending or misaligning during operation.

[0060] In this embodiment, the membrane module 6 includes potting glue that integrates the hollow fiber membrane tubes, the membrane bundle frames 61, and the membrane module housing. Preferably, the potting glue is arranged on both sides of the membrane bundle frame 61 and is used to fix and restrain the membrane bundle frame 61 and the hollow fiber membrane tubes. In this application, the potting glue is integrated into the membrane module 6, which not only provides a certain degree of sealing effect to prevent leakage of moisture and gas between the membrane bundle frame 61 and the main housing 1, but also separates from the main housing 1. The membrane module 6 is designed to be detachable separately and becomes an independent unit, which is beneficial for disassembly and more convenient for cleaning and replacement.

[0061] In some embodiments, the design form of the internal through cavity 11 has various types. For example, the internal through cavity 11 can be designed as a straight cylinder structure, and the openings at both ends of the main housing 1 are circular through holes. The membrane module 6 enters through one opening, passes through the internal through cavity 11, and extends out from the other opening.

[0062] In some embodiments, the two end faces of the membrane module 6 are flush with the two openings, that is, they just extend out.

[0063] Preferably, the membrane bundle frame 61 located inside the straight cylinder structure is also a cylinder structure. The hollow fiber membrane tubes fill the cylindrical membrane bundle frame 61, are in a vertical state, are parallel to each other, and maintain a through hole state.

[0064] Among them, the hollow fiber membrane tubes are fixed to the top and bottom ends of the main housing 1, fill the membrane bundle frame 61, and are in a straight line shape, so that the energy consumption required for dry gas flow is relatively low. The number of hollow fiber membrane tubes restrained by the membrane bundle frame 61 is 4000 to 8000, and the hollow fiber membrane tubes maintain a through hole state and each hollow fiber membrane tube maintains a through hole state.

[0065] In some embodiments, the internal through cavity 11 can also be designed in a zigzag shape. In some embodiments, the internal through cavity 11 can also be designed in a gradually expanding / contracting structure, and along the length direction of the main housing 1, the internal through cavity 11 has different cross-sectional areas in different regions. In some embodiments, when multiple internal through cavities 11 are designed, the multiple internal through cavities 11 extend parallel to each other through the main housing 1, forming multiple independent channels.

[0066] After the potting adhesive is used for the fixing and restraint of the membrane module 6, the present application proposes to use a seal to replace the traditional potting adhesive to establish a sealed environment for the membrane humidifier and maintain the connection of the hollow fiber membrane tube. The seals installed on the main housing 1 and the end cap 2 are used to form a seal between the end cap 2 and the main housing 1 to prevent moisture and gas leakage. The seals installed between the membrane module 6 and the main housing 1 are used to form a seal between the membrane module 6 and the main housing 1.

[0067] To further enhance the sealing performance of the seal, a pressing plate 3 for fixing the seal of the membrane module 6 is provided. The pressing plate 3 cooperates with the corresponding seal of the membrane module 6 to maintain the airtightness at this place and further fix the tight connection between the membrane module 6 and the main housing 1.

[0068] Specifically, there are two pressing plates 3, namely the dry inlet side pressing plate and the dry outlet side pressing plate. The dry inlet side pressing plate and the dry outlet side pressing plate are respectively located inside the left end cap and the right end cap, and are fixed on the left and right end faces of the main housing 1. At the same time, they are in contact with the left and right ends of the membrane module 6 located in the internal through cavity 11 axially penetrating both ends of the main housing 1. Squeezing the two pressing plates 3 is used to further seal the left and right ends of the membrane module 6 in the main housing 1.

[0069] Among them, the pressing plate 3 and the main housing 1 are fixed by bolts. The screw holes on the two pressing plates 3 are through holes, and the screw holes at the left and right ends of the main housing 1 are blind holes. The bolts pass through the through holes and the blind holes in sequence to ensure that there is no relative displacement between the main housing 1 and the two pressing plates 3.

[0070] In some embodiments, the acting force for squeezing the pressing plate 3 can act on the seal connected to the membrane module 6 through the end face of the membrane module 6, and the sealing effect is enhanced through a layer-by-layer pressing method. In some embodiments, the acting force for squeezing the pressing plate 3 can directly act on the seal connected to the membrane module 6, causing the seal to deform to provide a tight side seal.

[0071] In this way, through the detachable assembly of each module in the embodiments of the present application, the potting adhesive is transferred to both sides of the membrane bundle frame 61 of the membrane module 6, and the main housing 1 is respectively sealed and assembled with the end cap 2 and the membrane module 6 using seals. Then, the sealing performance of the membrane module 6 in the main housing 1 is enhanced through the pressing plate 3. Even without potting the end face of the main housing 1, the same sealing effect as that of the potting adhesive can be obtained, meeting the sealing requirements of the membrane humidifier.

[0072] Therefore, the membrane module 6 and the housing can be replaced and maintained independently. Since the membrane module 6 can be detached separately, the hollow fiber membrane tube bundle can be cleaned or a new membrane module 6 can be directly replaced, reducing the influence of impurities on the membrane surface on mass transfer, thereby restoring product performance, extending product life, and reducing product costs. Since only the membrane module 6 needs to be replaced or cleaned instead of the entire humidifier, the housing can be reused multiple times, significantly reducing maintenance costs and resource waste, conforming to the concept of sustainable development and environmental protection, improving the return on investment of the enterprise in the fuel cell system, and enhancing its competitiveness in the market.

[0073] This embodiment is used to illustrate the seals used in the main housing 1. The seals include a main housing seal ring 4 and a membrane module seal ring 5; wherein, the main housing seal ring 4 is installed at the connection between the end cover 2 and the main housing 1; the membrane module seal ring 5 is installed in the area where the membrane module 6 contacts the end face of the main housing 1.

[0074] In this embodiment, a low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier includes a membrane module 6, a main housing 1, two end covers 2, a main housing seal ring 4, a membrane module seal ring 5, a dry inlet side pressing plate, and a dry outlet side pressing plate. Sealing bone positions are respectively designed at both ends of the main housing 1, and two main housing seal rings 4 are respectively fixed on the sealing bone positions at the connections between the two end covers 2 and the main housing 1 to prevent dry-side gas from leaking out. The cross-section of the main housing seal ring 4 is one or several of S-shaped, F-shaped. Among them, the membrane module seal ring 5 is fixed on the sealing bone position at the connection between the membrane bundle frame 61 and the main housing 1 to prevent the dry and wet side fluids from leaking into each other. The shape of the membrane module seal ring 5 can be one or several of S-shaped, F-shaped, and circular.

[0075] Further, please continue to refer to Figure 5 and, in combination with referring to Figure 6 Figure 6 The three-dimensional structure diagram of the membrane module 6 of the present application is shown. A sealing ear 62 is provided at one end of the membrane module 6, and the inner diameter of the sealing ear 62 is larger than the inner diameter of the inner through cavity 11, and the inner diameter of the other end of the membrane module 6 is smaller than the inner diameter of the inner through cavity 11.

[0076] Combined with the above embodiments, the membrane bundle frame 61 of the membrane module 6 is a cylindrical structure, and a sealing ear 62 is provided at the left end of the cylindrical structure. Among them, the sealing ear 62 is docked with the corresponding groove or sealing bone position in the main housing 1 through the membrane module seal ring 5 to ensure that the membrane module 6 is fixed without displacement and sealed.

[0077] The sealing ear 62, the main housing 1, the dry inlet side pressing plate and the membrane module sealing ring 5 cooperate. When the dry inlet side pressing plate is fixed to the left end face of the main housing 1, it is in pressing contact with the sealing ear 62 of the membrane module 6, and indirectly presses the membrane module sealing ring 5 between the main housing 1 and the sealing ear 62 through the dry inlet side pressing plate, providing an additional sealing effect.

[0078] Specifically, the dry inlet side pressing plate presses the sealing ear 62, and the sealing ear 62 further presses the membrane module sealing ring 5 to form a seal, which is used to prevent the fluid on the dry and wet sides from leaking to each other at this place.

[0079] Preferably, the sealing ear 62 is an annular boss, which extends a certain distance outward from the edge of the cylindrical structure, and the extension distance can be regarded as the inner diameter difference between the membrane bundle frame 61 of the cylindrical structure and the inner through cavity 11 of the straight cylindrical structure.

[0080] It is worth mentioning that the right end of the cylindrical structure is the cut-off surface of the cylindrical structure. Relative to the dry inlet side at the left end, no additional sealing ear 62 needs to be provided on the dry outlet side. Therefore, the end face of the membrane bundle frame 61 is T-shaped, and the cut-off surface at the right end enables the dry outlet side of the membrane bundle frame 61 to be smoothly inserted into and pulled out of the inner through cavity 11, simplifying the installation and disassembly process of the membrane module 6 and facilitating maintenance and replacement.

[0081] Exemplarily, the disassembly order of the membrane module 6 is the dry outlet side pressing plate, the dry inlet side pressing plate, and the membrane module 6, and the assembly order is the opposite.

[0082] The right end of the membrane bundle frame 61 forms a sealing structure together with the dry outlet side pressing plate, the main housing 1, the membrane bundle frame 61 and the membrane module sealing ring 5. When the dry outlet side pressing plate 3 is fixed to the right end face of the main housing 1, it directly presses the membrane module sealing ring 5 through the dry outlet side pressing plate to form a side seal.

[0083] Specifically, the dry outlet side pressing plate 3 presses the membrane module sealing ring 5, and the membrane module sealing ring 5 deforms and abuts against the membrane bundle frame 61 to form a side seal, which is used to prevent the gas on the dry and wet sides from leaking to each other at this place.

[0084] In this way, when the membrane module sealing ring 5, the pressing plate 3, the main housing 1 and the membrane module 6 can all be independently replaced and maintained, layer-by-layer sealing is formed by the indirect pressing of the membrane module sealing ring 5 by the dry inlet side pressing plate, and the side seal is formed by directly pressing the dry outlet side pressing plate to deform the membrane module sealing ring 5, so that the membrane module sealing ring 5 fits more tightly on the sealing table of the membrane bundle frame 61 and the end face of the main housing 1, thereby enhancing the sealing effect and providing the same airtight protection as potting glue.

[0085] In some embodiments, the pressing plate 3 is provided with a plurality of round holes, the number of round holes is the same as the number of membrane bundle frames 61, the number of membrane bundle frames 61 is the same as the number of inner through cavities 11, and the pressing plate 3 cooperates with the membrane module sealing ring 5 to maintain the airtightness at this place.

[0086] Furthermore, the membrane module sealing ring 5 includes a dry-inlet side sealing ring 51 and a dry-outlet side sealing ring 52; wherein, the dry-inlet side sealing ring 51 is fixed between the sealing lug 62 and the sealing bone position on one end face of the main housing 1, and the pressing plate 3 contacts the sealing lug 62; wherein, the dry-outlet side sealing ring 52 is fixed at the area where the pressing plate 3, the other end face of the main housing 1 and the membrane module 6 jointly contact.

[0087] Combined with the above embodiments, to prevent the mutual leakage of dry gas and moisture on the dry-inlet side, the sealing of this part is achieved through the membrane bundle frame 61, the dry-inlet side sealing ring 51, the main housing 1, and the dry-inlet side pressing plate. The dry-inlet side sealing ring 51 is fixed on the sealing bone position at the connection between the dry-inlet side pressing plate and the main housing 1. The sealing lug 62 of the membrane bundle frame 61 ensures the formation of a sealing structure among the main housing 1, the dry-inlet side sealing ring 51, and the pressing plate 3, maintaining the airtightness of this part. The dry-inlet side pressing plate presses the sealing lug 62 of the membrane bundle frame 61, and then the sealing lug 62 presses the dry-inlet side sealing ring 51 to form a seal, preventing the mutual leakage of dry and wet side fluids at this part.

[0088] To prevent the mutual leakage of dry gas and moisture on the dry-outlet side, the sealing of this part is achieved through the membrane bundle frame 61, the dry-outlet side sealing ring 52, the main housing 1, and the dry-outlet side pressing plate. The dry-outlet side sealing ring 52 is fixed between the sealing platforms on the end faces of the dry-outlet side pressing plate, the membrane bundle frame 61, and the main housing 1. The dry-outlet side pressing plate presses the dry-outlet side sealing ring 52, and the dry-outlet side sealing ring 52 deforms and abuts against the membrane bundle frame 61 to form a side seal, preventing the mutual leakage of dry and wet side gases at this part.

[0089] In a further technical solution, moisture inlet windows 64 and moisture outlet windows 63 are respectively arranged on both sides of the membrane bundle frame 61; moisture inlets 10 and moisture outlets 9 corresponding to the positions of the moisture inlet windows 64 and moisture outlet windows 63 are respectively arranged on both sides of the main housing 1; dry gas inlets 7 and dry gas outlets 8 are respectively arranged on the two end covers 2.

[0090] Specifically, moisture inlet windows 64 and moisture outlet windows 63 are arranged on both sides of the membrane bundle frame 61. The left end cover 2 is provided with a dry gas inlet 7, the right end cover 2 is provided with a dry gas outlet 8, and moisture inlets 10 and moisture outlets 9 are arranged outside the main housing 1. Dry gas enters the membrane module 6 through the dry gas inlet 7 on the end cover 2.

[0091] The moisture inlet 10 is communicated with the moisture inlet window 64. Moisture enters the main housing 1 from the moisture inlet 10 and then enters the membrane module 6 from the moisture inlet window 64, and performs mass transfer exchange with the dry gas in the membrane module 6. The dry gas after humidity exchange is discharged from the membrane module 6 through the dry gas outlet 8 and then enters the fuel cell stack.

[0092] The moisture discharge window 63 is connected to the moisture outlet 9. The moisture after humidity exchange is discharged from the moisture discharge window 63 out of the membrane module 6, and then discharged from the moisture outlet 9.

[0093] Wherein, moisture inlet windows 64 and a moisture discharge window 63 are provided on both sides of the membrane bundle frame 61. The shape of the windows is one or several of circular, square and triangular. The number of the moisture inlet windows 64 is 60 to 120, and the number of the moisture discharge windows 63 is 30 to 60. The moisture inlet windows 64 and the moisture discharge window 63 can guide the in and out of moisture. The number of the moisture inlet windows 64 being greater than the number of the moisture discharge windows 63 can improve the humidification efficiency.

[0094] The setting of the membrane bundle frame 61 and its multiple windows is conducive to guiding the moisture to fully flow through the outer surface of the hollow fiber membrane tube. Each membrane bundle frame 61 and its multiple windows effectively improve the distribution uniformity and coupling of the dry and wet airflows in the hollow fiber membrane bundle, and play a role in binding and protecting the hollow fiber membrane tube.

[0095] Wherein, the two end caps 2 are set as one or several of trapezoidal, wedge-shaped cuboid or cube-shaped, and are respectively arranged at the left end and the right end of the main housing 1. Specifically, the left end cap 2 is provided with a dry gas inlet 7, and the right end cap 2 is provided with a dry gas outlet 8.

[0096] In some embodiments, the main housing 1 can be cylindrical. In some embodiments, the housing is square or rectangular.

[0097] In some embodiments, the moisture inlet 10 and the moisture outlet 9 are respectively arranged at both ends or opposite sides of the main housing 1 to form a symmetrical layout.

[0098] In some embodiments, the moisture inlet 10 and the moisture outlet 9, the dry gas inlet 7 and the dry gas outlet 8 are arranged on the same side or adjacent sides of the main housing 1.

[0099] In some embodiments, the moisture inlet 10 and the moisture outlet 9, the dry gas inlet 7 and the dry gas outlet 8 are arranged alternately to form an alternating layout.

[0100] In some embodiments, the moisture inlet 10 and the moisture outlet 9 are arranged at the lower part of the main housing 1, and the dry gas inlet 7 and the dry gas outlet 8 are arranged at the upper part of the main housing 1, or vice versa.

[0101] In some embodiments, the moisture inlet 10 and the moisture outlet 9 are arranged on the diagonal of the main housing 1, which helps to achieve the mixing or distribution of the fluid.

[0102] In some embodiments, the moisture inlet 10 and the moisture outlet 9, and the dry gas inlet 7 and the dry gas outlet 8 are arranged in a countercurrent manner, that is, the moisture outlet 9 and the dry gas inlet 7 are on the same side, that is, the moisture inlet 10 and the dry gas outlet 8 are on the same side.

[0103] In another specific embodiment, a dry gas inlet 7 and a dry gas outlet 8 are provided on the side surfaces of the two end caps 2, and the dry gas inlet 7 and the dry gas outlet 8 are axisymmetric. The wet gas inlet 10 and the wet gas outlet 9 are arranged diagonally on the left and right sides of the main housing 1 and are located in the same plane, and the position of the wet gas inlet 10 is close to that of the dry gas outlet 8, and the position of the wet gas outlet 9 is close to that of the dry gas inlet 7. Therefore, the dry gas and the wet gas enter and leave the membrane module 6 from opposite directions respectively. Inside the main housing 1, the dry gas and the wet gas enter and exit along the positions of their corresponding inlets and outlets. When the dry gas and the wet gas pass through the membrane module 6, their flow directions are opposite, forming a countercurrent humidity exchange. Through the countercurrent humidity exchange, the contact time and area between the two are increased, and the mass transfer efficiency is improved within a limited space.

[0104] The following gives a complete and specific description of a preferred embodiment of the present application.

[0105] A low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier modularizes the membrane module 6. The membrane module 6 can be disassembled, cleaned, and replaced individually, so as to achieve the purposes of making the membrane humidifier recyclable, restoring the product performance, extending the product life, and reducing the product cost.

[0106] The membrane humidifier includes a membrane module 6, a main housing 1, two end caps 2, a main housing sealing ring 4, a dry inlet side sealing ring 51, a dry outlet side sealing ring 52, a dry outlet side pressing plate, a dry inlet side pressing plate, etc. Among them, the membrane module 6 includes a membrane bundle frame 61, potting glue, and hollow fiber membrane tubes. The membrane module 6 can be disassembled individually for cleaning or replacement. The membrane bundle frame 61 is used to restrain the hollow fiber membrane tubes, and the membrane bundle frame 61 is fixed in a number of internal through cavities 11. The potting glue is arranged on both sides of the membrane bundle frame 61 and is used to fix and restrain the membrane bundle frame 61 and the hollow fiber membrane tubes, so that the potting glue, the membrane bundle frame 61, and the hollow fiber membrane tubes are integrated, which is convenient for disassembly and cleaning. The dry outlet side pressing plate and the dry inlet side pressing plate cooperate with the dry inlet side sealing ring 51 and the dry outlet side sealing ring 52 to maintain the airtightness of the membrane module 6 at the left and right end faces of the main housing 1.

[0107] It should be noted that the embodiments in this specification are all described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. For the same or similar parts among the embodiments, reference can be made to each other.

[0108] It should also be noted that in this text, the orientation or positional relationship indicated by terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. This is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation to the present application. In addition, relative terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations, nor can they be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Moreover, the term "comprising" or any other variant thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article or terminal device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article or terminal device.

[0109] The above has introduced in detail a low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier provided by the present application. Specific examples are used in this text to elaborate on the principle and implementation manner of the present application. The description of the above embodiments is only for helping to understand the present application, and the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation to the present application. At the same time, for those of ordinary skill in the art, based on the present application, there will be various forms of changes in the specific implementation manner and application scope. It is not necessary and impossible to enumerate all the implementation manners here, and the obvious changes or variations derived therefrom are still within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier, characterized in that: include: The main shell has an inner cavity extending therethrough; A membrane assembly is detachably mounted in the inner cavity; A pressure plate, detachably connected to the end surface of the main shell; End covers, detachably mounted on both ends of the main housing; Wherein, the membrane assembly is an assembly consisting of a membrane bundle frame, a potting glue and a hollow fiber membrane tube, and the potting glue is used to fix and constrain the membrane bundle frame and the hollow fiber membrane tube; Wherein, the main shell is connected to the end cover and the membrane assembly respectively through a seal to jointly establish a sealed space for humidity exchange between dry gas and wet gas; the seal is configured to be easy to replace; The position of the pressure plate corresponds to the end surface position of the membrane assembly, so that when the pressure plate is fixed to the main shell, the seal between the main shell and the membrane assembly is directly or indirectly squeezed to enhance the air tightness of the sealed space.

2. A low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing member includes a main housing sealing ring and a membrane assembly sealing ring; wherein, The main housing sealing ring is installed at the connection between the end cover and the main housing; The membrane assembly sealing ring is installed in the contact area between the membrane assembly and the end surface of the main shell.

3. A low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier according to claim 2, characterized in that: A sealing ear is arranged at one end of the membrane assembly, the inner diameter of the sealing ear is larger than the inner diameter of the inner cavity, and the inner diameter of the other end of the membrane assembly is smaller than the inner diameter of the inner cavity.

4. A low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier according to claim 3, characterized in that: The membrane assembly sealing ring comprises a dry inlet side sealing ring and a dry outlet side sealing ring; Wherein, the dry inlet side sealing ring is fixed between the sealing ear and the sealing bone position of one side end surface of the main shell, and the pressing plate is in contact with the sealing ear; Wherein, the dry outlet side sealing ring is fixed at the area where the pressing plate, the other side end surface of the main shell and the membrane assembly are in contact with each other.

5. A low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressing plate is provided with a plurality of circular holes, and the plurality of circular holes, the plurality of membrane assemblies and the plurality of inner through cavities correspond to each other one by one.

6. A low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hollow fiber membrane tube is arranged in the membrane bundle frame, and the potting glue is sealed at both ends of the membrane bundle frame, so that the membrane bundle frame and the hollow fiber membrane tube are assembled into an integrated structure.

7. A low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier according to claim 1, characterized in that: A moisture inlet window and a moisture outlet window are respectively arranged on both sides of the membrane bundle frame; The two sides of the main shell are respectively provided with a moisture inlet and a moisture outlet corresponding to the positions of the moisture inlet window and the moisture outlet window; The two end covers are respectively provided with a dry gas inlet and a dry gas outlet.

8. A low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier according to claim 7, characterized in that: The moisture inlet and the moisture outlet are arranged on the same side or different sides of the main shell; When the moisture inlet and the moisture outlet are arranged on the same side, they are axially symmetrical; when the moisture inlet and the moisture outlet are arranged on different sides, they are centrally symmetrical; The dry gas inlet and the dry gas outlet are arranged in an axisymmetric manner.

9. A low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier according to claim 1, characterized in that: The end cover is connected to the main housing by bolts, and the pressure plate is connected to the main housing by bolts.

10. A low-cost modular fuel cell membrane humidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The cross section of the sealing member is at least one of an S-shape, an F-shape and a circle.

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