Gasket assembly and fuel cell membrane humidifier including same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gasket assembly and a fuel cell membrane humidifier including the same, which can be manufactured with improved productivity and can dramatically reduce maintenance and repair costs, A gasket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is a gasket assembly for a fuel cell membrane humidifier comprising a mid-case, a cap fastened to the mid-case, and at least one cartridge disposed within the mid-case and housing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, the gasket comprising: a sub-case formed in a shape surrounding an end of the cartridge and having a first hole into which the end of the cartridge is inserted; a packing portion formed in a second hole into which the sub-case is inserted and in close contact with an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case inserted into the second hole to prevent fluid in the mid-case from flowing toward the cap; an edge portion formed and connected to the packing portion and interposed in a space formed by a groove formed at an end of the mid-case and the end of the cap; and a sealing portion formed to contact the sub-case and the packing portion to prevent fluid in the mid-case from flowing toward the cap.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gasket assembly and a fuel cell membrane humidifier including the same, and more particularly, to a gasket assembly and a fuel cell membrane humidifier including the same that can be manufactured with improved productivity and significantly reduce maintenance and repair costs. [Background technology]

[0002] A fuel cell is a power generating battery that produces electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen. Unlike ordinary chemical batteries such as dry batteries and storage batteries, fuel cells can continue to produce electricity as long as hydrogen and oxygen are supplied, and because there is no heat loss, they have the advantage of being about twice as efficient as internal combustion engines. In addition, fuel cells emit less pollutants because they directly convert the chemical energy generated by the combination of hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy, making them environmentally friendly and reducing concerns about resource depletion due to increased energy consumption. Depending on the type of electrolyte used, such fuel cells can be broadly classified into polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs), molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs), solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), alkaline fuel cells (AFCs), and the like.

[0003] Although all of these fuel cells operate on the same principle, they differ in the type of fuel used, operating temperature, catalyst, electrolyte, etc. Among them, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are known to be the most promising for use in small-scale stationary power generation equipment as well as transportation systems, as they operate at lower temperatures than other fuel cells, have a high power density, and can be made compact. One of the most important factors in improving the performance of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC) is to maintain the moisture content by supplying a certain amount of moisture to the polymer electrolyte membrane (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane or Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM)) of the membrane electrode assembly (Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA)). If the polymer electrolyte membrane dries out, the power generation efficiency drops sharply. Methods for humidifying a polymer electrolyte membrane include 1) a bubbler humidification method in which an internal pressure vessel is filled with water and the target gas is passed through a diffuser to supply moisture, 2) a direct injection method in which the amount of moisture required for the fuel cell reaction is calculated and moisture is supplied directly to the gas flow pipe via a solenoid valve, and 3) a humidification membrane method in which moisture is supplied to the gas flow layer using a polymer separation membrane.

[0004] Among these, the membrane humidification method, which utilizes a membrane that selectively allows only water vapor contained in exhaust gas to pass through and provides water vapor to the air supplied to the polymer electrolyte membrane to humidify the polymer electrolyte membrane, is advantageous in that it allows the membrane humidifier to be made lighter and smaller. The selectively permeable membrane used in the membrane humidification method is preferably a hollow fiber membrane with a large permeation area per unit volume when forming a module. That is, when a membrane humidifier is manufactured using a hollow fiber membrane, it is possible to highly integrate hollow fiber membranes with a large contact surface area, and it is possible to sufficiently humidify a fuel cell even with a small capacity, and it is possible to use low-cost materials. It is also possible to recover moisture and heat contained in off-gas discharged at high temperature from a fuel cell and reuse them through a membrane humidifier. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional fuel cell membrane humidifier. As shown in Fig. 1, the conventional fuel cell membrane humidifier 10 includes a humidification module 11 in which moisture exchange occurs between air supplied from the outside and exhaust gas discharged from a fuel cell stack (not shown), and caps 12 coupled to both ends of the humidification module 11. One of the caps 12 supplies air supplied from the outside to the humidification module 11, and the other supplies air humidified by the humidification module 11 to the fuel cell stack. The humidification module 11 includes a mid-case 11a having an off-gas inlet 11aa and an off-gas outlet 11ab, and a plurality of hollow fiber membranes 11b in the mid-case 11a. Both ends of the bundle of hollow fiber membranes 11b are fixed to a potting portion 11c. The potting portion 11c is generally formed by hardening a liquid polymer such as liquid polyurethane resin by a casting method.

[0005] Air supplied from the outside flows along the hollow of hollow fiber membrane 11b. Exhaust gas that flows into mid-case 11a through exhaust gas inlet 11aa comes into contact with the outer surface of hollow fiber membrane 11b, and is then discharged from mid-case 11a through exhaust gas outlet 11ab. When the exhaust gas comes into contact with the outer surface of hollow fiber membrane 11b, moisture contained in the exhaust gas permeates hollow fiber membrane 11b, humidifying the air that has been flowing along the hollow of hollow fiber membrane 11b. The internal space of the cap 12 must be fluidically connected only to the hollow of the hollow fiber membrane 11b and completely isolated from the internal space of the mid-case 11a, otherwise air leakage due to pressure difference will occur, reducing the amount of humidified air supplied to the fuel cell stack and decreasing the development efficiency of the fuel cell. 1, a potting portion 11c to which the ends of a plurality of hollow fiber membranes 11b are fixed and a resin layer 11d between the potting portion 11c and the mid-case 11a isolate the internal space of the cap 12 from the internal space of the mid-case 11a. Similar to the potting portion 11c, the resin layer 11d is generally formed by hardening a liquid polymer such as liquid polyurethane resin by a casting method. However, the casting process for forming the resin layer 11d requires a relatively long process time, which reduces the productivity of the membrane humidifier 10. In addition, since the resin layer 11d is adhered to the inner wall of the mid-case 11a as well as the potting portion 11c, if a problem occurs in the hollow fiber membrane 11b, the entire humidification module 11 must be replaced, resulting in huge maintenance and repair costs. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a gasket assembly and a fuel cell membrane humidifier including the same, which can prevent problems caused by the limitations and shortcomings of the related art as described above, can be manufactured with improved productivity, and can drastically reduce maintenance and repair costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A gasket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is a gasket assembly for a fuel cell membrane humidifier comprising a mid-case, a cap fastened to the mid-case, and at least one cartridge disposed within the mid-case and housing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, the gasket comprising: a sub-case formed in a shape surrounding an end of the cartridge and having a first hole into which the end of the cartridge is inserted; a packing portion formed in a second hole into which the sub-case is inserted and in close contact with an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case inserted into the second hole to prevent fluid in the mid-case from flowing toward the cap; an edge portion formed and connected to the packing portion and interposed in a space formed by a groove formed at an end of the mid-case and the end of the cap; and a sealing portion formed to contact the sub-case and the packing portion to prevent fluid in the mid-case from flowing toward the cap. In the gasket assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention, the sealing portion may be formed on an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case or on an inner surface of the gasket. The gasket assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention may further include a sealing support part formed to contact and support the sealing part on a lower surface of the packing part.

[0008] In the gasket assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention, the sealing portion and the sealing support portion may include at least one material selected from the group consisting of silicone, acrylic rubber, EPDM, NBR, and urethane. In the gasket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, the sealing part may be made of a liquid phase sealant material including at least one selected from the group consisting of silicone and urethane, and the sealing support part may be made of a solid phase sealant material including at least one selected from the group consisting of silicone, acrylic rubber, EPDM, and NBR. In a gasket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, the packing portion may include a body member having a second hole into which the sub-case is inserted, and a protruding member formed at one end of the body member and in close contact with an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case inserted into the second hole. In a gasket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, the body member may have two or more second holes into which two or more sub-cases may be inserted, and two or more of the protrusion members may be provided and formed in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the two or more sub-cases. In the gasket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, a damping portion may be provided on an outer peripheral surface of the sub-case, and vertical movement of the damping portion may be suppressed by the sealing portion and the packing portion, thereby absorbing vertical vibration of the cartridge. The gasket assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention may further include a damping cap portion formed across an upper surface of the packing portion, an upper surface of the sub-case, and an upper surface of the cartridge to absorb vertical vibrations of the cartridge.

[0009] In the gasket assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention, an adhesive may be applied to an inner peripheral surface of the sub-case so that the sub-case can be coupled to the cartridge end. A fuel cell membrane humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a mid-case, a cap fastened to the mid-case, at least one cartridge disposed in the mid-case and accommodating a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and a gasket assembly hermetically coupled to at least one end of the humidification module through mechanical assembly so that the cap is in fluid communication only with the hollow fiber membranes. The gasket assembly includes a sub-case formed in a shape surrounding an end of the cartridge and having a first hole into which the end of the cartridge is inserted, a gasket having a packing part formed in a second hole into which the sub-case is inserted and in close contact with an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case inserted into the second hole to prevent fluid in the mid-case from flowing toward the cap, an edge part formed and connected to the packing part and interposed in a space formed by a groove formed at an end of the mid-case and an end of the cap, and a sealing part formed to contact the sub-case and the packing part to prevent fluid in the mid-case from flowing toward the cap. In the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the embodiment of the present invention, the sealing portion may be formed on an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case or on an inner surface of the gasket. The fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the embodiment of the present invention may further include a sealing support part formed to contact and support the sealing part on a lower surface of the packing part.

[0010] In the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the embodiment of the present invention, the sealing part and the sealing support part may include at least one material selected from the group consisting of silicone, acrylic rubber, EPDM, NBR, and urethane. In the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention, the sealing part is made of a liquid phase sealant material including at least one material selected from the group consisting of silicone and urethane, and the sealing support part is made of a solid phase sealant material including at least one material selected from the group consisting of silicone, acrylic rubber, EPDM, and NBR. In a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention, the packing part may include a body member having a second hole into which the sub-case is inserted, and a protruding member formed at one end of the body member and in close contact with an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case inserted into the second hole. In a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention, the body member may have two or more second holes into which two or more sub-cases may be inserted, and two or more of the protruding members may be provided and formed in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the two or more sub-cases. In the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention, a damping portion may be further provided, which is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the sub-case and whose vertical movement is suppressed by the sealing portion and the packing portion, thereby absorbing vertical vibration of the cartridge.

[0011] In the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention, a damping cap portion may be formed across the upper surface of the packing portion, the upper surface of the sub-case, and the upper surface of the cartridge to absorb vertical vibrations of the cartridge. In the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the embodiment of the present invention, an adhesive may be applied to an inner peripheral surface of the sub-case so that the sub-case can be coupled to an end of the cartridge. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, air leakage between the mid-case and the cap is prevented through mechanical assembly of the gasket assembly, so that the conventional casting process (i.e., a process of injecting a liquid polymer into a mold and hardening it) and additional sealing process (i.e., a process of applying a sealant and hardening it) can be omitted. Therefore, according to the present invention, while preventing air leakage between the mid-case and the cap, the production process time of the fuel cell membrane humidifier can be shortened, thereby drastically improving its productivity. In addition, since the gasket assembly of the present invention for preventing air leakage between the mid-case and the cap is attached to the humidification module through mechanical assembly, if an abnormality occurs in a specific part of the humidification module, it is possible to repair or replace only that part by simply mechanically separating the gasket assembly. Therefore, according to the present invention, the maintenance and repair costs of the fuel cell membrane humidifier can be significantly reduced.

[0013] In addition, since the sub-case prevents the protruding member from directly contacting the potting portion, the protruding member can be prevented from deforming and damaging the potting portion due to the compressive force of the gasket assembly. In addition, disturbances such as vibrations caused by repeated operation of the fuel cell are reduced, and air leakage caused by the pressure difference between the mid-case and the cap is prevented, thereby improving the development efficiency of the fuel cell. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the prior art; [Diagram 2] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5]FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an associated effect of the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an associated effect of the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing various application examples of a gasket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The present invention can be modified in various ways and can have various embodiments, and a specific embodiment will be illustrated and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific embodiment, and it should be understood that the present invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. The terms used in the present invention are merely used to describe certain embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. A singular expression includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this specification, the terms "include" or "have" are intended to specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood not to preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof. Hereinafter, a gasket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention and a fuel cell membrane humidifier including the same will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is an exploded oblique view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] 2, the fuel cell membrane humidifier 100-1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a humidification module 110 that humidifies air supplied from the outside with moisture in the exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell stack. Both ends of the humidification module 110 are coupled to caps 120. One of the caps 120 supplies air supplied from the outside to the humidification module 110, and the other supplies air humidified by the humidification module 110 to the fuel cell stack. The humidification module 110 is a device in which moisture exchange occurs between air supplied from the outside and exhaust gas, and may include a mid-case 111 having an exhaust gas inlet 111a and an exhaust gas outlet 111b, and at least one cartridge 112 disposed within the mid-case 111. The mid-case 111 and the cap 120 may each be independently formed of hard plastic or metal and may have a circular or polygonal widthwise cross section. A circular shape includes an oval shape, and a polygonal shape includes a polygonal shape with rounded corners. For example, the hard plastic may be polycarbonate, polyamide (PA), polyphthalamide (PPA), polypropylene (PP), etc. The cartridge 112 may include a plurality of hollow fiber membranes 112a and a potting portion 112b for fixing the hollow fiber membranes 112a to each other. The ends of the hollow fiber membranes 112a may be fixed to the potting portion 112b.

[0017] The hollow fiber membrane 112a may include a polymer membrane formed of polysulfone resin, polyethersulfone resin, sulfonated polysulfone resin, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) resin, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) resin, polyimide resin, polyamide-imide resin, polyester-imide resin, or a mixture of at least two of these, and the potting portion 112b may be formed by hardening a liquid resin such as liquid polyurethane resin by a casting method such as dip potting or centrifugal potting. Air supplied from the outside flows along the hollow of hollow fiber membrane 112a. Exhaust gas that flows into mid-case 111 through exhaust gas inlet 111a comes into contact with the outer surface of hollow fiber membrane 112a, and is then discharged from mid-case 111 through exhaust gas outlet 111b. When the exhaust gas comes into contact with the outer surface of hollow fiber membrane 112a, moisture contained in the exhaust gas permeates hollow fiber membrane 112a, humidifying the air that has been flowing along the hollow of hollow fiber membrane 112a. The cap 120 must be in fluid communication only with the hollow of the hollow fiber membrane 112a and completely cut off from the internal space S of the mid-case 111. Otherwise, air leakage due to pressure difference will occur, reducing the amount of humidified air supplied to the fuel cell stack and decreasing the development efficiency of the fuel cell. To solve such problems, the fuel cell membrane humidifier 100 of the present invention further comprises a gasket assembly 1000 that is hermetically coupled to each end of the humidification module 110 via a mechanical assembly.

[0018] According to the present invention, air leakage between the mid-case 111 and the cap 120 is prevented through mechanical assembly of the gasket assembly 1000, so that the casting process (i.e., a process of injecting liquid resin into a mold and hardening it) and the additional sealing process (i.e., a process of applying a sealant and hardening it) of the conventional technology can be omitted. Therefore, according to the present invention, while preventing air leakage between the mid-case 111 and the cap 120, the production process time of the fuel cell membrane humidifier 100: 100-1, 100-2, 100-3 can be shortened, thereby dramatically improving the productivity. In addition, since the gasket assembly 1000 of the present invention is attached to the humidification module 110 through mechanical assembly, if an abnormality occurs in a specific part of the humidification module 110 (e.g., the cartridge 112), it is possible to repair or replace only that part by simply mechanically separating the sub-case 1100 and the gasket assembly 1000 from the humidification module 110. Therefore, according to the present invention, the maintenance and repair costs of the fuel cell membrane humidifier 100 can be significantly reduced. In addition, disturbances such as vibrations caused by repeated operation of the fuel cell are reduced, and air leakage caused by the pressure difference between the mid-case 111 and the cap 120 is prevented, thereby improving the development efficiency of the fuel cell.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the gasket assembly 1000 includes a sub-case 1100 and a gasket 1200 . The sub-case 1100 is formed in a shape surrounding an end (e.g., potting portion 112b) of the cartridge 112. The sub-case 1100 may be formed of a material having a higher hardness than the material of the potting portion 112b. The sub-case 1100 has a first hole H1 into which the potting portion 112b of the cartridge 112 is inserted. The potting portion 112b of the cartridge 112 may be inserted and fixed in the first hole H1 of the sub-case 1100. An adhesive such as a primer may be applied to the inner surface of the sub-case 1100 so that the sub-case 1100 can be combined with the potting portion 112b. Alternatively, the potting portion 112b may be formed after an inner case (112c, see FIG. 5) having the hollow fiber membrane 112a disposed therein is inserted and fixed in the first hole H1 of the sub-case 1100. The gasket 1200 may include a packing portion 1210 and an edge portion 1220. The packing portion 1210 and the edge portion 1220 may be formed of an elastic material (e.g., silicone, rubber, etc.) having a first hardness of 20 to 70 Shore A, preferably 30 to 60 Shore A. The packing part 1210 has a second hole H2 into which the sub-case 1100 is inserted, and is interposed between the mid-case 111 and the sub-case 1100. The packing part 1210 has a body member 1211 and a protruding member 1212.

[0020] The body member 1211 includes a second hole H2 into which the sub-case 1100 is inserted, and the second hole H2 is formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the sub-case 1100. A sealing support part 1231 may be formed on the lower surface of the body member 1211. A groove G into which the end part 111aa of the mid-case 111 is sandwiched is formed between the body member 1211 and the edge part 1220. The protruding member 1212 is formed at one end of the body member 1211 so as to contact the outer circumferential surface of the sub-case 1100. The protruding member 1212 may be at least one annular protrusion protruding from one end of the body member 1211. In the drawings, two protruding members 1212 are shown as an example. The protruding member 1212 presses the sub-case 1100 by elastic force and contacts it, thereby making the space of the mid-case 111 and the space of the cap 120 airtight. Therefore, the protruding member 1212 can prevent the fluid in the mid-case 111 from flowing into the space formed on the cap 120 side. In addition, since the protruding member 1212 has elasticity, it can perform a vibration buffering function, and therefore, damage caused by vibration of the membrane humidifier 100 can be prevented. At this time, the sub-case 1100 prevents the protruding member 1212 from directly contacting the potting portion 112b, so that the protruding member 1212 can be prevented from deforming and damaging the potting portion 112b due to the compressive force of the gasket 1200. The edge portion 1220 may be formed at the other end of the body member 1211. The edge portion 1220 may be interposed in a space formed by a groove 111bb formed at an end of the mid-case and an end 120a of the cap. The edge portion 1220 may have edge wings 1221 and 1222 protruding in both directions. The edge wings 1221 and 1222 may be formed in the length direction of the humidification module 110.

[0021] During assembly, the edge wings 1221 and 1222 are inserted into the groove 111bb at the end of the mid-case, and the end 120a of the cap presses the edge wings 1222, and then the edge wings 1221 and 1222 can be assembled by fastening them with a fastening means such as a bolt B. At this time, since the edge wings 1221 and 1222 are made of an elastic material, the edge wings 1221 and 1222 can be interposed while filling a certain part of the space of the groove 111bb at the end of the mid-case. Fastening pieces 111c and 120c having fastening holes for fastening the bolts can be formed on the end sides of the mid-case 111 and the cap 120. The edge wings 1221 and 1222 can seal the inside and outside of the mid-case 111 and between the mid-case 111 and the cap 120 by making the groove 111bb at the end of the mid-case airtight. The gasket assembly 1000 may further include a sealing part 1230. The sealing part 1230 may be made of a solid-phase sealing material such as silicone, acrylic rubber, EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer), NBR (Nitrile-Butadiene Rubber), or a liquid-phase sealing material such as silicone, urethane, or the like. The sealing part 1230 may be formed on the outer circumferential surface of the sub-case 1100 or on the inner surface of the gasket 1200. In the drawings, the sealing part 1230 is formed on the inner surface of the gasket 1200. The sealing part 1230 may be formed as an annular ring between the sub-case 1100 and the packing part 1210, which contacts the sub-case 1100 and the packing part 1210 at the same time. The sealing part 1230 seals the space of the mid-case 111 and the space of the cap 120 to prevent the fluid in the mid-case 111 from flowing toward the cap 120. Also, the gasket assembly 1000 may further include a sealing support part 1231. The sealing support part 1231 may be formed to contact and support the sealing part 1230 on the lower surface of the packing part 1210. Specifically, the sealing support part 1231 may be formed to contact and support the sealing part 1230 on the lower surface of the body member 1211. The sealing support part 1231 may be formed as an annular ring that simultaneously contacts the body member 1211 and the sealing part 1230. The sealing support part 1231 has an adhesive surface with the sealing part 1230, and can maintain adhesion between the sealing part 1230 and the packing part 1210 even if the size or position of the sealing part 1230 changes due to contraction or expansion of the sealing part 1230. The sealing support part 1231 may be made of a solid-phase sealant such as silicone, acrylic rubber, EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer), NBR (nitrile-butadiene rubber), etc., or a liquid-phase sealant such as silicone, urethane, etc. Since the sealing support part 1231 supports the sealing part 1230 to maintain adhesion between the sealing part 1230 and the packing part 1210 even when the shape of the sealing part 1230 changes, it is more preferable that the sealing part 1230 is made of a liquid-phase sealant and the sealing support part 1231 is made of a solid-phase sealant, but is not necessarily limited thereto.

[0022] Also, the gasket 1200 may further include a reinforcing member 1240. The reinforcing member 1240 may have a second hardness higher than the first hardness. For example, the reinforcing member 1240 may be formed of a metal, a thermoplastic or a thermosetting resin. The reinforcing member 1240 may be formed by being inserted into the gasket 1200 by manufacturing the gasket 1200 after inserting a metal plate into a mold when molding the gasket 1200. The reinforcing member 1240 may be formed by being inserted into at least a part of the packing portion 1210 and at least a part of the edge portion 1220. The reinforcing member 1240 may be formed in a part of the gasket 1200 that is vulnerable to deformation (a part where the groove G is formed). The reinforcing member 1240, which has a higher hardness than the packing portion 1210 and the edge portion 1220, can more reliably block air leakage by preventing deformation of the body member 1211 when mechanically assembling the gasket assembly 1000 to the humidification module 110 or during operation of the membrane humidifier. Next, a fuel cell membrane humidifier including a gasket assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7. Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier including a gasket assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier including a gasket assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier including a gasket assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the gasket assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a sub-case 1100 and a gasket 1200. As shown in FIG. The sub-case 1100 may further include a damping portion 1110 protruding in a radial direction from an outer circumferential surface thereof, and the gasket 1200 may include a packing portion 1210, an edge portion 1220, a sealing portion 1230, a sealing support portion 1231, a reinforcing member 1240, and a damping cap portion 1250. That is, in this embodiment, the gasket 1200 may further include a damping portion 1110 and a damping cap portion 1250. The sub-case 1100, the packing portion 1210, the edge portion 1220, the sealing portion 1230, the sealing support portion 1231, and the reinforcing member 1240 are substantially similar to those in the first embodiment described above, and therefore repeated description will be omitted. A damping part 1110 protruding in a radial direction may be formed on an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case 1100. The damping part 1110 may be formed as an annular ring on the outer circumferential surface of the sub-case 1100. The damping part 1110 may be formed to contact the sealing part 1230 and the lower surfaces of the sealing support part 1231 to support the sealing part 1230 and the packing part 1210 formed in contact therewith. The damping part 1110 may absorb vertical vibration of the cartridge 112 while vertical movement (z-axis direction in FIG. 6) is restricted by the sealing part 1230 and the packing part 1210. Therefore, disturbance due to vibration may be reduced. Meanwhile, since the protruding member 1212 of the packing part 1210 also has elasticity, it can absorb vibrations in the horizontal direction (x-axis direction in FIG. 6) of the cartridge 112. In addition, at this time, the sub-case 1100 prevents the protruding member 1212 from directly contacting the potting part 112b, so that it is possible to prevent the protruding member 1212 from deforming and damaging the potting part 112b due to the compressive force of the gasket 1200.

[0024] The damping cap portion 1250 is formed on one surface of the gasket 1200. Specifically, the damping cap portion 1250 may be formed over at least a portion of the upper surface of the packing portion 1210, the upper surface of the sub-case 1100, and the upper surface of the cartridge 112. The damping cap portion 1250 may be formed to be in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the sub-case 1100 or to be spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface of the sub-case 1100 by a predetermined distance, and may be formed to be in contact with the upper surface of the sub-case 1100 and the upper surface of the potting portion 112b. TIFF0007631538000001.tif76" shaped annular rings or multiple " The damping cap portion 1250 may be formed to have a ring shape with the damping portion 1110 and the damping cap portion 1250 spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. The damping cap portion 1250 may absorb vertical vibrations of the cartridge 112 together with the damping portion 1110. Next, a modified example of the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, a modified fuel cell membrane humidifier 100a according to the second embodiment of the present invention is substantially similar to the fuel cell membrane humidifier 100-2 according to the second embodiment described above, except that (i) the internal space of the mid-case 111 is divided into a first space S1 and a second space S2 by partitions 111d, and (ii) the cartridge 112 further includes an inner case 112c. The inner case 112c has an opening at each end, and the hollow fiber membrane 112a is placed therein. The ends of the hollow fiber membrane 112a are potted to potting portions 112b, which close the openings of the inner case 112c.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 8, at least a portion of the potting portion 112b may be located outside the inner case 112c and exposed, and the sub-case 1100 may be formed to cover the exposed potting portion 112b. The inner case 112c has a plurality of holes (hereinafter, "first mesh holes") MH1 arranged in a mesh form for fluid communication with the first space S1, and a plurality of holes (hereinafter, "second mesh holes") MH2 arranged in a mesh form for fluid communication with the second space S2. The exhaust gas that flows into the first space S1 of the mid-case 111 through the exhaust gas inlet 111a flows into the inner case 112c through the first mesh hole MH1 and comes into contact with the outer surface of the hollow fiber membrane 112a. Next, the exhaust gas from which moisture has been removed flows into the second space S2 through the second mesh hole MH2, and is then discharged from the mid-case 111 through the exhaust gas outlet 111b. The cartridge 112 having such an inner case 112c has an advantage that it can be easily assembled to the mid-case 111 and can be easily replaced. Of course, the features of Fig. 8 can also be applied to the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the first embodiment described above. Next, a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 11. Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the third embodiment of the present invention, Figure 10 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] As shown in Figures 9 to 11, the fuel cell membrane humidifier 100-3 of the third embodiment of the present invention is substantially similar to the modified example 100a of the fuel cell membrane humidifier of the above-mentioned embodiments, except that (i) the humidification module 110 has two or more cartridges 112, (ii) it has a plurality of sub-cases 1100 formed to surround the potting portions 112b of the two or more cartridges 112, (iii) the body member 1211 of the packing portion 1210 has two or more holes H2 into which each of the multiple sub-cases 1100 is inserted, and (iv) it has two or more protrusion members 1212 formed at one end of the body member 1211 to contact the sub-case 1100. By mounting a plurality of cartridges 112, each having an inner case 112c, in the mid-case 111 at regular intervals, exhaust gas can be distributed to all hollow fiber membranes 112a present in the mid-case 111, and only a specific cartridge 112 in which a problem has occurred can be selectively replaced, further reducing the maintenance and repair costs of the fuel cell membrane humidifier. Next, the accompanying effects of the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 12 and Fig. 13. Fig. 12 and Fig. 13 are diagrams for explaining the accompanying effects of the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the embodiment of the present invention. First, Figure 12 is a diagram generally illustrating a state in which the protruding member 1212 directly pressurizes the potting portion 112b formed at the end of the cartridge 112 without the sub-case 1100, making the space of the mid-case 111 and the space of the cap 120 airtight.

[0027] 12(a), the protruding member 1212 directly presses and contacts the potting portion 112b due to the compressive force of the gasket 1200, thereby making the space of the mid-case 111 and the space of the cap 120 airtight. However, if the fuel cell membrane humidifier is used repeatedly for a long time, a part of the potting portion 112b that contacts the protruding member 1212 due to the compressive force of the gasket 1200 will be deformed and damaged, as shown in FIG 12(b). If it is continued to be used in this state, the damage to the potting portion 112b will be accelerated, making it difficult for the potting portion 112b to perform its original function (separation of flow space). Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 13, in the present invention, the sub-case 1100 prevents the protruding member 1212 from directly contacting the potting portion 112b, thereby preventing the protruding member 1212 from deforming and damaging the potting portion 112b due to the compressive force of the gasket 1200. Meanwhile, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the sealing portion 1230 is formed on the lower surface of the protruding member 1212 as shown in Fig. 14(a), but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the sealing portion 1230 may be formed between the protruding members 1212 or on the upper surface of the protruding member 1212 as shown in Fig. 14(b) and (c). Also, as shown in Fig. 14(d) to (g), a plurality of sealing portions 1230 may be provided, and the plurality of sealing portions may be provided in a combination of (a) to (c). Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, a person having ordinary knowledge in the art would be able to modify and change the present invention in various ways by adding, changing, deleting, or adding components without departing from the concept of the present invention described in the claims, and this would also be considered to be within the scope of the claims of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0028] 100 (100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100a): Fuel cell membrane humidifier 110: Humidification module 111: Mid-case 112: Cartridge 112b: Potting part 112c: Inner case 1000: Gasket assembly 1100: Subcase 1110: Damping section 1200: Gasket 1210: Packing part 1220: Edge section 1230: Sealing section 1231: sealing support part 1240: reinforcing member 1250: Damping cap part

Claims

1. 1. A gasket assembly for a fuel cell membrane humidifier comprising: a mid-case; a cap fastened to the mid-case; and at least one cartridge disposed within the mid-case and housing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, a sub-case formed in a shape surrounding the end of the cartridge and having a first hole into which the end of the cartridge is inserted; a gasket including: a packing portion having a second hole into which the sub-case is inserted, the packing portion being in close contact with an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case inserted into the second hole to prevent fluid in the mid-case from flowing toward the cap; an edge portion connected to the packing portion and interposed in a space formed by a groove formed at an end of the mid-case and an end of the cap; and a sealing portion formed to contact the sub-case and the packing portion to prevent fluid in the mid-case from flowing toward the cap; The packing section includes: a body member having a second hole into which the sub-case is inserted; a protruding member formed at one end of the body member and in intimate contact with an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case inserted into the second hole; Equipped with A gasket assembly, wherein the sub-case is formed of a material having a hardness higher than that of a material forming the potting portion.

2. The sealing portion is The gasket assembly of claim 1 formed on an inner surface of said gasket.

3. The gasket assembly according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a sealing support portion formed to contact and support the sealing portion on a lower surface of the packing portion.

4. The sealing part is made of a liquid-phase sealant material including at least one material selected from the group consisting of silicone and urethane, 4. The gasket assembly of claim 3, wherein the sealing support is made of a solid-phase sealant material including at least one selected from the group consisting of silicone, acrylic rubber, EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer), and NBR (Nitrile-Butadiene Rubber).

5. The gasket assembly of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the body member has two or more second holes into which two or more sub-cases can be inserted, respectively, and the protrusion members are provided in two or more numbers and are formed in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the two or more sub-cases.

6. The gasket assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a damping portion formed on an outer peripheral surface of the sub-case, the damping portion being restricted in vertical movement by the sealing portion and the packing portion, and absorbing vertical vibration of the cartridge.

7. The gasket assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a damping cap portion formed across the packing portion upper surface, the sub-case upper surface, and the cartridge upper surface to absorb vertical vibrations of the cartridge.

8. Mid-case and a cap fastened to the mid-case; At least one cartridge disposed within the mid-case and housing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes; a gasket assembly hermetically coupled to at least one end of the humidification module via a mechanical assembly such that the cap is in fluid communication only with the hollow fiber membrane; Equipped with The gasket assembly includes: a sub-case formed in a shape surrounding the end of the cartridge and having a first hole into which the end of the cartridge is inserted; a gasket including: a packing portion having a second hole into which the sub-case is inserted, the packing portion being in close contact with an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case inserted into the second hole to prevent fluid in the mid-case from flowing toward the cap; an edge portion connected to the packing portion and interposed in a space formed by a groove formed at an end of the mid-case and an end of the cap; and a sealing portion formed to contact the sub-case and the packing portion to prevent fluid in the mid-case from flowing toward the cap; The packing section includes: a body member having a second hole into which the sub-case is inserted; a protruding member formed at one end of the body member and in intimate contact with an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case inserted into the second hole; Equipped with 11. A fuel cell membrane humidifier, wherein the sub-case is formed of a material having a hardness higher than that of a material forming the potting portion.

9. The sealing portion is The fuel cell membrane humidifier of claim 8 formed on an inner surface of the gasket.

10. The fuel cell membrane humidifier according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising a sealing support part formed to contact and support the sealing part on a lower surface of the packing part.

11. The fuel cell membrane humidifier of any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the body member has two or more second holes into which two or more sub-cases can be inserted, and the protrusion member is provided in two or more numbers and formed in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the two or more sub-cases.

12. The fuel cell membrane humidifier of any one of claims 8 to 11, further comprising a damping portion formed on the outer peripheral surface of the sub-case, the vertical movement of which is suppressed by the sealing portion and the packing portion, and which absorbs vertical vibration of the cartridge.

13. The fuel cell membrane humidifier of any one of claims 8 to 12, further comprising a damping cap portion formed across the upper surface of the packing portion, the upper surface of the sub-case, and the upper surface of the cartridge to absorb vertical vibrations of the cartridge.

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