Gasket assembly and fuel cell membrane humidifier including same

Abstract

To provide a gasket assembly that can reduce maintenance and repair cost in an unprecedented way, and a fuel cell membrane humidifier including the same.SOLUTION: A gasket assembly is for a fuel cell membrane humidifier comprising a cartridge 112 storing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and the gasket assembly comprises: sub cases that are each formed into a shape surrounding the ends of a cartridge, and formed with a first hole into which the ends of the cartridge are inserted; gaskets 1200 each having a packing part 1210 that is formed with a second hole into which the sub case is inserted and is in close adhesion with an outer peripheral surface of the sub case inserted into the second hole to absorb vibration in the horizontal direction of the cartridge, and an edge part that is formed in connection with the packing part and is interposed in a space formed by a groove formed in an end of a mid-case and an end of a cap; and damping parts 1110 that are each formed on the outer peripheral surface of the sub case and prevented from moving in the vertical direction by the packing part, and absorb the vibration in the vertical direction of the cartridge.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

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, significantly reduce maintenance and repair costs, and improve humidification efficiency by reducing disturbances such as vibrations generated by repeated operation of a fuel cell. [Background technology]

[0002] A fuel cell is a power generating battery that generates 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, since the chemical energy generated by the combination of hydrogen and oxygen is directly converted into electrical energy, fuel cells emit fewer pollutants, making them environmentally friendly and reducing concerns about resource depletion due to increased energy consumption. These fuel cells can be broadly classified into polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC), molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC), solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), alkaline fuel cells (AFC), etc. depending on the type of electrolyte used.

[0003] Although each of these fuel cells operates 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 smaller. One of the most important factors in improving the performance of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is to maintain a certain amount of moisture in the polymer electrolyte membrane (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane or Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM)) of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). If the polymer electrolyte membrane dries out, the power generation efficiency drops sharply. There are three methods for humidifying a polymer electrolyte membrane: 1) a bubbler humidification method in which a 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 bed 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 humidifies the polymer electrolyte membrane by providing water vapor to the air supplied to 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, which has a large permeation area per unit volume when forming a module. That is, when a membrane humidifier is manufactured using hollow fiber membranes, it is possible to highly integrate hollow fiber membranes with a large contact surface area, and sufficient humidification of the fuel cell can be achieved even with a small capacity. It is also possible to use low-cost materials, and it is possible to recover moisture and heat contained in the off-gas discharged at high temperature from the fuel cell and reuse it through the 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 attached to both ends of the humidification module 11.

[0005] 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 within 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 using a casting method. Air supplied from the outside flows along the hollow fiber membrane 11b. Exhaust gas that flows into the mid-case 11a through the exhaust gas inlet 11aa comes into contact with the outer surface of the hollow fiber membrane 11b and is then discharged from the mid-case 11a through the exhaust gas outlet 11ab. When the exhaust gas comes into contact with the outer surface of the hollow fiber membrane 11b, moisture contained in the exhaust gas permeates the hollow fiber membrane 11b, humidifying the air flowing along the hollow fiber membrane 11b. The internal space of the cap 12 must be fluidly 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 reducing the fuel cell development efficiency.

[0006] 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 using 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 potting portion 11c as well as the inner wall of the mid-case 11a, 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. Furthermore, repeated operation of the fuel cell is likely to cause a gap between the resin layer 11d and the mid-case 11a. That is, as the fuel cell is repeatedly operated and stopped, the resin layer 11d alternately expands and contracts, and the resin layer 11d is likely to separate from the mid-case 11a due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the mid-case 11a and the resin layer 11d. As mentioned above, if a gap occurs between the resin layer 11d and the mid-case 11a, air leakage occurs due to a pressure difference, reducing the amount of humidified air supplied to the fuel cell stack and reducing the fuel cell growth efficiency. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a gasket assembly and a fuel cell membrane humidifier including the same, which can avoid problems caused by the limitations and shortcomings of the related art as described above, can be manufactured with improved productivity, can dramatically reduce maintenance and repair costs, and can improve humidification efficiency by reducing disturbances such as vibrations generated by repeated operation of a fuel cell. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A gasket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: 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 containing 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 which fits closely to the outer surface of the sub-case inserted into the second hole to absorb horizontal vibrations of the cartridge; an edge portion formed and connected to the packing portion and interposed in a space formed by a groove formed at the end of the mid-case and the end of the cap; and a damping portion formed on the outer surface of the sub-case and whose vertical movement is suppressed by the packing portion to absorb vertical vibrations of the cartridge.

[0009] In the 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 the 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 protruding 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, the protruding member can pressurize and contact the outer peripheral surface of the sub-case using elastic force, thereby making the space on the mid-case side and the space on the cap side airtight.

[0010] In the gasket assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention, the sub-case may be made of a material having a higher hardness than the material of the potting portion formed at the end of the cartridge. In the gasket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, the gasket may further include a damping cap portion formed across the top surface of the packing portion, the top surface of the sub-case, and the top surface of the cartridge to absorb vertical vibrations of the cartridge. In a gasket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, the packing portion has two or more second holes into which two or more sub-cases can be inserted, respectively, and the damping portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of each of the two or more sub-cases, so that vertical movement is suppressed by the packing portion, thereby absorbing vertical vibrations. In the gasket assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention, an adhesive may be applied to the inner circumferential surface of the sub-case so that the sub-case can be coupled to the cartridge end.

[0011] In the gasket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, the edge portion has edge wings protruding in both directions, and the edge wings are interposed while filling grooves formed at the end of the mid-case, thereby sealing the inside and outside of the mid-case, and the mid-case and the cap. In the gasket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, each of the packing portion and the edge portion may have a first hardness of 20 to 70 Shore A, and may further include a reinforcing member inserted into at least a portion of the packing portion and at least a portion of the edge portion, the reinforcing member having a second hardness higher than the first hardness. According to another embodiment of the present invention, a fuel cell membrane humidifier includes a mid-case, a cap fastened to the mid-case, at least one cartridge disposed within the mid-case and containing 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 shaped to surround an end of the cartridge and having a first hole into which the end of the cartridge is inserted, a second hole into which the sub-case is inserted, a packing portion that fits closely to the outer periphery of the sub-case inserted into the second hole to absorb horizontal vibrations of the cartridge, an edge portion connected to the packing portion and interposed in a space formed by a groove formed in the end of the mid-case and the end of the cap, and a damping portion formed on the outer periphery of the sub-case and whose vertical movement is suppressed by the packing portion to absorb vertical vibrations of the cartridge.

[0012] 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 the 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 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, the protruding member can pressurize and contact the outer peripheral surface of the sub-case by elastic force, thereby making the space on the mid-case side and the space on the cap side airtight. In the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the embodiment of the present invention, the sub-case may be made of a material having a higher hardness than the material forming the potting portion formed at the end of the cartridge. In the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention, the gasket may further include a damping cap portion formed across the top surface of the packing portion, the top surface of the sub-case, and the top surface of the cartridge to absorb vertical vibrations of the cartridge.

[0013] In a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention, the packing part has two or more second holes into which two or more sub-cases can be inserted, respectively, and the damping part is formed on the outer peripheral surface of each of the two or more sub-cases, so that vertical movement is suppressed by the packing part and vertical vibrations can be absorbed. In the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the embodiment of the present invention, an adhesive may be applied to the inner circumferential surface of the sub-case so that the sub-case can be coupled to the end of the cartridge. In a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention, the edge portion has edge wings protruding in both directions, and the edge wings are interposed while filling grooves formed at the end of the mid-case, thereby sealing the inside and outside of the mid-case, and the mid-case and the cap. In the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention, each of the packing portion and the edge portion has a first hardness of 20 to 70 Shore A, and may further include a reinforcing member inserted into at least a portion of the packing portion and at least a portion of the edge portion, the reinforcing member having a second hardness higher than the first hardness. Further specific details, such as implementation examples of various aspects of the present invention, are included in the following detailed description. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, air leakage between the mid-case and the cap is prevented through mechanical assembly of the gasket assembly, which eliminates the need for the conventional casting process (i.e., the process of injecting a liquid polymer into a mold and curing it) and additional sealing process (i.e., the process of applying a sealant and curing it). Therefore, according to the present invention, the productivity of fuel cell membrane humidifiers can be dramatically improved by shortening the production process time while preventing air leakage between the mid-case and the cap. Furthermore, 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, the gasket assembly can be easily mechanically separated and only that part can be repaired or replaced. Therefore, according to the present invention, the maintenance and repair costs of the fuel cell membrane humidifier can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, since the sub-case prevents the protruding member from coming into direct contact with 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 fuel cell's development efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art fuel cell membrane humidifier. [Figure 2] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 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. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 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. 10 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. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the accompanying effects of the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the accompanying effects of the fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The present invention can be modified in various ways and can have various embodiments, and specific embodiments will be illustrated and described in detail in the detailed description, but it should be understood that this is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific embodiments, and that the present invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. The terms used in the present invention are merely used to describe particular embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular terms include the plural terms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as "comprise" 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 possibility of 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.

[0017] Figure 2 is an exploded oblique view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the first embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a fuel cell membrane humidifier according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 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 contained 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 111aa and an exhaust gas outlet 111b, and at least one cartridge 112 arranged within the mid-case 111. The mid-case 111 and the cap 120 may be independently formed of hard plastic or metal and may have a circular or polygonal cross section. Circular includes oval, and polygonal includes polygon with rounded corners. For example, the hard plastic may be polycarbonate, polyamide (PA), polyphthalamide (PPA), polypropylene (PP), etc.

[0018] The cartridge 112 may include a plurality of hollow fiber membranes 112a and a potting portion 112b that fixes the hollow fiber membranes 112a to each other. The ends of the hollow fiber membranes 112a may be fixed to the potting portion 112b. 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 using 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 flowing along the hollow of hollow fiber membrane 112a. The cap 120 must be fluidly connected only to the hollow of the hollow fiber membrane 112a and completely isolated from the internal space S of the mid-case 111. Otherwise, air leakage due to a pressure difference will occur, reducing the amount of humidified air supplied to the fuel cell stack and reducing the fuel cell development efficiency.

[0019] To solve this problem, 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 mechanical assembly. 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, thereby eliminating the need for a conventional casting process (i.e., a process of injecting liquid resin into a mold and hardening it) and an additional sealing process (i.e., a process of applying a sealant and hardening it). 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 humidifiers 100 (100-1, 100-2, 100-3) can be shortened, thereby dramatically improving productivity. Furthermore, since the gasket assembly 1000 of the present invention is attached to the humidification module 110 through mechanical assembly, if a malfunction occurs in a specific part of the humidification module 110 (e.g., the cartridge 112), the sub-case 1100 and the gasket assembly 1000 can be easily mechanically separated from the humidification module 110, and only that part can be repaired or replaced. Therefore, according to the present invention, the maintenance and repair costs of the fuel cell membrane humidifier 100 can be significantly reduced.

[0020] Also, 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 fuel cell development efficiency. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the gasket assembly 1000 includes a sub-case 1100 and a gasket 1200 . The sub-casing 1100 is formed in a shape that surrounds an end (e.g., the potting portion 112b) of the cartridge 112. The sub-casing 1100 may be formed of a material having a higher hardness than the material forming the potting portion 112b. The sub-casing 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-casing 1100. An adhesive such as a primer may be applied to the inner surface of the sub-casing 1100 so that the sub-casing 1100 can be coupled to 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-casing 1100.

[0021] 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. The body member 1211 has 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. The lower body member 1211a protruding downward from the body member 1211 may have a polygonal (e.g., trapezoidal) cross section, and the upper body member 1211b formed on the cap 120 side may have a flat cross section. Of course, the shape is not limited to a flat shape, and the upper body member 1211b may have various shapes such as a curved surface or an inclined surface. A groove G into which the end 111a of the mid-case 111 is sandwiched is formed between the lower body member 1211a and the edge portion 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 and contacts the sub-case 1100 by its elastic force, thereby sealing the space in the mid-case 111 and the space formed by the cap 120. Therefore, the protruding member 1212 can prevent fluid in the mid-case 111 from flowing into the space formed on the cap 120 side. In addition, the protruding member 1212 has elasticity, so it can perform a vibration buffering function, thereby preventing damage to the membrane humidifier 100 due to vibration. At this time, the sub-case 1100 prevents the protruding member 1212 from coming into direct contact with the potting portion 112b, thereby preventing the protruding member 1212 from deforming or damaging the potting portion 112b due to the compressive force of the gasket 1200.

[0022] 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 the end of the mid-case and the 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. During assembly, edge wings 1221 and 1222 are inserted into groove 111bb at the end of the mid-case, and end 120a of the cap presses edge wings 1222, and then the assembly can be performed by fastening with fastening means such as bolt B. In this case, because edge wings 1221 and 1222 are made of an elastic material, edge wings 1221 and 1222 can be interposed while partially filling the space of groove 111bb at the end of the mid-case. Fastening pieces 111c and 120c with fastening holes for bolt fastening may be formed on the side surfaces of the ends of mid-case 111 and cap 120. Edge wings 1221 and 1222 can seal groove 111bb at the end of the mid-case airtightly, sealing the inside and outside of mid-case 111 and between mid-case 111 and cap 120. A damping portion 1110 protruding in a radial direction may be formed on the outer circumferential surface of the sub-case 1100. The damping portion 1110 may be formed in an annular shape on the outer circumferential surface of the sub-case 1100. The damping portion 1110 may be formed to contact the lower surface of the packing portion 1210 to support the packing portion 1210. Specifically, the damping portion 1110 may be formed so that at least a portion thereof contacts the lower surface of the lower body member 1211a. The damping portion 1110 may absorb vertical vibrations of the cartridge 212 while vertical movement (z-axis direction in FIG. 3) is suppressed by the packing portion 1210. Therefore, disturbances caused by vibrations may be reduced.

[0023] That is, the packing part 1210 absorbs horizontal vibrations of the cartridge 112 (x-axis direction in FIG. 3), and the damping part 1110 absorbs vertical vibrations of the cartridge 112, thereby reducing disturbances caused by vibrations and preventing air leakage due to the pressure difference between the mid-case 111 and the cap 120. 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 resin, or a thermosetting resin. The reinforcing member 1240 may be inserted into the gasket 1200 by inserting a metal plate into a mold during molding of the gasket 1200. The reinforcing member 1240 may be inserted into at least a portion of the packing portion 1210 and at least a portion of the edge portion 1220. The reinforcing member 1240 may be formed in a portion of the gasket 1200 that is vulnerable to deformation (a portion 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 the 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 the 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 the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] 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 have a damping portion 1110 protruding radially from its outer circumferential surface, and the gasket 1200 may have a packing portion 1210, an edge portion 1220, a reinforcing member 1240, and a damping cap portion 1250. The damping portion 1110, the packing portion 1210, the edge portion 1220, and the reinforcing member 1240 are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore, repeated description will be omitted. In this embodiment, the gasket 1200 further includes a damping cap portion 1250 formed on one surface thereof. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the damping cap portion 1250 may be formed over the upper surface of the packing portion 1210, the upper surface of the sub-case 1100, and at least a portion of the upper surface of the cartridge 112.

[0025] 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 a predetermined distance from the outer peripheral surface of the sub-case 1100, 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. TIFF0007791962000001.tif76" shaped ring or multiple " TIFF0007791962000002.tif76" shapes can be formed to be generally circular, spaced apart by a predetermined distance. Such a damping cap portion 1250 can 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 example 100a of the fuel cell membrane humidifier 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 openings at each end, and the hollow fiber membranes 112a are placed inside the openings. The ends of the hollow fiber membranes 112a are potted in potting portions 112b, which close the openings of the inner case 112c.

[0026] 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 referred to as "first mesh holes") MH1 arranged in a mesh form for fluid communication with the first space S1 and a plurality of holes (hereinafter referred to as "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 holes 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 holes 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 the advantage that it can be easily assembled to the mid-case 111 and can also 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. 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.

[0027] 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 on one end of the body member 1211 to contact the sub-case 1100. By installing multiple cartridges 112, each with an inner case 112c, in the mid-case 111, exhaust gas can be distributed to all hollow fiber membranes 112a present in the mid-case 111, and only specific cartridges 112 that have developed problems 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 Figures 12 and 13. Figures 12 and 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 showing an outline of a state in which, without the sub-case 1100, the protruding member 1212 directly presses the potting portion 112b formed at the end of the cartridge 112 to make the space of the mid-case 111 and the space of the cap 120 airtight.

[0028] As shown in Figure 12(a), the protruding member 1212 directly presses and contacts the potting portion 112b due to the compressive force of the gasket 1200, thereby airtightly sealing the space in the mid-case 111 and the space defined by the cap 120. However, if the fuel cell membrane humidifier is used repeatedly for a long period of time, as shown in Figure 12(b), a portion of the potting portion 112b that comes into contact with the protruding member 1212 due to the compressive force of the gasket 1200 will be deformed and damaged. If the device 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 intended function (flow space separation). 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. Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, a person having ordinary knowledge in the art may modify and change the present invention in various ways by adding, changing, deleting, or adding components, without departing from the spirit of the present invention as set forth in the claims, and this may also be said to fall within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 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 part 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 containing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, The gasket assembly includes: a sub-case formed in a shape surrounding the cartridge end and having a first hole into which the cartridge end is inserted; a gasket having a second hole formed therein into which the sub-case is inserted, a packing portion that comes into close contact with an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case inserted into the second hole to absorb horizontal vibrations of the cartridge, and an edge portion that is connected to the packing portion and is interposed in a space formed by a groove formed at an end of the mid-case and an end of the cap; a damping portion formed on an outer peripheral surface of the sub-case, the damping portion being restricted in vertical movement by the packing portion and absorbing vertical vibration of the cartridge; The packing portion is a body member having a second hole formed therein 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.

2. 2. The gasket assembly according to claim 1, wherein the body member has two or more second holes into which two or more sub-cases can be inserted, and the protruding members are provided in two or more pieces and are formed in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the two or more sub-cases.

3. The protruding member is 2. The gasket assembly according to claim 1, wherein the gasket assembly presses against the outer peripheral surface of the sub-case by elastic force and makes airtight between the space on the mid-case side and the space on the cap side.

4. The subcase comprises:

2. The gasket assembly according to claim 1, wherein the gasket is made of a material having a hardness higher than that of the material forming the potting formed on the cartridge end.

5. the packing portion has two or more second holes into which two or more sub-cases can be inserted, respectively; The gasket assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the damping portion is formed on the outer circumferential surface of each of the two or more sub-cases, and vertical movement is suppressed by the packing portion, thereby absorbing vertical vibration.

6. each of the packing portion and the edge portion has a first hardness of 20 to 70 Shore A; The gasket assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a reinforcing member inserted into at least a portion of the packing portion and at least a portion of the edge portion, the reinforcing member having a second hardness higher than the first hardness.

7. a mid-case; and a humidification module disposed within the mid-case and having at least one cartridge containing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes; a cap fastened to the mid-case; 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; A fuel cell membrane humidifier comprising: The gasket assembly includes: a sub-case formed in a shape surrounding the cartridge end and having a first hole into which the cartridge end is inserted; a gasket having a second hole formed therein into which the sub-case is inserted, a packing portion that comes into close contact with an outer circumferential surface of the sub-case inserted into the second hole to absorb horizontal vibrations of the cartridge, and an edge portion that is connected to the packing portion and is interposed in a space formed by a groove formed at an end of the mid-case and an end of the cap; a damping portion formed on an outer peripheral surface of the sub-case, the damping portion being restricted in vertical movement by the packing portion and absorbing vertical vibration of the cartridge; The packing portion is a body member having a second hole formed therein into which the sub-case is inserted; 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.

8. 8. The fuel cell membrane humidifier of claim 7, wherein the body member has two or more second holes into which two or more sub-cases can be inserted, 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.

9. The subcase comprises:

8. The fuel cell membrane humidifier according to claim 7, wherein the humidifier is made of a material having a higher hardness than the material of the potting portion formed at the end of the cartridge.

10. the packing portion has two or more second holes into which two or more sub-cases can be inserted, respectively; 8. The fuel cell membrane humidifier according to claim 7, wherein the damping portion is formed on the outer circumferential surface of each of the two or more sub-cases, and vertical movement is suppressed by the packing portion to absorb vertical vibrations.

11. each of the packing portion and the edge portion has a first hardness of 20 to 70 Shore A; The fuel cell membrane humidifier according to claim 7, further comprising a reinforcing member inserted into at least a portion of the packing portion and at least a portion of the edge portion, the reinforcing member having a second hardness higher than the first hardness.

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