Fuel Cell Humidifier With Hollow Tie-Rod Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional humidifiers in fuel cell devices require significant design space and suffer from heat losses, reducing efficiency due to the large size of components like humidifiers, water separators, and intercoolers, and inefficient moisture transfer between gas streams.
Innovation Solution
The humidifier design incorporates hollow tie rods as coolant tubes for improved heat transfer, using thermally conductive materials for flow fields and gaskets for sealing, allowing for efficient heat exchange and energy supply by utilizing a coolant to condition both the gas and water, thereby optimizing the humidification process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional humidifiers with separate components (humidifier, water separator, intercooler) are used, then moisture transfer function is achieved, but device size increases and heat losses occur reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the humidifier, water separator, and intercooler into an integrated flow field plate structure. The flow field plates serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide the humidification surface, collect liquid water through grooves, and act as heat exchange pathways, eliminating the need for separate components and reducing overall device size while minimizing heat losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow field plates are designed to perform multiple functions within a single component structure. They facilitate moisture transfer across the membrane, collect and remove liquid water through integrated grooves, and enable heat exchange between coolant and gas streams, making each component highly versatile and reducing the total number of parts needed.
2Loss of energy
If tie rods are used only for clamping humidifier modules, then structural assembly is achieved, but heat transfer efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The tie rods are designed to perform dual functions: they mechanically clamp the humidifier modules together to maintain structural integrity, and simultaneously serve as coolant channels for heat exchange. This multi-functionality improves heat transfer efficiency without adding separate cooling components, maintaining structural simplicity while enhancing thermal performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural support function and heat transfer function are merged into the tie rods. By incorporating coolant channels within the tie rod structure, the patent eliminates the need for separate cooling mechanisms and improves overall heat transfer efficiency while maintaining a simple structural design.
3Productivity
If membrane surface is not uniformly bathed with medium, then simpler flow field structure is used, but moisture transfer efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The flow field plates are segmented into multiple channels and flow paths that distribute the gas medium uniformly across the membrane surface. This segmentation creates multiple contact points and ensures even bathing of the membrane, significantly improving moisture transfer efficiency while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through modular channel design.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow field structure is designed with varying local characteristics to optimize medium distribution. Different regions of the flow field plates have tailored channel configurations that ensure uniform flow distribution across the membrane surface, improving moisture transfer efficiency in each local area while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces the overall size of the fuel cell device, enhances efficiency by utilizing waste heat for temperature control, and improves moisture transfer, leading to a more efficient and cost-effective fuel cell system for motor vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
a membrane (9) that is permeable to water vapor
Implementation Method 2
the tie rods (7) are configured as hollow rods (17), so that they can be used as coolant tubes for a coolant to be led through them
Implementation Method 3
at least the flow fields in the flow field frame may be made of a thermally conductive material, contributing to an improved heat exchange
Implementation Method 4
The coolant flowing through the hollow rods as coolant tubes can also be charged with heat, so that a heat transfer and thus an energy supply is possible
Data Source
AI summary
A humidifier has a plurality of humidifier modules that are clamped between end plates by tie rods and have a membrane that is permeable to water vapor, in which on both sides of the membrane there is respectively arranged a flow field frame having a multiplicity of webs defining a flow field. The tie rods are configured as hollow rods forming coolant tubes for a coolant to be led through. A fuel cell device and a motor vehicle having such a humidifier are also provided.