Fuel Cell Humidifier Flow Path Redirection for Membrane Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cell humidifiers face issues of disconnection, damage, or breakage in hollow fiber membranes due to gas pressure, affecting the performance and maintenance costs of the fuel cell system.
Innovation Solution
The fuel cell humidifier incorporates a flow path changer with a blocking portion and passage holes to redirect the gas flow, preventing direct pressure on the hollow fiber membrane bundle, and includes a sealing mechanism to maintain gas separation and humidification efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gas flows directly through the hollow fiber membrane bundle, then humidification efficiency is improved, but the hollow fiber membranes suffer from disconnection, damage, or breakage due to gas pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a flow path changer as an intermediary component between the gas inlet and the hollow fiber membrane bundle. This flow path changer redirects the gas flow to bypass the direct pressure path, allowing humidification to occur through the membrane surfaces without subjecting the membrane bundle to damaging direct pressure forces from the incoming gas stream.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the flow path into distinct regions: a first flow path for gas inlet that bypasses the membrane bundle, and a second flow path through the membrane bundle for humidification. This segmentation allows the gas to be introduced separately from the humidification process, protecting the membranes while maintaining efficiency.
2Reliability
If a flow path changer with blocking portion and passage holes is introduced to protect the membrane, then membrane damage is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path changer is implemented as a thin-walled cylindrical structure with simple geometric features (blocking portion and passage holes). This minimalist design provides the necessary flow redirection function while maintaining structural simplicity and avoiding complex mechanisms, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.
3Productivity
If the hollow fiber membranes are highly integrated with large contact surface area, then humidification performance is improved, but the membranes become more susceptible to pressure damage
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path changer serves as a protective intermediary that decouples the high-pressure gas inlet from the delicate membrane bundle. This allows the membranes to be highly integrated with large surface area for optimal humidification performance without being directly exposed to damaging pressure forces from the gas supply.
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 design reduces the risk of disconnection and damage to the hollow fiber membrane bundle, enhancing the humidification process and reducing maintenance and repair costs, thereby increasing the operation rate of the fuel cell system.
Implementation Method 1
a membrane that selectively allows only water vapor contained in an off-gas to pass through
Implementation Method 2
a flow path changer disposed between an inner surface of the mid-case and an outer surface of the cartridge... including a blocking portion disposed to correspond to the mid-inlet to block passage of the first gas and a plurality of passage holes formed at positions spaced from the blocking portion
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a fuel cell humidifier comprising: a humidification module which uses wet gas to humidify dry gas to be supplied to a fuel cell stack; a first cap which is coupled to one end of the humidification module; and a second cap which is coupled to the other end of the humidification module, wherein the humidification module comprises: a cartridge which includes a bundle of hollow fiber membranes; a mid-case in which the cartridge is accommodated; and a flow path change unit which is disposed between the inner surface of the mid-case and the outer surface of the cartridge.