Fuel Cell Humidifier Packing Assembly for Leak-Free Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cell humidifiers face productivity and maintenance challenges due to air leakage caused by gaps between resin layers and the middle case, requiring lengthy casting processes and high maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A humidifier with a packing member that uses a mechanical assembly method to prevent air leakage, eliminating the need for casting and additional sealing processes, and allowing for easy replacement of defective parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If resin layers are used to isolate the inner space of the middle case from the cap, then air leakage is prevented, but the casting process time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from the resin layers and implements it through a dedicated packing member inserted into a groove. This separates the sealing function from the structural components, allowing the packing member to be easily replaced without replacing the entire humidification module, thus improving maintenance efficiency and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the sealing function into a separate packing member component that can be independently installed and replaced. The packing member is inserted into a groove formed in the middle case, creating a modular sealing system that reduces assembly time and facilitates maintenance without requiring casting processes.
2Reliability
If resin layers are bonded to the middle case and fixing layers, then sealing is achieved, but the entire humidification module must be replaced when membranes are defective, increasing maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from the resin layers and implements it through a dedicated packing member inserted into a groove. This separates the sealing function from the structural components, allowing the packing member to be easily replaced without replacing the entire humidification module, thus improving maintenance efficiency and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The packing member is pre-installed in the groove of the middle case before the humidification module is assembled. This preliminary sealing action ensures that when membranes become defective, only the membrane needs to be replaced while the sealing function remains intact, significantly reducing maintenance costs and complexity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If gaps form between resin layers and middle case due to thermal expansion differences, then air leakage occurs and power generation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a packing member made of flexible material that can adapt to thermal expansion and contraction of the middle case. The flexibility of the packing member allows it to maintain continuous sealing contact despite dimensional changes in the rigid middle case, preventing air leakage while accommodating thermal stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The packing member acts as an intermediary element between the middle case and the cap, absorbing the differential thermal expansion effects. This intermediary component compensates for the mismatch in thermal expansion coefficients between different materials, maintaining sealing effectiveness across temperature variations.
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 approach significantly reduces production time and maintenance expenses while ensuring efficient air supply to the fuel cell, improving overall productivity and reducing power generation inefficiencies.
Implementation Method 1
a membrane configured to selectively transmit only water vapor included in off-gas
Implementation Method 2
a packing member airtightly coupled to one end of the humidification module through a mechanical assembly method
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(c)
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
Disclosed are: a fuel cell humidifier, which can be manufactured at improved productivity and can significantly reduce maintenance and repair costs; and a packing member for same. The fuel cell humidifier of the present invention comprises: a humidification module for humidifying, with the moisture in exhaust gas discharged from a fuel cell stack, the air supplied from the outside; and a cap coupled to one end of the humidification module, wherein the humidification module includes a middle case and at least one cartridge, which is arranged inside the middle case and includes a plurality of hollow-fiber membranes, and the fuel cell humidifier further includes the packing member coupled to one end of the humidification module in an airtight manner through a mechanical assembly so that fluid-communication can be performed between the cap and only the hollow-fiber membranes.