Fuel Cell Humidifier End-Cap Sealing for Thermal and Vibration Leaks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cell humidifiers face issues with gas leakage due to thermal expansion and vibration, leading to reduced power generation efficiency, and have high manufacturing costs and low productivity due to complex sealing processes.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell humidifier design featuring a humidifying module with a bracket and packing member that includes a primer layer, where the bracket has higher hardness than the packing member, and both are in indirect contact via the primer layer, ensuring effective sealing without the need for sealant application and hardening processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sealing process using sealant application and hardening is used, then sealing effectiveness is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the sealant application and hardening processes from the manufacturing workflow, extracting these complex steps entirely. Instead, it uses a mechanical sealing structure with a bracket and packing member that achieves sealing through assembly alone, eliminating the need for chemical sealants and their associated processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical-based sealant hardening system with a mechanical sealing system. The bracket and packing member create a mechanical seal through their structural arrangement, where the packing member compresses against the hollow fiber membrane bundle end cap to prevent gas leakage, substituting chemical bonding with mechanical force.
2Reliability
If a conventional sealing process with multiple steps is used, then sealing is achieved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is built into the bracket and packing member structures during their manufacturing stages, before assembly. The packing member is pre-configured with the appropriate compression characteristics, and the bracket is pre-formed with the necessary geometric features, allowing sealing to occur automatically upon assembly without additional processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system is self-activating through the natural compression forces applied during assembly. When the hollow fiber membrane bundle end cap is inserted and compressed, the packing member automatically engages with the bracket to create the seal, requiring no external intervention, sealant application, or hardening processes.
3Reliability
If sealant application and hardening processes are used, then sealing is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses simple, inexpensive mechanical components (bracket and packing member) that can be manufactured using conventional, low-cost processes. The packing member can be made from readily available materials with appropriate compression properties, eliminating the need for expensive sealant chemicals and specialized application equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the expensive sealant application and hardening processes from the manufacturing system, replacing them with simple mechanical assembly operations that reduce both material and processing costs while maintaining sealing reliability.
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 significantly improves workability and productivity by eliminating the need for sealant application and hardening processes, reducing production costs and preventing gas leakage, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of fuel cell operation.
Implementation Method 1
a membrane configured to selectively transmit only water vapor included in off-gas
Implementation Method 2
a bracket supported by the step of the mid-case, the bracket being in contact with the fixing layer, and a packing member having a groove into which the end of the mid-case is inserted, the packing member being in contact with the bracket
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
Disclosed are: a humidifier for a fuel cell, which can reliably prevent gas leaks due to repeated operations and shutdowns of a fuel cell and can be manufactured with relatively low manufacturing costs and high productivity as well; and a method for manufacturing same. A humidifier for a fuel cell of the present invention comprises a humidification module and caps coupled to both ends of the humidification module, respectively. The humidification module comprises: a mid-case having a step on the inner peripheral surface thereof; a plurality of hollow fiber membranes in the mid-case; a fixation layer on which ends of the hollow fiber membranes are potted; a bracket which is supported by the step of the mid-case and is in contact with the fixation layer; and a packing member in contact with the bracket and having a groove into which an end of the mid-case is inserted.