Fuel Cell Humidifier Mid-Case Flow Partitioning for Uniform Moisture Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cell humidifiers using hollow fiber membranes experience decreased humidification efficiency due to reduced moisture content in off-gas at certain portions of the membranes, leading to degraded overall performance.
Innovation Solution
The fuel cell humidifier incorporates a mid-case design with a partition wall positioned closer to the outlet, an additional partition wall with through-holes, and a cartridge structure to enhance gas flow and residence time, ensuring uniform moisture exchange across the hollow fiber membrane bundle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional mid-case design without additional partition walls is used, then the structure is simple, but the humidification efficiency is degraded due to reduced moisture content in off-gas at certain portions of the membranes
Solution Approach 1:
The mid-case is segmented into multiple sections using partition walls. The additional partition wall divides the mid-case into a first section (between mid-inlet and additional partition wall) and a second section (between additional partition wall and partition wall), allowing different gas flow paths and residence times in each section to improve humidification efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The additional partition wall with through-holes creates localized flow control. The through-holes allow off-gas to pass through at specific locations, ensuring uniform moisture exchange across the hollow fiber membrane bundle by directing gas flow to intermediate portions that would otherwise receive insufficient moisture
2Productivity
If the partition wall is positioned closer to the outlet, then the gas flow distance towards the partition wall is increased, but the space for other components is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The additional partition wall is positioned at an intermediate location between the mid-inlet and the main partition wall, creating a multi-dimensional flow path structure. This allows the gas to travel a longer effective distance through the hollow fiber membranes while maintaining compact overall dimensions by utilizing radial and axial spaces efficiently
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 improves humidification efficiency by increasing the distance of gas flow towards the partition wall, allowing for better moisture supply to intermediate portions of the membrane bundle, thereby enhancing overall humidification performance.
Implementation Method 1
a membrane that selectively allows only water vapor contained in an off-gas to pass through
Implementation Method 2
an additional partition wall disposed inside the mid body and disposed between the mid-inlet and the partition wall in the first axial direction. A through-hole for allowing the first gas to pass may be formed in the additional partition wall
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a mid-case of a fuel cell humidifier, and to a fuel cell humidifier, the mid-case comprising: a mid-case body accommodating at least one cartridge containing a hollow fiber membrane bundle; a mid-case inlet through which a first gas flows into the mid-case body; a mid-case outlet, distanced from the mid-case inlet in the first axial direction, through which the first gas is discharged from the mid-case body; a partition wall, disposed inside the mid-case body, for partitioning the interior of the mid-case body into an inflow space into which the first gas flows in, and an outflow space from which the first gas is discharged; and an additional partition wall disposed inside the mid-case body between the mid-case inlet and partition wall in the first axial direction, wherein the partition wall is positioned so that the separation distance is shorter to the mid-case outlet than to the mid-case inlet in the first axial direction, and the additional partition wall is provided with a through-hole through which the first gas is passed.