Pleated Membrane Humidifier for Moisture Transfer and Gas Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing humidifiers for fuel cell systems face inefficiencies in moisture transfer and gas separation, leading to suboptimal performance and a lack of a compact design.
Innovation Solution
A zigzag-pleated membrane media bellows with stacked grid layers and a fluid-tight support body, featuring crescent-shaped pleats and fluid-permeable passages, enhances moisture transfer while minimizing gas leakage and optimizing the humidifier's design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a conventional humidifier design with flow plates and semipermeable layers is used, then moisture transfer can be achieved, but the device occupies excessive space and lacks compact design
Solution Approach 1:
The membrane media is transformed from a flat two-dimensional structure to a three-dimensional bellows configuration with pleats extending parallel to the longitudinal axis. This dimensional transformation increases the effective membrane surface area within a compact volume, enabling efficient moisture transfer while reducing the overall humidifier size
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows structure nests multiple pleated layers of membrane media within a compact cylindrical volume defined by the support body. The inner and outer pleat folds create a nested arrangement that maximizes membrane surface area density, achieving high moisture transfer efficiency in a space-saving configuration
2Productivity
If moisture transfer through semipermeable membrane is enhanced, then humidification efficiency improves, but gas leakage between membrane layers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The membrane media is segmented into multiple stacked grid layers separated by spacers, creating discrete compartments. This segmentation prevents gas leakage by maintaining physical separation between membrane layers while still allowing moisture diffusion through the semipermeable membrane material
Solution Approach 2:
Fluid-permeable passages in the support body and spacer elements act as intermediaries that control fluid flow between chambers. These intermediaries guide moisture transfer through the membrane while preventing direct gas contact between stacked membrane layers, eliminating gas leakage pathways
3Productivity
If multiple membrane layers are stacked to increase surface area, then moisture transfer efficiency improves, but structural stability and gas separation become difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The support body structure extracts and bears the mechanical load of supporting multiple stacked membrane layers. By separating the support function from the membrane layers themselves, the individual membranes can be optimized for moisture transfer while the support body ensures structural stability and maintains chamber separation
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane media combines multiple materials with complementary properties: semipermeable membrane for moisture transfer, grid layers for structural support and gas separation, and spacer elements for maintaining inter-layer distance. This composite structure achieves both high moisture transfer efficiency and structural stability
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
The solution enables efficient moisture transfer with minimal gas leakage, resulting in a more compact and efficient humidifier design for fuel cell systems.
Implementation Method 1
Diffusion of a moist medium from one side of the membrane to the other side. Moisture is diffusing through the membrane but not the gases.
Implementation Method 2
fluid-permeable passages arranged circumferentially in the outer wall at both the one end and the opposing end
Data Source
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AI summary
A membrane element (10) for a humidifier (100) includes a zigzag-pleated membrane media bellows (12) including a membrane media (26), the membrane media bellows (12) extending in a circumferential direction (38) about a longitudinal axis (14), pleats (16) of the membrane media bellows (12) extending essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis (14), the membrane media bellows (12) further including inner pleat folds (20) at an inner circumference (18) and outer pleat folds (24) at an outer circumference (22), and the membrane media (26) including stacked grid layers (28, 30) and a semipermeable membrane (32) interposed between the stacked grid layers (28, 30). The membrane element (10) further includes a support body (40) including an outer wall (42) arranged at the inner circumference (18), at least part of an interior (44) of the support body (40) being fluid-tight.