Stacked Fuel Cell Humidifier Modules for High Flow in Less Space
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel cell humidification systems require a significant installation area due to protruding components, increasing construction and operational costs, while needing to increase the flow rate of humidified air to enhance power generation.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell humidifying system with stacked humidifying modules, shared supply and discharge caps, and sliding assemblies to manage gas flow, reducing the installation area and optimizing gas flow paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional humidifier design with separate supply and discharge caps is used, then gas flow paths are simple, but installation area increases due to protruding components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the supply cap and discharge cap into a single integrated cap structure that serves both functions. The cap includes a supply port for introducing battery gas and a discharge port for discharging humidified gas, eliminating the need for separate protruding caps and reducing installation area while maintaining functional simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated cap performs multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as both the supply cap and discharge cap, provides sealing for the humidifying module, and manages both gas inlet and outlet flows. This multi-functionality reduces the number of components and simplifies the overall structure
2Productivity
If multiple humidifying modules are installed to increase humidified air flow rate, then power generation efficiency improves, but installation area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent arranges multiple humidifying modules in a stacked configuration where modules are nested vertically within the same footprint. The first humidifying module is positioned above the second module, allowing both modules to occupy minimal horizontal space while maintaining their individual humidification functions, thus increasing humidified air flow rate without proportionally increasing installation area
3Reliability
If hollow fiber membranes with large contact surface area are used, then humidification efficiency improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the humidifying system into modular humidifying modules, each containing a bundle of hollow fiber membranes. This segmentation allows for standardized manufacturing of individual modules with pre-assembled membrane bundles, making production more manageable and less complex while still achieving large total contact surface area through the combination of multiple modules
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 construction and operational costs while enhancing the flow rate of humidified air, contributing to increased power generation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a membrane humidifying method for humidifying a polymer electrolyte membrane by supplying water vapor to air to be supplied to the polymer electrolyte membrane by use of a membrane which selectively allows only water vapor included in off-gas to pass therethrough
Implementation Method 2
a fixed porous structure comprising a porous substrate and a porous coating layer covering the porous substrate, wherein the fixed porous structure has a function of maintaining a water supply channel open and a function of transporting water to the polymer electrolyte membrane
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a fuel cell humidifying system for supplying humidified air to the fuel cell, andThe fuel cell humidifying system according to an embodiment of the present disclosureincludes: a plurality of humidifying modules configured to humidify battery gas to be supplied to a fuel cell stack by using wet gas; a humidifier configured to supply wet gas to the humidifying modules and discharge the wet gas discharged from the humidifying modules; a supply cap coupled to one side of the wet part to supply the battery gas to the humidifying modules; and a discharge cap coupled to the other side of the wet part to discharge the battery gas discharged from the humidifying modules to the fuel cell stack, and each of the humidifying modules comprises a cartridge coupled to a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, a mid-case coupled to one or more cartridges, a supply hole formed through the mid-case so that wet gas is supplied into the mid-case, and a discharge hole formed through the mid-case so that the wet gas is discharged the mid-case, and the wet part comprises a wet body for accommodating the humidifying modules therein, a supply member for supplying the wet gas to the wet body, and a discharge member for discharging the wet gas from the wet body.