CN117223134A

CN117223134A - Cartridge for fuel cell humidifier and fuel cell humidifier

Info

Publication number: CN117223134A
Application number: CN202280029631.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 安娜贤; 金度佑; 许中根
Original assignee: Kolon Industries Inc
Current assignee: Kolon Industries Inc
Priority date: 2021-05-17
Filing date: 2022-04-25
Publication date: 2023-12-12
Also published as: KR20220162262A

Abstract

The present invention relates to: a cylinder for a fuel cell humidifier for humidifying dry gas supplied from the outside by using wet gas discharged from a fuel cell stack; and a fuel cell humidifier, the cartridge comprising: an inner housing having an opening at an end thereof and having a plurality of hollow fiber membranes accommodated therein; and a first gas inlet and a first gas outlet formed in the inner housing to be spaced apart from each other in a first axis direction, wherein: the inner housing includes a first section in which a hollow fiber membrane is accommodated, a second section spaced apart from the first section based on a second axis direction perpendicular to the first axis direction, and a third section located between the first section and the second section based on the second axis direction; and the third segment has an average thickness that is thinner than each of the average thickness of the first segment and the average thickness of the second segment.

Description

Cartridge for fuel cell humidifier and fuel cell humidifier

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a humidifier for a fuel cell configured to supply humidified gas to the fuel cell.

Background

Unlike conventional chemical batteries such as dry cells or secondary batteries, fuel cells have advantages in that they can continuously generate electricity as long as hydrogen and oxygen are supplied, and have an efficiency about twice as high as that of an internal combustion engine because of no heat loss.

In addition, the fuel cell directly converts chemical energy generated by combining hydrogen and oxygen into electric energy, so that the amount of discharged pollutants is small. Therefore, the fuel cell has advantages in that it is environmentally friendly and can reduce the concern of resource exhaustion due to an increase in energy consumption.

Such fuel cells may be generally classified into Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs), phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells (PAFCs), molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFCs), solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), or Alkaline Fuel Cells (AFCs), depending on the kind of electrolyte used.

These fuel cells basically operate by the same principle, but differ from each other in the kind of fuel used, the operating temperature, the catalyst, and the electrolyte. Among these fuel cells, polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) are considered to be the most suitable fuel cells for transportation systems and small stationary power generation devices because they operate at lower temperatures than other fuel cells and the output density of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells is high, enabling miniaturization of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.

One of the most important factors to improve the performance of a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) is to supply a predetermined amount or more of moisture to a polymer electrolyte membrane of a membrane electrode Module (MEA) or a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) in order to maintain the moisture content. The reason for this is that if the polymer electrolyte membrane or the proton exchange membrane is dry, the power generation efficiency is drastically reduced.

1) a bubbling humidification method of filling a pressure-resistant vessel with water and allowing a target gas to pass through a diffuser to supply moisture, 2) a direct injection method of calculating a moisture supply amount required for a fuel cell reaction and directly supplying moisture to a gas flow tube through a solenoid valve, and 3) a membrane humidification method of supplying moisture to a gas fluidized bed using a polymer separation membrane are used as a method of humidifying a polymer electrolyte membrane or a proton exchange membrane.

Among these methods, the membrane humidification method provides water vapor into air supplied to a polymer electrolyte membrane or a proton exchange membrane to humidify the polymer electrolyte membrane or the proton exchange membrane by using a membrane configured to selectively permeate only water vapor contained in exhaust gas, and has an advantage in that the weight and size of the humidifier can be reduced.

When forming a module, a hollow fiber membrane having a large transport area per unit volume is suitable for a permselective membrane used in a membrane humidification method. That is, when the membrane humidifier is manufactured using the hollow fiber membrane, high integration of the hollow fiber membrane having a large contact surface area is possible, so that the fuel cell can be sufficiently humidified even at a small capacity, inexpensive materials can be used, and moisture and heat contained in exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell at a high temperature can be collected, and the collected moisture and heat can be reused by the humidifier.

Fig. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a conventional humidifier for a fuel cell.

As shown in fig. 1, a conventional membrane humidification type humidifier 100 includes: a humidification module 110 in which moisture is exchanged between air supplied from the outside and exhaust gas discharged from a fuel cell stack (not shown); and covers 120 respectively coupled to opposite ends of the humidification module 110.

One of the covers 120 transmits air supplied from the outside to the humidification module 110, and the other cover transmits air humidified by the humidification module 110 to the fuel cell stack.

The humidification module 110 includes an intermediate housing 111 having an off-gas inlet 111a and an off-gas outlet 111b, and a plurality of hollow fiber membranes 112 in the intermediate housing 111. Opposite ends of a bundle of hollow fiber membranes 112 are potted in a fixed layer 113. In general, each of the fixing layers 113 is formed by hardening a liquid polymer such as a liquid polyurethane resin using a casting method. The end portion of the hollow fiber membrane 112 is potted with a fixing layer 113, and a resin layer 114 provided between the fixing layer 113 and the intermediate case 111 isolates the inner space of the cap 120 from the inner space of the intermediate case 111. Similar to the fixing layer 113, generally each resin layer 114 is formed by hardening a liquid polymer such as a liquid polyurethane resin using a casting method.

Air supplied from the outside flows along the hollow of the hollow fiber membranes 112. The exhaust gas introduced into the intermediate housing 111 through the exhaust gas inlet 111a contacts the outer surface of the hollow fiber membranes 112, and is discharged from the intermediate housing 111 through the exhaust gas outlet 111 b. When the offgas contacts with the outer surface of the hollow fiber membranes 112, moisture contained in the offgas is transported through the hollow fiber membranes 112 to humidify air flowing along the hollow of the hollow fiber membranes 112.

Conventionally, humidification is intensively performed by the relatively outer hollow fiber membranes of the hollow fiber membranes 112, whereas humidification is not smoothly performed by the relatively inner hollow fiber membranes of the hollow fiber membranes 112, resulting in low overall humidification performance.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a cartridge for a fuel cell humidifier and a humidifier for a fuel cell, which can improve humidification performance using a hollow fiber membrane.

Technical proposal

To achieve the above object, the present disclosure may include the following configurations.

A humidifier for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure may include: a humidification module configured to humidify a dry gas supplied from the outside using a wet gas discharged from the fuel cell stack; a first cover coupled to one end of the humidification module; and a second cover coupled to the other end of the humidification module. The humidification module may include an intermediate housing open at opposite ends thereof and at least one cartridge disposed in the intermediate housing, the cartridge including a plurality of hollow fiber membranes. The cartridge may include: an inner housing open at opposite ends thereof, the hollow fiber membranes being accommodated in the inner housing; and a first gas inlet and a first gas outlet formed on the inner housing so as to be spaced apart from each other in a first axis direction. The inner housing may include a first section in which the hollow fiber membranes are accommodated, a second section spaced apart from the first section in a second axial direction perpendicular to the first axial direction, and a third section located between the first section and the second section in the second axial direction. The third section may have an average thickness that is less than each of the average thickness of the first section and the average thickness of the second section.

The cartridge for a fuel cell humidifier according to the present disclosure may be a cartridge for a fuel cell humidifier configured to humidify dry gas supplied from the outside using wet gas discharged from a fuel cell stack, the cartridge including: an inner housing having an opening formed at an end thereof, a plurality of hollow fiber membranes being accommodated in the inner housing; and a first gas inlet and a first gas outlet formed on the inner housing so as to be spaced apart from each other in a first axis direction. The inner housing may include a first section in which the hollow fiber membranes are accommodated, a second section spaced apart from the first section in a second axial direction perpendicular to the first axial direction, and a third section located between the first section and the second section in the second axial direction. The third section may have an average thickness that is less than each of the average thickness of the first section and the average thickness of the second section.

Advantageous effects

The present disclosure may be implemented such that humidification is smoothly achieved for the entire hollow fiber membrane. Accordingly, in the present disclosure, the proportion of the hollow fiber membrane for humidification may be increased, so that the overall humidification performance may be increased.

Drawings

Fig. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a humidifier for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure.

Fig. 3 is a schematic exploded cross-sectional view, taken along line I-I of fig. 2, showing a humidifier for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure.

Fig. 4 is a schematic joined cross-sectional view, taken along line I-I of fig. 2, showing a humidifier for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure.

Fig. 5 is a schematic plan view of a humidifier cartridge for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure.

Fig. 6 is a schematic side cross-sectional view, taken along line II-II of fig. 5, showing a cartridge for a fuel cell humidifier according to the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 is a schematic side cross-sectional view, taken along line III-III of fig. 5, illustrating a cartridge for a fuel cell humidifier according to the present disclosure.

Fig. 8 is a schematic side sectional view showing a cylinder according to a comparative example, taken along line III-III of fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a schematic side cross-sectional view, taken along line III-III of fig. 5, showing a cartridge for a fuel cell humidifier according to a modified embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 10 is a schematic side cross-sectional view, taken along line II-II of fig. 5, showing a cartridge for a fuel cell humidifier according to the present disclosure.

Fig. 11 is a schematic enlarged side cross-sectional view of a first cushioning member in a cartridge for a fuel cell humidifier according to the present disclosure, taken along line II-II of fig. 5.

Fig. 12 is a schematic enlarged side cross-sectional view of a second cushioning member in a cartridge for a fuel cell humidifier according to the present disclosure, taken along line II-II of fig. 5.

Fig. 13 and 14 are schematic partial sectional views showing a state in which the cylinder is located in the intermediate housing.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of a humidifier for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The cartridge for a fuel cell humidifier according to the present disclosure may be included in the humidifier for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, and thus, while describing the humidifier for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the cartridge for a fuel cell humidifier according to the present disclosure will be described. Meanwhile, in fig. 6, 10, 13 and 14, two parallel curves are omitted lines.

Referring to fig. 2 to 4, the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure is configured to humidify dry gas supplied from the outside using wet gas discharged from a fuel cell stack (not shown). The drying gas may be gas or air. The dry gas may be humidified by a wet gas and may be supplied to the fuel cell stack. The humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure includes: a humidification module 2 configured to humidify a dry gas, a first cover 3 joined to one end of the humidification module 2, and a second cover 4 joined to the other end of the humidification module 2.

Referring to fig. 2 to 6, the humidification module 2 humidifies dry gas supplied from the outside. The first cover 3 may be coupled to one end of the humidification module 2. The second cover 4 may be coupled to the other end of the humidification module 2. The first cover 3 may transmit the dry gas to the humidification module 2. In this case, the second cover 4 may transmit the dry gas humidified by the wet gas in the humidification module 2 to the outside. The first cover 3 may transfer the humid gas to the humidifying module 2. In this case, the second cover 4 may discharge the wet gas to the outside after the dry gas is humidified in the humidification module 2.

The humidification module 2 comprises at least one cartridge 21 and an intermediate housing 22.

The cylinder 21 is disposed in the intermediate housing 22, and includes a plurality of hollow fiber membranes 211. The hollow fiber membranes 211 may be coupled to the cylinder 21 so as to be modularized. Accordingly, the hollow fiber membranes 211 can be installed in the intermediate housing 22 by the process of joining the cylinder 21 to the intermediate housing 22. Accordingly, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the ease of installation, separation, and replacement of the hollow fiber membranes 211 can be improved.

The barrel 21 may include an inner housing 212.

The inner housing 212 has an opening formed at an end thereof, and a plurality of hollow fiber membranes 211 are accommodated in the inner housing. Hollow fiber membranes 211 may be disposed in the inner housing 212 so as to be modularized. The hollow fiber membrane 211 may include a polymer membrane made of polysulfone resin, polyethersulfone resin, sulfonated polysulfone resin, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) resin, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) resin, polyimide resin, polyamideimide resin, polyesterimide resin, or a mixture of two or more thereof.

The cylinder 21 may include a fixing layer 213 and a fixing layer 214.

The ends of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes 211 are potted in the fixing layers 213 and 214, and the fixing layers 213 and 214 close the openings of the inner case 212. One side of each of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes 211 may be fixed by the fixing layer 213, and the other side of each of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes 211 may be fixed by the fixing layer 214. Each of the fixing layer 213 and the fixing layer 214 may be formed by hardening a liquid resin such as a liquid urethane resin through a casting process. The fixing layer 213 and the fixing layer 214 may fix the ends of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes 211 to the inner case 212.

The fixing layer 213 and the fixing layer 214 may be formed so as not to block the hollows of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes 211. Accordingly, the dry gas or the wet gas supplied from the outside can be supplied to the hollow of the hollow fiber membrane 211 without being disturbed by the fixing layer 213 and the fixing layer 214, and can be discharged from the hollow of the hollow fiber membrane 211 without being disturbed by the fixing layer 213 and the fixing layer 214.

The cylinder 21 may include a first gas inlet 215 and a first gas outlet 216.

A first gas inlet 215 is formed in the inner housing 212. The first gas inlet 215 may be formed on one side 2120 of the inner housing 212. Based on fig. 6, one side 2120 of the inner housing 212 may correspond to an upper surface. The first gas inlet 215 may allow the wet gas or the dry gas to be introduced into the inner housing 212 therethrough. The first gas inlet 215 may be formed through the inner housing 212. The first gas inlet 215 may be implemented by a plurality of through holes formed through the inner case 212. In this case, the first gas inlet 215 may include a plurality of inflow windows 215a formed through different portions of the inner case 212. The inflow windows 215a may be disposed spaced apart from each other in the first axis direction (X-axis direction) and the second axis direction (Y-axis direction) so as to form a matrix. The first axis direction and the second axis direction (Y axis direction) are axis directions perpendicular to each other. Although not shown, the first gas inlet 215 may be implemented by a single through hole formed through the inner case 212.

A first gas outlet 216 is formed in the inner housing 212. The first gas outlet 216 may be formed on a side 2120 of the inner housing 212. The first gas outlet 216 may allow the wet gas or the dry gas to be exhausted from the inner housing 212 therethrough. A first gas outlet 216 may be formed through the inner housing 212. The first gas outlet 216 may be implemented by a plurality of through holes formed through the inner housing 212. In this case, the first gas outlet 216 may include a plurality of outflow windows 216a formed through different portions of the inner housing 212. The outflow windows 216a may be disposed spaced apart from each other in the first axis direction (X-axis direction) and the second axis direction (Y-axis direction) so as to form a matrix. Although not shown, the first gas outlet 216 may be implemented by a single through hole formed through the inner housing 212.

The first gas outlet 216 and the first gas inlet 215 may be disposed spaced apart from each other in the first axis direction (X-axis direction). Accordingly, the wet gas may be supplied into the intermediate housing 22, may be supplied into the inner housing 212 through the first gas inlet 215, may be in contact with the outer surfaces of the hollow fiber membranes 211, may humidify the dry gas flowing along the hollow of the hollow fiber membranes 211, may be discharged from the inner housing 212 through the first gas outlet 216, and may be discharged from the intermediate housing 22. Meanwhile, the dry gas may be supplied into the intermediate housing 22, may be supplied into the inner housing 212 through the first gas inlet 215, may be in contact with the outer surfaces of the hollow fiber membranes 211, may be humidified by the wet gas flowing along the hollow of the hollow fiber membranes 211, may be discharged from the inner housing 212 through the first gas outlet 216, and may be discharged from the intermediate housing 22.

The cylinder 21 is joined to the intermediate housing 22. The cylinder 21 may be provided in the intermediate housing 22. Opposite ends of the intermediate housing 22 are open. In this case, the receiving hole 221 may be formed in the intermediate housing 22. The receiving hole 221 may be formed to extend through the intermediate housing 22 in the first axis direction (X-axis direction).

The second gas inlet 222 and the second gas outlet 223 may be formed in the intermediate housing 22. The second gas inlet 222 may allow the wet gas or the dry gas to be introduced into the intermediate housing 22 therethrough. The second gas outlet 223 may allow the wet gas or the dry gas to be discharged therethrough from the intermediate housing 22. The second gas inlet 222 and the second gas outlet 223 may be disposed spaced apart from each other in the first axis direction (X-axis direction).

When the wet gas flows through the second gas inlet 222 and the second gas outlet 223, the wet gas and the dry gas may flow as follows.

After being supplied into the intermediate housing 22 through the second gas inlet 222, the wet gas may be supplied into the cylinder 21 through the first gas inlet 215 and may be in contact with the outer surface of the hollow fiber membranes 211. During this process, moisture contained in the wet gas may be transported through the hollow fiber membranes 211 to humidify the dry gas flowing along the hollow of the hollow fiber membranes 211. The humidified dry gas may be discharged from the hollow fiber membranes 211, may be discharged through the second cover 4, and may be supplied to the fuel cell stack. After humidifying the dry gas, the wet gas may be discharged from the cylinder 21 through the first gas outlet 216, may flow through the inside of the intermediate housing 22, and may be discharged from the intermediate housing 22 through the second gas outlet 223. The second gas inlet 222 may be connected to the fuel cell stack such that the wet gas is supplied to the fuel cell stack. In this case, the wet gas may be exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell stack.

When the dry gas flows through the second gas inlet 222 and the second gas outlet 223, the dry gas and the wet gas may flow as follows.

After being supplied into the intermediate housing 22 through the second gas inlet 222, the dry gas may be supplied into the cylinder 21 through the first gas inlet 215 and may be in contact with the outer surface of the hollow fiber membranes 211. During this process, moisture contained in the wet gas flowing along the hollow of the hollow fiber membranes 211 may be transported through the hollow fiber membranes 211 to humidify the dry gas. The humidified dry gas may be discharged from the cylinder 21 through the first gas outlet 216, may flow through the inside of the intermediate housing 22, may be discharged from the intermediate housing 22 through the second gas outlet 223, and may be supplied to the fuel cell stack. After humidifying the dry gas, the wet gas may be discharged from the hollow fiber membranes 211 and may be discharged to the outside through the second cover 4. The first cover 3 may be connected to the fuel cell stack such that the wet gas is supplied to the fuel cell stack. In this case, the wet gas may be exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell stack.

The second gas inlet 222 and the second gas outlet 223 may protrude from the central body 220. The intermediate body 220 forms the overall appearance of the intermediate housing 22. The second gas inlet 222 and the second gas outlet 223 may protrude from the intermediate body 220 in the same direction. Alternatively, the second gas inlet 222 and the second gas outlet 223 may protrude from the intermediate body 220 in different directions. The second gas inlet 222, the second gas outlet 223, and the intermediate 220 may be integrally formed.

The humidification module 2 may include a plurality of filling members 23 and filling members 23'.

The filling member 23 and the filling member 23' form an airtight seal between the cylinder 21 and the intermediate housing 22 to prevent the dry gas from being directly mixed with the wet gas. The filling member 23 and the filling member 23' may be interposed between the cylinder 21 and the intermediate housing 22. In this case, the cylinder 21 may be inserted through the first through holes 23a and 23a' formed in the filling member 23 and the filling member 23, respectively. The filling member 23 and the filling member 23' may be disposed at opposite sides of the cylinder 21, respectively. Although not shown, the resin layers may be formed on opposite sides of the cylinder 21, respectively, instead of the filling member 23 and the filling member 23'. Each resin layer may be formed by hardening a liquid polymer such as a liquid polyurethane resin using a casting method.

Referring to fig. 2 to 4, the first cover 3 is coupled to one end of the humidification module 2. The space between the first cover 3 and the cylinder 21 may be isolated from the space between the cylinder 21 and the intermediate housing 22 in an airtight sealed state by the filling member 23 or the resin layer.

Referring to fig. 2 to 4, the second cover 4 is coupled to the other end of the humidification module 2. The second cover 4 may be coupled to the other end of the humidification module 2 so as to be spaced apart from the first cover 3 in the first axis direction (X-axis direction). The space between the second cap 4 and the cylinder 21 may be isolated from the space between the cylinder 21 and the intermediate housing 22 in an airtight sealed state by the filling member 23' or the resin layer.

Referring to fig. 2 to 8, in order to improve the humidification performance of the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the cartridge 21 may be implemented as follows.

The cylinder 21 may be formed to have a non-uniform thickness in the second axial direction (Y-axis direction). In this case, the inner housing 212 may include a first section 2121, a second section 2122, and a third section 2123.

Hollow fiber membranes 211 are housed in each of the first, second, and third sections 2121, 2122, 2123. The first section 2121, the second section 2122, and the third section 2123 may be disposed side by side in the second axial direction (Y-axis direction). In this case, the third section 2123 may be disposed between the first section 2121 and the second section 2122 in the second axial direction (Y-axis direction). The first and second segments 2121 and 2122 may be spaced apart from each other in a state in which the third segment 2123 is interposed between the first and second segments 2121 and 2122.

The average thickness of the third section 2123 may be implemented to be less than each of the average thickness of the first section 2121 and the average thickness of the second section 2122. In this case, the average thickness is an average value of the thickness of each of the third section 2123, the second section 2122, and the first section 2121 in the second axial direction (Y-axis direction). When the first axis direction (X-axis direction) is defined as the longitudinal direction of the inner housing 212 and the second axis direction (Y-axis direction) is defined as the lateral direction of the inner housing 212, the thickness is a length in a third axis direction (Z-axis direction) perpendicular to each of the first axis direction (X-axis direction) and the second axis direction (Y-axis direction). When the thickness of each of the third section 2123, the second section 2122, and the first section 2121 varies in the second axial direction (Y-axis direction), each of the third section 2123, the second section 2122, and the first section 2121 may include a portion having a thickness equal to the average thickness, a portion having a thickness greater than the average thickness, and a portion having a thickness less than the average thickness. When the thickness of each of the third section 2123, the second section 2122, and the first section 2121 does not change in the second axial direction (Y-axis direction), each of the third section 2123, the second section 2122, and the first section 2121 may include only a portion having a thickness equal to the average thickness.

Since the average thickness of the third section 2123 is implemented to be smaller than each of the average thickness of the first section 2121 and the average thickness of the second section 2122, humidification is smoothly achieved with respect to the entire hollow fiber membranes 211, whereby the humidification performance of the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure can be improved, which will be described in detail below.

First, as shown in fig. 8, in the comparative example in which the inner housing 212 is implemented to be uniform as a whole in the second axial direction (Y-axis direction) without thickness variation, the hollow fiber membranes 211 located in the inner region IA cannot smoothly achieve humidification as compared with the hollow fiber membranes 211 located in the outer region OA. The reason is that it is difficult for the wet gas or the dry gas introduced into the inner housing 212 to pass through the hollow fiber membranes 211 located in the outer area OA to reach the hollow fiber membranes 211 located in the inner area IA. Therefore, in the comparative example, the proportion of the hollow fiber membranes 211 used for humidification is low, resulting in low humidification performance as a whole. Meanwhile, the inner area IA is an area located inside the outer area OA, and may be spaced apart from opposite ends 212a and 212b of the inner case 212 by the same distance in the second axis direction (Y-axis direction). The inner area IA may be spaced apart from the upper end and the lower end of the inner case 212 by the same distance in the third axis direction (Z axis direction).

Next, as shown in fig. 7, in the example in which the average thickness of the third section 2123 is implemented to be smaller than each of the average thickness of the first section 2121 and the average thickness of the second section 2122, a portion corresponding to the internal region IA of the comparative example (shown in fig. 8) is implemented to have a smaller thickness. Therefore, in this embodiment, the wet gas or the dry gas can be smoothly transferred even to the hollow fiber membranes 211 in the portion corresponding to the internal area IA of the comparative example (as shown in fig. 8), so that humidification can be achieved. Therefore, in this embodiment, the proportion of the hollow fiber membranes 211 that are not used for humidification can be reduced while the proportion of the hollow fiber membranes 211 that are used for humidification is increased, so that the overall humidification performance can be improved when compared with the comparative example.

Referring to fig. 2-7, the third section 2123 may be formed such that the intermediate portion 2123a has a smaller thickness in the second axial direction (Y-axis direction) than the opposite ends 2123b and 2123 c. The intermediate portion 2123a of the third segment 2123 is a portion that is spaced the same distance from the opposite ends 2123b and 2123c of the third segment 2123 in the second axial direction (Y-axis direction). Therefore, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the portion that is most difficult to humidify corresponding to the internal area IA of the comparative example (as shown in fig. 8) may be implemented to have a smaller thickness. Therefore, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the proportion of the hollow fiber membranes 211 for humidification can be further increased, so that the overall humidification performance can be further improved.

The third section 2123 may be formed with a thickness that gradually increases from the intermediate portion 2123a to the opposite ends 2123b and 2123 c. In this case, the third section 2123 may have a gradually increasing thickness from the intermediate portion 2123a in the first direction (direction indicated by arrow FD), and may be connected to the first section 2121 at one end 2123 b. The third section 2123 may have a gradually increasing thickness from the intermediate portion 2123a in the second direction (direction indicated by arrow SD), and may be connected to the second section 2122 at the other end 2123 b. The first direction (the direction indicated by the arrow FD) and the second direction (the direction indicated by the arrow SD) are directions parallel and opposite in the second axis direction (the Y-axis direction). Thus, the third section 2123 may be formed with a minimum thickness 2123T at the intermediate portion 2123 a. Therefore, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the portion that is most difficult to humidify corresponding to the internal area IA of the comparative example (as shown in fig. 8) may be implemented to have the smallest thickness, so that the proportion of the hollow fiber membranes 211 for humidification may be further increased.

Here, the first section 2121 may be formed such that the thickness gradually varies from one end connected to the third section 2123 to the other end. One end of the first section 2121 is a portion that connects to one end 2123b of the third section 2123. The other end of the first section 2121 may correspond to one end 212a of the inner housing 212. The first section 2121 may be formed such that the thickness gradually increases from one end to a point 2121a having a maximum thickness 2121T and gradually decreases from the point 2121a having the maximum thickness 2121T to the other end. In this case, the first section 2121 may be formed with an integrally curved surface.

The second section 2122 may be formed such that the thickness gradually varies from one end connected to the third section 2123 to the other end. One end of the second section 2122 is a portion connected to the other end 2123c of the third section 2123. The other end of the second section 2122 may correspond to the other end 212b of the inner housing 212. The second section 2122 may be formed such that the thickness gradually increases from one end to a point 2122a having a maximum thickness 2122T and gradually decreases from the point 2122a having the maximum thickness 2122T to the other end. In this case, the second section 2122 may be formed with an integrally curved surface.

The inner case 212 may be formed to be symmetrical with a middle portion equally spaced from the opposite ends 212a and 212b in the second axial direction (Y-axis direction). The middle portion of the inner housing 212 and the middle portion 2123a of the third section 2123 may be the same. Accordingly, the drum 21 may be implemented to have substantially the same humidification performance on opposite sides of the inner case 212 based on the middle portion of the drum 21.

As shown in fig. 7, the inner housing 212 may be formed in the form of a curved surface whose thickness gradually increases and then decreases from the middle portion 2123a of the third section 2123 in the first direction (direction indicated by arrow FD) and the second direction (direction indicated by arrow SD). For example, the inner housing 212 may be formed in the form of a dumbbell. The third section 2123, the second section 2122, and the first section 2121 may be integrally formed.

As shown in fig. 9, the inner housing 212 may also be formed in a planar combination. In this case, the third section 2123 may be formed in an inclined form such that the thickness gradually increases after extending a predetermined length from the intermediate portion 2123a in the first direction (direction indicated by arrow FD) and the second direction (direction indicated by arrow SD) without a change in thickness. Each of the first and second sections 2121 and 2122 may be formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped having a constant thickness. Although not shown, the inner housing 212 may be formed in a combination of curved surfaces and planes.

Referring to fig. 2 to 9, the inner case 212 may be formed in a form satisfying the following equation 1.

[ equation 1]

0.2H<T<0.5H

In equation 1 above, H may be the width of the inner housing 212 in the second axial direction (Y-axis direction), and T may be defined as the maximum thickness of the inner housing 212. Referring to fig. 7 and 9,H can correspond to the sum of the length of the first section 2121, the length of the second section 2122, and the length of the third section 2123 in the second axial direction (Y-axis direction). T may correspond to a maximum thickness 2121T of the first section 2121 or a maximum thickness 2122T of the second section 2122 in the third axis direction (Z-axis direction).

Accordingly, the inner case 212 satisfying the above equation 1 may be implemented such that the maximum thickness in the third axis direction (Z axis direction) is greater than 0.2 times and less than 0.5 times the lateral length in the second axis direction (Y axis direction). That is, even based on the maximum thickness, the inner case 212 may be implemented to have a small thickness. Accordingly, the cylinder 21 may be implemented to increase the proportion of the hollow fiber membranes 211 in contact with the wet gas or the dry gas introduced into the inner housing 212, thereby contributing to improvement of the overall humidification performance.

In this case, when the inner housing 212 is implemented such that the maximum thickness in the third axis direction (Z axis direction) is less than 0.2 times the lateral length in the second axis direction (Y axis direction), the capacity of the hollow fiber membranes 211 may be reduced, and thus the humidification performance may be deteriorated. When the inner housing 212 is implemented such that the maximum thickness in the third axis direction (Z axis direction) is equal to or greater than 0.5 times the lateral length in the second axis direction (Y axis direction), it is difficult for the wet gas or dry gas introduced into the inner housing 212 to pass between the relatively outer ones of the hollow fiber membranes 211 and reach the relatively inner ones of the hollow fiber membranes 211, so that the humidification performance may be deteriorated. In view of this, the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure has the inner case 212 implemented such that the maximum thickness in the third axis direction (Z axis direction) is greater than 0.2 times and less than 0.5 times the lateral length in the second axis direction (Y axis direction), so that the hollow fiber membrane 211 can be used to improve the humidification performance.

Here, when the wet gas or the dry gas is introduced into the cylinder 21 and discharged from the cylinder 21, the hollow fiber membranes 211 may be vibrated by the wet gas or the dry gas. Due to such vibration, the hollow fiber membranes 211 may directly collide with a structure located in the vicinity thereof, and thus the hollow fiber membranes 211 may be damaged or broken.

In order to reduce damage or breakage of the hollow fiber membrane 211, the cartridge 21 for the fuel cell humidifier 1 according to the present disclosure may include a buffer member 217 (as shown in fig. 10).

Referring to fig. 2 to 6 and 10, the buffering member 217 may be coupled to the inner case 212 so as to be located in the inner case 212. The buffer member 217 may be coupled to the inner case 212 at least one of a position between the first gas inlet 215 and the hollow fiber membranes 211 and a position between the first gas outlet 216 and the hollow fiber membranes 211. Therefore, even if the hollow fiber membranes 211 vibrate due to the flow of the gas, the hollow fiber membranes 211 do not directly collide with the inner surface of the inner housing 212, but collide with the buffer member 217. Accordingly, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the impact applied to the hollow fiber membranes 211 can be reduced, so that the risk of damage or breakage of the hollow fiber membranes 211 can be reduced. Therefore, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the life of the hollow fiber membranes 211 can be prolonged, so that maintenance costs can be reduced. Meanwhile, vibration generated at the hollow fiber membranes 211 may be affected by gas flow, gas pressure at the time of gas flow, and the like. In this case, the gas vibrating the hollow fiber membranes 211 may be wet gas or dry gas flowing through the first gas inlet 215 and the first gas outlet 216.

The buffer member 217 may be manufactured using a gas permeable material configured to allow a wet gas or a dry gas to pass through while buffering an impact applied to the hollow fiber membranes 211 due to a collision. Accordingly, the buffer member 217 may be implemented to allow the wet gas or the dry gas to smoothly flow through the first gas outlet 216 and the first gas inlet 215 while buffering the impact applied to the hollow fiber membranes 211. For example, the cushioning member 217 may be manufactured using a nonwoven material. Cushioning member 217 may also be fabricated using a mesh material.

The buffer member 217 may be coupled to an inner surface of the inner case 212. The buffer member 217 may be bonded to the inner surface of the inner case 212 by fusing or the like.

Referring to fig. 2 to 6, 10 and 11, the buffer member 217 may include a first buffer member 2171.

The first buffer member 2171 may be coupled to the inner housing 212 so as to block the entire surface of the first gas outlet 216 between the first gas outlet 216 and the hollow fiber membranes 211. Therefore, even if the hollow fiber membranes 211 vibrate while the wet gas or the dry gas is discharged through the first gas outlet 216, the hollow fiber membranes 211 may not directly collide with the inner case 212 but may collide with the first buffer member 2171. Accordingly, the first buffer member 2171 may buffer an impact applied to the hollow fiber membranes 211, and thus may reduce the risk of damage or breakage of the hollow fiber membranes 211.

A plurality of first breathing holes 2171a may be formed in the first buffer member 2171. The first breathing holes 2171a may be formed through the first buffer member 2171. Therefore, even if the first buffer member 2171 blocks the entire surface of the first gas outlet 216, the wet gas or the dry gas can be smoothly discharged through the first breathing holes 2171 a. Each first breathing aperture 2171a may be formed to a smaller size than each outflow window 216 a. The first breathing holes 2171a may be formed by forming a plurality of holes in the first buffer member 2171. When the first cushioning member 2171 is manufactured from a nonwoven or mesh material, the first breathing apertures 2171a may be implemented by apertures in the material.

Referring to fig. 2 to 6 and 10 to 12, the buffer member 217 may include a second buffer member 2172.

The second buffer member 2172 may be coupled to the inner housing 212 so as to block the entire surface of the first gas inlet 215 between the first gas inlet 215 and the hollow fiber membranes 211. Therefore, even if the hollow fiber membranes 211 vibrate while the wet gas or the dry gas is introduced through the first gas inlet 215, the hollow fiber membranes 211 may not directly collide with the inner case 212, but may collide with the second buffer member 2172. Accordingly, the second buffer member 2172 may buffer the impact applied to the hollow fiber membranes 211, and thus may reduce the risk of damage or breakage of the hollow fiber membranes 211.

A plurality of second breathing holes 2172a may be formed in the second buffer member 2172. The second breathing holes 2172a may be formed through the second buffer member 2172. Therefore, even if the second buffer member 2172 blocks the entire surface of the first gas inlet 215, the wet gas or the dry gas can be smoothly introduced through the second breathing holes 2172 a. Each of the second breathing holes 2172a may be formed to be smaller in size than each of the inflow windows 215 a. The second breathing holes 2172a may be formed by forming a plurality of holes in the second buffer member 2172. When the second cushioning member 2172 is manufactured using a nonwoven or mesh material, the second breathing apertures 2172a may be implemented by apertures in the material.

In fig. 10, although the buffer member 217 is illustrated as including both the first buffer member 2171 and the second buffer member 2172, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the buffer member 217 may include only one of the first buffer member 2171 and the second buffer member 2172. That is, the buffer member 217 may include at least one of the first buffer member 2171 and the second buffer member 2172.

Referring to fig. 3, 13 and 14, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, a distance 21D (hereinafter, referred to as "first distance 21D") between the first gas inlet 215 and the first gas outlet 216 may be implemented to be greater than a distance 22D (hereinafter, referred to as "second distance 22D") between the second gas inlet 222 and the second gas outlet 223. The first distance 21D and the second distance 22D are both based on the first axis direction (X-axis direction). The first distance 21D may be a distance between a midpoint of the first gas inlet 215 and a midpoint of the first gas outlet 216 in the first axis direction (X-axis direction). The second distance 22D may be a distance between a midpoint of the second gas inlet 222 and a midpoint of the second gas outlet 223 in the first axis direction (X-axis direction).

The first distance 21D may be implemented to be greater than the second distance 22D in the first axis direction (X-axis direction). Accordingly, the second gas inlet 222 and the first gas inlet 215 may be implemented so as not to partially or entirely overlap each other in the first axis direction (X-axis direction). Therefore, the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure may be implemented such that the flow of the wet gas or the dry gas introduced into the intermediate housing 22 through the second gas inlet 222 is not directly applied to the hollow fiber membranes 211, which will be described in detail below.

First, as shown in fig. 13, in the comparative example implemented such that the first distance 21D (shown in fig. 14) and the second distance 22D (shown in fig. 14) in the first axis direction are substantially equal to each other, the second gas inlet 222 and the first gas inlet 215 overlap each other. Thus, in the comparative example, the wet gas or the dry gas introduced through the second gas inlet 222 flows toward the first gas inlet 215 and is directly introduced into the inner case 212 through the first gas inlet 215. Therefore, in the comparative example, the flow of the wet gas or the dry gas is directly applied to the hollow fiber membranes 211 (shown in fig. 3), whereby the risk of damage or breakage of the hollow fiber membranes 211 (shown in fig. 3) is high.

Next, as shown in fig. 14, in an embodiment implemented such that the first distance 21D in the first axis direction is greater than the second distance 22D, the second gas inlet 222 and the first gas inlet 215 do not overlap each other. In this case, the second gas inlet 222 and the first gas inlet 215 may be disposed to be offset from each other in the first axis direction (X-axis direction). Thus, in this embodiment, the wet gas or the dry gas introduced through the second gas inlet 222 flows to a location spaced apart from the first gas inlet 215, and then is introduced into the inner case 212 through the first gas inlet 215. Thus, this embodiment may be implemented such that the flow of wet gas or dry gas is not directly applied to the hollow fiber membranes 211 (shown in fig. 3). Therefore, in this embodiment, when compared with the comparative example, the flow of the wet gas or the dry gas applied to the hollow fiber membranes 211 can be reduced, whereby the degree of vibration of the hollow fiber membranes 211 due to the flow of the wet gas or the dry gas can be reduced, and thus the risk of damage or breakage of the hollow fiber membranes 211 (shown in fig. 3) can be further reduced. Therefore, in this embodiment, the life of the hollow fiber membrane 211 can be further prolonged as compared with the comparative example. Although not shown, the second gas inlet 222 and the first gas inlet 215 may only partially overlap each other.

The second gas inlet 222 may be spaced apart from each of the first gas inlet 215 and the first gas outlet 216 in the first axis direction (X-axis direction). Thus, the entirety of the second gas inlet 222 may be implemented so as not to overlap each of the first gas inlet 215 and the first gas outlet 216. In this case, the second gas inlet 222 may be disposed between the first gas inlet 215 and the first gas outlet 216 in the first axis direction (X-axis direction).

The second gas outlet 223 may be spaced apart from each of the first gas inlet 215 and the first gas outlet 216 in the first axis direction (X-axis direction). In this case, the second gas inlet 222 and the second gas outlet 223 may be disposed between the first gas inlet 215 and the first gas outlet 216 in the first axis direction (X-axis direction). Therefore, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the second gas inlet 222 and the first gas inlet 215 are provided so as not to overlap each other, so that damage or breakage of the hollow fiber membranes 211 can be reduced.

In this case, if the first distance 21D between the first gas inlet 215 and the first gas outlet 216 in the first axis direction (X-axis direction) becomes too large, the area of each of the first gas inlet 215 and the first gas outlet 216 may become small, so that the flow rate of the wet gas or the dry gas may increase, and thus the vibration of the hollow fiber membranes 211 may increase. In view of this, the first distance 21D may be determined to be a length such that the hollow fiber membranes 211 are not damaged or broken due to vibration.

Referring to fig. 3, 13 and 14, the intermediate housing 22 may include a partition member 224.

The partition member 224 is configured to partition the interior of the intermediate housing 22. The partition member 224 may be disposed between the second gas inlet 222 and the second gas outlet 223 in the first axis direction (X-axis direction). Accordingly, the partition member 224 may partition the inside of the intermediate housing 22 into a space connected to the second gas inlet 222 and a space connected to the second gas outlet 223. Accordingly, the partition member 224 may prevent the wet gas or the dry gas introduced through the second gas inlet 222 from being discharged through the second gas outlet 223, so that the flow rate of the wet gas or the dry gas introduced into the first gas inlet 215 may be increased.

The partition member 224 may close a space between the outer surface of the inner housing 212 and the inner surface of the intermediate housing 22. Accordingly, the partition member 224 may prevent the wet gas or the dry gas introduced through the second gas inlet 222 from flowing toward the second gas outlet 223. The partition member 224 may be disposed to surround the outer surface of the inner case 212. The inner surface of the intermediate housing 22 may be disposed around the outer surface of the partition member 224. The broken line in fig. 14 indicates the position of the partition member 224. As shown by the broken line in fig. 14, the partition member 224 may be provided to traverse the interior of the intermediate housing 22 between the outer surface of the inner housing 212 and the inner surface of the intermediate housing 22.

Referring to fig. 3, 13 and 14, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the second gas outlet 223 and the first gas outlet 216 may be disposed to face different directions. Therefore, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the wet gas or the dry gas discharged through the first gas outlet 216 may flow in the direction in which the second gas outlet 223 is located, and then may be discharged through the second gas outlet 223. Accordingly, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, vibration generated at the hollow fiber membranes 211 due to the flow of the wet gas or the dry gas discharged through the first gas outlet 216 can be reduced, whereby the risk of damage or breakage of the hollow fiber membranes 211 can be further reduced. For example, when the first gas outlet 216 is formed at the upper surface of the inner housing 212, the second gas outlet 223 may be provided to face the side surface of the inner housing 212.

The second gas inlet 222 and the first gas inlet 215 may be disposed to face in different directions. Thus, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the wet gas or the dry gas introduced through the second gas inlet 222 may flow in the direction in which the first gas inlet 215 is located, and then may be introduced through the first gas inlet 215. Accordingly, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the flow of the wet gas or the dry gas applied to the hollow fiber membranes 211 can be further reduced, so that the vibration generated at the hollow fiber membranes 211 due to the flow of the wet gas or the dry gas can be reduced. Therefore, in the humidifier 1 for a fuel cell according to the present disclosure, the risk of damage or breakage of the hollow fiber membranes 211 can be further reduced. For example, when the first gas inlet 215 is formed at the upper surface of the inner case 212, the second gas inlet 222 may be disposed to face the side surface of the inner case 212.

The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and drawings, and it is apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure relates that various substitutions, modifications and alterations can be made without departing from the technical idea of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A humidifier for a fuel cell, the humidifier comprising:

a humidification module configured to humidify a dry gas supplied from the outside using a wet gas discharged from the fuel cell stack;

a first cover coupled to one end of the humidification module; and

a second cover coupled to the other end of the humidification module, wherein

The humidification module includes:

an intermediate housing open at opposite ends thereof; and

at least one cylinder disposed in the intermediate housing, the cylinder including a plurality of hollow fiber membranes,

the cylinder comprises:

an inner housing open at opposite ends thereof, the hollow fiber membranes being accommodated in the inner housing; and

a first gas inlet and a first gas outlet formed on the inner housing so as to be spaced apart from each other in a first axis direction,

the inner housing includes:

a first section in which the hollow fiber membranes are housed;

a second section spaced from the first section in a second axial direction perpendicular to the first axial direction; and

A third section located between the first section and the second section in the second axial direction, and

the third segment has an average thickness that is less than each of the average thickness of the first segment and the average thickness of the second segment.

2. The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the third section is formed such that a middle portion equidistantly spaced from the opposite ends in the second axial direction has a smaller thickness than the opposite ends.

3. The humidifier according to claim 2, wherein the third section is formed with a gradually increasing thickness from the intermediate portion to the opposite ends while the intermediate portion has a minimum thickness.

4. The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the first segment is formed such that the thickness gradually varies from one end connected to the third segment to the other end, and such that the thickness gradually increases from one end to a point having a maximum thickness, and gradually decreases from the point having the maximum thickness to the other end.

5. The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the inner housing is formed symmetrically with respect to a middle portion equally spaced from opposite ends in the second axial direction.

6. The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein when a width of the inner housing in the second axis direction is defined as H and a maximum thickness of the inner housing is defined as T, the inner housing is formed in a form satisfying 0.2H < T < 0.5H.

7. The humidifier according to claim 1, comprising a buffer member engaged with the inner housing at least one of a position between the first gas inlet and the hollow fiber membranes and a position between the first gas outlet and the hollow fiber membranes.

8. The humidifier according to claim 7, wherein

The buffer member includes a first buffer member coupled to the inner housing so as to block an entire surface of the first gas outlet between the first gas outlet and the hollow fiber membrane, and

the first cushioning member is provided with a plurality of first breathing apertures configured to allow the passage of wet or dry gas.

9. The humidifier according to claim 7 or 8, wherein

The buffer member includes a second buffer member coupled to the inner housing so as to block an entire surface of the first gas inlet between the first gas inlet and the hollow fiber membrane, and

The second cushioning member is provided with a plurality of second breathing apertures configured to allow the passage of wet or dry gas.

10. The humidifier according to claim 7, wherein the cushioning member is fabricated using a nonwoven material.

11. A cartridge for a fuel cell humidifier configured to humidify a dry gas supplied from the outside using a wet gas discharged from a fuel cell stack, the cartridge comprising:

an inner housing having an opening formed at an end thereof, a plurality of hollow fiber membranes being accommodated in the inner housing; and

a first gas inlet and a first gas outlet formed on the inner housing so as to be spaced apart from each other in a first axis direction, wherein

The inner housing includes:

a first section in which the hollow fiber membranes are housed;

12. The cartridge of claim 11, wherein the third segment is formed such that a middle portion equally spaced from opposite ends in the second axial direction has a smaller thickness than the opposite ends.

13. The cartridge of claim 12, wherein the third segment is formed to have a gradually increasing thickness from the middle portion to the opposite ends while the middle portion has a minimum thickness.

14. The cartridge of claim 11, wherein the first section is formed such that a thickness gradually varies from one end connected to the third section to the other end, and such that the thickness gradually increases from one end to a point having a maximum thickness, and gradually decreases from the point having the maximum thickness to the other end.

15. The cartridge of claim 11, wherein the inner housing is formed symmetrically with intermediate portions equally spaced from opposite ends in the second axial direction.

16. The cartridge according to claim 11, wherein when a width of the inner housing in the second axial direction is defined as H and a maximum thickness of the inner housing is defined as T, the inner housing is formed in a form satisfying 0.2H < T < 0.5H.

17. The cartridge of claim 11, comprising a cushioning member engaged with the inner housing at least one of a location between the first gas inlet and the hollow fiber membranes and a location between the first gas outlet and the hollow fiber membranes.

18. The cartridge of claim 17, wherein

19. A cartridge according to claim 17 or 18, wherein

20. The cartridge of claim 17, wherein the cushioning member is fabricated using a nonwoven material.