Humidification device for fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10862144-B2
Application number	US-201816179228-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2018
Priority date	Aug 8, 2018
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A humidifier for a fuel cell enables moisture exchange between supply air supplied from an air compressor and exhaust air discharged from the fuel cell. In particular, the humidifier of the fuel cell may include: i) a housing main body; ii) a humidification membrane module that is provided in the housing main body; and iii) a bypass unit that is provided in the housing main body to selectively bypass the supply air supplied from the air compressor and the exhaust air discharged from the fuel cell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A humidifier of a fuel cell for, exchanging a moisture between a supply air supplied from an air compressor and an exhaust air discharged from the fuel cell, the humidifier comprising:
a housing main body;
a humidification membrane module provided in the housing main body; and
a bypass unit provided in the housing main body and configured to selectively bypass the supply air supplied from the air compressor and the exhaust air discharged from the fuel cell,
wherein the bypass unit comprises:
a bypass flow path portion provided in the housing main body, and configured to: form a bypass flow path of the supply air and the exhaust air, and partially protrude to an outside from an inside of the housing main body; and
a valve body portion rotatably provided in the bypass flow path portion, and configured to selectively open and close the bypass flow path of the supply air and the exhaust air.

2. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the valve body portion is formed in a single body configured to bypass the supply air and the exhaust air in three directions through the bypass flow path.

3. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the valve body portion is rotatably provided in the bypass flow path portion from the outside of the housing main body.

4. A humidifier of a fuel cell for exchanging a moisture between a supply air supplied from an air compressor and an exhaust air discharged from the fuel cell, the humidifier comprising:
a housing main body including:
a first cap portion having a supply air inlet portion,
a second cap portion having a humidified air outlet portion, and
a mid-housing having an exhaust air inlet portion and an exhaust air outlet portion and provided between the first cap portion and the second cap portion;

a humidification membrane module provided inside of the mid-housing and configured to connect the first cap portion and the second cap portion;
a bypass flow path portion provided inside of the mid-housing, and configured to form a first bypass path fluidly connecting the exhaust air inlet portion and the second cap portion, a second bypass path fluidly connecting the exhaust air outlet portion and the first cap portion, and a valve passage fluidly connecting the first bypass path and the second bypass path; and
a valve body portion having a cylinder shape, rotatably provided in the valve passage and including a plurality of valve holes between both ends thereof,
wherein the both ends of the valve body portion are closed.

5. The humidifier of claim 4 , wherein a valve driver is provided in the second cap portion and configured to rotate the valve body portion in a predetermined rotation angle range, and the valve body portion penetrates the first and second bypass paths through the valve passage and is connected to the valve driver.

6. The humidifier of claim 4 , wherein
a first valve hole of the plurality of valve holes is provided in a portion where the first bypass path and the valve passage are connected, and is selectively connected with the first bypass path, and
a second valve hole and a third valve hole of the plurality of valve holes are arranged with a predetermined angle with respect to the first valve hole, and
wherein the second valve hole and the third valve hole of the plurality of valve holes are provided in a portion where the second bypass path and the valve passage are connected, and are selectively connected with the second bypass path.

7. The humidifier of claim 6 , wherein the second valve hole and the third valve hole of the plurality of valve holes are formed at intervals of about 60 degrees with respect to the first valve hole.

8. The humidifier of claim 6 , wherein the valve body portion closes the first bypass path and the second bypass path, respectively, at a predetermined reference location.

9. The humidifier of claim 6 , wherein the valve body portion rotates at a predetermined angle, connects the first bypass path and the second bypass path through the first valve hole and the second valve hole of the plurality of valve holes, respectively, and connects the first cap portion and the second cap portion.

10. The humidifier of claim 6 , wherein the valve body portion rotates at a predetermined angle, connects the first bypass path and the second bypass path through the first valve hole and the third valve hole of the plurality of valve holes, and connects the exhaust air inlet portion and the exhaust air outlet portion.

11. The humidifier of claim 6 , wherein the valve body portion rotates at a predetermined angle, and connects the first cap portion of the second bypass path and the exhaust air outlet portion through the second valve hole and the third valve hole of the plurality of valve holes.

12. The humidifier of claim 4 , wherein the humidification membrane module is fixed to opposite sides of the mid-housing through a potting layer.

13. The humidifier of claim 12 , wherein the humidification membrane module forms a shell-side as an exhaust air flow path at a periphery of hollow fiber membranes in the mid-housing.

14. The humidifier of claim 12 , wherein one end of the first bypass path is fixed to the potting layer,
a first protrusion portion that protrudes outside of the mid-housing is formed at another end of the first bypass path, and
the first protrusion portion is connected with the exhaust air inlet portion.

15. The humidifier of claim 14 , wherein one end of the second bypass path is fixed to the potting layer,
a second protrusion portion that protrudes outside of the mid-housing is formed at another end of the second bypass path, and
the second protrusion portion is connected with the exhaust air outlet portion.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kim Hyunyoo
• Oh Sae Han
• Lee Chang Ha

Classifications

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M8/04149 Primary

  by diffusion, e.g. making use of membranes · CPC title

• F16K11/076

  with sealing faces shaped as surfaces of solids of revolution · CPC title

• F16K3/26

  with fluid passages in the valve member · CPC title

• H01M8/04835

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title