Fuel cell humidifier and manufacturing method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12334605-B2
Application number	US-202017605556-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2020
Priority date	Jun 25, 2019
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed are: a fuel cell humidifier capable of reliably preventing a gas leak due to repeated operating and stopping of a fuel cell and capable of being manufactured with relatively low manufacturing costs and high productivity; and a manufacturing method therefor. The fuel cell humidifier of the present invention includes a humidifying module and caps coupled to both ends of the humidifying module, respectively, wherein: the humidifying module includes a mid-case, a plurality of hollow fiber membranes in the mid-case, a fixed layer in which the ends of the hollow fiber membranes are potted, and a composite gasket having a groove into which the end of the mid-case is fitted; the composite gasket includes an inner body, an outer body, and a connecting body provided therebetween and formed of a first material; and at least a portion of the inner body is adhered to the fixed layer and is formed of a second material that is different from the first material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A humidifier for a fuel cell, the humidifier comprising:
a humidifying module configured to humidify gas supplied from outside using moisture in off-gas discharged from a fuel cell stack; and
caps coupled respectively to opposite ends of the humidifying module,
wherein the humidifying module comprises:
a mid-case open at opposite ends thereof;
a plurality of hollow fiber membranes disposed in the mid-case;
a fixing layer in which ends of the hollow fiber membranes are potted; and
a composite gasket having a groove into which the end of the mid-case is inserted,
wherein the composite gasket comprises:
an inner body based on the groove, the inner body being located inside the mid-case;
an outer body based on the groove, the outer body being located outside the mid-case; and
a connecting body located between the inner body and the outer body, the connecting body being formed of a first material,
wherein at least a portion of the inner body is adhered to the fixing layer and is formed of a second material different from the first material,
wherein the inner body comprises:
a first part directly connected to the connec a bei g fc ned of the first material; and
a second part adhered to the first part and to the fixing laver, the second part being formed the second material,
wherein, together with the outer body and the connecting body, the first part of the inner body constitutes a packing part formed of the first material,
wherein the second part of the inner body constitutes a bracket part formed of the second material, and
wherein the packing part and the bracket part are integrally formed through injection molding.

2. The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein
the first material is soft rubber, and
the second material is metal, rigid plastic, hard rubber, or a different kind of soft rubber from the first material.

3. The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein
the first material comprises soft silicone rubber or soft urethane rubber, and
the second material comprises polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), acrylic resin, hard silicone, or hard urethane.

4. The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein
the first material comprises soft silicone rubber, and
the second material comprises soft urethane rubber.

5. The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein an interface between the first and second parts has a step.

6. The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing layer comprises:
a first fixing layer in which the ends of the hollow fiber membranes are potted; and
a second fixing layer adhered to the inner body of the composite gasket while surrounding the first fixing layer.

7. The humidifier according to claim 6 , wherein the first fixing layer and the second fixing layer are formed of an identical material.

8. The humidifier according to claim 6 , wherein both the first fixing layer and the second fixing layer comprise polyurethane (PU) resin.

9. The humidifier according to claim 6 , wherein
the humidifying module further comprises an inner case disposed in the mid-case, the inner case being open at opposite ends thereof,
the hollow fiber membranes are disposed in the inner case, and
the end of the inner case is potted in the first fixing layer.

10. The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein
the hollow fiber membranes comprise a first group of hollow fiber membranes and a second group of hollow fiber membranes,
the humidifying module further comprises:
a first inner case in which the first group of hollow fiber membranes is disposed; and
a second inner case in which the second group of hollow fiber membranes is disposed,
the fixing layer comprises:
a first fixing layer in which ends of the first group of hollow fiber membranes are potted;
a second fixing layer in which ends of the second group of hollow fiber membranes are potted; and
a third fixing layer adhered to the inner body of the composite gasket while surrounding the first and second fixing layers,
an end of the first inner case is potted in the first fixing layer, and
an end of the second inner case is potted in the second fixing layer.

11. A humidifier for a fuel cell, the humidifier comprising:
a humidifying module configured to humidify gas supplied from outside using moisture in off-gas discharged from a fuel cell stack; and
caps coupled respectively to opposite ends of the humidifying module,
wherein the humidifying module comprises:
a mid-case ope 1 at opposite ends thereof;
a plurality of hollow fiber membranes disposed in the mid-case;
a fixing layer in which ends of the hollow fiber membranes are potted; and
a composite gasket having a groove into which the end of the mid-case is inserted,
wherein the composite gasket comprises:
an inner body based on the groove, the inner body being located inside mid-case,
an outer body based on the groove, the outer body being located outside the mid-case, and
a connecting body located between the inner body and the outer body, the connecting body being formed of a first material,
wherein at least a portion of the inner body is adhered to the fixing layer and is formed of a second material different from the first material,
wherein the inner body comprises:
a first part directly connected to the connecting body, the first part constitutes a packing part and being formed of the first material; and
a second part adhered to the first part and to the fixing layer, the second part constitutes a bracket part and being formed of the second material,
the packing part and the bracket part are integrally formed through injection molding, and
wherein the composite gasket further comprises a primer layer formed on at least a portion of a surface of the inner body, the primer layer comprising a rubber adhesive component, an acrylic adhesive component, a polyurethane adhesive component, an epoxy adhesive component, a silicone adhesive component, a polyamide-based adhesive component, a polyimide-based adhesive component, or a mixture of two or more thereof.

12. A method of manufacturing a humidifier for a fuel cell, the method comprising:
preparing a hollow fiber membrane cartridge having a first fixing layer in which ends of a plurality of hollow fiber membranes are potted;
inserting the hollow fiber membrane cartridge into a mid-case open at opposite ends thereof;
preparing a composite gasket having a groove corresponding to the end of the mid-case;
mounting the composite gasket on the end of the mid-case such that the end of the mid-case is inserted into the groove;
forming a second fixing layer configured to fill a gap between the mid-case and an end of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge and a gap between the composite gasket and the end of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge;
simultaneously cutting the first fixing layer, the second fixing layer, and the hollow fiber membranes to open the ends of the hollow fiber membranes; and
fastening a cap to the mid-case such that the composite gasket is compressed by the cap,
wherein the composite gasket comprises:
an inner body based on the groove, the inner body being located inside the mid-case;
an outer body based on the groove, the outer body being located outside the mid-case; and
a connecting body located between the inner body and the outer body, the connecting body being formed of a first material,
wherein at least a portion of the inner body is formed of a second material different from the first material,
wherein the inner body comprises:
a first part directly connected to the conn ctia body, the first part being formed o

Assignees

• Kolon Inc

Inventors

• Kim Do Woo
• An Na Hyeon
• Kim Kyoung Ju

Classifications

• H01M8/04149 Primary

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

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• B01D2313/025

  Specific membrane holders · CPC title

• B01D2313/04

  Specific sealing means · CPC title