Humidifier, fuel cell device with a humidifier and motor vehicle with a fuel cell device comprising a humidifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022052358-A1
Application number	US-201917275121-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 13, 2019
Priority date	Sep 11, 2018
Publication date	Feb 17, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A humidifier comprises at least one humidifier module, which has a membrane permeable to water vapor and respectively on both sides of the membrane, a flow field frame with at least two walls defining a flow channel. A thermal bridge with an increased thermal conductivity compared to the membrane protrudes through the membrane. A fuel cell device comprises such a humidifier and a motor vehicle includes a fuel cell device comprising such a humidifier.

First claim

1 . A humidifier, comprising:
at least one humidifier module that comprises:
a membrane permeable to water vapor;
a first flow field frame with at least two walls defining a first flow channel on a first side of the membrane;
a second flow field frame with at least two walls defining a second flow channel on a second side of the membrane opposite the first side; and
a thermal bridge with a higher thermal conductivity than the membrane which protrudes through the membrane,
wherein the thermal bridge is sealed off from the membrane; wherein the thermal bridge includes a pin that protrudes through the membrane from the first side of the membrane to a pin seat in the second flow field frame, and wherein the pin is formed as one piece with the walls and/or the pin seat is arranged in the walls.

2 . The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein the humidifier includes a plurality of humidifier modules collectively having a plurality of membranes separated by flow field frames, and wherein each flow field frame has a plurality of flow channels with associated walls.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the pins and a corresponding number of pin seats are provided, which are associated with the walls.

5 . The humidifier according to claim 2 , wherein each of a partial quantity of the flow field frames have pins on both sides of the flow field frame assignable to the adjacent membranes, and each of a set of the flow field frames complementary to the partial quantity have pin seats on both sides of the flow field frame.

6 . (canceled)

7 . The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein the flow field frames are formed from a material with higher conductivity than the membrane.

8 . (canceled)

9 . A fuel cell device with a humidifier comprising:
at least one humidifier module that comprises:
a membrane permeable to water vapor;
a first flow field frame with at least two walls defining a first flow channel on a first side of the membrane;
a second flow field frame with at least two walls defining a second flow channel on a second side of the membrane opposite the first side; and
a thermal bridge with a higher thermal conductivity than the membrane that protrudes through the membrane,
wherein the thermal bridge is sealed off from the membrane; wherein the thermal bridge includes a pin that protrudes through the membrane from the first side of the membrane to a pin seat in the second flow field frame, and wherein the pin is formed as one piece with the walls and/or the pin seat is arranged in the walls.

10 . A motor vehicle with a fuel cell device which has a humidifier comprising:
at least one humidifier module that comprises:
a membrane permeable to water vapor;
a first flow field frame with at least two walls defining a first flow channel on a first side of the membrane;
a second flow field frame with at least two walls defining a second flow channel on a second side of the membrane opposite the first side; and
a thermal bridge with a higher thermal conductivity than the membrane that protrudes through the membrane,
wherein the thermal bridge is sealed off from the membrane; wherein the thermal bridge includes a pin that protrudes through the membrane from the first side of the membrane to a pin seat in the second flow field frame, and wherein the pin is formed as one piece with the walls and/or the pin seat is arranged in the walls.

Assignees

• Audi Ag
• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Staeck Rune
• Lucas Christian
• Berger Oliver

Classifications

• B01D63/0822

  Plate-and-frame devices · CPC title

• H01M8/10

  Fuel cells with solid electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

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

• H01M8/04014 Primary

  Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title