Pinhole inspection system and apparatus for membrane electrode assembly of fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9470666-B2
Application number	US-201213686356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2012
Priority date	Jul 30, 2012
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

Disclosed is a pinhole inspection apparatus, system and method for a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell, which can easily detect the position of a pinhole using water and a pH test paper from discoloration caused when the water is in contact with the pH test paper through the pinhole, thus solving the existing problems and allowing the membrane electrode assembly to be reused after the inspection. In particular, a lower fixture is configured to support the membrane electrode assembly and water is uniformly distributed on an upper surface of the membrane electrode assembly. A pH test paper is inserted between the membrane electrode assembly and the lower fixture and discolored upon coming in contact with water that passes through a pinhole in the membrane electrode assembly, thus detecting the presence and position of the pinhole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pinhole inspection apparatus for a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell, the apparatus comprising:
a lower fixture configured to support the membrane electrode assembly;
deionized water uniformly distributed on an upper surface of the membrane electrode assembly;

a pH test paper inserted between the membrane electrode assembly and the lower fixture,
an upper fixture which presses against a top surface of the membrane electrode assembly; and
a slip sheet which is placed over the top surface of the membrane electrode assembly to prevent debris from being transferred to the membrane electrode assembly,
wherein when there is a pin hole in the membrane electrode assembly, the pH test paper is discolored upon coming in contact with the deionized water at a pH 7 that passes through the pinhole to detect the presence and position of the pinhole in the membrane electrode assembly, wherein the deionized water is distributed on an electrode surface of the membrane electrode assembly by being supplied to an electrode surface of the membrane electrode assembly using a pipette.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the upper fixture includes a handle formed on the top thereof.

3. A method for detecting a pin hole in a membrane electrode assembly of fuel cell, the method comprising: providing an pinhole inspection apparatus of claim 1 , placing a pH test paper on the lower fixture, and placing the membrane electrode assembly on the pH test paper; uniformly spraying the deionized water on an electrode surface of the membrane electrode assembly; and pressing down on a slip sheet placed over the membrane electrode assembly by an upper fixture; wherein when there is a pinhole in the membrane electrode assembly, the deionized water passes through the pinhole and comes in contact with the pH test paper, and the pH test paper is then discolored as a result of coming in contact with the deionized water.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the upper fixture is pressed for less than 1 minute.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the slip sheet placed over the top of the membrane electrode assembly is the same size and shape as the membrane electrode assembly.

6. A pinhole inspection apparatus for a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell, the apparatus comprising:
a lower fixture configured to support the membrane electrode assembly;
deionized water uniformly distributed on an upper surface of the membrane electrode assembly;
a pH test paper inserted between the membrane electrode assembly and the lower fixture, an upper fixture which presses against a top surface of the membrane electrode assembly; and
a slip sheet which is placed over the top surface of the membrane electrode assembly to prevent debris from being transferred to the membrane electrode assembly,
wherein when there is a pin hole in the membrane electrode assembly, the pH test paper is discolored upon coming in contact with the deionized water at a pH 7 that passes through the pinhole to detect the presence and position of the pinhole in the membrane electrode assembly,
wherein a flow field includes an inlet, an intermediate flow field, and an outlet, which are formed from one end of the upper fixture to the other end of the upper fixture so that the deionized water can be uniformly distributed over the entire surface of the membrane electrode assembly.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the upper fixture includes a handle formed on the top thereof.

8. A method for detecting a pin hole in a membrane electrode assembly of fuel cell, the method comprising: providing an pinhole inspection apparatus of claim 6 , placing a pH test paper on the lower fixture, and placing the membrane electrode assembly on the pH test paper; uniformly spraying deionized water on an electrode surface of the membrane electrode assembly; and pressing down on a slip sheet placed over the membrane electrode assembly by an upper fixture; wherein when there is a pinhole in the membrane electrode assembly, the deionized water passes through the pinhole and comes in contact with the pH test paper, and the pH test paper is then discolored as a result of coming in contact with the deionized water.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the upper fixture is pressed for less than 1 minute.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the slip sheet placed over the top of the membrane electrode assembly is the same size and shape as the membrane electrode assembly.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the water is supplied to an electrode surface of the membrane electrode assembly using the flow field.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Ji Yeon
• Hong Bo Ki
• Ahn Sang Yeoul

Classifications

• G01N31/221 Primary

  for investigating pH value · CPC title

• G01N31/22 Primary

  using chemical indicators (G01N31/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/10

  Fuel cells with solid electrolytes · CPC title

• G01M3/26 Primary

  by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors · CPC title