Humidifier, for example for a fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9954236-B2
Application number	US-201514749953-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2015
Priority date	Jun 27, 2014
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

A humidifier has a stack unit having a plurality of water-vapor-permeable membranes which are arranged parallel one above the other and spaced apart from one another. Two adjacent membranes are connected to one another via fixing elements, wherein a first fixing element acts on the top membrane from above and a second fixing element acts on the bottom membrane from below.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A humidifier, comprising:
at least one stack unit including
a plurality of membranes permeable to water vapor;
wherein the membranes are arranged parallel one above the other and spaced apart from one another;

wherein adjacent two membranes of the plurality of membranes are connected to one another via fixing elements;
wherein the fixing elements are stacked one on top of another to connect and space apart the plurality of membranes;
wherein the fixing elements are formed to be complementary, and when in a mounted state, a projection of a first fixing element of the fixing elements engages into an associated recess of an adjacent second fixing element,
wherein the first fixing element acts on a top membrane from above and the second fixing element acts on an adjacent bottom membrane from below such that the top membrane is clamped against, directly contacts against and lies directly on the bottom membrane in a membrane region positioned between the first fixing element and the second fixing element.

2. The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein
the first and second fixing elements are formed identically;
wherein each fixing element has a projection on one front side and a recess on an opposing front side.

3. The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein
the fixing elements are formed hollow-cylindrically.

4. The humidifier according to claim 3 , wherein
a stabilizing element extends through at least two fixing elements placed on top of one another.

5. The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein
the fixing elements are connected with spacers which are arranged between the membranes.

6. A fuel cell comprising
a humidifier including
at least one stack unit including
a plurality of membranes permeable to water vapor;
wherein the membranes are arranged parallel one above the other and spaced apart from one another;

wherein adjacent two membranes of the plurality of membranes are connected to one another via fixing elements;
wherein the fixing elements are stacked one on top of another to connect and space apart the plurality of membranes;
wherein the fixing elements are formed to be complementary, and when in a mounted state, a projection of a first fixing element of the fixing elements engages into an associated recess of an adjacent second fixing element,
wherein the first fixing element acts on a top membrane from above and the second fixing element acts on an adjacent bottom membrane from below such that the top membrane is clamped against, directly contacts against and lies directly on the bottom membrane in a membrane region positioned between the first fixing element and the second fixing element.

7. The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein
the humidifier is an aircraft humidifier.

Assignees

• Mann & Hummel Gmbh

Inventors

• Fasold Michael
• Tippmer Bernd
• Harenbrock Michael
• Fuchs Heinz
• Bauer Sascha
• Menssen Joerg
• Tschech Thomas
• Schuetz Steffen

Classifications

• H01M8/04126 Primary

  Humidifying · CPC title

• H01M8/04149 Primary

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

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title