Plate and frame fluid exchanging assembly with unitary plates and seals
AssigneeBallard Power Systems Inc.
InventorsRussell H. Barton, Brian Wells, Joel A. Ronne
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved plate-and-frame assembly selectively transfers a fluid component from one fluid stream to another fluid stream. In a preferred embodiment, a plate-and-frame humidity exchanger with unitary plates and seals transfers water vapor and heat between two fluid streams.
Claims44
A plate-and-frame fluid exchanging assembly with unitary plates and seals, said assembly comprising:
- (a) a first resilient plate with a major surface having a fluid passage formed therein;
- (b) a second resilient plate with a major surface having a fluid passage formed therein;
- (c) a membrane layer interposed between said major surface of each one of said first and second resilient plates, wherein said membrane layer is selectively permeable to at least one selected fluid component for transferring said at least one selected fluid component from a first fluid stream to a second fluid stream when said first and second fluid streams are on opposite sides of said membrane layer;
- (d) a first fluid supply port for supplying said first fluid stream to said fluid passage formed in said major surface of said first resilient plate;
- (e) a second fluid supply port for supplying said second fluid stream to said fluid passage formed in said major surface of said second resilient plate;
- (f) a first fluid exhaust port for removing said first fluid stream from said fluid passage formed in said major surface of said first resilient plate;
- (g) a second fluid exhaust port for removing said second fluid stream from said fluid passage formed in said major surface of said second resilient plate;
- and
- (h) a compression mechanism for compressing said plate-and-frame assembly;
- wherein said first and second plates are resilient and cooperate with said membrane layer to provide a fluid tight seal therebetween.
A method of manufacturing a resilient plate for a plate-and-frame assembly with integral seals comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a mold for forming said plate wherein said mold provides fluid channels on a major surface of said plate and integral sealing areas;
- (b) injecting a resilient material into said mold;
- and
- (c) removing said plate from said mold.
A method for assembling a plate-and-frame fluid exchanging assembly having unitary plates and seals, said method comprising the sequential steps of:
- (a) providing down a first compression plate;
- (b) positioning a first major surface of a first resilient plate on top of said first compression plate;
- (c) positioning a membrane layer on top of said first resilient plate;
- (d) positioning a major surface of a second resilient plate on top of said membrane layer;
- (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) with successive alternating membrane and resilient plate layers until the desired number of layers is stacked on top of said first compression plate;
- (f) positioning a second compression plate on top of said resilient plates and membrane layers, thereby completing a stack arrangement of fluid exchanging assemblies;
- and
- (g) applying a compressive force to said stack and maintaining said compressive force using a compression mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.