Membrane humidifier for a fuel cell
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsYan Zhang, Annette M. Brenner, Hubert A. Gasteiger, Steven G. Goebel, Glenn W. Skala
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Abstract
A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell with a wet side plate having a plurality of flow channels formed therein and a dry side plate having a plurality of flow channels formed therein, the flow channels of the wet side plate adapted to facilitate a flow of a wet gas therethrough and the flow channels of said dry side plate adapted to facilitate a flow of a dry gas therethrough, wherein a pressure drop in the humidifier is minimized and a humidification of a proton exchange membrane in the fuel cell is optimized.
Claims19
A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell comprising:
- a wet side plate having a plurality of flow channels formed therein on both a top side and a bottom side thereof, wherein said wet plate has a folded outer edge, the flow channels of said wet side plate adapted to facilitate a flow of a wet gas therethrough;
- a dry side plate having a plurality of flow channels formed therein on both a top side and a bottom side thereof, wherein said dry plate has a folded outer edge, the flow channels of said dry side plate adapted to facilitate a flow of a dry gas therethrough, wherein the flow channels of said wet side plate create a cross-flow pattern with the flow channels of said dry side plate;
- a first diffusion medium disposed between said wet side plate and said dry side plate adjacent said wet side plate, said first diffusion medium adapted to permit a transfer of water vapor therethrough;
- a second diffusion medium disposed between said wet side plate and said dry side plate adjacent said dry side plate, said second diffusion medium adapted to permit a transfer of water vapor therethrough;
- and
- a membrane disposed between said first diffusion medium and said second diffusion medium, said membrane adapted to permit a transfer of water vapor therethrough, wherein said first diffusion medium abuts the membrane and said wet side plate and said second diffusion medium abuts the membrane and said dry side plate, and wherein water vapor in the wet gas is transferred through said first diffusion medium, said membrane, and said second diffusion medium to the dry gas.
A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell comprising:
- a plurality of wet side plates having a plurality of flow channels formed therein on both a top side and a bottom side thereof, wherein said wet plates have folded outer edges, the flow channels of said wet side plates adapted to facilitate a flow of a wet gas therethrough;
- a plurality of dry side plates having a plurality of flow channels formed therein on both a top side and a bottom side thereof, wherein said dry plates have folded outer edges, the flow channels of said dry side plates adapted to facilitate a flow of a dry gas therethrough, wherein the flow channels of said wet side plates create a cross-flow pattern with the flow channels of said dry side plates;
- a plurality of first diffusion media, one of said first diffusion media disposed between each of said wet side plates and said dry side plates adjacent said wet side plates, said first diffusion media adapted to permit a transfer of water vapor therethrough;
- a plurality of second diffusion media, one of said second diffusion media disposed between each of said wet side plates and said dry side plates adjacent said dry side plates, said second diffusion media adapted to permit a transfer of water vapor therethrough;
- and
- a membrane disposed between each of said first diffusion media and said second diffusion media, said membrane adapted to permit a transfer of water vapor therethrough, wherein water vapor in the wet gas is transferred through said first diffusion media, said membrane, and said second diffusion media to the dry gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.