KR102576913B1 - Membrane humidifier for fuel cell and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly composed of a bundle of hollow fiber, wherein both ends are potted with the hollow portion of the dense hollow fiber membrane exposed; and a housing assembly formed in an overall hexahedral shape and having the circumferential surface with an inlet and an outlet for wet air and dry air and an inner central portion with an assembling groove portion where the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly is selectively fitted to be tightly accommodated, wherein a dry air flow path is formed in one direction that passes through the hollow portion of the hollow fiber membrane bundle inserted into the assembling groove portion, based on the assembling groove portion and a wet air flow path is formed in one direction that intersects the hollow fiber membrane bundle and the dry air flow path vertically, based on the assembling groove portion. According to the present invention, the flow concentration of wet air can be effectively dispersed without any cartridge in the membrane humidifier to prevent damage to the hollow fiber membrane and increase humidification efficiency.

Description

Membrane humidifier for fuel cell and manufacturing method thereof}

The present invention relates to a membrane humidifier for fuel cells and a method of manufacturing the same, and more specifically, to prevent damage to the hollow fiber membrane and increase humidification efficiency by effectively dispersing the flow concentration of humid air without providing a cartridge inside the membrane humidifier. The overall volume and manufacturing cost of the membrane humidifier are reduced, and the serious problem of static electricity occurring in the hollow fiber membrane bundle during the manufacturing process of the membrane humidifier and the serious problem of the thin hollow fiber membrane being easily damaged is eliminated, and the hollow fiber membrane bundle is tailored to the specified shape. It relates to a membrane humidifier for fuel cells and a method of manufacturing the same, which improves quality control and productivity of the membrane humidifier by making manual alignment very easy.

In general, a fuel cell is a power generation type battery that produces electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen. Unlike general chemical cells such as batteries or storage batteries, fuel cells have the advantage of being able to continuously produce electricity as long as hydrogen and oxygen are supplied, and have the advantage of being twice as efficient as internal combustion engines because there is no heat loss.

Additionally, because the chemical energy generated by the combination of hydrogen and oxygen is directly converted into electrical energy, pollutant emissions are low. Therefore, fuel cells are not only environmentally friendly, but also have the advantage of reducing concerns about resource depletion due to increased energy consumption.

Depending on the type of electrolyte used, these fuel cells are largely divided into polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC), molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC), and solid oxide fuel cells ( SOFC), and alkaline fuel cell (AFC). Each of these fuel cells operates on fundamentally the same principle, but the type of fuel used, operating temperature, catalyst, electrolyte, etc. are different. Among these, polymer electrolyte fuel cells are known to be the most promising not only for small-scale stationary power generation equipment but also for transportation systems because they operate at lower temperatures than other fuel cells and can be miniaturized due to their high power density.

One of the most important factors in improving the performance of polymer electrolyte fuel cells is supplying a certain amount of moisture to the polymer electrolyte membrane (Polymer Eletrolyte Membrane or Proton Exchange Membrane: PEM) of the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA). This is to maintain the moisture content. This is because when the polymer electrolyte membrane dries, power generation efficiency rapidly decreases.

Representative methods for humidifying the polymer electrolyte membrane include the bubbler humidification method, which supplies moisture by filling a pressure vessel with water and passing the target gas through a diffuser, and the solenoid method by calculating the amount of water supplied for the fuel cell reaction. There is a direct injection method that supplies moisture directly to the gas flow pipe through a valve, and a humidifying membrane method that supplies moisture to the fluidized gas layer using a polymer separation membrane. Among these, the humidifying membrane method, which humidifies the polymer electrolyte membrane by providing water vapor to the gas supplied to the polymer electrolyte membrane using a membrane that selectively transmits only the water vapor contained in the exhaust gas, is advantageous in that it can lighten and miniaturize the humidifier.

These humidifying membrane methods are typically divided into flat membrane humidifiers and hollow fiber membrane humidifiers.

First, in the case of a flat membrane humidifier, the exchange surface area within the unit volume is small, which is disadvantageous to humidification performance, but it is structurally stable because the middle part of the flat membrane is strongly fixed by forming a spacer between the flat membranes. In addition, by constructing the humidifier by stacking flat sheets, the humidifier can be manufactured as a flat rectangular parallelepiped, which has the advantage of being easy to package.

Meanwhile, in the case of hollow fiber membrane humidifiers, the permeation area per unit volume is large and high integration of hollow fiber membranes with a wide contact surface area is possible, so that sufficient humidification of fuel cells can be achieved even in small capacities, and low-cost materials can be used, and it is possible to use low-cost materials in fuel cells. It has the advantage of being able to recover moisture and heat contained in unreacted gas discharged at high temperature and reuse it through a humidifier.

However, in the case of a membrane humidifier using a hollow fiber membrane, if the number of strands of the hollow fiber membrane is increased to increase capacity, the use efficiency of the hollow fiber membrane is drastically reduced, which has the disadvantage of unnecessarily increasing the size of the product.

In particular, as the cross-section into which the hollow fiber is injected widens, bias occurs due to the entrance effect of the fluid flowing inside the hollow fiber membrane, and the fluid flowing outside the hollow fiber membrane penetrates the thickened hollow fiber membrane bundle, making it difficult to flow uniformly throughout. there was.

In addition, in the case of hollow fiber membranes for humidification used in general membrane humidifiers for fuel cells, the breaking tensile force is weak at about 0.15 to 0.5 kg, so the hollow fiber membrane breaks due to kinetic energy and turbulent energy generated by the strong flow rate of humid air, resulting in a decrease in humidification performance. There was a problem.

Due to this problem, attempts have recently been made to structurally reinforce the hollow fiber membrane from the wet air flow path by densely inserting the hollow fiber membrane inside the cartridge using a separate cartridge.

For this example, referring to Republic of Korea Patent No. 2447975 (“Membrane humidifier for fuel cell”, hereinafter referred to as prior patent 1), there is a moisture intake port (12) that sucks moisture into the inside, and a dry air outlet (14) that discharges dry air. ) and a first housing (10) provided with; a second housing (80) coupled to the first housing and having a moisture outlet for discharging moisture and a dry air intake port for sucking dry air; and a cartridge 40 located inside the first housing 10 and the second housing 80, wherein the passage through which moisture is sucked or discharged inside the cartridge 40 goes straight from the upper side and then moves downward. The first housing 10 or the 2A structure for reducing vibration or external force applied to the hollow fiber membrane by reducing turbulence occurring between the housing 80 and the cartridge 40 is disclosed.

However, the hollow fiber membrane humidifier of the prior patent 1 requires additional cartridges inside the first and second housings, which are separated into left and right sides, so not only does the overall volume and manufacturing cost of the humidifier increase, but the first and second housings are separated into left and right sides. 2As a moisture streamline is formed along the first or second path that diagonally crosses the cartridge through the moisture inlet and outlet provided at both ends of the housing, turbulence is still generated as the moisture passes through the perforations on the surface of the cartridge. In addition, there is a possibility that the flow of moisture may be concentrated in the central part of the hollow fiber membrane, so the possibility of damage to the hollow fiber membrane and the resulting decrease in humidification performance are still being questioned.

In addition, in the case of hollow fiber membrane humidifiers, the exchange surface area within the unit volume is large, which is advantageous for humidification performance. However, the hollow fiber membrane of hundreds to thousands of strands is thin and thin, so the hollow fiber membrane is easily damaged during the process of inserting and potting into the cartridge. In addition, the manual work of aligning to a given shape is very cumbersome due to static electricity, etc., making quality control difficult.

Accordingly, the hollow fiber membrane humidifier has the disadvantage that it is difficult to insert hundreds to thousands of hollow fiber membranes into the cartridge. As an alternative to this, Republic of Korea Patent No. 2471030 (“Humidifier for Fuel Cells”, hereinafter referred to as Prior Patent 2) ), a method is disclosed to split the cartridge in half, insert the hollow fiber membrane bundle, assemble the remaining half of the cartridge, and insert it into the mid case (housing), potting the housing and cartridge hollow fiber membrane bundle at the same time.

However, in the case of prior patent 2, not only does the overall volume and manufacturing cost of the humidifier further increase by using a plurality of cartridges, but there is still a possibility of a decrease in flow rate and turbulence occurring as moisture passes through the plurality of cartridges. There remain concerns about deterioration of humidification performance.

Korean Patent Registration No. 2447975 (registered on September 22, 2022)

Korean Patent Registration No. 2471030 (registered on November 22, 2022)

Accordingly, the present invention was developed to solve the above problems. By effectively dispersing the flow rate concentration of wet air without providing a cartridge inside the membrane humidifier, damage to the hollow fiber membrane is prevented and humidification efficiency is increased, and the entire membrane humidifier is maintained. The purpose is to provide a miniaturized non-cartridge membrane humidifier for fuel cells, with reduced volume and manufacturing costs.

In addition, it solves the serious problem of static electricity occurring in the hollow fiber membrane bundle during the manufacturing process of the membrane humidifier and the serious problem of the thin hollow fiber membrane being easily damaged, and the manual work of aligning the hollow fiber membrane bundle according to the specified shape is very easy, making the membrane humidifier The purpose is to provide a method of manufacturing a membrane humidifier for fuel cells with improved quality control and productivity.

According to one embodiment, the membrane humidifier for a fuel cell according to the present invention for achieving the above object includes a hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly consisting of a bundle of hollow fiber membranes with both ends potted with the hollows of the dense hollow fiber membranes exposed; And it has an overall hexahedral shape, and includes an inlet and an outlet for wet air and dry air on the peripheral surface, and an assembly groove portion is formed in the inner center region for selectively inserting and airtightly receiving the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly, and the assembly groove A housing in which a dry air flow path is formed in one direction through the hollow of the hollow fiber membrane bundle inserted into the assembly groove, and a wet air flow path is formed in a direction vertically crossing the hollow fiber membrane bundle and the dry air flow path based on the assembly groove. Includes assembly;

In addition, according to one embodiment, the housing assembly has an overall flat hexahedral shape, and an assembly groove is formed in the center area of the upper surface for selectively fitting the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly from above to airtightly receive it, and the dry air intake port In the connection section between the dry air outlet and the assembly groove, and between the dry air outlet and the assembly groove, first and second buffer spaces of a certain length are formed, respectively, where the cross-sectional area of the dry air flow path is expanded, so that the dry air inlet and outlet, the assembly groove, and the first buffer space are formed. And a main housing to which a dry air flow path is connected via a second buffer space part, and a wet air flow path formed above and below the assembly groove part to be perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the hollow fiber membrane bundles mounted on the assembly groove part; A cover housing that is mounted on at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the main housing to airtightly seal the dry air flow path and the wet air flow path of the main housing; and a sealing member provided between the main housing and the cover housing to airtightly seal the outer edges of the assembly groove and the first and second buffer spaces.

Additionally, according to one embodiment, the assembly groove has a concave grill shape with an open upper surface and a plurality of communication holes formed on the lower surface.

In addition, according to one embodiment, the assembly groove portion forms communication protrusions inside the housing assembly to face each other upward and downward, and both ends of the communicating projections facing each other are in contact with and supported by the hollow fiber membrane bundle inserted into the assembly groove portion. A wet air flow path is formed through the space between and between the communicating protrusions.

In addition, according to one embodiment, the wet air flow path inside the housing assembly is formed in an upward or downward orthogonal direction so as to vertically cross the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly mounted in the assembly groove, and the wet air flow path supplied to the housing assembly is Wet air is sprayed uniformly throughout the plane of the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly, forming a continuous vertical airflow.

Additionally, according to one embodiment, at least one of a third buffer space part or a fourth buffer space part is further formed on the wet air flow path of the housing assembly to expand the cross-sectional area of the wet air flow path.

Additionally, according to one embodiment, a support protrusion is formed on the middle portion of the inner side of the cover housing to press and support the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly inserted into the assembly groove.

Additionally, according to one embodiment, the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly includes a plurality of hollow fiber membrane bundles neatly aligned in one direction; A potting holder fitted at both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle to secure the hollow fiber membrane bundle so as not to disturb it; and a potting resin that is injected and cured between the potting holder and the hollow fiber membrane bundle to airtightly pot both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle.

Also, according to one embodiment, the potting holder has a tube-shaped body with both left and right ends open, and the center portion of the tube shape has a reduced diameter and has a narrow orifice shape.

Additionally, according to one embodiment, a plurality of potting resin penetration holes are further formed in the potting holder.

In addition, according to one embodiment, a sealing member fixing groove is further formed on the outer circumference of the potting holder for inserting and fixing a part of the sealing member.

Meanwhile, according to one embodiment, the method of manufacturing a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell of the present invention includes (S100) forming a main housing and a cover housing; (S200) manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly; and (S300) mounting the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly to the main housing and then assembling and finishing the cover housing on the upper or lower surface of the main housing.

Also, according to one embodiment, step S200 includes (S210) preparing an appropriate quantity of hollow fiber membrane bundles; (S220) aligning the hollow fiber membrane bundles and stacking them layer by layer between vertically elongated grooves of the potting jig; (S230) inserting potting holders into both ends of the laminated hollow fiber membrane bundle inserted into the potting jig; (S240) assembling a potting gap to entirely cover both ends of the potting holder and the hollow fiber membrane bundle; (S250) injecting potting resin into the potting cap to penetrate and cure the potting resin between the potting holder and the hollow fiber membrane bundle; And (S260) after removing the potting cap, cutting and removing both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle protruding from the potting holder.

Additionally, according to one embodiment, after step S210, the method further includes (S211) inserting the prepared hollow fiber membrane bundle into a cylindrical mesh made of stretchable material and crowding it so that it is not disturbed.

In addition, according to one embodiment, the potting jig is formed with a first groove elongated in the vertical direction so that the hollow fiber membrane bundle can be inserted from above, and potting holders inserted from both sides of the hollow fiber membrane bundle are provided at both ends of the first groove. A second groove is formed with a gap between the grooves wider than the first groove so that it can be caught.

In addition, according to one embodiment, a guide slope whose width gradually narrows downward is further formed at the upper end of the first groove to prevent the hollow fiber membrane bundle from getting caught when it is inserted and stacked above the first groove.

As described above, the present invention effectively disperses the flow concentration of humid air without providing a cartridge inside the membrane humidifier, preventing damage to the hollow fiber membrane and increasing humidification efficiency, and reducing the overall volume and manufacturing cost of the membrane humidifier. there is.

In addition, it solves the serious problem of static electricity occurring in the hollow fiber membrane bundle during the manufacturing process of the membrane humidifier and the serious problem of the thin hollow fiber membrane being easily damaged, and the manual work of aligning the hollow fiber membrane bundle according to the specified shape is very easy, making the membrane humidifier It has the effect of improving quality control and productivity.

1 is (a) a perspective view and (b) a top view showing a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell of the present invention according to an embodiment.
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of Figure 1
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA (a) and (b) a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is (a) a plan view, (b) a cross-sectional view along the CC line, and (c) a perspective view of a potting holder showing the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal air flow path of the membrane humidifier for fuel cells of the present invention, (a) is a cross-sectional view, and (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view.
Figure 6 is a flow chart showing the method of manufacturing a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a flow chart showing a method of manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 8 is a process flow chart of Figure 7
Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the potting jig according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 10 is (a) a longitudinal cross-sectional view and (b) a DD line cross-sectional view showing a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell of the present invention according to another embodiment.

The terms used in this specification are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as “include,” “have,” or “equipped with” are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in this specification. It should be understood that this does not preclude the existence or addition of other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Unless otherwise defined herein, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention pertains.

Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having meanings consistent with the meanings they have in the context of the related technology, and unless clearly defined in this specification, should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense. It shouldn't be.

Hereinafter, the configuration and operational relationship of a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention will be examined in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a (a) perspective view and (b) plan view showing a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell of the present invention according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1 (a). (b) is a cross-sectional view along the line B-B, and Figure 4 is a plan view (a), (b) a cross-sectional view along the line C-C, and (c) a perspective view of the potting holder showing the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the potting holder. A cross-sectional view showing the internal air flow path of the membrane humidifier for fuel cells of the present invention, where (a) is a cross-sectional view and (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view.

Looking at the configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, the membrane humidifier 10 for a fuel cell of the present invention largely includes a hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly 100 and a housing assembly (unmarked).

Here, the housing assembly (unmarked) includes a main housing 200, an upper cover housing 300, a lower cover housing 400, and first and second sealing members 510 and 520, according to an embodiment. It can be configured to include.

First, referring to FIG. 4, the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly 100 consists of a plurality of hollow fiber membrane bundles 110 with both ends potted with the hollows (H) of the plurality of densely packed hollow fibers (F) exposed. It comes true.

According to one embodiment, the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly 100 includes a plurality of hollow fiber membrane bundles 110 arranged neatly in one direction; A potting holder 120 that is inserted into both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 and fixes the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 so as not to be disturbed; and a potting resin 130 that is injected and cured between the potting holder 120 and the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 to airtightly pot both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110.

Additionally, according to one embodiment, the potting holder 120 has a tube-shaped body 121 with both left and right ends open, and the middle portion 122 of the tube-shaped body 121 has a reduced diameter and is constricted. It has an orifice shape. Therefore, the tube-shaped body 121 with a relatively large diameter facilitates insertion of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110, and the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 is located in the middle portion 122 of the orifice shape with a relatively small diameter. It is inserted and fixed in a press-fitted state so as not to disturb.

Additionally, according to one embodiment, a plurality of potting resin penetration holes 121a are further formed in the tube-shaped body 121 of the potting holder 120. Accordingly, after the liquid potting resin 130 penetrates between the potting holder 120 and the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 through the potting resin penetration hole 121a, both ends of the potting resin 130 shrink as it cools. The potting resin 130 cured into a solid state airtightly binds the potting holder 120 and the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 without any gap.

Additionally, according to one embodiment, a sealing member fixing groove 123 is further formed around the outer circumference of the potting holder 120. The middle portions 511 and 521 of the first and second sealing members 510 and 520, which will be described later, are fitted and coupled to the sealing member fixing groove 123.

In addition, the main housing 200 has an overall flat hexahedral shape, and the central area of the upper surface is open in a concave grill shape and has a plurality of communication channels so that the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly 100 can be selectively inserted and accommodated from the upper side. An assembly groove 210 having a ball 210b is formed, and dry air inlets 220 and 230 are integrally formed on the side edges at diagonally opposite positions, and the dry air inlets 220 ) (230) has a hollow (H) of the hollow fiber (F) at both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly (100) mounted in the assembly groove (210) and a dry air flow path (red arrow in FIG. 5) for supplying dry air, respectively. connected.

At this time, since the main housing 200 has a flat hexahedral shape, for example, the membrane humidifier 10 of the present invention can be placed at the bottom of the fuel cell stack (not shown) or erected at a specific site, and through this, the entire membrane humidifier 10 can be configured. It can contribute to the compactization of fuel cell system packages.

In addition, a dry air flow path (red arrow in FIG. 5) is provided in the connection section between the dry air inlet 220 and the assembly groove 210 of the main housing 200, and between the dry air outlet 230 and the assembly groove 210. First and second buffer space portions 241 and 242 of a certain length with an expanded cross-sectional area are formed, respectively.

According to one embodiment, the length (L, see Figure 5a) of the first and second buffer spaces 241 and 242 is the width (W, see Figure 5a) of both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly 100. Formed to be the same or larger.

Therefore, referring to Figures 5a and b, the dry air flowing into the dry air intake port 220 according to the configuration of the dry air flow path (red arrow in Figure 5) described above passes through the first buffer space portion 241 and then passes through the assembly groove portion. The dry air passes through the hollow H of the hollow fiber F at both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly 100 assembled at 210 and is then discharged to the second buffer space 242 through the dry air outlet 230. is discharged as

In addition, the upper cover housing 300 is mounted on the upper surface of the main housing 200 to airtightly seal the open upper part of the assembly groove 210, and the middle portion has a hollow body mounted in the assembly groove 210. The wet air inlet 310 is integrally provided to be perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the desert bundle 110, and the wet air inlet 310 is connected to the open upper part of the assembly groove 210 and the wet air flow path (blue arrow in FIG. 5). do.

In addition, the lower cover housing 400, as it is mounted on the lower surface of the main housing 200, airtightly seals the lower communication hole 210a of the assembly groove 210, and the middle portion is provided with the assembly groove 210. The wet air outlet 410 is integrally provided to be perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the mounted hollow fiber membrane bundle 110, and the wet air outlet 410 is connected to the lower communication hole 210a of the assembly groove 210 and the wet air flow path (FIG. 5 blue arrow) is connected.

In addition, between the main housing 200 and the upper and lower cover housings 300 and 400, the outer perimeter of the assembly groove 210 and the first to fourth buffer spaces 241, 242, 243, and 244 are formed. First and second sealing members 510 and 520 for airtight sealing are further provided, respectively.

In addition, one side of the main housing 200 in communication with the wet air inlet 310 and one side of the main housing 200 in communication with the wet air outlet 410 have a wet air flow path (blue arrow in Fig. 5a, b). Third and fourth buffer spaces 243 and 244 with expanded cross-sectional areas are formed, respectively.

That is, so that the wet air with a high flow speed of 10 to 30 m/s supplied to the wet air inlet 310 by the third and fourth buffer space parts 243 and 244 is not directly sprayed onto the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110. do. Accordingly, the third and fourth buffer spaces 243 and 244 reduce the flow rate of wet air to prevent damage to the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 in contact with the wet air, thereby reducing the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110. ) to prevent disconnection.

That is, the wet air flow path inside the main housing 200 is formed in an upward or downward orthogonal direction to vertically cross the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 mounted in the assembly groove 210, and the wet air flow path is The supplied wet air is sprayed uniformly throughout the entire plane of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110, forming a continuous vertical airflow.

Therefore, referring to Figures 5a and b, the wet air flowing into the wet air intake port 310 according to the configuration of the wet air flow path (blue arrow in Figure 5) described above passes through the third buffer space portion 243 and then passes through the assembly groove portion 210. It is sprayed to the side of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 assembled in, and in this process, moisture from the humid air penetrates into the hollow H of the hollow fiber membrane F (see FIG. 3). Thereafter, the humid air from which the moisture has been removed is discharged to the fourth buffer space 244 through the communication hole 210a of the assembly groove 210 and then through the humid air outlet 410 of the lower cover housing 400 to the membrane humidifier ( 10) It is finally discharged to the outside.

That is, since the assembly groove 210 and the communication hole 210a support the lower part of the hollow fiber membrane bundle, they do not interfere with the flow of wet air sprayed into the hollow fiber membrane bundle or cause unnecessary turbulence, as seen in the problem of the cartridge method of the prior art. does not occur

In addition, since the wet air flow path is uniformly distributed downward by the communication holes 210a formed uniformly throughout the bottom of the assembly groove 210, damage to the hollow fiber membrane (F) occurs due to the high flow rate of the wet air being concentrated in a specific part. Not only is over-disconnection prevented, but the humid air is evenly distributed throughout the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110, so the humidifying performance of the membrane humidifier 10 is improved.

In addition, referring to FIG. 3, a pair of support protrusions 320 and 420 for pressing and supporting the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly 100 are formed on the inner sides of the upper and lower cover housings 300 and 400, respectively. do. Therefore, the pair of support protrusions 320 and 420 press and secure the middle portion of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 from above and below, thereby preventing the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 from shaking or being disconnected due to spraying of wet air. do.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a method of manufacturing a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell according to the present invention according to an embodiment, FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a method of manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is FIG. 7 It is a process flow diagram, and Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the potting jig according to one embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to FIGS. 6 to 9, a method of manufacturing a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell of the present invention will be described according to an embodiment as follows.

The method of manufacturing a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell of the present invention broadly includes a first step (S100): forming the main housing 200, the upper cover housing 300, and the lower cover housing 400; Second step (S200): manufacturing the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly 100; And the third step (S300): After mounting the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly 100 on the main housing 200, upper and lower cover housings 300 and 400 are installed on the upper and lower surfaces of the main housing 200, respectively. It may be composed of the step of assembling and sealing.

Here, in the first step (S100): forming the main housing 200, the upper cover housing 300, and the lower cover housing 400, the main housing is airtight by inserting the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly 100 therein. This may be a process of molding a specific synthetic resin to have an assembly groove 210 and a communication hole 210a to be assembled. This molding process may be plastic injection, extrusion, or other similar plastic processing processes.

Additionally, the third step (S300) may be a process of assembling the main housing 200, the upper cover housing 300, and the lower cover housing 400 formed in the first step by fitting them together. In this process, first and second sealing members 510 and 520 are interposed between the main housing 200, the upper cover housing 300, and the lower cover housing 400, thereby sealing the main housing 200 and the upper cover. Forms a sealing force between the housing 300 and the lower cover housing 400.

Meanwhile, according to one embodiment, the second step (S200) may consist of the following detailed steps.

Step (S210): Prepare an appropriate quantity of hollow fiber membrane bundles 110.

According to one embodiment, the hollow fiber membrane (F) of this step is a hollow fiber membrane made of any polymer material, such as PES (Polyethersulphone), PEI (Polyetherimide), PS (Polystylen) F) can be used, and the manufacturing process of the hollow fiber membrane involves drying at a constant temperature and humidity. Thereafter, the dried hollow fiber membrane (F) is divided into a specific number, one end is tied, and hung on a drying frame (not shown) to dry.

Thereafter, the dried hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 with one end tied is divided into hollow fiber membrane bundles 110 of a quantity and length that can be assembled with an appropriate packing density inside the membrane humidifier 10. At this time, according to one embodiment, the length of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 is cut by giving an extra length of 20 to 150 mm on one side for later cutting of the potting resin 130 to cut the hollow fiber membrane (F).

Step (S211): The hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 prepared in step (S210) is inserted into the cylindrical mesh 600 (see FIG. 8) made of stretchable material and tightly packed so as not to be disturbed. For reference, this step can be selectively performed depending on the site process design.

At this time, the cylindrical mesh 600 is a tool that functions to gather the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 in a dense form. According to one embodiment, the cylindrical mesh 600 is opened and forms the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110. A flexible hydrophobic plastic film may be used to facilitate insertion.

Step (S220): After aligning the hollow fiber membrane bundles 110, they are stacked layer by layer between the first grooves 701 (see FIG. 9) elongated in the vertical direction of the potting jig 700.

In this step, according to one embodiment, the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 prepared as described above is placed in layers by inserting the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 into the potting jig 700 having the U-shaped first groove 701 from top to bottom. Stack and align. At this time, since the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 is tightly packed by being inserted into the cylindrical mesh 600, the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 is made flat by touching it with the hand in this state, and then the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 is made into a flat shape and then placed in the first groove 701 of the potting jig 700. ) and stacked layer by layer.

Here, referring to FIG. 9, the potting jig 700 is formed with a first groove 701 elongated in the vertical direction so that the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 can be inserted from above, and both ends of the first groove 701 There is a second groove 702 whose groove spacing is further expanded than the first groove 701 so that the potting holder 120 to be inserted from both sides of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 in the subsequent step (S230) can be caught. This is formed.

In addition, a guide slope 703 whose width gradually narrows downward is formed at the upper end of the first groove 701 to prevent the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 from getting caught when it is inserted and stacked from above the first groove 701. do.

Step (S230): The potting holder 120 is inserted into both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 laminated by being inserted into the potting jig 700.

In this step, preferably, the insertion of the potting holder 120 can be made easier by tying both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 using a string or the like so as not to spread and then inserting the potting holder 120. there is.

Step (S240): Assemble the potting gap 800 to entirely cover both ends of the potting holder 120 and the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110.

In this step, potting caps for injecting potting resin are inserted and fitted onto both ends of the flatly laminated hollow fiber membrane bundle according to the shape of the first groove 701 of the potting jig 700.

Step (S241): In this step, as shown in FIG. 8, airtightness is maintained between the potting cap 800 and the potting holder 120 by strongly pressing and adhering the potting gap 800 with the fixing block 900. . For reference, this step can be selectively performed depending on the site process design.

Step (S250): Liquid potting resin 130 is injected into the potting cap 800 to penetrate and harden the potting resin 130 between the potting holder 120 and the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110.

In this step, according to one embodiment, the potting resin 130 may include at least one of epoxy resin or polyurethane resin. In addition, the potting resin 130 penetrates and hardens between the potting holder 120 and the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 by either centrifugal molding using centrifugal force or dipping molding using gravity. Additionally, the potting resin 130 is preferably injected into the potting cap 800 after removing all air bubbles between the resin materials in a separate dispenser (not shown).

Therefore, the potting resin 130 molded to fit the inner shape of the potting cap 800 as described above penetrates and fills the spaces between the hollow fiber membranes (F), and when the potting resin 130 hardens, the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 Airtight potting is completed around both ends.

Step (S260): After removing the potting cap 800, both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 protruding from the potting holder 120 are cut and removed.

In this step, according to one embodiment, the potting resin 130 on which the potting has been completed is cut to a set length using a cutting machine (not shown) such as a rotary blade or a small blade, thereby forming a hollow fiber membrane at both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110. Make sure the hollow (H) of (F) is open.

Therefore, the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly 100 manufactured as described above has an overall flat and flat shape, so that the path of wet air reaching the center of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 is shortened, making it easier for wet air to reach the membrane. The humidifying performance of the humidifier is improved.

Figure 10 is (a) a longitudinal cross-sectional view and (b) a cross-sectional view along the line D-D, showing the membrane humidifier for a fuel cell of the present invention according to another embodiment.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 10, the housing assembly of the membrane humidifier for fuel cells of the present invention is composed of three components, the main housing 200, the cover housing 300, and the sealing member 500, according to another embodiment, and accordingly, the previous It can have a more compact configuration in terms of number of parts and assembly compared to the example described above.

Below, focusing on the differences from one embodiment, the assembly groove portion 210 according to another embodiment has a gap space between communication protrusions 215 formed to face each other inside the main housing 200 and the cover housing 300. It may be (210, see FIG. 10b).

The communication protrusion 215 is formed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 inside the main housing 200 and the cover housing 300, as shown in FIG. 10B. At this time, the communicating protrusions 215 are formed at regular intervals along the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110, and wet air flows upward from the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 through the space 215a between the communicating protrusions 215. After being supplied, it is then sprayed downward to vertically cross the plane of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110. (see Figure 10a)

In this process, the wet air comes into uniform contact with the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 through which dry air flows, and the moisture contained in the wet air penetrates into the hollow H of the hollow fiber membrane F.

In addition, a single sealing member 500 is further provided between the main housing 200 and the cover housing 300.

Therefore, the wet air supplied to the wet air inlet 310 according to the wet air flow path of the above configuration is the space between the communication protrusions 215 through the third buffer space and the side hole 213 at the upper left (215a, Figure 10b). After being supplied to the assembly groove 210, it is sprayed downward in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane bundle 110 mounted in the assembly groove 210, and then into the side hole 214 at the bottom right and the fourth It passes through the buffer space 244 and finally exits through the wet air outlet 410.

In this process, the humid air supplied to the humid air flow path is sprayed uniformly throughout the flat and thin hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly 100 to form a continuous vertical airflow, thereby improving moisture penetration and reliability, and further improving humidification performance. You can get the effect.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to just one embodiment described above, and the same effect can be created even when changing the detailed configuration, number, and arrangement structure of the device, so those skilled in the art will understand the present invention. It is stated that addition, deletion, and modification of various configurations are possible within the scope of the technical idea.

10: Membrane humidifier for fuel cells (of the present invention)
100: Hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly
110: hollow fiber membrane bundle
120: potting holder
121: (Tube shape of potting holder) Body
121a: Potting resin penetration hole
122: (Orifice shape of potting holder) middle part
130: potting resin
200: main housing
210: Assembly groove
210a: flue hole
213, 214: side hole
215: flue protrusion
215a: space between (of communication protrusions)
220: dry air intake
230: dry air outlet
241, 242, 243, 244: first, second, third, fourth buffer space parts
300: upper cover housing
310: Humid air intake
320, 420: Support protrusion
400: Lower cover housing
410: Humid air outlet
500: Sealing member
510, 520: first and second sealing members
600: Cylindrical mesh
700: Potting jig
800: potting cap
900: Fixing block
F: hollow fiber membrane
H: hollow (of hollow fiber membrane)

Claims (16)

A hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly consisting of a hollow fiber membrane bundle with both ends potted with the hollows of the dense hollow fiber membrane exposed; and
It has an overall hexahedral shape, and includes an inlet and an outlet for wet air and dry air on the peripheral surface, and an assembly groove is formed in the inner center area for selectively inserting and airtightly receiving the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly, and the assembly groove is A housing assembly in which a dry air flow path is formed in one direction through the hollow of the hollow fiber membrane bundle inserted into the assembly groove as a reference, and a wet air flow path is formed in a direction vertically crossing the hollow fiber membrane bundle and the dry air flow path based on the assembly groove. Contains ;,
The assembly groove is characterized in that it has a concave grill shape with an open upper surface and a plurality of communication holes formed on the lower surface,
Membrane humidifier for fuel cells. According to claim 1,
The housing assembly,
It has an overall flat hexahedral shape, and an assembly groove is formed in the center area of the upper surface for selectively inserting and airtightly receiving the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly from above, between the dry air intake and the assembly groove, and between the dry air outlet and the assembly groove. In the connecting section, first and second buffer space parts of a certain length are formed, respectively, to expand the cross-sectional area of the dry air flow path, so that the dry air flow path is formed via the dry air inlet and outlet, the assembly groove, and the first and second buffer space parts. A main housing connected to the assembly groove and having a wet air flow path formed above and below the assembly groove to be perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the hollow fiber membrane bundle mounted on the assembly groove;
A cover housing that is mounted on at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the main housing to airtightly seal the dry air flow path and the wet air flow path of the main housing; and
A sealing member provided between the main housing and the cover housing to airtightly seal the exterior of the assembly groove and the first and second buffer spaces.
Membrane humidifier for fuel cells. delete A hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly consisting of a hollow fiber membrane bundle with both ends potted with the hollows of the dense hollow fiber membrane exposed; and
It has an overall hexahedral shape, and includes an inlet and an outlet for wet air and dry air on the peripheral surface, and an assembly groove is formed in the inner center area for selectively inserting and airtightly receiving the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly, and the assembly groove is A housing assembly in which a dry air flow path is formed in one direction through the hollow of the hollow fiber membrane bundle inserted into the assembly groove as a reference, and a wet air flow path is formed in a direction vertically crossing the hollow fiber membrane bundle and the dry air flow path based on the assembly groove. Contains ;,
The assembly groove portion forms communication protrusions inside the housing assembly to face each other upward and downward, and both ends of the opposing communication projections are in contact with and supported by a bundle of hollow fiber membranes inserted into the assembly groove, and at the same time, there is a gap between and between the communication projections. Forming a wet air flow path through the space,
The hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly,
Multiple hollow fiber bundles neatly aligned in one direction; and
It includes a potting holder that is inserted into both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle and secures the hollow fiber membrane bundle so as not to disturb,
The potting holder has a tube-shaped body with both left and right ends open, and the central part of the tube shape has a reduced diameter and has a narrow orifice shape,
Membrane humidifier for fuel cells. According to claim 1,
The wet air flow path inside the housing assembly is formed in an upward or downward orthogonal direction to perpendicularly cross the longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly mounted in the assembly groove, and the wet air supplied to the wet air flow path is directed to the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly. Characterized by forming a continuous vertical airflow while being sprayed uniformly throughout the plane of
Membrane humidifier for fuel cells. According to claim 1,
At least one of a third buffer space portion or a fourth buffer space portion is further formed on the wet air passage of the housing assembly to expand the cross-sectional area of the wet air passage,
Membrane humidifier for fuel cells. According to claim 2,
A support protrusion is formed at the middle of the inner surface of the cover housing to press and support the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly inserted into the assembly groove,
Membrane humidifier for fuel cells. According to claim 1,
The hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly,
Multiple hollow fiber bundles neatly aligned in one direction;
A potting holder fitted at both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle to secure the hollow fiber membrane bundle so as not to disturb it; and
A potting resin that is injected and cured between the potting holder and the hollow fiber membrane bundle to airtightly pot both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle.
Membrane humidifier for fuel cells. According to claim 8,
The potting holder has a tube-shaped body with both left and right ends open, and the central part of the tube shape has a reduced diameter and has a narrow orifice shape,
Membrane humidifier for fuel cells. According to claim 8,
A plurality of potting resin penetration holes are further formed in the potting holder,
Membrane humidifier for fuel cells. According to claim 8,
A sealing member fixing groove is further formed on the outer circumference of the potting holder for inserting and fixing a part of the sealing member.
Membrane humidifier for fuel cells. (S100) forming the main housing and cover housing;
(S200) manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly; and
(S300) After mounting the hollow fiber membrane bundle assembly to the main housing, assembling and finishing a cover housing on the upper or lower surface of the main housing;
In step S200,
(S210) preparing an appropriate quantity of hollow fiber membrane bundles;
(S220) aligning the hollow fiber membrane bundles and stacking them layer by layer between vertically elongated grooves of the potting jig;
(S230) inserting potting holders into both ends of the laminated hollow fiber membrane bundle inserted into the potting jig;
(S240) assembling a potting cap to entirely cover both ends of the potting holder and the hollow fiber membrane bundle;
(S250) injecting potting resin into the potting cap to penetrate and cure the potting resin between the potting holder and the hollow fiber membrane bundle; and
(S260) After removing the potting cap, cutting and removing both ends of the hollow fiber membrane bundle protruding from the potting holder.
Method for manufacturing a membrane humidifier for fuel cells. delete According to claim 12,
After step S210,
(S211) inserting the prepared hollow fiber membrane bundle into a cylindrical mesh made of stretchable material and crowding it so that it does not become disorganized; further comprising:
Method for manufacturing a membrane humidifier for fuel cells. According to claim 12,
The potting jig is formed with a vertically elongated first groove so that the hollow fiber membrane bundle can be inserted from above, and both ends of the first groove have first grooves so that potting holders inserted from both sides of the hollow fiber membrane bundle can be caught. A second groove with a further expanded groove spacing is formed,
Method for manufacturing a membrane humidifier for fuel cells. According to claim 15,
A guide slope whose width gradually narrows downward is further formed at the upper end of the first groove to prevent the hollow fiber membrane bundle from being caught when it is inserted and stacked from above the first groove.
Method for manufacturing a membrane humidifier for fuel cells.