IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,330,557
Granted Patent B2
US 10,330,557 · App. 15/372,061 · Granted Jun 25, 2019

Device and method for testing airtightness of fuel cell stack

Inventor: Ji Hwan Son (Anyang-si, KR)
Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
G01M3/20H01M8/0444H01M8/04664H01M8/04671H01M8/04679H01M8/04686H01M8/2465
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,330,557
App. No.
15/372,061
Granted
Jun 25, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a device for testing airtightness of a fuel cell stack. The device for testing airtightness of a fuel cell stack including a first reaction gas inflow portion and a first reaction gas outflow portion which a first reaction gas flows in or out, respectively, and a second reaction gas inflow portion and a second reaction gas outflow portion which a second reaction gas flows in and out, respectively, includes i) a detection gas supplier supplying a detection gas to the first reaction gas inflow portion, ii) an intake installed to be movable in a sequential stacking direction of fuel cells in the second reaction gas outflow portion, iii) a detection gas concentration detector intaking a detection gas through the intake and detecting a concentration of the detection gas, and iv) a controller determining an airtightness-defective cell based on a position of the intake by analyzing the detected concentration value of the detection gas detected by the detection gas concentration detector.

Claims (64)

1. A device for testing airtightness of a fuel cell stack including a first reaction gas inflow portion and a first reaction gas outflow portion through which a first reaction gas flows in and out, respectively, and a second reaction gas inflow portion and a second reaction gas outflow portion through which a second reaction gas flows in and out, respectively, the device comprising:

a detection gas supplier supplying a detection gas to the first reaction gas inflow portion;

an intake installed to be movable in a sequential stacking direction of fuel cells in the second reaction gas outflow portion;

a detection gas concentration detector intaking the detection gas through the intake and detecting a concentration of the detection gas; and

a controller determining an airtightness-defective cell based on a position of the intake by analyzing the detected concentration value of the detection gas detected by the detection gas concentration detector,

wherein:

the intake comprises:

a background pipe intaking a background source; and

a detection pipe intaking a detection source, and

the intake is provided as a dual-pipe in which the background pipe is disposed on the inner side of the detection pipe and integrally connected with the detection pipe.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a jig closing the first reaction gas inflow portion, opening the second reaction gas inflow portion, and closing the first and second reaction gas outflow portions.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein:

the intake intakes air introduced to the second reaction gas outflow portion through the second reaction gas inflow portion and a detection gas leaked to the second reaction gas outflow portion through the first reaction gas outflow portion.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein:

the intake intakes the background source of the second reaction gas outflow portion, establishes a detection background in the second reaction gas outflow portion, and

intakes the detection source of the second reaction gas outflow portion.

5. A device for testing airtightness of a fuel cell stack in which fuel cells are successively stacked, the device comprising:

a first jig closing a first reaction gas inflow portion of the fuel cell stack and opening a second reaction gas inflow portion;

a detection gas supplier connected to the first jig and supplying a detection gas to the first reaction gas inflow portion;

a second jig closing first and second reaction gas outflow portions of the fuel cell stack;

an intake mounted in the second jig and installed to be movable in a sequential stacking direction of the fuel cells within the second reaction gas outflow portion;

a detection gas concentration detector installed to be connected to the intake, intaking a detection source on an inner side of the second reaction gas outflow portion through the intake, and detecting a concentration of the detection gas; and

a controller determining an airtightness-defective cell based on a position of the intake by analyzing the detected concentration value of the detection gas detected by the detection gas concentration detector,

wherein:

the intake comprises:

a background pipe intaking a background source; and

a detection pipe intaking a detection source, and

a detection gas intake passage is provided between an outer circumferential surface of the background pipe and an inner circumferential surface of the detection pipe.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein:

the detection gas supplier comprises:

a gas tank storing a gas lighter than air as the detection gas; and

a supply hose connecting the gas tank and the first reaction gas inflow portion.

7. The device of claim 5 , wherein:

the background pipe intakes the background source of the second reaction gas outflow portion; and

the detection pipe is connected to the background pipe provided on an inner side thereof and intakes the detection source of the second reaction gas outflow portion through a portion between the detection pipe and the background pipe.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein:

the second reaction gas outflow portion and the background pipe are connected to an exhaust pump.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein:

the detection pipe is connected to the detection gas concentration detector.

10. The device of claim 5 , wherein:

the background pipe has a flange supporting an inner wall of the second reaction gas outflow portion.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein:

the detection pipe is disposed to be spaced apart from the flange, and a detection source inlet passage is provided between the detection pipe and the flange.

12. The device of claim 5 , further comprising:

a driver installed in the second jig and linearly moving the intake by a rotational force from a servo motor.

13. A method for testing airtightness of a fuel cell stack, the method comprising steps of:

closing a first reaction gas inflow portion, opening a second reaction inflow portion, closing first and second reaction gas outflow portions, setting an intake in the second reaction gas outflow portion, and supplying a detection gas to the first reaction gas inflow portion;

intaking a background source of the second reaction gas outflow portion through the intake and establishing a detection background;

intaking a detection source of the second reaction gas outflow portion through the intake, and moving the intake in a sequential stacking direction of fuel cells through a servo motor; and

detecting a concentration of the detection gas through a detection gas concentration detector and analyzing the detected concentration value to determine an airtightness-defective cell based on a position of the intake, wherein:

in the step of setting an intake in the second reaction gas outflow portion,

the intake has a form of a dual-pipe in which a background pipe intaking the background source is provided on an inner side of a detection pipe intaking the detection source.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:

in the step of intaking a detection source of the second reaction gas outflow portion through the intake, and moving the intake in a sequential stacking direction of fuel cells through a servo motor,

cell numbers of fuel cells are obtained with respect to a movement position of the intake based on a revolution per minute (RPM) of the servo motor.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

in the step of detecting a concentration of the detection gas through a detection gas concentration detector and analyzing the detected concentration value to determine an airtightness-defective cell based on a position of the intake,

a section in which the detected concentration value of the detection gas of the detection source detected by the detection gas concentration detector is uniform within a set range is set as a reference concentration, and

it is determined whether the detected concentration value of the detection gas exceeds the reference concentration.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

in the step of detecting a concentration of the detection gas through a detection gas concentration detector and analyzing the detected concentration value to determine an airtightness-defective cell based on a position of the intake,

when it is determined that the detected concentration value of the detection gas exceeds the reference concentration,

the cell number of a fuel cell based on a movement position of the intake is indicated, and the fuel cell corresponding to the cell number is determined as an airtightness-defective cell.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2016
From: SON, JI HWAN
To: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
Reel/Frame 040593/0379 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2016-0115743 · Sep 8, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180067013A1 · Mar 8, 2018