Manufacturable humidifier

Abstract

A method for assembling a fuel cell humidifier can include steps of providing a first humidifier plate and a humidifier membrane. The first humidifier plate can have a first top plate surface. The humidifier membrane can have a bottom membrane surface. The bottom membrane surface of the humidifier membrane can be disposed on the first top plate surface of the first humidifier plate. The first humidifier plate can be partially melted. This can permit the first top plate surface of the first humidifier plate to permeate into the bottom membrane surface of the humidifier membrane. The first humidifier plate can be cooled, which can fuse the first top plate surface of the first humidifier plate with the bottom membrane surface of the humidifier membrane.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A humidifier for humidifying a fuel cell stack, comprising:
 a first humidifier plate with a first top plate surface; and   a humidifier membrane with a bottom membrane surface fused with the top plate surface of the humidifier plate.   
     
     
         2 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , further including a second humidifier plate with a second bottom plate surface fused with a top membrane surface of the humidifier membrane. 
     
     
         3 . The humidifier of  claim 2 , wherein the first humidifier plate has a first recess perimeter fused with a second recess perimeter of the second humidifier plate, a seal between the first humidifier plate and the second humidifier plate, the seal bounding the humidifier membrane. 
     
     
         4 . The humidifier of  claim 3 , wherein each of the first humidifier plate and the second humidifier plate has a plate main body with a plurality of header apertures and a flow field circumscribed by a lip, the flow field including a plurality of lattice apertures with a plurality of connecting bridges, each of the lattice apertures separated by one of the connecting bridges. 
     
     
         5 . The humidifier of  claim 4 , wherein the plate main body has a plurality of grooves, each of the grooves disposed adjacent to one of the header apertures and the flow field. 
     
     
         6 . The humidifier of  claim 4 , wherein the connecting bridges has a plurality of spacers disposed thereon, each of the spacers configured to receive the humidifier membrane. 
     
     
         7 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the humidifier does not include a substantial compression and retention system. 
     
     
         8 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the humidifier plate is manufactured from a material that does not substantially melt at room temperature or a selected operating temperature. 
     
     
         9 . The humidifier of  claim 8 , wherein the material is configured to partially melt at a temperature that is greater than the room temperature or the selected operating temperature, thereby allowing the bottom membrane surface of the humidifier membrane to permeate into the top plate surface of the humidifier plate. 
     
     
         10 . A fuel cell system comprising:
 a fuel cell stack configured to output a wet fluid stream;   a fluid source configured to output a dry fluid stream; and   a humidifier according to  claim 1 , wherein the humidifier is configured to receive the wet fluid stream and the dry fluid stream and humidify the dry fluid stream with the wet fluid stream, thereby forming a humidified fluid stream to be provided to the fuel cell stack.