Warm, humid exhaust air enters the Humidicore™ from the Fuel Cell. The rotating Cordierite drum adsorbs the exhaust water vapor and transfers it to the incoming cool, dry inlet stream. The characteristics of the desiccant coated drum allow only the water vapor to be transferred, while the spent gases continue out of the system. The water vapor never condenses; therefore, no external energy is required to move it back into vapor form. The Humidicore™ drum uses face seals to separate the incoming stream from the exhaust.
The Emprise Fuel Cell Humidifier uses a ceramic honeycomb material. Its dominate chemical composition is Cordierite (2Mg0·2Al2O3·5SiO2). Properties include low pressure drop, high structural strength, dimensional stability, long life and chemical inertness.
In addition, Cordierite is currently in mass production. It is commonly used in automotive catalytic converters and costs as little as 30 cents per cubic inch.
The unique properties of cordierite allow the construction of a simple, inexpensive and almost indestructible enthalpy wheel. The rotor is a unitary cylinder of the honeycomb material shown (left). The contact type end seals act directly against the honeycomb to form very efficient labyrinth seals. The very low thermal expansion rate of Cordierite greatly simplifies the sealing system by minimizing axial growth during operation.
Custom sizes are available by request. Each model is constructed largely from plastic and can be powered by either an AC or DC motor. All materials are compatible with deionized water and do not release compounds that are harmful to fuel cells. For more info on your custom needs, please contact us.
How Humidicore™ Works
Picking the Right Size
Cartridge Details
Manifold Design
Motor Options
Leakage Considerations
Installation Considerations
Field Service
The Humidicore™ was recently selected as one of R&D Magazine's top 100 Most Technologically Significant Inventions of the Year.