{
  "patent_number": "US 20200266464",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How a Fuel Cell Humidifier Safely Mixes Exhaust Gases",
  "original_title": "Humidifier for fuel cell",
  "summary": "Hyundai's patent describes a fuel cell humidifier that not only adds moisture to incoming air but also intelligently mixes exhaust gases, including hydrogen, with fresh air using a special valve to make the exhaust safer before it leaves the system.",
  "what_it_does": "This humidifier prepares air for a fuel cell by passing \"supply air\" through a \"humidifying membrane\" (Claim 1), which adds moisture. The humidified air then goes to the fuel cell's cathode. Crucially, the system includes a \"first valve\" (Claim 1) that can selectively connect the fresh air path with the exhaust gas path. This valve opens automatically when the \"internal pressure of the second region\" (Claim 2), where exhaust gas flows, reaches a certain level. When open, fresh \"supply air\" mixes with the \"exhaust gas\" (Claim 1) from the fuel cell, including \"exhaust hydrogen\" (Claim 2). This mixing reduces the \"hydrogen concentration\" (Claim 2) in the gas discharged to the exhaust system, enhancing safety. For example, if a fuel cell vehicle produces hydrogen-rich exhaust, this system can dilute it with fresh air before release.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Humidifiers that do not include a valve for selective communication between the supply air region and the exhaust gas region (Claim 1).",
    "Systems where the valve does not open due to the internal pressure of the exhaust gas region (Claim 2).",
    "Humidifiers that do not mix supply air with exhaust gas to specifically reduce hydrogen concentration (Claim 2).",
    "Humidifiers lacking a separate, pressure-operated valve for exhaust hydrogen introduced from the fuel cell anode (Claim 10).",
    "Humidifiers where the first valve is not installed between the first cap and the exhaust gas outlet (Claim 3)."
  ],
  "filed": "2019-09-13",
  "granted": null,
  "expires": "2039-09-13",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Hyundai Motor",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/hyundai-motor",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Jong Sung Kim",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/jong-sung-kim"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 6,
  "tags": [
    "automotive",
    "energy",
    "telecommunications"
  ],
  "abstract": "A fuel cell humidifier includes a membrane module accommodating a humidifying membrane, a first cap coupled to a first side of the membrane module and supplying a supply air to the humidifying membrane, and a second cap coupled to a second side of the membrane module and discharging a humidified supply air from the humidifying membrane to a cathode of a fuel cell stack. An exhaust gas inlet is coupled to the membrane module and provides an exhaust gas discharged from the stack and an exhaust gas outlet is coupled to the membrane module and discharges a dehumidified exhaust gas, which passes through the membrane module, to an exhaust system. A valve provides selective communication between a first region, where the supply air flows, including the first and second caps and a second region, where the exhaust gas flows, including the exhaust gas inlet and the exhaust gas outlet.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20200266464/humidifier-for-fuel-cell-20200266464",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20200266464/humidifier-for-fuel-cell-20200266464/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US20200266464",
  "relatedPatents": [
    {
      "patentNumber": "10950878",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How a Fuel Cell Humidifier Controls Air Moisture with a Smart Valve",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10950878/humidifier-for-a-fuel-cell"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "11646431",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How a Fuel Cell Humidifier Adjusts Air Moisture with a Bypass",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11646431/humidifier-for-fuel-cell"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "20140045086",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How to Prepare a Fuel Cell for Faster, Cheaper Startup",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20140045086/pre-activation-method-for-fuel-cell-stack"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "7833668",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How Fuel Cells Reuse Exhaust Hydrogen for High Efficiency",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7833668/fuel-cell-system-with-greater-than-95-fuel-utilization"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "5346778",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "Boosting Fuel Cell Power for Vehicles Using Oxygen Injection",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5346778/electrochemical-load-management-system-for-transportation-applications"
    }
  ]
}