Hyundai Motor Company

Kia Motors Corporation

Sang Yeoul Ahn

Bo Ki Hong

Byung Ki Ahn

Tae Won Lim

Sung Keun Lee

Keun Je Lee

Sae Hoon Kim

Kook Il Han

Ji Yeon Park

Byeong Heon Jeong

Sang Hyun Cho

Yong Sun Park

Hyun Seung Lee

Jea Suk Park

Disclosed herein is a method of detecting defects of a fuel cell membrane-electrode assembly which comprises a gas diffusion layer, a catalyst layer and an electrolyte membrane. The method includes steps of: supplying gas to a first side of the membrane-electrode assembly; deducing a pressure of the supplied gas and a permeation rate of the gas permeating to a second side of the membrane-electrode assembly and then deducing an interface pressure between the electrolyte membrane and the gas diffusion layer of the membrane-electrode assembly using the deduced pressure of the supplied gas and the permeation rate; calculating a gas permeability of the electrolyte membrane using the deduced values of the pressure of the supplied gas and the permeation rate and a predetermined outlet pressure at the second side of the membrane-electrode assembly; and determining a defect state of the electrolyte membrane using a variation in the calculated gas permeability according to a change in the pressure of the supplied gas.

Method and apparatus for detecting defects of fuel cell membrane-electrode assembly

An apparatus for manufacturing fuel cell stack components integrally bond gas diffusion layers to both surfaces of a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) basic material in which a membrane-electrode assembly has sub gaskets. The apparatus includes a frame, an upper die disposed on the frame to be movable in a vertical direction, and a lower die disposed on the frame, and configured to support the MEA basic material and the gas diffusion layers at a lower side of the upper die. Bonders are installed at each of the upper die and the lower die and configured to compress the MEA basic material and the gas diffusion layers at a high temperature and a high pressure. Steam injectors are disposed at the bonders and configured to inject steam to the MEA basic material and the gas diffusion layers. An ultra-pure water storage tank configured to stores ultra-pure water for generating the steam by the bonders and supplies the ultra-pure water to the bonders.

Device for manufacturing fuel cell stack components

Disclosed is a pinhole inspection apparatus, system and method for a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell, which can easily detect the position of a pinhole using water and a pH test paper from discoloration caused when the water is in contact with the pH test paper through the pinhole, thus solving the existing problems and allowing the membrane electrode assembly to be reused after the inspection. In particular, a lower fixture is configured to support the membrane electrode assembly and water is uniformly distributed on an upper surface of the membrane electrode assembly. A pH test paper is inserted between the membrane electrode assembly and the lower fixture and discolored upon coming in contact with water that passes through a pinhole in the membrane electrode assembly, thus detecting the presence and position of the pinhole.

Pinhole inspection system and apparatus for membrane electrode assembly of fuel cell

The present invention provides a gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell vehicle with improved operational stability, the gas diffusion layer, which functions to supply hydrogen and air (oxygen) as reactant gases to a fuel cell stack, discharge product water generated by an electrochemical reaction, and transmit generated electricity, being formed with a thinned structure. For this purpose, the present invention provides a gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell vehicle with improved operational stability, the gas diffusion layer being formed with a dual layer structure including a microporous layer and a macroporous substrate, the macroporous substrate being formed of a material selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber felt and carbon fiber paper, the gas diffusion layer being thinned to have a thickness of 200 to 300 &#x3bc;m at 25 kPa and a thickness of 170 to 250 &#x3bc;m at 1 MPa, a density of 0.20 to 0.60 g/cmat 25 kPa, a porosity of 50 to 90% measured by mercury intrusion, and a through-plane electrical resistance of 30 m&#x3a9;&#xb7;cmor lower measured at a clamping pressure of 1 MPa.

Gas diffusion layer for fuel cell vehicle with improved operational stability

A system for activating a fuel cell includes a flow meter for measuring the amount of water discharged from an outlet of the air electrode and an outlet of the fuel electrode; a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure at the respective outlets; and a back pressure regulator receiving flow values measured by the flow meters and pressure values measured by the pressure sensors, which are fed back from a controller, and regulating a pressure difference (&#x394;P=P&#x2212;P) to be a value greater than 0. With the system, the activation time of a fuel cell and the amount of hydrogen used for the activation can be reduced, thus improving the productivity and manufacturing cost.

System and method for activating fuel cells

A pinhole detection system of a fuel cell element unit including a density measurement module that calculates a density of a fuel cell element unit using weight and volume data measured from electronic weight balance and 3D scan type volume integrator. Photon energy ranges of X-ray beam and window species of the pinhole detection system automatically are selected from Groupor Groupaccording to the density reference point for a fuel cell element, and a stage on which a fuel cell element unit is disposed to be detected. A drive portion that moves the stage to rotate the fuel cell element unit. An X-ray source is disposed at one side of the stage to apply X-ray to the fuel cell element unit that rotates. An image detector detects an X-ray penetrating the fuel cell element unit, and a computer tomography that reconstructs a three dimensional tomogram.

Pinhole detection system of fuel cell

The present invention relates to a device and a method for detecting a pin hole in a part of a fuel cell stack part to accurately detect the presence of pin holes of stack parts thereby ensuring quality of a fuel cell stack. That is, the present invention provides a system for detecting a pin hole in parts of a fuel cell stack that allows for quality assurance of the fuel cell stack and prevents defective parts from being used, by examining each fuel stack part, which largely influence the quality of the fuel cell stack, using an X-ray device and a vision system, in order to determine the presence of a pin hole in the parts, and a method thereof.

System for detecting pin hole of fuel cell stack parts

System and method for activating fuel cell

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for non-destructive measurement of bending stiffness of a gas diffusion layer (GDL) for a fuel cell by measuring a sagging length of a GDL sample, which can be used for a fuel cell, without damaging or destroying the GDL sample.

Growing community of inventors

Seoul, South Korea

Sang Yeoul Ahn