1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin-film detecting device. Particularly, it relates to a thin-film detecting device having a thin-film detecting portion disposed between two plates. About this invention, its structure is simple. It is easy to install. The exchangeability is high. Plus, it can be disposed on a specific position easily.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With regard to a traditional fuel cell, it is possible to install a sensor at the entrance or exit of the fuel cell. Although it can detect the temperature, humidity, pressure and CO concentration at that point (at the entrance or at the exit), it cannot directly detect the actual condition of a channel inside this fuel cell.
Some fuel cell manufacturer tried to install one or more sensors on one of the bipolar plates of the tradition fuel cell during the manufacturing process. But, it still faces the following difficulties or problems:
[1] The structure is complicated. There are many complicated types of flowing channels on the bipolar plates. Once the design of the channel is different, the manufacturing procedures to install sensors on the bipolar plate will be totally changed. Thus, the structure is complicated
[2] The installing process is inconvenient. For such conventional fuel cell, it is required to install all sensors during the manufacturing process. Once the fuel cell is finished, it is almost impossible (or highly difficult) to add any extra sensor inside. Therefore, it cannot to put in or take out some sensors after this fuel cell is made.
[3] There is no exchangeability at all. In the past, the sensors are directly made (such as coated) on the bipolar plate. These sensors are fixed on it. It is impossible to take our one of these installed sensors out to move to another fuel cell. Hence, there is no exchangeability at all.
[4] The manufacturing process for installing the sensors inside is very complicated. Assuming the length of the curvy channel inside the fuel cell is 25 cm, if four sensors are designed to be secured on the positions at 7 cm, 14 cm, 18 cm, and 25 cm measuring from the entrance, it is quite difficult to arrange all these sensors during the manufacturing process. In addition, eight connecting lines for these four sensors must be disposed inside. Installing these eight connecting lines is another problem during the manufacturing process. Besides, if any one of the sensors is out of order, it is extremely difficult to fix it. Usually, the entire fuel cell will be abandoned.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a thin-film detecting device. In which, its structure is simple.
The next object of the present invention is to provide a thin-film detecting device. It is easy to install.
The other object of the present invention is to provide a thin-film detecting device. The exchangeability is high, so that its industrial applicability is high.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a thin-film detecting device. It can be disposed on a specific position easily.
Referring to
With regard to this plate set 10, it has a first plate 11 and a second plate 12. About this first plate 11, it includes a first inner surface 111, a first outer surface 112, at least one first channel 113, a first gas inlet 114 and a first gas outlet 115. The first gas inlet 114 and the first gas outlet 115 communicate with the first inner surface 111 and the first outer surface 112.
Concerning this second plate 12, it includes a second inner surface 121, a second outer surface 122, at least one second channel 123, a second gas inlet 124 and a second gas outlet 125. The second gas inlet 124 and the second gas outlet 125 communicate with the second inner surface 121 and said second outer surface 122.
The thin-film detecting portion 20 is disposed between the first inner surface 111 and the second inner surface 121. The thin-film detecting portion 20 (such as a tape structure) is deformable and is disposed with at least one sensor 21. Each sensor 21 has a connecting line 22 extending from the sensor 20.
Practically, the plate set 10 can be applied on a steam reformer (as shown in
As illustrated in
It can be seen in
Referring
Referring to
As illustrated in
As shown in
Furthermore, except installing the sensors 21 to obtain the information of the actual condition in the channel (such as temperature, humidity, pressure, CO concentration, etc.), one or more heating elements 24 (as illustrated in
The advantages and functions of the present invention can be summarized as follows:
[1] Its structure is simple. By utilizing the thin and deformable characteristics of the thin-film detecting portion, it can be easily disposed between two plates. Tiny sensors are disposed on this thin-film detecting portion for detecting the actual condition inside. The structure of this invention is very simple.
[2] It is easy to install. In order to know the information of temperature, humidity, pressure and CO concentration inside a fuel cell or a steam reformer, the user just needs to open the plate set and then place the thin-film detecting portion (at a desired position) between the first plate and the second plate. No modification for the plate set is required. Thus, the installing word is extremely easy.
[3] The exchangeability is high. Since the thin-film detecting portion is a tape structure design, one or more thin-film detecting portions can be placed on a desired position inside a fuel cell or a steam reformer (no matter their sizes or shapes are different). Thus, the exchangeability is high.
[4] It can be disposed on a specific position easily. If the user wants to detect specific positions (four detecting points) in a channel at 1 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm, and 15 cm measuring from the entrance of the channel, the user can install a thin-film detecting portion having four sensors just matching these specific positions and then assemble the first plate and the second plate. However, if the user wants to change these detecting points at 3 cm, 7 cm, 13 cm, and 18 cm measuring from the entrance of the channel, the user only needs to open the plate set and then re-adjust the thin-film detecting portion or replace a new one instead. Therefore, it can be disposed on a specific position easily.
The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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095144547 | Nov 2006 | TW | national |