Unlock instant, AI-driven research and patent intelligence for your innovation.

Heat Recovery and Temperature Control for Underwater Vehicles Utilizing Fuel Cells

A fuel cell and vehicle technology, which can be applied to engines using fuel cells, fuel cell heat exchange, fuel cells, etc., and can solve problems such as power reduction

Active Publication Date: 2020-07-07
THE BOEING CO
View PDF7 Cites 0 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, the cathode blower utilizes significant additional power from the SOFC for cooling activities, which reduces the power available for the UUV

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Heat Recovery and Temperature Control for Underwater Vehicles Utilizing Fuel Cells
  • Heat Recovery and Temperature Control for Underwater Vehicles Utilizing Fuel Cells
  • Heat Recovery and Temperature Control for Underwater Vehicles Utilizing Fuel Cells

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0015] The drawings and the following description illustrate specific exemplary embodiments. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that embody the principles within the scope of and embody the embodiments, although not explicitly described or shown herein. Furthermore, any examples described herein are intended to aid in the understanding of the principles of the embodiments and are to be construed as not being limited to such specifically stated examples and conditions. Accordingly, the inventive concept is not limited to the specific embodiments or examples described below, but by the claims and their equivalents.

[0016] figure 1 An underwater vehicle 100 utilizing a Stirling engine for heat recovery and temperature control of an SOFC is shown in an exemplary embodiment. In this embodiment, vehicle 100 is described as an unmanned submersible vehicle (UUV), but in other embodiments, vehicle 100 may be any typ...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

No PUM Login to View More

Abstract

The present invention relates to heat recovery and temperature control for underwater vehicles utilizing fuel cells. Embodiments described herein provide SOFC heat recovery and temperature control for underwater vehicles. The vehicle includes the SOFC, a heat shield surrounding the SOFC, a cooling circuit, and a Stirling engine. The cooling circuit has a heat exchanger and a cooling pump. A heat exchanger thermally couples the cooling circuit to the water. A Stirling engine has a first end thermally coupled to the interior of the thermal barrier and a second end thermally coupled to the cooling circuit. The cooling pump varies the rate of heat dissipation from the second end of the Stirling engine based on the pump control signal. A thermal management controller monitors the temperature of the cathode outlet of the SOFC and varies the pump control signal to maintain the temperature of the cathode outlet within a temperature range.

Description

technical field [0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of underwater vehicles, and more particularly, to underwater vehicles utilizing solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) to generate electricity. Background technique [0002] Underwater vehicles, such as unmanned submersible vehicles (UUVs), sometimes utilize fuel cells to generate electricity. One example of a fuel cell is a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). SOFCs operate by electrochemically converting fuel and oxidant into electricity and heat. Typical SOFCs operate between 650-850 degrees Celsius, and the conversion process is exothermic. This creates a lot of waste heat, which is problematic in UUVs. Typically, waste heat is removed from the UUV using a cooling loop that transfers the heat to the water surrounding the UUV. [0003] For temperature control of the SOFC itself, a cathode blower is utilized to both provide oxygen to the cathode of the SOFC and provide cooling for the SOFC. As the temperature of the ...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
Patent Type & Authority Patents(China)
IPC IPC(8): H01M8/10H01M8/04H01M8/04007
CPCH01M8/04H01M8/04007H01M8/04067H01M8/10B63G8/36F02G1/043H01M8/04014H01M8/0432H01M8/04701H01M8/04716B63G2008/004B63H2021/003H01M2250/20H01M2250/407H01M8/0435H01M8/04373H01M8/0618H01M2008/1293Y02E60/50Y02T90/40
Inventor 迈克尔·J·马里奇乔舒亚·M·默梅尔斯坦迈克尔·韦伯
Owner THE BOEING CO