Integrated thermal management system for fuel cell motor vehicles

Abstract

An integrated thermal management system for a fuel cell motor vehicle may include: a hydrogen tank configured to store hydrogen for supply to a fuel cell stack; a first turbine rotated by pressure from hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen tank; a refrigerant circulation line configured to circulate refrigerant along which a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator are mounted; a second turbine mounted in the refrigerant circulation line and rotated by high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor; and a blower configured to pressurize ambient air using the rotational force of the first turbine, the second turbine, or an electric motor, and to supply the pressurized ambient air to an indoor air conditioning unit or a fuel cell stack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an integrated thermal management system that controls the internal environment of a fuel cell-powered motor vehicle, such as cooling the fuel cell, cooling / heating the passenger compartment, etc. Background Technology

[0002] Motorized equipment or vehicles refer to all means of transport that carry people or goods, and traditionally, motorized equipment or vehicles are powered by internal combustion engines and fossil fuels. When driving a motorized vehicle, it is necessary for the driver or passengers to control the internal environment of the vehicle, and when using an internal combustion engine, the exhaust temperature is high, so the waste heat of the exhaust can be used to regulate the internal temperature of the vehicle.

[0003] Greenhouse gases produced by the use of internal combustion engines and fossil fuels are raising the Earth's temperature and causing environmental damage, so there is growing interest in motorized vehicles that can be powered by fuel cells and hydrogen.

[0004] However, motor vehicles using fuel cells differ from those using internal combustion engines in their drive methods, the amount of waste heat they release, and the systems they require, thus necessitating numerous modifications to enable environmental controls.

[0005] Fuel cells humidify the air drawn in from the outside and generate electricity through the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, thus requiring the air flowing into the fuel cell to be pressurized.

[0006] Here, when a separate blower configured to pressurize air is used independently, the weight and volume of the motor vehicle, as well as the amount of power consumed as a result, increase.

[0007] The information included in this background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that such information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Various aspects of the present invention aim to provide an integrated thermal management system that can effectively control the internal environment of a motor vehicle using a fuel cell system by combining the characteristics of the motor vehicle and the characteristics of the refrigerant compression system disposed within the motor vehicle.

[0009] According to various aspects of the invention, the above and other objectives can be achieved by providing an integrated thermal management system for a fuel cell motor vehicle, the integrated thermal management system comprising: a hydrogen tank configured to store hydrogen for supply to a fuel cell stack; a first turbine fluidly connected to the hydrogen tank and rotated by the pressure of hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen tank; a refrigerant circulation line along which refrigerant circulates, and in which a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator are disposed; a second turbine mounted in the refrigerant circulation line and rotated by high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor; and a blower engaged with the first turbine, the second turbine, and an electric motor, and configured to pressurize ambient air using the rotational force of the first turbine, the second turbine, and the electric motor, and to supply the pressurized ambient air to an indoor air conditioning unit or a fuel cell stack.

[0010] Pressurized ambient air flows through the ambient air supply pipeline, which can branch into fuel cell pipeline and air conditioning pipeline. The pressurized ambient air can be supplied to the fuel cell stack through the fuel cell pipeline and to the indoor air conditioning unit through the air conditioning pipeline.

[0011] The regulator controls the corresponding flow rate of pressurized ambient air discharged from the blower and supplied to the indoor air conditioning unit and fuel cell stack.

[0012] When the fuel cell stack generates electricity, the blower pressurizes the ambient air by rotating the first turbine and supplies the pressurized ambient air to the indoor air conditioning unit and the fuel cell stack. When the pressure applied to the ambient air is lower than a predetermined pressure, the electric motor can run additionally to increase the pressure applied to the ambient air.

[0013] When the interior of the fuel cell vehicle is cooled, the blower can pressurize the ambient air by rotating the second turbine and discharge the pressurized ambient air into the interior of the fuel cell vehicle.

[0014] The evaporator is located inside the indoor air conditioning unit, and the blower supplies pressurized ambient air to the indoor air conditioning unit.

[0015] A heater core can be installed inside the indoor air conditioning unit, and the heater core can be connected to the cooling fluid outlet of the fuel cell stack.

[0016] The integrated thermal management system may also include a cooling fluid circulation line configured to circulate cooling fluid to the fuel cell stack via a water pump. After passing through the fuel cell stack, the cooling fluid in the circulation line can pass through the heater core and radiator via control valves. The flow of cooling fluid that has passed through the heater core can merge with the flow of cooling fluid that has passed through the radiator. The opening of the control valves is controlled according to the operating status of the fuel cell stack and whether the interior of the fuel cell vehicle needs to be heated.

[0017] An electric heater is installed inside the indoor air conditioning unit, and the electric heater operates when the temperature of the heater core is lower than a predetermined temperature.

[0018] The methods and apparatus of the present invention have other features and advantages, which will be more clearly described from the included drawings and the following detailed description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a circuit diagram of an integrated thermal management system for a fuel cell motor vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention; and

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating, by way of example, a blower for an integrated thermal management system for a fuel cell motor vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0021] It is understood that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and present slightly simplified representations of various features illustrating the basic principles of the invention. Specific design features of the invention included herein, such as specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes, will be determined in part by the specific intended application and environment of use.

[0022] In the accompanying drawings, reference numerals throughout several figures indicate the same or equivalent portions of the invention. Detailed Implementation Plan

[0023] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood that this description is not intended to limit the invention to those exemplary embodiments. On the other hand, the invention is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments thereof, but also various substitutions, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments that may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0024] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used wherever possible to denote the same or similar parts. In the following description of the invention, detailed descriptions of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted where such descriptions might obscure the subject matter of the invention.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a circuit diagram of an integrated thermal management system for a fuel cell motor vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating, by way of example, a blower for an integrated thermal management system for a fuel cell motor vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0026] To achieve the above objectives, an integrated thermal management system for a fuel cell motor vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention includes: a hydrogen tank B configured to store high-pressure hydrogen to be supplied to a fuel cell stack A; a first turbine 100 rotated by the pressure of hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen tank B; a refrigerant circulation line 500 configured to circulate refrigerant along the refrigerant circulation line 500, and a compressor 510, a condenser 520, an expansion valve 530, and an evaporator 540 provided on the refrigerant circulation line 500; a second turbine 200 rotated by the high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 510; and a blower 400 configured to pressurize ambient air using the rotational force of the first turbine 100, the second turbine 200, or an electric motor 300, and to supply the pressurized ambient air to an indoor air conditioning unit or the fuel cell stack A.

[0027] Specifically, it is necessary to pressurize the interior of the motor vehicle to continuously supply fresh air to it, and for this purpose, a blower 400 configured to pressurize the ambient air is required. In various exemplary embodiments of the invention, the ambient air is pressurized using high-pressure hydrogen used in the fuel cell stack A and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 510 in the motor vehicle, and the ambient air is further pressurized by an electric motor 300, and the pressurized ambient air is used to regulate the air inside the motor vehicle or supplied to the fuel cell.

[0028] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 2 The blower 400 shown has a structure in which the rotating shaft of the blower 400 is connected to the rotating shaft of the first turbine 100, the second turbine 200 or the electric motor 300 and rotates to pressurize the ambient air.

[0029] The first turbine 100 can be rotated by high-pressure hydrogen supplied to the fuel cell stack A, and the second turbine 200 can be rotated by high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged by the compressor 510. An electric motor 300 can be used to assist in operating the blower 400.

[0030] The ambient air pressurized by the blower 400 can flow through the ambient air supply line 410, which can branch into a fuel cell line 411 and an air conditioning line 412. The pressurized ambient air can be supplied to the fuel cell stack A through the fuel cell line 411 and to the indoor air conditioning unit through the air conditioning line 412.

[0031] Therefore, since no separate blower is provided for supplying pressurized ambient air to fuel cell stack A, and the blower 400 used to pressurize the ambient air for conditioning indoor air is used to supply ambient air to fuel cell stack A, the integrated thermal management system can have a compact structure and increase the driving range of the motor vehicle.

[0032] A humidifier configured to humidify the ambient air when it is dry can be further installed on the fuel cell line 411, and because the ambient air can be sufficiently pressurized by the blower 400, the ambient air can flow into the fuel cell stack A and react with hydrogen to generate electricity.

[0033] In addition, pressurized ambient air can be supplied to the indoor air conditioning unit through air conditioning line 412 to heat or cool the interior of the fuel cell motor vehicle.

[0034] Specifically, the pressurized ambient air can be cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant to cool the interior of the fuel cell vehicle, and when it is necessary to heat the interior of the fuel cell vehicle, the pressurized ambient air can be heated by heat exchange with the refrigerant to heat the interior of the fuel cell vehicle.

[0035] The corresponding flow rate of the pressurized ambient air emitted from blower 400, which will be supplied to the indoor air conditioning unit and fuel cell stack A, can be controlled by regulator 420.

[0036] That is, the regulator 420 can appropriately control the flow rate of ambient air required by the fuel cell stack A, and can supply the remaining portion of the ambient air to the indoor air conditioning unit.

[0037] The first turbine 100 can be rotated by high-pressure hydrogen supplied to the fuel cell stack A, thereby allowing the blower 400 to rotate to pressurize the ambient air and supply the pressurized ambient air to the indoor air conditioning unit. When the pressure applied to the ambient air is insufficient (e.g., below a predetermined pressure), the electric motor 300 can additionally operate to increase the pressure applied to the ambient air.

[0038] Furthermore, when the interior of the fuel cell motor vehicle is cooled, the blower 400 can pressurize the ambient air by rotating the second turbine 200 and discharge the pressurized ambient air into the interior of the fuel cell motor vehicle.

[0039] Specifically, the refrigerant is converted to a low-temperature state by compressor 510, condenser 520 and expansion valve 530, and exchanges heat with ambient air pressurized by evaporator 540 to cool the ambient air. This refrigerant is configured to cool the interior of fuel cell motor vehicles.

[0040] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, ram air flows into the condenser 520. Here, the ram air is ambient air, wherein the dynamic air pressure of the ram air is generated by the movement of the vehicle to allow a larger mass flow of ambient air through the condenser 520, thereby increasing engine power.

[0041] Here, the evaporator 540 can be located inside the indoor air conditioning unit, and the blower 400 can supply pressurized ambient air to the indoor air conditioning unit to cool the interior of the fuel cell motor vehicle.

[0042] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a heat accumulator is installed between the compressor 510 and the evaporator 540.

[0043] The heater core 610 can be installed inside the indoor air conditioning unit, and the heater core 610 can be connected to the cooling fluid outlet of the fuel cell stack A.

[0044] Specifically, the heater core 610 is a component configured to heat the interior of a fuel cell motor vehicle. When heating the interior of the fuel cell motor vehicle, the cooling fluid can be heated by receiving waste heat generated by the power generation of the fuel cell. The heater core 610 can heat the interior of the fuel cell motor vehicle through heat exchange between pressurized ambient air and the heated cooling fluid.

[0045] The integrated thermal management system according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention may further include a cooling fluid circulation line 600 configured to circulate cooling fluid to the fuel cell stack A via a water pump 620. After passing through the fuel cell stack A, the cooling fluid of the cooling fluid circulation line 600 passes through a heater core 610 and a radiator 640 via a control valve 630. The flow of cooling fluid that has passed through the heater core 610 may merge with the flow that has passed through the radiator 640. The opening of the control valve 630 may be controlled according to the operating state of the fuel cell stack A and whether the interior of the fuel cell vehicle needs to be heated. An electric heater 650 may be provided inside the indoor air conditioning unit. When the temperature of the heater core 610 is not high enough (e.g., below a predetermined temperature), the electric heater 650 is operated.

[0046] Specifically, when it is necessary to heat the interior of a fuel cell vehicle, the waste heat from the fuel cell stack A is used to heat the interior of the fuel cell vehicle, and when the temperature of the heater core 610 is not high enough (e.g., below a predetermined temperature), the electric heater 650 installed inside the indoor air conditioning unit can be operated to additionally heat the ambient air.

[0047] Cooling fluid heated by fuel cell stack A flows along cooling fluid circulation line 600, and when it is necessary to heat the interior of the fuel cell vehicle, the cooling fluid can be discharged to the heater core 610 via a control valve 630 connected to the heater core 610 via a branch line 635, or when it is not necessary to heat the interior of the fuel cell vehicle, the cooling fluid can be supplied to the radiator 640 for dissipation via the control valve 630.

[0048] The opening of control valve 630 can be controlled according to whether the interior of the fuel cell motor vehicle needs to be heated, and it can also be controlled according to the operation of fuel cell stack A.

[0049] As can be seen from the above description, the integrated thermal management system for fuel cell motor vehicles according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention can reduce the number and volume of blowers required to pressurize the ambient air supplied to the passenger compartment inside the fuel cell vehicle, as well as the amount of power consumed, thereby the integrated thermal management system is configured to increase the driving range of the fuel cell motor vehicle.

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a coolant reservoir 615 is installed in a cooling fluid circulation line 600 for storing circulating coolant.

[0051] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a coolant reservoir 615 is installed in a cooling fluid circulation line 600, downstream of the heater core 610 and the radiator 640.

[0052] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the controller is connected to at least one of the components of the integrated thermal management system to control its operation, such as control valve 630, water pump 620, electric motor 300, and regulator 420.

[0053] Furthermore, terms related to control devices, such as "controller," "control unit," "control device," or "control module," refer to hardware devices including a memory and a processor configured to execute one or more steps interpreted as an algorithmic structure. The memory stores the algorithmic steps, and the processor executes the algorithmic steps to perform one or more processes of the method according to various exemplary embodiments of the invention. A control device according to exemplary embodiments of the invention can be implemented using non-volatile memory and a processor. The non-volatile memory is configured to store algorithms for controlling the operation of various components of a vehicle or data regarding software commands for executing the algorithms, and the processor is configured to use the data stored in the memory to perform the operations described above. The memory and processor can be separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and processor can be integrated into a single chip. The processor can be implemented as one or more processors. The processor can include various logic circuits and operational circuits that can process data according to a program provided from the memory and generate control signals based on the processing results.

[0054] The control device may be at least one microprocessor operated by a predetermined program, which may include a series of commands for performing the methods disclosed in the various exemplary embodiments of the present invention described above.

[0055] The invention described above can also be implemented as computer-readable code on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium is any data storage device capable of storing data that can subsequently be read by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable recording media include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), silicon disk drives (SDDs), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and implementations as carrier waves (e.g., transmission over the Internet).

[0056] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each of the above operations may be performed by a control device, and the control device may be configured as a plurality of control devices or a single integrated control device.

[0057] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the control device may be implemented in hardware or software, or in a combination of hardware and software.

[0058] For ease of interpretation and precise definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “inner,” “outer,” “up,” “lower,” “upward,” “downward,” “front,” “rear,” “rear,” “internal,” “external,” “inward,” “outward,” “inside,” “outside,” “internal,” “external,” “forward,” and “backward” are used to describe the position of features with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be further understood that the term “connection” or its derivatives refer to both direct and indirect connections.

[0059] The foregoing description of specific exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and it will be apparent that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the foregoing teachings. Exemplary embodiments have been chosen and described to explain certain principles of the invention and its practical application, enabling others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the invention and their various alternatives and modifications. The scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An integrated thermal management system for fuel cell motor vehicles, the integrated thermal management system comprising: Hydrogen tanks are configured to store hydrogen for supply to fuel cell stacks; A first turbine is fluidly connected to the hydrogen tank and rotates under the pressure of the hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen tank; A refrigerant circulation line connects a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, wherein the refrigerant circulates along the refrigerant circulation line; A second turbine is installed in the refrigerant circulation line and rotates by the refrigerant discharged by the compressor; and A blower is engaged with at least one of the first turbine, the second turbine, and the electric motor, and is configured to pressurize ambient air using the rotational force of at least one of the first turbine, the second turbine, and the electric motor, and to supply the pressurized ambient air to an indoor air conditioning unit or the fuel cell stack.

2. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 1 further includes an ambient air supply line connected to the blower. in, The pressurized ambient air flows through the ambient air supply line, and The ambient air supply line branches into a fuel cell line and an air conditioning line. The fuel cell line is connected to the fuel cell stack, and the pressurized ambient air is supplied to the fuel cell stack through the fuel cell line and to the indoor air conditioning unit through the air conditioning line.

3. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 2 further includes: The regulator is connected to the ambient air supply line, the fuel cell line, and the air conditioning line. The regulator controls the flow rate of the pressurized ambient air discharged from the blower and supplied to the indoor air conditioning unit and the fuel cell stack.

4. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein, When the fuel cell stack generates electricity, the blower rotates the first turbine to pressurize the ambient air and supply the pressurized ambient air to the indoor air conditioning unit and the fuel cell stack. When the pressure applied to the ambient air is lower than a predetermined pressure, the electric motor operates additionally to increase the pressure applied to the ambient air.

5. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein, When the interior of the fuel cell motor vehicle is cooled, the blower rotates via the second turbine to pressurize the ambient air and discharge the pressurized ambient air into the interior of the fuel cell motor vehicle.

6. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein, The evaporator is disposed inside the indoor air conditioning unit, and the blower is configured to supply pressurized ambient air to the indoor air conditioning unit.

7. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 6, wherein, The heater core is disposed inside the indoor air conditioning unit and is connected to the cooling fluid outlet of the fuel cell stack.

8. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 7, further comprising: A cooling fluid circulation line is connected to the fuel cell stack and a pump, wherein cooling fluid is circulated to the fuel cell stack via the cooling fluid circulation line by the operation of the pump; Radiators and control valves are connected to the cooling fluid circulation lines; and A branch line bypasses the radiator and connects to the control valve, the heater core, and the pump.

9. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 8, in, The cooling fluid in the cooling fluid circulation pipeline, after passing through the fuel cell stack, passes through the control valve and then through the branch pipeline connecting the heater core and the radiator. The cooling fluid flow that bypasses the radiator and has passed through the heater core merges with the cooling fluid flow that has passed through the radiator.

10. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 8, wherein, The opening of the control valve is controlled according to the operating status of the fuel cell stack and whether the interior of the fuel cell vehicle needs to be heated.

11. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 7, wherein, An electric heater is installed inside the indoor air conditioning unit, and the electric heater operates when the temperature of the heater core is below a predetermined temperature.

12. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 8, wherein, The condenser and the radiator are aligned adjacent to each other.

13. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 8, in, The coolant reservoir is installed in the cooling fluid circulation line, downstream of the heater core and the radiator.

14. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 7, wherein, The air conditioning lines are connected to the evaporator, the heater core, and the electric heater.

15. The integrated thermal management system according to claim 14, wherein, The electric heater operates when the temperature of the heater core is below a predetermined temperature.

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