A multi-superconducting component collaborative fuel cell system based on liquid hydrogen cold energy driving
By constructing a multi-superconducting component collaborative fuel cell system driven by liquid hydrogen cold energy, the superconductivity and efficient cold energy utilization of the fuel cell system have been realized. This solves the problems of high auxiliary energy consumption and difficulty in integrating superconducting components in existing technologies, improves system energy efficiency and safety, and is suitable for application scenarios with high power density requirements.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Filing Date
- 2026-05-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-14
AI Technical Summary
Existing fuel cell systems suffer from high auxiliary energy consumption, difficulty in integrating superconducting components, and insufficient utilization of liquid hydrogen cold energy. They also lack a multi-superconducting component collaborative cooling architecture design, resulting in low cold energy utilization and difficulty in establishing a closed-loop system for the cascade transfer of cold energy across temperature zones and coupling with the waste heat of the fuel cell stack.
A multi-superconducting component collaborative fuel cell system driven by liquid hydrogen cold energy is constructed. Through a continuous cold energy transfer path and a multi-temperature zone coupling structure, the superconductivity of the fuel cell auxiliary system is realized. Liquid hydrogen cold energy is used to provide a low-temperature environment for the multi-superconducting components, and a waste heat recovery closed loop is constructed through a thermal-electric coupling management unit to reduce auxiliary energy consumption.
It significantly improves system energy utilization efficiency and power density, reduces auxiliary energy consumption, and enhances system integration and operational safety, making it particularly suitable for high-power-density applications such as aviation, heavy trucks, and drones.
Smart Images
Figure CN122393339A_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] A multi-superconducting component cooperative fuel cell system driven by liquid hydrogen cold energy Technical Field
[0002] This invention relates to the fields of hydrogen power systems and superconducting technology, and in particular to a fuel cell system that integrates the utilization of liquid hydrogen cold energy with the coordinated operation of superconducting components. Background Technology
[0003] With the development of clean energy technologies, fuel cell systems are increasingly being used in transportation and stationary power plants. However, existing fuel cell systems generally suffer from problems such as low power density, high energy consumption of auxiliary systems, and limited electro-thermal conversion efficiency. In particular, components such as air compressors, power electronic converters, and power transmission and drive account for a significant proportion of losses, severely restricting the improvement of overall system energy efficiency.
[0004] Superconducting technology possesses significant advantages such as zero resistance, high current carrying capacity, low loss, and high power density, and is considered an important way to improve the performance of fuel cell systems. However, traditional superconducting applications typically rely on independent cryogenic refrigerators for operation, which suffer from problems such as complex structure, high energy consumption, and large size and weight, making it difficult to integrate efficiently with fuel cell systems and limiting its application in mobile scenarios such as vehicles and aircraft.
[0005] Liquid hydrogen, as a high-density hydrogen fuel with a boiling point of approximately 20 K, naturally possesses cryogenic cooling properties. It can not only be used as fuel for fuel cell systems but also provide a cryogenic environment for superconducting materials to enter the superconducting state, potentially enabling the superconductivity of some components in fuel cell systems. While there have been attempts to utilize the cooling capacity of liquid hydrogen in existing technologies, current solutions mostly focus on cooling single components (such as superconducting motors), lacking a collaborative cooling architecture design for multiple superconducting components across the entire fuel cell system. This results in low cold energy utilization and difficulty in establishing a closed-loop system for cascaded cold energy transfer across temperature zones and coupling with waste heat from the fuel cell stack, leading to insufficient system integration.
[0006] In summary, how to construct a new system architecture to achieve unified driving of multiple superconducting components by liquid hydrogen cold energy, eliminate the additional energy consumption of independent refrigeration systems, and build a stable and efficient thermal-electric coupling network are the technical challenges that urgently need to be solved in the current fuel cell technology field. Summary of the Invention
[0007] Technical problems to be solved To address the problems of high auxiliary energy consumption, difficulty in integrating superconducting components, and insufficient utilization of liquid hydrogen cold energy in existing fuel cell systems, this invention aims to provide a multi-superconducting component collaborative fuel cell system driven by liquid hydrogen cold energy. This system achieves superconductivity in the fuel cell auxiliary system by constructing a continuous cold energy transfer path and a multi-temperature zone coupling structure, thereby improving energy utilization efficiency and the power density of the fuel cell system. Furthermore, liquid hydrogen itself can be used as fuel for the fuel cell; combining this with the utilization of liquid hydrogen cold energy eliminates the need for a separate refrigeration system, reduces auxiliary energy consumption, and improves the overall system energy efficiency, power density, and operational safety. Technical solution
[0008] A multi-superconducting component collaborative fuel cell system driven by liquid hydrogen cold energy includes a liquid hydrogen storage and supply unit 100, a cold energy transfer network 200, a multi-superconducting actuation unit 300, a fuel cell system unit 400, a thermo-electric coupling management unit 500, and a control and safety protection unit 600; characterized in that: The outlet of the liquid hydrogen storage and supply unit 100 is connected to the liquid supply valve 2 via a pipeline and is connected to the inlet of the cold energy transfer network 200 to provide a liquid hydrogen cold source. The cold energy transfer network 200 is connected in series to the interior of the multi-superconducting execution unit 300. Liquid hydrogen flows through each superconducting core component in sequence, transferring the cold energy of liquid hydrogen to each superconducting component step by step to maintain its low-temperature superconducting state. The thermal-electric coupling management unit 500 is connected to the outlet side of the fuel cell system unit 400 and is used to construct a thermal coupling loop for stack waste heat recovery and cryogenic liquid hydrogen endothermic vaporization. The control and safety protection unit 600 is connected to the signals of the above-mentioned units and is used to monitor and adjust the system operating status.
[0009] Furthermore, the cold energy transfer network 200 is configured to guide liquid hydrogen to flow along a preset path through multiple superconducting components to form a series or parallel cooling topology; the liquid hydrogen flows through the superconducting busbar 3, the superconducting drive motor 6, the superconducting DC-DC converter 4, and the superconducting air compressor 5, and absorbs heat and heats up step by step in the process of flowing through each component, so as to realize the step release and step cooling of cold energy.
[0010] Furthermore, the system can be divided into three temperature zones by thermal insulation components: a primary low-temperature zone (20–90K) for arranging superconducting core devices; a secondary medium-temperature zone (90–200K) for arranging the shell, support, and pipeline auxiliary components; and a tertiary high-temperature zone (250K to room temperature) for arranging the fuel cell stack.
[0011] Furthermore, the multi-superconducting actuator 300 includes a superconducting busbar 3, a superconducting DC-DC converter 4, a superconducting air compressor 5, and a superconducting drive motor 6. Each superconducting component is connected to the liquid hydrogen storage tank of the liquid hydrogen storage and supply unit 100 through a cold energy transfer network 200, forming a series or parallel cryogenic cooling flow path.
[0012] Furthermore, the fuel cell stack 7 is connected to the waste heat coupling heat exchanger 8 in the thermo-electric coupling management unit 500 through a waste heat circulation loop. The waste heat generated by the operation of the fuel cell stack is input into the waste heat coupling heat exchanger to heat the low-temperature hydrogen working fluid, thereby achieving efficient utilization of waste heat.
[0013] Furthermore, the pressurized air outlet of the superconducting air compressor 5 is connected to the cathode inlet of the fuel cell stack 7 to provide oxygen required for the reaction at the stack cathode; the power output terminal of the fuel cell stack 7 supplies power to the superconducting drive motor 6, the superconducting air compressor 5, etc. via the superconducting bus 3. The superconducting drive motor 6 can drive the target mechanical equipment to operate, and the superconducting bus 3 is used to coordinate the power transmission and load distribution of the superconducting system.
[0014] Furthermore, the control and safety protection unit 600, based on the real-time temperature, pressure, electrical status, and quench failure signs of each superconducting component acquired by the sensor 10, synchronously adjusts the opening of the liquid hydrogen supply valve 2 to match the cold energy supply flow rate, and dynamically adjusts the load distribution of the superconducting bus 3; the safety protection module is configured to promptly implement load reduction, power cut-off, and shutdown protection actions when it detects quench failure signs, over-temperature, or electrical faults in the superconducting DC-DC converter 4, to ensure the safe operation of the superconducting system.
[0015] This invention enables the coordinated operation of multiple superconducting components through a series or parallel cold energy transfer network, significantly improving the uniformity of cold energy distribution and temperature stability.
[0016] This invention utilizes liquid hydrogen cold energy to replace an independent refrigeration system, effectively reducing system complexity, size, weight, and auxiliary energy consumption, while simultaneously achieving the dual utilization of liquid hydrogen chemical energy and cold energy.
[0017] This invention constructs a closed-loop coupling circuit for waste heat from the fuel cell stack and liquid hydrogen vaporization, which significantly improves energy utilization.
[0018] This invention significantly improves the operational stability and safety of the system through dynamic control and quench prediction mechanisms.
[0019] This system boasts high integration and significantly improves power density, making it particularly suitable for applications with stringent power density requirements, such as aviation, heavy trucks, and drones. Attached Figure Description
[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall system structure of the present invention; In the diagram: 1. Liquid hydrogen storage tank; 2. Liquid supply valve; 3. Superconducting busbar; 4. Superconducting DC-DC converter; 5. Superconducting air compressor; 6. Superconducting drive motor; 7. Fuel cell stack; 8. Waste heat coupling heat exchanger; 9. Control unit; 10. Sensor; 11. Safety protection module; 100. Liquid hydrogen storage and supply unit; 200. Cold energy transfer network; 300. Multiple superconducting actuators; 400. Fuel cell system unit; 500. Thermal-electric coupling management unit; 600. Control and safety protection unit.
[0021] The arrows in the diagram are defined as follows: Double solid arrows: indicate the direction of cold hydrogen flow; Single thick solid arrow: indicate the direction of current transmission; Single thick dashed arrow: indicate the direction of gas flow; Bidirectional single thick arrow: heat exchange circuit.
[0022] Figure 2 This is a logic control block diagram of the control and safety protection unit in this invention. Detailed Implementation
[0023] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.
[0024] Example: 1MW fuel cell system like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a multi-superconducting component collaborative fuel cell system driven by liquid hydrogen cold energy, including a liquid hydrogen storage and supply unit 100, a cold energy transfer network 200, a multi-superconducting actuation unit 300, a fuel cell system unit 400, a thermo-electric coupling management unit 500, and a control and safety protection unit 600.
[0025] The liquid hydrogen storage and supply unit 100 includes a liquid hydrogen storage tank 1 and a liquid supply valve 2. The outlet of the liquid hydrogen storage tank 1 is connected to the input end of the cold energy transfer network 200 via the liquid supply valve 2. The liquid hydrogen in the storage and supply unit is transported to the multi-superconducting actuator 300 along the direction of the double solid arrows to provide cryogenic cooling for the superconducting components. The output end of the cold energy transfer network 200 is connected to the superconducting busbar 3 of the multi-superconducting actuator 300.
[0026] The multi-superconducting actuator 300 includes a superconducting bus 3, a superconducting drive motor 6, a superconducting DC-DC converter 4, and a superconducting air compressor 5. The liquid hydrogen cooling flow path of the superconducting bus 3 passes through the superconducting drive motor 6 and the superconducting DC-DC converter 4, and then connects to the cooling inlet of the superconducting air compressor 5. Electrical energy is transmitted in the superconducting circuit along the direction of the single thick solid line arrow to power each power-consuming unit. The input terminal of the superconducting DC-DC converter 4 is electrically connected to the superconducting bus 3 to receive electrical energy from the superconducting bus 3. The output terminal of the superconducting DC-DC converter 4 is electrically connected to the superconducting air compressor 5 and the superconducting drive motor 6 respectively to provide them with electrical energy of the appropriate voltage level. The superconducting air compressor 5 and the superconducting drive motor 6 are connected in parallel to the output side of the superconducting DC-DC converter 4, forming an independently controllable dual-branch DC load interface.
[0027] The thermal-electric coupling management unit 500 is a waste heat coupling heat exchanger 8; the gaseous hydrogen outlet of the waste heat coupling heat exchanger 8 is connected to the fuel inlet of the fuel cell stack 7 of the fuel cell system unit 400; the power output terminal of the fuel cell stack 7 is connected to the input terminal of the superconducting busbar 3 of the multi-superconducting actuator unit 300; the waste heat circulation outlet of the fuel cell stack 7 is connected to the hot side inlet of the waste heat coupling heat exchanger 8. In the waste heat coupling heat exchanger 8, the waste heat of the fuel cell is used to heat the hydrogen to the temperature required for the reaction, and the liquid hydrogen cold energy can also be used as part of the heat dissipation cold source of the fuel cell, forming a heat exchange closed loop through a bidirectional single thick arrow.
[0028] The control and safety protection unit 600 includes a control unit 9, a sensor 10, and a safety protection module 11; the control signal output terminal of the control unit 9 is connected to the liquid hydrogen storage and supply unit 100's liquid supply valve 2 and the superconducting busbar 3 of the multi-superconducting actuator unit 300.
[0029] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, sensor 10 is connected to the superconducting drive motor 6 of the multi-superconducting actuator unit 300, the superconducting DC-DC converter 4, the waste heat coupling heat exchanger 8 of the thermo-electric coupling management unit 500, and the fuel cell stack 7 of the fuel cell system unit 400, respectively, to collect temperature, pressure, current, and voltage signals and transmit them to the safety protection module 11; the control unit 9 comprehensively evaluates the operating status of each superconducting component based on a preset quench risk function and identifies potential quench risk points. Based on the analysis results of the quench prediction module, the system determines whether there is a quench risk or abnormal operating condition. If the judgment is "yes" (there is a risk of failure or abnormality): the safety protection module 11 immediately activates the redundant switching branch and safety protection mechanism, switches the current of the superconducting circuit to the conventional conductor redundant branch, and sends a shutdown command to the superconducting DC-DC converter 4, the superconducting air compressor 5, the superconducting drive motor 6 and the fuel cell stack 7 to perform current limiting, shutdown and other protection operations.
[0030] If the judgment is "no" (no risk of failure): Control unit 9 enters the cold energy cascade utilization parameter optimization process. Based on the current system load, the remaining cold energy of the liquid hydrogen storage tank and the cold energy requirements of each component, it dynamically adjusts the opening of the liquid supply valve 2 of the liquid hydrogen storage supply unit 100 to achieve efficient cascade utilization of cold energy.
[0031] Regardless of whether safety protection operations or parameter optimization processes are performed, the system eventually returns to a stable operating state and enters the next round of cyclic monitoring, thereby achieving closed-loop control and continuous protection of the system. Implementation effect
[0032] According to actual measurements, compared with traditional fuel cell systems, this embodiment achieves the integration of liquid hydrogen energy supply with superconductivity in air compressor, DC-DC converter, busbar, and downstream drive motor. The system efficiency is increased from 40% to about 55%, the power density is increased by about 35%, and the auxiliary power consumption is reduced by about 40%. The cold energy utilization rate exceeds 92%, which significantly reduces the auxiliary power consumption. Compared with independent superconducting systems that do not integrate liquid hydrogen cold energy utilization, it eliminates the independent refrigerator and reduces the system weight by 40%.
Claims
1. A multi-superconducting component collaborative fuel cell system driven by liquid hydrogen cold energy, characterized in that, include: Liquid hydrogen storage and supply unit (100) is used to provide liquid hydrogen cold source and hydrogen fuel; A cold energy transfer network (200) is connected to the outlet of the liquid hydrogen storage and supply unit (100); The multi-superconducting actuator (300) includes two or more of the following: a superconducting busbar (3), a superconducting DC-DC converter (4), a superconducting air compressor (5), and a superconducting drive motor (6). The multi-superconducting actuator (300) is embedded in a cold energy transfer network (200). A fuel cell system unit (400) is used to convert hydrogen energy into electrical energy.
2. The multi-superconducting component collaborative fuel cell system based on liquid hydrogen cold energy drive according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cold energy transfer network (200) connects two or more components of the superconducting busbar (3), superconducting drive motor (6), superconducting DC-DC converter (4), and superconducting air compressor (5) in series, parallel or series-parallel coupling, and cools each superconducting component to maintain the superconducting state.
3. The multi-superconducting component collaborative fuel cell system based on liquid hydrogen cold energy drive according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a thermal-electric coupling management unit (500), which is connected to the fuel cell system unit (400) to enable the fuel cell thermal energy to be used to heat hydrogen, and the hydrogen cold energy to be used to dissipate heat from the fuel cell.
4. The multi-superconducting component collaborative fuel cell system based on liquid hydrogen cold energy drive according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a control and safety protection unit (600), which is connected to the signals of each unit in the system to realize the status monitoring and control protection of the entire system.
5. A multi-superconducting component collaborative fuel cell system based on liquid hydrogen cold energy drive according to claims 1-4, characterized in that, The system has three physical coordination loops: Hydrogen / Air Circuit: Liquid hydrogen is cooled step by step by the cold energy transfer network (200) to cool the components of the multi-superconducting actuator (300) and then flows into the thermo-electric coupling management unit (500) to complete the waste heat exchange and complete vaporization. Finally, it is input into the anode of the fuel cell stack (7) to participate in the reaction. At the same time, the superconducting air compressor (5) works and outputs compressed air to the cathode of the fuel cell stack (7) to participate in the reaction. Power transmission circuit: The electrical energy generated by the fuel cell stack (7) is preferentially input into the superconducting busbar (3), and the voltage and power are regulated by the superconducting DC-DC converter (4). The regulated electrical energy is supplied to the superconducting drive motor (6) and the air compressor (5) for operation. Heat exchange circuit: The fuel cell stack (7) and the waste heat coupling heat exchanger (8) in the heat-electric coupling management unit (500) form a comprehensive utilization circuit of cold and heat energy, which releases the waste heat of the stack to the low temperature hydrogen fluid, so that the hydrogen fluid can be heated to the reaction temperature. At the same time, the low temperature hydrogen fluid can provide a cold source for the heat dissipation of the fuel cell, realizing the utilization of cold and heat coupling.
6. A multi-superconducting component collaborative fuel cell system based on liquid hydrogen cold energy drive according to claims 1-5, characterized in that, The cold energy transfer network (200) and the multiple superconducting actuators (300) are thermally insulated and encapsulated with an insulating shell.
7. A multi-superconducting component collaborative fuel cell system based on liquid hydrogen cold energy drive according to claims 1-6, characterized in that, The cold energy transfer network (200) is configured as a multi-temperature zone stepped cooling structure along the liquid hydrogen flow direction, precisely matching the operating temperature zone of each superconducting component: The first-level low-temperature zone flows through the interior of the multi-superconducting actuator to cool the multi-superconducting actuator and maintain the superconducting state; The secondary medium-temperature zone flows through the cold energy transfer network and the adiabatic shell of multiple superconducting actuators, reducing the heat leakage rate of the adiabatic shell. The three-level high-temperature zone integrates the thermal and electrical coupling management unit (500) with the fuel cell to utilize both cold and heat energy.
8. The system according to claims 1-7, characterized in that, Each superconducting component in the multi-superconducting actuation unit (300) is connected in parallel with a conventional conductor redundant branch; the control and safety protection unit (600) includes a safety protection module (11) for switching the current to the corresponding conventional conductor redundant branch when a superconducting component is detected to have lost superconductivity.
9. The system according to claims 1-8, characterized in that, The control and safety protection unit (600) includes a control unit (9) and a sensor (10); the control unit (9) is configured to dynamically adjust the opening of the liquid hydrogen storage supply unit (100) based on the temperature of each superconducting component and the load requirements of the fuel cell stack fed back by the sensor (10).
10. The system according to claims 1-8, characterized in that, The safety protection module (11) is electrically connected to the superconducting DC-DC converter (4), the superconducting air compressor (5), the superconducting drive motor (6), and the fuel cell stack (7), respectively. It is configured to immediately perform power shutdown, current limiting, or system protective shutdown operations when the superconducting DC-DC converter (4) is detected to have an instantaneous abnormal temperature, quench signal, or current change rate exceeding a preset threshold, so as to avoid the risk of superconducting failure.
11. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The insulating shell outside the liquid hydrogen storage tank (1) or cold energy transfer network (200) and the multi-superconducting actuator (300) in the liquid hydrogen storage and supply unit (100) can be made of polymer composite material to achieve lightweighting.