Fuel cell thermal management system

By highly integrating liquid hydrogen vaporization with the thermal management of the fuel cell system, the waste heat generated by the fuel cell is used to vaporize liquid hydrogen and precisely regulate the temperature, solving the problems of high energy consumption and inaccurate temperature regulation in the existing technology. This achieves efficient energy recycling and system simplification, and improves the performance and stability of the fuel cell.

CN224355230UActive Publication Date: 2026-06-12BEIJING CAVAN NEW ENERGY AUTOMOTIVE CO LTD

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Utility models(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
BEIJING CAVAN NEW ENERGY AUTOMOTIVE CO LTD
Filing Date
2025-05-19
Publication Date
2026-06-12

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In existing technologies, liquid hydrogen vaporization and fuel cell system thermal management are handled separately, resulting in high energy consumption, system complexity, and inaccurate temperature regulation, which affects the performance stability of fuel cells.

Method used

The liquid hydrogen vaporization and thermal management of the fuel cell system are highly integrated into a single cycle system. The vaporizer is coupled with the coolant circuit and the heating circuit for heat exchange. The waste heat generated by the fuel cell is used to vaporize the liquid hydrogen, and the heater in the heating circuit is used for auxiliary heating when necessary. Combined with the preheating branch, the hydrogen and air are precisely regulated in temperature.

🎯Benefits of technology

It enables the recycling of energy, reduces external energy consumption, simplifies the system structure, improves the power generation efficiency and stability of fuel cells, and reduces the risk of failure and maintenance costs.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The utility model discloses a fuel cell thermal management system. Fuel cell thermal management system includes: hydrogen assembly, hydrogen assembly includes gasifier, and the gasifier is coupled heat exchange between the cooling liquid circuit of fuel cell and / or heating circuit of fuel cell, makes liquid hydrogen through gasifier and heat exchange medium heat exchange and gasifies. Liquid hydrogen gasification and fuel cell system's thermal management are highly integrated in a circulation system, and the additional consumption of external energy is reduced, and the cyclic utilization and efficient flow of energy are realized.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of fuel cell technology, and in particular to a fuel cell thermal management system. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of hydrogen energy technology, liquid hydrogen has become an ideal fuel source for fuel cells due to its high energy density. However, the low temperature characteristics of liquid hydrogen (about -253°C) mean that its vaporization process requires a large amount of heat. At the same time, fuel cell systems have strict temperature requirements for the reactant gases (hydrogen and air) under different operating conditions, and face many challenges when starting up at low temperatures.

[0003] In existing technologies, some solutions separate the liquid hydrogen vaporization from the thermal management of the fuel cell system. For example, some liquid hydrogen vaporization devices rely solely on external heat sources (such as electric heating) for vaporization, resulting in high energy consumption. Some integrated solutions exist, but most simply connect the liquid hydrogen supply to the fuel cell system, failing to fully utilize waste heat and cold generated during system operation and thus hindering efficient energy recycling. Furthermore, in terms of temperature management within the fuel cell system, the temperature regulation of air and hydrogen is often imprecise and uncoordinated, leading to unstable fuel cell performance. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a fuel cell thermal management system that highly integrates liquid hydrogen vaporization and the thermal management of the fuel cell system into a single circulating system, reducing the additional consumption of external energy and achieving energy recycling and efficient flow.

[0005] A fuel cell thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a hydrogen assembly, the hydrogen assembly including a vaporizer, the vaporizer being coupled with the coolant circuit and / or the heating circuit of the fuel cell for heat exchange, so that liquid hydrogen is vaporized by exchanging heat with the heat exchange medium through the vaporizer.

[0006] According to the fuel cell thermal management system of this utility model, through heat exchange coupling between the vaporizer and the coolant circuit and heating circuit of the fuel cell, the waste heat generated by the fuel cell can be used to vaporize liquid hydrogen, and when the waste heat is insufficient, the heater in the heating circuit can be used for auxiliary heating. This utility model innovatively integrates liquid hydrogen vaporization and fuel cell system thermal management into a single loop system, reducing the additional consumption of external energy and achieving energy recycling and efficient flow. Furthermore, the integrated design of the fuel cell thermal management system reduces the need for separate liquid hydrogen vaporization and fuel cell system thermal management components, as well as a large number of connecting pipelines, reducing system complexity, lowering the risk of failure, and consequently reducing maintenance costs, making it more suitable for large-scale practical applications.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the fuel cell thermal management system further includes: a preheating branch, the preheating branch including a hydrogen heat exchanger and an air heat exchanger connected in sequence, the two ends of the preheating branch being connected to the heating circuit and selectively connected to the heating circuit, for exchanging heat between the vaporized hydrogen and the heat exchange medium through the hydrogen heat exchanger and exchanging heat between the compressed air and the heat exchange medium through the air heat exchanger.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the hydrogen assembly further includes: a hydrogen storage tank and a vaporization tank, wherein the hydrogen storage tank is connected to the vaporizer, the vaporizer is connected to the vaporization tank, and the vaporization tank is connected to the hydrogen inlet of the hydrogen heat exchanger.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the fuel cell thermal management system further includes: a first control valve, one end of the preheating branch being selectively connected to the heating circuit through the first control valve, and the other end of the preheating branch being connected to the heating circuit.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the fuel cell thermal management system further includes: a control unit, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, and a third temperature sensor. The control unit is electrically connected to the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the third temperature sensor, respectively. The first temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the fuel cell, the second temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the air inlet of the fuel cell, and the third temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the hydrogen inlet of the fuel cell. The control unit is configured to control the heat exchange medium in the heating circuit to selectively flow into the fuel cell to heat the fuel cell based on the detection signals of the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the third temperature sensor, and / or control the preheating branch to selectively connect with the heating circuit.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the hydrogen inlet of the hydrogen heat exchanger is connected to the vaporization tank and its hydrogen outlet is connected to the hydrogen inlet of the fuel cell; the air inlet of the air heat exchanger is connected to the air compressor and its air outlet is connected to the air inlet of the fuel cell.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the fuel cell thermal management system further includes: a second control valve and a third control valve, wherein the heating circuit is connected to the inlet position of the coolant circuit through the second control valve and to the outlet position of the coolant circuit through the third control valve.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the heating circuit includes a water pump, a water storage tank, and a PTC heater connected in sequence, wherein the PTC heater is selectively turned on for auxiliary heating.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, it further includes: an air assembly, the air assembly including an air compressor, wherein the vaporizer is coupled to the cooling pipeline of the air compressor for heat exchange.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a portion of the coolant circuit is disposed inside the vaporizer, a portion of the heating circuit is disposed inside the vaporizer, and a portion of the air compressor cooling pipe is disposed inside the vaporizer.

[0016] Additional aspects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this utility model will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a fuel cell thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a fuel cell thermal management system according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a logical schematic diagram of a fuel cell thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure label:

[0022] 10. Air compressor; 11. Cooling pipeline; 20. Vaporizer; 21. Hydrogen storage tank; 22. Vaporizer; 30. Fuel cell; 31. Coolant circuit; 40. Heating circuit; 41. Second control valve; 42. Third control valve; 43. Water pump; 44. Water storage tank; 45. PTC heater; 50. Preheating branch; 51. Hydrogen heat exchanger; 52. Air heat exchanger; 53. First control valve. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. The embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary. The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below.

[0024] The following is for reference. Figures 1-3 A fuel cell thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0025] In fuel cell systems using liquid hydrogen as fuel, the current technology of separating or simply integrating liquid hydrogen vaporization and fuel cell thermal management leads to several drawbacks. For example, energy waste: liquid hydrogen vaporization relies on an external, independent heat source, resulting in low energy efficiency. Complex thermal management systems: separate liquid hydrogen vaporization and thermal management modules increase the number of system components and connecting pipelines, leading to a complex system structure, higher failure risk, and increased maintenance costs.

[0026] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide a highly integrated liquid hydrogen fuel cell thermal management system, which achieves efficient energy recycling by optimizing the thermal management system architecture and thermal management strategy, and simplifies the system structure, thereby improving the overall performance and reliability of the fuel cell thermal management system.

[0027] like Figure 1 As shown, the fuel cell thermal management system includes a fuel cell 30, an air assembly, and a hydrogen assembly. The air assembly is responsible for compressing oxygen from the ambient gas and delivering it to the interior of the fuel cell 30 at an appropriate pressure. The hydrogen assembly is used to vaporize liquid hydrogen, and the vaporized hydrogen is delivered to the interior of the fuel cell 30, thereby enabling the fuel cell 30 to use a suitable ratio of hydrogen and oxygen for electrochemical reactions.

[0028] Furthermore, the hydrogen assembly includes a vaporizer 20, which is coupled and exchanges heat with the coolant circuit 31 of the fuel cell 30 and / or the heating circuit 40 of the fuel cell 30, so that liquid hydrogen is vaporized by exchanging heat with the heat exchange medium through the vaporizer 20.

[0029] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, one end of the coolant circuit 31 of the fuel cell 30 is connected to the cooling outlet of the fuel cell 30, and the other end is connected to the cooling inlet of the fuel cell 30, forming a circuit in which the heat exchange medium flows out of the fuel cell 30 and circulates back into the fuel cell 30, which can cool and dissipate heat from the fuel cell 30 during normal operation. The heating circuit 40 of the fuel cell 30 is arranged in parallel with the coolant circuit 31 of the fuel cell 30. One end of the heating circuit 40 is connected to the cooling outlet of the fuel cell 30, and the other end is connected to the cooling inlet of the fuel cell 30, forming a circuit in which the heat exchange medium flows out of the fuel cell 30 and circulates back into the fuel cell 30, which can heat the fuel cell 30 during cold start.

[0030] Liquid hydrogen has a boiling point of -253°C under standard atmospheric pressure, at which temperature it begins to transform into a gaseous state. This means that under these temperature and pressure conditions, liquid hydrogen will begin to boil and transform into a gaseous state. The operating temperature of fuel cell 30 typically ranges from 35°C to 85°C.

[0031] To this end, the present invention couples the vaporizer 20 with the coolant circuit 31 of the fuel cell 30 for heat exchange. With this configuration, when liquid hydrogen flows from the hydrogen storage tank 21 into the vaporizer 20, it can absorb heat from the coolant circuit 31 and gradually heat up until the liquid hydrogen is vaporized. That is, the vaporizer 20 utilizes the waste heat generated by the fuel cell 30 to vaporize the liquid hydrogen, reducing the additional consumption of external energy and effectively improving energy utilization.

[0032] Furthermore, by coupling heat exchange between the vaporizer 20 and the heating circuit 40 of the fuel cell 30, when the waste heat generated by the fuel cell 30 is insufficient, auxiliary heating can be provided by a heater in the heating circuit 40, such as a PTC heater 45, ensuring complete vaporization of liquid hydrogen and thus delivering high-quality hydrogen to the fuel cell 30, ensuring efficient electrochemical reaction. Alternatively, the vaporizer 20 can also vaporize liquid hydrogen using only the heater in the heating circuit 40, eliminating the need for an external independent heat source.

[0033] Therefore, the fuel cell thermal management system of this invention, through the coupling heat exchange between the vaporizer 20 and the coolant circuit 31 and heating circuit 40 of the fuel cell 30, can utilize the waste heat generated by the fuel cell 30 to vaporize liquid hydrogen, and can use the heater in the heating circuit 40 for auxiliary heating when the waste heat is insufficient. This invention innovatively integrates liquid hydrogen vaporization and the thermal management of the fuel cell 30 system into a single loop system, reducing the additional consumption of external energy and achieving energy recycling and efficient flow. Furthermore, the integrated design of the fuel cell thermal management system reduces the need for separate liquid hydrogen vaporization and fuel cell 30 system thermal management components, as well as numerous connecting pipelines, reducing system complexity, lowering the risk of failure, and consequently reducing maintenance costs, making it more suitable for large-scale practical applications.

[0034] Considering that hydrogen and air need to be at a suitable temperature before entering the fuel cell 30 to ensure efficient electrochemical reactions inside the fuel cell 30, current technologies rely on external heat sources for preheating of hydrogen and air, which does not make reasonable use of heat and results in low energy efficiency.

[0035] Furthermore, the fuel cell thermal management system also includes a preheating branch 50, which includes a hydrogen heat exchanger 51 and an air heat exchanger 52 connected in sequence. The two ends of the preheating branch 50 are connected to the heating circuit 40 and are selectively connected to the heating circuit 40. It is used to exchange heat between the vaporized hydrogen and the heat exchange medium through the hydrogen heat exchanger 51 and to exchange heat between the compressed air and the heat exchange medium through the air heat exchanger 52.

[0036] Specifically, such as Figure 1As shown, the two ends of the preheating branch 50 are connected to the heating circuit 40. When the preheating branch 50 is connected to the heating circuit 40 and the heater of the heating circuit 40 is turned on, the vaporized hydrogen can absorb heat from the heat exchange medium of the preheating branch 50 when it enters the hydrogen heat exchanger 51, and the compressed air can absorb heat from the heat exchange medium of the preheating branch 50 when it enters the air heat exchanger 52. This achieves dual preheating of air and hydrogen, ensuring that air and hydrogen reach a suitable temperature before entering the fuel cell 30. This configuration fully utilizes the heat of the fuel cell 30 for gas preheating, reduces the need for external heat sources, eliminates a large number of components and connecting pipes, further reduces system complexity, and effectively reduces failure risk and maintenance costs.

[0037] Furthermore, to ensure a precise temperature regulation mechanism for the coordinated temperature of air and hydrogen, and to provide the reaction gas at the most suitable temperature according to the real-time operating conditions inside the fuel cell 30, the power generation efficiency and stability of the fuel cell 30 are improved.

[0038] The fuel cell thermal management system of this utility model further includes: a control unit, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, and a third temperature sensor. The control unit is electrically connected to the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the third temperature sensor, respectively. The first temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the fuel cell 30, the second temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the air inlet of the fuel cell 30, and the third temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the hydrogen inlet of the fuel cell 30.

[0039] The control unit is configured to control the heat exchange medium in the heating circuit 40 to selectively flow into the fuel cell 30 to heat the fuel cell 30 based on the detection signals of the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor and the third temperature sensor, and / or to control the preheating branch 50 to selectively connect with the heating circuit 40.

[0040] With this configuration, the first temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the fuel cell 30, the second temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the air inlet of the fuel cell 30, and the third temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the hydrogen inlet of the fuel cell 30. By acquiring the detection signals from the first, second, and third temperature sensors, the control unit can control the connection between the preheating branch 50 and the heating circuit 40 to preheat the hydrogen and air. This provides the most suitable temperature of air and hydrogen for the real-time operating conditions inside the fuel cell 30, effectively improving the power generation efficiency and stability of the fuel cell 30.

[0041] Furthermore, the control unit can control the flow of heat exchange medium in the heating circuit 40 into the fuel cell 30 via the detection signal from the second temperature sensor, thereby heating the fuel cell 30 to a suitable operating temperature for normal start-up. During normal temperature start-up of the fuel cell 30, the heating circuit 40 is disconnected from the inside of the fuel cell 30, and the heat exchange medium in the coolant circuit 31 flows normally to effectively dissipate heat from the fuel cell 30.

[0042] Furthermore, the hydrogen assembly also includes a hydrogen storage tank 21 and a vaporization tank 22. The hydrogen storage tank 21 is connected to the vaporizer 20, the vaporizer 20 is connected to the vaporization tank 22, and the vaporization tank 22 is connected to the hydrogen inlet of the hydrogen heat exchanger 51.

[0043] The liquid hydrogen tank is used to store cryogenic liquid hydrogen and employs highly efficient insulation technology to reduce heat intrusion. In this embodiment, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the liquid hydrogen in the hydrogen storage tank 21 is vaporized in the vaporizer 20, discharged from the outlet of the vaporizer 20 and stored in a vaporizer tank 22 for use by the fuel cell 30.

[0044] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, considering that the liquid hydrogen in the vaporizer 20 may not be completely vaporized, connecting the hydrogen storage tank 21 to the outlet of the vaporizer 20 allows the incompletely vaporized liquid hydrogen to return to the hydrogen storage tank 21. Considering that the hydrogen storage tank 21 may contain some vaporized hydrogen, a separate vaporizer 22 is provided to store the vaporized hydrogen from the storage tank 21. This vaporizer 22 is connected to the hydrogen inlet of the hydrogen heat exchanger.

[0045] Furthermore, the fuel cell thermal management system also includes: a first control valve 53, one end of the preheating branch 50 is connected to the heating circuit 40 through the first control valve 53, and the other end of the preheating branch 50 is connected to the heating circuit 40.

[0046] With this configuration, the connection and disconnection between the preheating branch 50 and the heating circuit 40 can be achieved by controlling the opening and closing of the first control valve 53, based on the preheating requirements of the fuel cell 30 for hydrogen and air. Furthermore, the other end of the preheating branch 50 is connected to the heating circuit 40 via a one-way valve to prevent backflow of the heat exchange medium in the heating circuit 40.

[0047] Furthermore, the hydrogen inlet of the hydrogen heat exchanger 51 is connected to the vaporization tank 22, and the hydrogen outlet of the hydrogen heat exchanger 51 is connected to the hydrogen inlet of the fuel cell 30. The air inlet of the air heat exchanger 52 is connected to the air compressor 10, and the air outlet of the air heat exchanger 52 is connected to the air inlet of the fuel cell 30. With this configuration, the vaporized hydrogen exchanges heat with the heat exchange medium through the hydrogen heat exchanger 51 and then enters the fuel cell 30 through the hydrogen inlet. Similarly, the compressed air is processed in the same way.

[0048] Furthermore, the fuel cell thermal management system also includes a second control valve 41 and a third control valve 42, wherein the heating circuit 40 is connected to the inlet of the coolant circuit 31 via the second control valve 41 and to the outlet of the coolant circuit 31 via the third control valve 42.

[0049] With this configuration, the connection between the heating circuit 40 and the fuel cell 30 can be achieved by controlling the opening of the second control valve 41 and the third control valve 42 according to the heating requirements of the fuel cell 30, thereby heating the fuel cell 30.

[0050] Furthermore, the heating circuit 40 includes a water pump 43, a water storage tank 44, and a PTC heater 45 connected in sequence. The PTC heater 45 is selectively activated for auxiliary heating. The water storage tank 44 stores the heat exchange medium, and the water pump 43 ensures stable flow of the heat exchange medium.

[0051] With this configuration, when the heating circuit 40 is used for liquid hydrogen vaporization, heating the fuel cell 30, or preheating both hydrogen and air, the water pump 43 and the PTC heater 45 are turned on to meet any of the above usage requirements.

[0052] Furthermore, the fuel cell thermal management system also includes an air assembly, which includes an air compressor 10, and a vaporizer 20 is coupled to the cooling pipes 11 of the air compressor 10 for heat exchange.

[0053] like Figure 1 As shown, the air compressor 10 compresses the ambient gas, resulting in an increase in air temperature. Therefore, allowing the ambient gas to pass through the cooling pipe 11 first utilizes the cooling energy generated during the liquid hydrogen vaporization process to cool the air, increasing its density and thus reducing the energy consumption required for subsequent compression by the air compressor 10. Furthermore, if high-temperature air enters the air compressor 10, it may cause internal components to overheat, affecting equipment lifespan or leading to malfunctions; pre-cooling the air helps mitigate this problem.

[0054] Furthermore, part of the coolant circuit 31 is located inside the vaporizer 20, part of the heating circuit 40 is located inside the vaporizer 20, and part of the cooling pipe 11 of the air compressor 10 is located inside the vaporizer 20.

[0055] like Figure 1 As shown, a portion of the coolant circuit 31 is located inside the vaporizer 20, allowing the medium in the coolant circuit 31 to couple and exchange heat with liquid hydrogen as it passes through the vaporizer 20, thereby achieving liquid hydrogen vaporization. Simultaneously, this cools the heat exchange medium in the coolant circuit 31, improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the fuel cell 30. Of course, a radiator can be installed on the coolant circuit 31 to further improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the fuel cell 30. Similarly, a portion of the heating circuit 40 is located inside the vaporizer 20, allowing the medium in the coolant circuit 31 to couple and exchange heat with liquid hydrogen as it passes through the vaporizer 20, thereby achieving liquid hydrogen vaporization. Furthermore, a portion of the cooling pipe 11 of the air compressor 10 is located inside the vaporizer 20, allowing ambient gas to couple and exchange heat with liquid hydrogen as it passes through the vaporizer 20, achieving air cooling and effectively improving energy recycling.

[0056] Therefore, in the hydrogen assembly, after liquid hydrogen flows into the vaporizer 20, it is vaporized using the waste heat generated by the fuel cell 30 system and the PTC heater 45 in the heating circuit 40 (for auxiliary heating when waste heat is insufficient). The vaporized hydrogen can be stored in the vaporizer 22 and stably supplied to the fuel cell 30 system. In the air assembly, the air drawn in by the air compressor 10 first passes through the cooling pipe 11. This step utilizes the cooling effect of the liquid hydrogen vaporization process to cool the air, reducing the subsequent energy consumption of the air compressor 10. The pre-cooled air enters the air heat exchanger 52 and is preheated through the preheating branch 50 according to the real-time needs of the fuel cell 30 system, ensuring the air entering the fuel cell 30 reaches a suitable temperature. Furthermore, after hydrogen flows out of the vaporizer 22, it passes through the hydrogen heat exchanger 51 and is preheated through the preheating branch 50 to ensure that the temperature of the hydrogen entering the fuel cell 30 meets the requirements of the electrochemical reaction.

[0057] This utility model discloses a fuel cell thermal management system with three paths: a preheating branch 50, a coolant circuit 31, and a heating circuit 40. Temperature management of the fuel cell 30, air assembly, and hydrogen assembly is achieved by controlling the valve openings and heat exchange medium flow rates in each path. For example, during system startup, the heating circuit 40 preheats the fuel cell 30; during operation, the preheating branch 50 is activated based on the temperature of each component to precisely regulate the temperatures of the air and hydrogen; when the temperature of the fuel cell 30 rises, the vaporizer 20 absorbs more heat, and the coolant circuit 31 can appropriately reduce the heating power consumption of the PTC heater 45.

[0058] Specifically, such as Figure 3As shown, one end of the first control valve 53 is connected to the heating circuit 40, and the other end is connected to the second control valve 41 and one end of the preheating branch 50. When the fuel cell 30 system is started, it is determined whether it is in a cold start. If it is in a cold start, the heating circuit 40 is opened, that is, the first control valve 53, the second control valve 41, and the third control valve 42 are opened. By adjusting the opening degree of the first control valve 53, the fuel cell 30 is heated to the expected temperature and then operates normally. If it is in a normal temperature start, the first control valve 53 is opened, and the heating circuit 40 is opened. The opening degree of the first control valve 53 is controlled to precool the air intake of the air compressor 10 with liquid hydrogen cooling capacity. The compressed air and the hydrogen gas after liquid hydrogen vaporization are preheated by the cooling medium of the preheating branch 50 to achieve dual preheating of air and hydrogen. Until the fuel cell 30 system is shut down, all valves and PCT heaters are closed.

[0059] Therefore, this invention innovatively integrates liquid hydrogen vaporization, air precooling and preheating, hydrogen preheating, and thermal management of the fuel cell 30 system into a single loop system, achieving efficient energy flow and utilization. The cooling energy from liquid hydrogen vaporization can be used to precool the air compressed by the air compressor 10, reducing energy consumption, while simultaneously utilizing the waste heat from the fuel cell 30 system for liquid hydrogen vaporization and gas preheating. Through three thermal management loop paths and valve control, precise and coordinated regulation of the fuel cell 30 system, air, and hydrogen temperatures is achieved.

[0060] This fuel cell thermal management system has the following advantages: First, high energy efficiency: Because the system integrates liquid hydrogen vaporization and fuel cell 30 thermal management, and utilizes the cooling capacity of liquid hydrogen vaporization to pre-cool the air and the waste heat from fuel cell 30 for vaporization and gas preheating, it reduces the additional consumption of external energy and achieves energy recycling. Compared with existing technologies, it is expected to improve energy utilization efficiency by more than 30%. Second, precise temperature regulation: Through the three paths of the thermal management circulation unit and precise valve and flow control, it can provide precise temperature regulation for air and hydrogen in real time according to the operating conditions of the fuel cell 30 system, ensuring that the fuel cell 30 stack is always at the optimal reaction temperature, thereby improving power generation efficiency by 15%-20% and enhancing system stability. Third, system simplification: The highly integrated system reduces the number of independent liquid hydrogen vaporization and fuel cell 30 system thermal management components, as well as a large number of connecting pipelines, reducing system complexity. It is estimated that the number of system components can be reduced by 20%-30%, resulting in a decrease in failure risk and maintenance costs. Therefore, the present invention, based on thermal management cycle and waste heat and cold energy utilization, has significant advantages in energy utilization efficiency, temperature regulation accuracy and system stability, and is more suitable for large-scale practical applications.

[0061] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0062] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0063] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A fuel cell thermal management system, characterized in that, include: A hydrogen assembly, comprising a vaporizer, wherein the vaporizer is coupled to the cooling liquid circuit and / or the heating circuit of the fuel cell for heat exchange, so that liquid hydrogen is vaporized by exchanging heat with the heat exchange medium through the vaporizer.

2. The fuel cell thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The preheating branch includes a hydrogen heat exchanger and an air heat exchanger connected in sequence. Both ends of the preheating branch are connected to the heating circuit and are selectively connected to the heating circuit. It is used to exchange heat between the vaporized hydrogen and the heat exchange medium through the hydrogen heat exchanger and to exchange heat between the compressed air and the heat exchange medium through the air heat exchanger.

3. The fuel cell thermal management system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The hydrogen assembly further includes a hydrogen storage tank and a vaporization tank, wherein the hydrogen storage tank is connected to the vaporizer, the vaporizer is connected to the vaporization tank, and the vaporization tank is connected to the hydrogen inlet of the hydrogen heat exchanger.

4. The fuel cell thermal management system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The hydrogen inlet of the hydrogen heat exchanger is connected to the vaporization tank and its hydrogen outlet is connected to the hydrogen inlet of the fuel cell. The air inlet of the air heat exchanger is connected to the air compressor and its air outlet is connected to the air inlet of the fuel cell.

5. The fuel cell thermal management system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: A first control valve is provided, wherein one end of the preheating branch is selectively connected to the heating circuit via the first control valve, and the other end of the preheating branch is connected to the heating circuit.

6. The fuel cell thermal management system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: The control unit comprises a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, and a third temperature sensor. The control unit is electrically connected to the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the third temperature sensor, respectively. The first temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the fuel cell, the second temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the air inlet of the fuel cell, and the third temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the hydrogen inlet of the fuel cell. The control unit is configured to control the heat exchange medium in the heating circuit to selectively flow into the fuel cell to heat the fuel cell based on the detection signals of the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor and the third temperature sensor, and / or to control the preheating branch to selectively connect with the heating circuit.

7. The fuel cell thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The heating circuit is connected to the inlet of the coolant circuit via the second control valve and to the outlet of the coolant circuit via the third control valve.

8. The fuel cell thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating circuit includes a water pump, a water storage tank, and a PTC heater connected in sequence, and the PTC heater is selectively turned on for auxiliary heating.

9. The fuel cell thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: An air assembly, the air assembly including an air compressor, wherein the vaporizer is coupled to the cooling line of the air compressor for heat exchange.

10. The fuel cell thermal management system according to claim 9, characterized in that, A portion of the coolant circuit is located inside the vaporizer, a portion of the heating circuit is located inside the vaporizer, and a portion of the air compressor's cooling pipes is located inside the vaporizer.