INTEGRATED THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR FUEL CELL MOBILITY VEHICLES

Abstract

Integrated thermal management system for fuel cell mobility vehicles, wherein the integrated thermal management system comprises: a hydrogen tank (B) designed to store hydrogen supplied to a fuel cell stack (A); a first turbine (100) which is in fluid communication with the hydrogen tank (B) and is rotated by pressure from the hydrogen carried away from the hydrogen tank (B); a refrigerant circulation line (500) connecting a compressor (510), a condenser (520), an expansion valve (530) and an evaporator (540), wherein a refrigerant circulates along the refrigerant circulation line (500); a second turbine (200) which is installed in the refrigerant circulation line (500) and is rotated by the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (510); and a blower (400) which engages with at least one of the first turbine (100), the second turbine (200) and an electric motor (300) and is configured to pressurize ambient air using a rotational force from the at least one of the first turbine (100), the second turbine (200) or the electric motor (300) and to supply the pressurized ambient air to a room air conditioning unit or the fuel cell stack (A).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Area of ​​the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an integrated thermal management system that controls the internal environment of a fuel cell-powered mobility vehicle, such as cooling the fuel cell, cooling / heating a passenger compartment, etc. Description of the state of the art

[0002] Mobility devices or mobility vehicles refer to all means of transport that carry people or cargo, and conventional mobility devices or mobility vehicles are powered by internal combustion engines and fossil fuels. When a mobility vehicle is driven, it is necessary to control the internal environment of the mobility vehicle for a driver or occupants, and when an internal combustion engine is used, the exhaust gas temperature is high, and thus the temperature of the interior of the mobility vehicle can be adjusted using the waste heat from the exhaust gas.

[0003] Greenhouse gases produced by the use of combustion engines and fossil fuels increase the Earth's temperature and cause environmental destruction, and consequently, there is growing interest in mobility vehicles that are capable of being powered by fuel cells and hydrogen.

[0004] However, a mobility vehicle using a fuel cell differs from a mobility vehicle using an internal combustion engine in terms of its propulsion methods, the amount of waste heat emitted, and the systems required for this, and therefore requires many modifications to be able to control the environment.

[0005] The fuel cell humidifies air that is drawn in from its outside and generates electricity through a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen; therefore, it is necessary to pressurize the air flowing into the fuel cell.

[0006] If a separate blower, designed to pressurize the air, is used independently, the weight and volume of the mobility vehicle and the amount of energy consumed will increase.

[0007] US Patent 2002 / 0163200A1 discloses a system for recovering the potential energy of a hydrogen gas fuel supply in a fuel cell-powered vehicle. The system comprises a conventional storage tank that receives and stores hydrogen gas under relatively high pressure, an expander, a compressor, a motor / generator that selectively generates electrical energy and torque, a pressure regulator, a valve, an electrical charge storage device or battery, a control unit, vehicle sensors, and electrical switches or a switching module. The system selectively passes pressurized hydrogen gas through the expander, which reduces the pressure of the hydrogen gas, drives the compressor, and generates electricity. The control unit ensures that the generated current is selectively routed to electrical accessories and / or the battery via a switching module, based on vehicle attribute data received from the sensors.Based on the attribute data, the control unit can also signal the valve to bypass the expander and cause the motor / generator to be powered by the battery to drive the compressor. Furthermore, DE 40 05 698 A1 discloses a method for air-conditioning enclosed spaces filled with gaseous media, in particular stationary engine-driven units or motor vehicles. In order to specify a method and apparatus for air-conditioning enclosed spaces using simple, cost-effective, and energy-efficient environmentally friendly gases, the gaseous medium is a) drawn from the space and compressed, b) then cooled at constant pressure, c) subsequently expanded via an expansion element, and d) returned to the space.

[0008] The information disclosed in this section concerning the background of the present invention is provided solely for a better understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be construed as confirmation or any form of suggestion that this information constitutes the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. QUICK OVERVIEW

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide an integrated thermal management system that effectively controls or regulates the internal environment of a mobility vehicle using a fuel cell system by combining the characteristics of the mobility vehicle and the characteristics of a refrigerant compression system provided within the mobility vehicle.

[0010] The problem is solved by a thermal management system with the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments are found in the dependent claims.

[0011] According to various embodiments of the present invention, the above and other problems can be solved by providing an integrated thermal management system for fuel cell mobility vehicles, comprising a hydrogen tank configured to store hydrogen supplied to a fuel cell stack.to store, a first turbine which is in fluid communication with the hydrogen tank and is rotated by pressure from the hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen tank, a refrigerant circulation line which is arranged such that a refrigerant circulates along it and a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator are provided on it, a second turbine which is installed in the refrigerant circulation line and is rotated by the high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor, and a blower which engages with the first turbine, the second turbine or an electric motor and is arranged to pressurize ambient air using a rotational force from the first turbine, the second turbine or the electric motor and to supply the pressurized ambient air to a room air conditioning unit or the fuel cell stack.

[0012] The pressurized ambient air can flow through an ambient air supply line, the ambient air supply line can branch into a fuel cell line and an air conditioning line, and the pressurized ambient air can be supplied to the fuel cell stack via the fuel cell line and can be supplied to the room air conditioning unit via the air conditioning line.

[0013] The respective flow rates of the pressurized ambient air, which is extracted by the blower and supplied to the room air conditioning unit and the fuel cell stack, can be controlled or regulated by a controller.

[0014] When the fuel cell stack generates power, the blower can be rotated by the first turbine to pressurize the ambient air and supply the pressurized ambient air to the room air conditioning unit and the fuel cell stack, and if the pressure exerted on the ambient air is lower than a predetermined pressure value, the electric motor can be additionally operated to increase the pressure exerted on the ambient air.

[0015] When the interior of a fuel cell mobility vehicle is being cooled, the blower can be rotated by the second turbine to pressurize the ambient air and deliver the pressurized ambient air to the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle.

[0016] The evaporator can be located inside the room air conditioning unit, and the fan can supply the pressurized ambient air to the room air conditioning unit.

[0017] A heating core can be provided within the room air conditioning unit and the heating core can be connected to a cooling fluid outlet of the fuel cell stack.

[0018] The integrated thermal management system can further include a coolant circulation line configured such that a coolant circulates to the fuel cell stack via a water pump; the coolant in the circulation line can flow through the heating core and a cooler after passing through the fuel cell stack via a control valve; a flow of coolant passing through the heating core can combine with a flow of coolant passing through the cooler; and the opening of the control valve can be controlled depending on the operating state of the fuel cell stack and whether heating the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle is required.

[0019] An electric heater can be provided within the room air conditioning unit and the electric heater can be operated when the temperature of the heating core is lower than a predetermined temperature.

[0020] The methods and devices of the present invention have other features and advantages which will become apparent or be explained in more detail from the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made herein, and the following detailed description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 shows a circuit diagram of an integrated thermal management system for fuel cell mobility vehicles according to various embodiments of the present invention; and Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic view illustrating, by way of example, a blower of the integrated thermal management system for fuel cell mobility vehicles according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0021] It is understood that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily to scale and represent a somewhat simplified depiction of various features intended to illustrate the principles of the disclosure. The specific design features of the present invention, as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, installation locations, and shapes, are partly determined by the application specifically provided for this purpose and the working environment.

[0022] In the figures, the reference numerals refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the various figures of the drawing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Reference will now be made in detail to the various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) is / are described in connection with exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the other hand, the invention(s) is / are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and further embodiments that may be included within the teaching and scope of the invention, as defined by the accompanying claims.

[0024] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals are used in the drawings to refer to identical or similar parts. In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations or arrangements contained herein is omitted if this might make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

[0025] Fig. Figure 1 shows a circuit diagram of an integrated thermal management system for fuel cell mobility vehicles according to various embodiments of the present invention, and Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic view illustrating, by way of example, a blower of the integrated thermal management system for fuel cell mobility vehicles according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0026] To solve the problems described above, an integrated thermal management system for fuel cell mobility vehicles according to various embodiments of the present invention comprises a hydrogen tank B, which is configured to store high-pressure hydrogen supplied to a fuel cell stack A, a first turbine 100, which is rotated by the pressure of the hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen tank B, a refrigerant circulation line 500, which is configured such that a refrigerant circulates along it and a compressor 510, a condenser 520, an expansion valve 530 and 540 are provided thereon, a second turbine 200, which is rotated by the high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 510, and a blower 400, which is configured to draw ambient air using the rotational force of the first turbine 100.to pressurize the second turbine 200 or an electric motor 300 and to supply the pressurized ambient air to a room air conditioning unit or the fuel cell stack A.

[0027] Specifically, pressurization is required within the mobility vehicle to continuously supply fresh air, and for this purpose, the blower 400 is required, which is designed to pressurize ambient air. In various embodiments of the present invention, ambient air is pressurized using high-pressure hydrogen gas used in the fuel cell stack A and the high-pressure refrigerant delivered by the compressor 510 in the mobility vehicle, and is additionally pressurized by the electric motor 300, and the pressurized ambient air is used to condition the air in the interior of the mobility vehicle or is supplied to a fuel cell.

[0028] With reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 indicates that in Fig.The blower 400 shown in Figure 2 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 is rotated to pressurize the ambient air.

[0029] The first turbine 100 can be rotated by the high-pressure hydrogen gas supplied to the fuel cell stack A, and the second turbine 200 can be rotated by the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant delivered by the compressor 510. The electric motor 300 can be used as an auxiliary power source to operate the blower 400.

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

[0031] Since, consequently, a separate blower designed to supply pressurized ambient air to the fuel cell stack A is not additionally provided, and the blower 400, designed to pressurize ambient air for conditioning room or indoor air, is designed to supply the ambient air to the fuel cell stack A, the integrated thermal management system can have a compact design and increase the range of the mobility vehicle.

[0032] A humidifier, designed to humidify ambient air when the ambient air is dry, may further be provided on / at the fuel cell line 411, and since 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 room air conditioning unit via the air conditioning line 412 to heat or cool the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle.

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

[0035] The respective flow rates of the pressurized ambient air, which is delivered by the blowers 400 and is to be supplied to the room air conditioning unit and the fuel cell stack A, can be controlled or regulated by a controller 420.

[0036] This means that the controller 420 can appropriately regulate the flow rate of the ambient air required by the fuel cell stack A and can ensure that the rest of the ambient air is supplied to the room air conditioning unit.

[0037] The first turbine 100 can be rotated by the high-pressure hydrogen gas supplied to the fuel cell stack A, the blower 400 can thereby be rotated to pressurize ambient air and to supply the pressurized ambient air to the room air conditioning unit and the fuel cell stack A, and if the magnitude of the pressure exerted on the ambient air is insufficient, for example lower than a predetermined pressure magnitude, the electric motor 300 can additionally be operated to increase the pressure exerted on the ambient air.

[0038] Furthermore, when the interior of a fuel cell mobility vehicle is cooled, the blower 400 can be rotated by the second turbine 200 to pressurize the ambient air and to deliver the pressurized ambient air to the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle.

[0039] Specifically, the refrigerant is converted into a low-temperature state by the compressor 510, the condenser 520 and the expansion valve 530 and exchanges heat with the ambient air pressurized by the evaporator 540 in order to cool the ambient air, which is set up to cool the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle.

[0040] In one embodiment of the present invention, ram air flows into the condenser 520. Here, the ram air is ambient air whose dynamic air pressure is generated by vehicle movement in order to enable a larger mass flow of ambient air through the condenser 520, thereby increasing the engine power.

[0041] In this case, the evaporator 540 can be provided within the room air conditioning unit and the blower 400 can supply the pressurized ambient air to the room air conditioning unit in order to cool the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle.

[0042] In one embodiment of the present invention, an accumulator (Accum) is installed between the compressor 510 and the evaporator 540.

[0043] A heating core 610 can be provided within the room air conditioning unit and the heating core 610 can be connected to a cooling fluid outlet of the fuel cell stack A.

[0044] Specifically, the heating core 610 is a component designed to heat the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle, and when the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle is heated, the cooling fluid can be heated by absorbing the waste heat generated due to electricity generation by the fuel cell, and the heating core 610 can heat the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle through heat exchange between the pressurized ambient air and the heating cooling fluid.

[0045] The integrated thermal management system according to various embodiments of the present invention can further comprise a cooling fluid circulation line 600, which is configured such that the cooling fluid circulates to the fuel cell stack A via a pump 620; the cooling fluid of the cooling fluid circulation line 600 flows through a control valve 630 through the heating core 610 and a cooler 640 after passing through the fuel cell stack A; the flow of cooling fluid that has passed through the heating core 610 can combine with the flow that has passed through the cooler 640; the opening of the control valve 630 can be controlled depending on the operating state of the fuel cell stack A and depending on whether it is necessary to heat the interior of the fuel cell vehicle; and an electric heater or...The electric heater 650 can be provided within the room air conditioning unit to be operated when the temperature of the heating core 610 is not sufficiently high, such as when it is lower than a specified temperature.

[0046] Specifically, if it is necessary to heat the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle, heating of the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle is carried out using the waste heat from the fuel cell stack A, and if the temperature of the heating core 610 is not sufficiently high, such as if it is lower than a predetermined temperature, the electric heater 650, which is provided within the air conditioning unit, can be operated to additionally heat the ambient air.

[0047] The cooling fluid, which heats up the fuel cell stack A, flows along the cooling fluid circulation line 600, and when it is necessary to heat the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle, the cooling fluid can be discharged to the heating core 610 via a branch line 635 through the control valve 630 connected to the heating core 610, and when it is not necessary to heat the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle, the cooling fluid can be supplied to the cooler 640 via the control valve 630 to be discharged.

[0048] The opening of the control valve 630 can be controlled depending on whether it is necessary to heat the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle, and can also be controlled depending on the operation of the fuel cell stack A.

[0049] As can be seen from the above description, an integrated thermal management system for fuel cell mobility vehicles according to various embodiments of the present invention can reduce the number and volume of fans required to pressurize ambient air supplied to a passenger compartment within a fuel cell vehicle, and consequently reduce the amount of energy consumed, thereby increasing the range of the fuel cell mobility vehicle.

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

[0051] In one embodiment of the present invention, the coolant reservoir 615 is located in the coolant circulation line 600 downstream of the heating core 610 or the cooler 640.

[0052] In one embodiment of the present invention, a controller is connected to at least one of the elements of the integrated thermal management system, such as the control valve 630, the pump 620, the electric motor 300 and the regulator 420, in order to control their operation.

[0053] Furthermore, the term referring to a control device such as "controller," "control unit," "control device," or "control module," etc., refers to a hardware device comprising a memory and a processor, which are set up or configured to execute one or more steps that are interpreted as an algorithmic structure. The memory stores algorithmic steps, and the processor executes the algorithmic steps to perform one or more processes of a method according to various embodiments of the present invention.The control device according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be implemented by a non-volatile memory configured to store algorithms for controlling the operation of various components of a vehicle or data about software instructions for executing the algorithms, and a processor configured to perform an operation as described above using the data stored in the memory. The memory and the processor can be separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and the 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, can process data according to a program provided from the memory, and can generate a control signal according to the processing result.

[0054] The control device can be at least one microprocessor operated by a predetermined program which may include a series of instructions for executing the method disclosed in the aforementioned various embodiments of the present invention.

[0055] The aforementioned invention 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 a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid-state drive (SSD), a silicon disk drive (SDD), a read-only memory (ROM), a random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, etc., and a carrier wave implementation (e.g., transmission via the internet).

[0056] In one embodiment of the present invention, each operation described above can be performed by a control device, and the control device can be designed by several control devices or an integrated single control device.

[0057] In one embodiment of the present invention, the control devices can be implemented in the form of hardware or software, or can be implemented in a combination of hardware and software.

[0058] For the sake of clarity and precise definition in the accompanying claims, the terms "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "top / upwards", "bottom / downwards", "upwards", "downwards", "front", "backwards", "within", "outside", "inwards", "outwards", "internal / inside", "external / outside", "inner", "outer", "forwards", and "backwards" are used to describe features of the embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as shown in the figures. It is further understood that the term "connect" or its derivatives refer to both direct and indirect connections.

Claims

[1] Integrated thermal management system for fuel cell mobility vehicles, wherein the integrated thermal management system comprises: a hydrogen tank (B) designed to store hydrogen supplied to a fuel cell stack (A); a first turbine (100) which is in fluid communication with the hydrogen tank (B) and is rotated by pressure from the hydrogen carried away from the hydrogen tank (B); a refrigerant circulation line (500) connecting a compressor (510), a condenser (520), an expansion valve (530) and an evaporator (540), wherein a refrigerant circulates along the refrigerant circulation line (500); a second turbine (200) which is installed in the refrigerant circulation line (500) and is rotated by the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (510); and a blower (400) which engages with at least one of the first turbine (100), the second turbine (200) and an electric motor (300) and is configured to pressurize ambient air using a rotational force from the at least one of the first turbine (100), the second turbine (200) or the electric motor (300) and to supply the pressurized ambient air to a room air conditioning unit or the fuel cell stack (A). [2] Integrated thermal management system according to claim 1, further comprising an ambient air supply line (410) connected to the blower (400), wherein the pressurized ambient air flows through the ambient air supply line (410), and wherein the ambient air supply line (410) branches into a fuel cell line (411) connected to the fuel cell stack (A) and an air conditioning line (412) and the pressurized ambient air is supplied to the fuel cell stack (A) via the fuel cell line (411) and to the room air conditioning unit via the air conditioning line (412). [3] Integrated thermal management system according to claim 2, further comprising: a controller (420) which is connected to the ambient air supply line (410), the fuel cell line (411) and the air conditioning line (412), wherein the respective flow rates of the pressurized ambient air, which is extracted by the blower (400) and supplied to the room air conditioning unit and the fuel cell stack (A), are controlled by the controller (420). [4] Integrated thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein, when the fuel cell stack (A) generates power, the blower (400) is rotated by the first turbine (100) to pressurize the ambient air and to supply the pressurized ambient air to the room air conditioning unit and the fuel cell stack (A), and when a pressure exerted on the ambient air is lower than a predetermined pressure value, the electric motor (300) is additionally operated to increase the pressure exerted on the ambient air. [5] Integrated thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein, when an interior of a fuel cell mobility vehicle is cooled, the blower (400) is rotated by the second turbine (200) to pressurize the ambient air and to deliver the pressurized ambient air to the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle. [6] Integrated heat management system according to claim 1, wherein the evaporator (540) is provided within the room air conditioning unit and the blower (400) is arranged to supply the pressurized ambient air to the room air conditioning unit. [7] Integrated heat management system according to claim 6, wherein a heating core (610) is provided within the room air conditioning unit and the heating core (610) is connected to a cooling fluid outlet of the fuel cell stack (A). [8] Integrated thermal management system according to claim 7, further comprising: a cooling fluid circulation line (600) which is connected to the fuel cell stack (A) and a pump (620), wherein a cooling fluid circulates through the cooling fluid circulation line (600) by operation of the pump (620); a cooler (640) and a control valve (630) connected to the cooling fluid circulation line (600); and a branch line that connects the control valve (630), the heating core (610) and the pump (620) by bypassing the cooler (640). [9] Integrated thermal management system according to claim 8, wherein the cooling fluid of the cooling fluid circulation line (600) flows through the branch line connecting the heating core (610) and the cooler (640) via the control valve (630) after passing through the fuel cell stack (A), and wherein a stream of the cooling fluid that has passed through the heating core (610) combines with a stream of the cooling fluid that has passed through the cooler (640) by bypassing the cooler (640). [10] Integrated thermal management system according to claim 8, wherein the opening of the control valve (630) is controlled according to an operating state of the fuel cell stack (A) and according to whether heating of the interior of the fuel cell mobility vehicle is required. [11] Integrated heat management system according to claim 7, wherein an electric heater (650) is provided within the room air conditioning unit and the electric heater (650) is operated when a temperature of the heating core (610) is lower than a predetermined temperature. [12] Integrated thermal management system according to claim 8, wherein the condenser (520) and the cooler (640) are aligned side by side. [13] Integrated thermal management system according to claim 8, wherein a coolant reservoir (615) is installed in the coolant circulation line (600) downstream of the heating core (610) and the cooler (640). [14] Integrated thermal management system according to claim 7, wherein the air conditioning line (412) is connected to the evaporator (540), the heating core (610) and an electric heater (650). [15] Integrated thermal management system according to claim 14, wherein the electric heater (650) is operated when the temperature of the heater core (610) is lower than a predetermined temperature.

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