Vehicle equipped with fuel cell and method for operating the vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle comprising at least one fuel cell, a cooling system comprising at least one radiator (5) for cooling the fuel cell, a container (7) for collecting water produced by the fuel cell, a number of nozzles (6) arranged in front of the radiator (5) in the direction of travel (F) for delivering or spraying water from the container (7) to the radiator (5) or into an air flow passing through the radiator (5), a pump for conveying water from the container (7) to the nozzles (6), and a control unit configured to control and / or adjust the pump with respect to the amount of water conveyed depending on the outside air temperature and the temperature of the cooling system, the vehicle being configured as a commercial vehicle (1), the radiator (5) being arranged on the roof or in the roof area of ​​the vehicle and the container (7) being arranged in the undercarriage area of ​​the vehicle.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a method for operating said vehicle according to the preamble of claim 6. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell that electrochemically reacts hydrogen and oxygen to produce water through the electrochemical reaction, a water storage unit for storing water recovered within the fuel cell, a heat exchanger that releases heat from the exchange of a heat exchange medium that receives heat from the fuel cell, a spray unit that sprays water from the water storage unit onto the heat exchanger to cool the heat exchanger using the latent heat of vaporization, and an abnormality determination unit that determines whether there is an abnormality related to the spraying of water by the spray unit. The abnormality determination unit determines whether there is an abnormality based on the difference between the theoretical heat generation amount of the heat exchanger when water is not sprayed onto the heat exchanger and the actual heat generation amount of the heat exchanger when water is sprayed onto the heat exchanger. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-075254 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel vehicle equipped with a fuel cell and a novel method for operating such a vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] This problem is solved according to the invention by a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell having the features of claim 1 and by a method for operating a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell having the features of claim 6.

[0006] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0007] The vehicle according to the invention comprises at least one fuel cell, a cooling system with at least one radiator for cooling the fuel cell, a container for collecting water produced by the fuel cell, a number of nozzles arranged in front of the radiator in the direction of travel for delivering or spraying water from the container to the radiator or into an air flow passing through the radiator, a pump for transporting water from the container to the nozzles, and a control unit configured to control and / or adjust the pump with respect to the amount of water transported depending on the outside air temperature and the temperature of the cooling system. According to the invention, the vehicle is configured as a commercial vehicle, the radiator is arranged on or in the roof area of ​​the vehicle, and the container is arranged in the undercarriage area of ​​the vehicle.

[0008] By spraying water onto the warm and / or hot radiator, cooling performance is improved. The evaporation of water improves cooling performance. In this way, energy savings are achieved, increasing the efficiency of the radiator and therefore the efficiency of the entire system, including the fuel cell. This results in a longer driving range with the same primary energy usage, thus reducing the environmental footprint.

[0009] An embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a commercial vehicle equipped with a fuel cell drive; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] 1 is a schematic diagram of a tractor unit for a commercial vehicle 1, in particular a semi-trailer truck. The commercial vehicle 1 has a drive based on one or more fuel cells. For this purpose, a technical tower 3 is arranged behind the cab 2 of the commercial vehicle 1, in which, inter alia, one or more hydrogen tanks 4 are arranged. A radiator 5 is arranged on the roof of the cab 2 or above the technical tower 3 in the roof area.

[0012] Fuel cell vehicles generate a large amount of waste heat, which is further increased by the cooling required when braking the vehicle. When regeneration is not possible, electrical energy must be converted into heat and dissipated via the radiator 5.

[0013] In front of the radiator 5, one or more nozzles 6 are arranged in the direction of travel F, which can spray water onto the radiator 5. The water is produced by the fuel cell as a spray mist, exits the fuel cell and is collected in a container 7. In a commercial vehicle 1, for example, about 50 liters of water can accumulate per hour. The water is either injected via the nozzles 6 as a water stream or as a spray mist into the air flowing through the radiator 5 or sprayed directly onto the radiator 5.

[0014] The radiator 5 is sprayed by an air flow, for example a headwind FW, during travel. A nozzle 6 is arranged in this air flow, which may be configured similarly to a nozzle for windscreen washing water. The nozzle 6 is supplied with water from a container 7. In particular, the entire radiator 5 is wetted and, as a result of the enthalpy of evaporation, the radiator 5 is cooled further, for example by about 2 to 3 degrees, than without spraying.

[0015] A container 7 for collecting water from the fuel cell is, for example, located in the lower area of ​​the commercial vehicle 1. Using a pump (not shown), the water is conveyed from the container 7 to the nozzle 6. Alternatively, the spray mist produced by the fuel cell may also be directed onto the radiator 5. 。

[0016] Furthermore, a control unit (not shown) may be provided which determines when and how much water to spray depending on at least one temperature, for example the outside air temperature and / or the temperature of the cooling system of the commercial vehicle 1.

[0017] Furthermore, a collecting device (not shown), e.g. a recess or groove, may be provided behind the radiator 5 in the direction of travel F to collect part of the spray water that may not have evaporated. From this collecting device, for example a drainage channel leading to a container 7, can be led along the riser pipe, and thus along the warmer pipe, to the radiator 5, wetting it. In this way, this pipe is also cooled further by the enthalpy of evaporation, increasing the cooling effect. [Explanation of symbols]

[0018] 1 commercial vehicle 2 Driver's cab 3 Technical Tower 4 Hydrogen Tanks 5 Radiator 6 nozzles 7 containers F Travel direction FW running wind

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising at least one fuel cell, a cooling system comprising at least one radiator (5) for cooling the fuel cell, a container (7) for collecting water produced by the fuel cell, a plurality of nozzles (6) arranged in front of the radiator (5) in the direction of travel (F) for delivering or spraying water from the container (7) to the radiator (5) or into an air flow passing through the radiator (5), a pump for conveying water from the container (7) to the nozzles (6), and a control unit configured to control and / or adjust the pump with respect to the amount of water conveyed depending on the outside air temperature and the temperature of the cooling system, 1. The vehicle is configured as a commercial vehicle (1), characterized in that the radiator (5) is arranged on the roof or in the roof area of ​​the vehicle, and the container (7) is arranged in the lower area of ​​the vehicle.

2. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the air flow can be generated by a headwind (FW).

3. 3. A vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the nozzle (6) is arranged so as to wet the entire radiator (5).

4. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a collecting device for collecting a portion of the water sprayed onto the radiator (5) that does not evaporate is arranged behind the radiator (5) in the direction of travel (F), the collecting device having a drain groove that is led to the radiator (5) along a riser pipe and is formed so as to wet the radiator with the collected water.

5. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a cab (2) and a technical tower (3) arranged behind the cab (2), in which a hydrogen tank (4) is arranged, and in which the radiator (5) is arranged on the technical tower (3) in the roof area of ​​the cab (2).

6. 1. A method for operating a vehicle, the vehicle comprising at least one fuel cell and a cooling system comprising at least one radiator (5) for cooling the fuel cell, wherein water produced in the fuel cell is collected in a container (7) and conveyed by means of a pump to a number of nozzles (6) arranged in front of the radiator (5) in the direction of travel (F), from which it is sent or sprayed onto the radiator (5) or into an air flow passing through the radiator (5), the pump being controlled and / or regulated by a control unit with respect to the amount of water conveyed depending on the outside air temperature and the temperature of the cooling system, 1. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is configured as a commercial vehicle (1), the radiator (5) is arranged on the roof or in the roof area of ​​the vehicle, and the container (7) is arranged in the lower area of ​​the vehicle.

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