Mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator having improved cooling function
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/KR2025/002574
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-02-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-27
Smart Images
Figure KR2025002574_27082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator with improved cooling function
[0001] The present invention relates to a mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator that can be utilized for various purposes, such as industrial applications, and specifically to a mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator with a structure that enhances cooling capabilities. More specifically, the invention relates to a mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator with a structure that minimizes the generation of bubbles in the cooling water and the imbalance of thermal equilibrium in the cooling water, while having a cooling water line that supplies separate cooling water to the hydrogen fuel cell stack and a heat dissipation line that dissipates heat from the cooling water in an open-loop form to enhance cooling capabilities, and also minimizes volume and maximizes efficiency while having a separate cooling line to enhance cooling capabilities.
[0002] Hydrogen is the first chemical element on the periodic table and is the element with the simplest structure, basically consisting of one proton and one electron. It is the most abundant element in the universe, constituting 75% of the universe by mass. In nature, hydrogen exists mainly in the molecular form of H2, and due to its chemical properties, it exists in a gaseous state under general conditions. This hydrogen gas can generally be easily captured by electrolyzing water (H2O) or reacting organic materials under catalytic conditions. Furthermore, since a massive amount of hydrogen is generated as a byproduct in petrochemical processes, it can be easily utilized.
[0003] Hydrogen energy utilizes the energy generated when hydrogen reacts with oxygen. A representative example employing this is the fuel cell. A hydrogen fuel cell is a power generation system that produces electrical and thermal energy through the electrochemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. Because it generates electricity directly without undergoing the energy conversion process of fuel combustion, it has low energy loss and high power generation efficiency. For instance, while the utilization efficiency of electrical energy produced by power plants is 35%, the overall energy efficiency of a fuel cell using hydrogen energy reaches up to 95%. Furthermore, since the only byproduct generated during the energy production process is pure water, it is highly environmentally friendly compared to conventional fossil fuel-based energy generation processes. Unlike fossil fuels, which suffer from significant regional variations in reserves, hydrogen can be sufficiently supplied domestically, allowing it to replace energy imports and demonstrating excellent economic utility.
[0004] However, since hydrogen fuel cells generally generate as much thermal energy as electrical energy during the process of generating electricity, effectively managing this heat is an area that requires consideration and improvement. For instance, there are cases such as the operation of power plants and building fuel cell generators that recycle this heat to supply heating water to buildings, facilities, or regions. On the other hand, industrial generators and mobile generators that do not utilize this feature face complex systems required to effectively handle large amounts of thermal energy, inevitably leading to increased production costs. Furthermore, due to the characteristics of hydrogen fuel cells and components of electrically driven products, failure to effectively remove the heat generated by the fuel cell results in higher energy consumption, which can lead to lower power conversion efficiency and a shortened product lifespan.
[0005] Therefore, industrial and mobile hydrogen fuel cell generators require the configuration of cooling systems to effectively dissipate the generated heat. Unlike conventional power plants or building fuel cells, industrial and mobile generators are characterized by inconsistent and rapidly fluctuating power usage from electrical load devices. Furthermore, due to the nature of these products, which can operate independently without being connected to a grid, the management of cooling water can be more complex and challenging. In particular, due to the characteristics of PEMFCs, localized instantaneous heat exceeding 100 degrees Celsius can occur within the cooling water flow paths inside the stack. This momentarily surpasses the boiling point of the cooling water, leading to the formation of bubbles in the piping and fittings, as well as those that occur during fluid movement. Consequently, various problems can arise caused by these bubbles. (As bubbles gradually accumulate in the cooling water, not only does cooling efficiency decrease, but the likelihood of causing issues with pumps in the lines also increases.)
[0006] <Patent Literature>
[0007] Korean Registered Patent No. 10-1729531 (Published April 24, 2017) "Prox unit with self-cooling method and mobile fuel cell generator"
[0008] In the case of the prior art disclosed in the above <Patent Document>, it relates to a prox unit and a mobile fuel cell generator to which a self-cooling method using a heat pipe is applied. However, the prior art applies a self-cooling method using a separate heat pipe based on the recognition that a forced prox cooling method using a fan is inevitably disadvantageous in terms of system convenience and electrical efficiency of the mobile fuel cell generator, but it does not disclose at all the problems such as bubble generation that may occur at this time.
[0009] The present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems,
[0010] The objective of the present invention is to provide a mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator with an improved cooling function, which is capable of minimizing bubble generation in the cooling water and thermal equilibrium imbalance in the cooling water, while having a cooling water line for supplying separate cooling water to the hydrogen fuel cell stack and a heat dissipation line for dissipating heat from the cooling water in an open-loop form to improve the cooling function of the mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator.
[0011] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator equipped with a structure that minimizes overall volume and maximizes efficiency while having a separate cooling line to improve the cooling function of the mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator (since it is not necessary to enlarge the piping itself or install separate additional devices).
[0012] The present invention is implemented by an embodiment having the following configuration to achieve the aforementioned objective.
[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator with an improved cooling function according to the present invention comprises: a hydrogen fuel cell stack; a cooling water line including a cooling water tank connected to the hydrogen fuel cell stack and supplying and recovering a separate cooling water for cooling the hydrogen fuel cell stack; and a heat dissipation line connected to the cooling water tank and supplying and recovering cooling water between the cooling water tank and the heat dissipation unit to dissipate heat of the cooling water for cooling the hydrogen fuel cell stack; wherein the cooling water line includes a first supply line that supplies low-temperature cooling water flowing out from the cooling water tank to the hydrogen fuel cell stack, and a first recovery line that recovers high-temperature cooling water flowing out from the hydrogen fuel cell stack to the cooling water tank; and the heat dissipation line includes a second supply line that supplies high-temperature cooling water flowing out from the cooling water tank to the heat dissipation unit, and a second recovery line that recovers low-temperature cooling water cooled through the heat dissipation unit to the cooling water tank.
[0014] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling water tank of the present invention is characterized in that a first inlet connected to the first recovery line is located on the upper side of one side, a first outlet connected to the first supply line is located on the lower side of one side, a second inlet connected to the second recovery line is located at a height lower than that of the first inlet on the upper side of one side, a second outlet connected to the second supply line is located on the lower side of the other side opposite to the one side, and a venting port for discharging bubbles contained in the cooling water is located on the upper surface.
[0015] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling water tank of the present invention further comprises a side inlet pipe that is positioned offset to the side from the upper side of one side where the first inlet is located and is connected to the first inlet, thereby forming a passage for high-temperature cooling water recovered from the first inlet to flow in; the side inlet pipe is formed such that the size of the pipe gradually increases in the longitudinal direction from the part where the first inlet is connected to the end thereof, and an inclined guide portion is formed at the end of the side inlet pipe so as to be inclined toward the internal space of the cooling water tank to guide the flow of cooling water flowing in to the end of the side inlet pipe toward the interior of the cooling water tank, and a first guide plate having first through holes formed at regular intervals is formed on the surface where the side inlet pipe and the interior of the cooling water tank meet so that cooling water flowing in through the side inlet pipe flows into the interior of the cooling water tank sequentially, and the first through holes of the first guide plate extend from the part where the first inlet is connected to the end thereof It is characterized by gradually widening along the length of the side inflow pipe.
[0016] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling water tank of the present invention is characterized in that the first inlet is located at the uppermost position based on the height direction of the cross-section, the second inlet is located at a height lower than the first inlet, and a second guide plate is formed with second through holes formed at regular intervals, which divides the internal space of the cooling water tank into upper and lower sections at a position lower than the first inlet and higher than the second inlet within the internal space of the cooling water tank, thereby allowing the high-temperature cooling water flowing in through the first inlet and the low-temperature cooling water flowing in through the second inlet to be sequentially and uniformly mixed, while allowing bubbles contained in the cooling water to move smoothly upward and be efficiently discharged through the venting port.
[0017] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the venting port in the present invention is positioned offset from the side opposite to the side where the side inlet pipe is located relative to the plane of the cooling water tank, so as to efficiently discharge bubbles contained in the cooling water.
[0018] The present invention can achieve the following effects through the combination and usage relationship of the embodiments described above and the configuration described below.
[0019] The present invention has the effect of minimizing bubble generation in the cooling water and thermal equilibrium imbalance in the cooling water, while providing a cooling water line for supplying separate cooling water to a hydrogen fuel cell stack and a heat dissipation line for dissipating heat from the cooling water in an open-loop form to improve the cooling function of a mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator.
[0020] The present invention has the effect of minimizing volume and maximizing efficiency while having a separate cooling line to improve the cooling function of a mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator (since it is not necessary to enlarge the piping itself or install separate additional devices).
[0021] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a planar cross-sectional view of the upper plane of the cooling water tank.
[0023] Figure 3 is a cooling water flow diagram in the plane of the cooling water tank of Figure 2.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the cooling water tank in the height direction.
[0025] Figure 5 is a cooling water flow diagram in the side cross-section of the cooling water tank of Figure 4.
[0026] FIG. 6 is a planar cross-sectional view of the upper plane of a cooling water tank in another embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] Figure 7 is a cooling water flow diagram in the plane of the cooling water tank of Figure 6.
[0028] Preferred embodiments of a portable hydrogen fuel cell generator with an improved cooling function according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that identical components in the drawings are represented by identical reference numerals wherever possible. Unless otherwise specifically defined, all terms in this specification have the same general meaning as understood by a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, and in the event of a conflict with the meaning of a term used in this specification, the definition used in this specification shall prevail. Throughout the specification, when a part is described as "comprising" a certain component, it means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components.
[0029]
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator with an improved cooling function according to one embodiment of the present invention may be formed with a structure comprising: a hydrogen fuel cell stack (10); a cooling water line (30) including a cooling water tank (310) connected to the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) to supply and recover separate cooling water for cooling the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10); a heat dissipation line (50) connected to the cooling water tank (310) to supply and recover cooling water between the cooling water tank (310) and a radiator (510) to dissipate heat of the cooling water for cooling the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10); and an ion removal line (70) connected to the cooling water tank (310) to supply and recover cooling water between the cooling water tank (310) and an ion filter (710) to remove ions contained in the cooling water supplied or recovered to the cooling water tank (310).As previously explained, unlike conventional stationary hydrogen fuel cell generators for power plants or buildings, particularly in the case of mobile hydrogen fuel cell generators, the power consumption of load devices using electricity is inconsistent and fluctuates very rapidly. Furthermore, due to the characteristic of operating independently without being connected to a grid, the operation of cooling water (such as requiring the operation of a separate cooling water line) is inevitably more complex and difficult. In particular, various problems can arise due to the generation of bubbles in the separate cooling water line. Therefore, in order to improve the cooling function of such a mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator, the present invention provides a cooling water line (30) that supplies separate cooling water to the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) and a heat dissipation line (50) for dissipating heat from the cooling water in an open-loop form (an open-loop form rather than a closed-loop form is provided for the convenience of maintenance and operation due to the mobile nature). This allows for the minimization of bubble generation in the cooling water and thermal equilibrium imbalances in the cooling water, and enables the minimization of volume and the maximization of efficiency while having a separate cooling line. As the main feature is the provision of a hydrogen fuel cell generator, the following will explain in detail the key components that enable this feature (function).
[0031] The above hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) is a power generation component that produces electricity (energy) in a mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator. In particular, in response to the demand for increasingly high power generation in mobile hydrogen fuel cell generators, the power generation capacity of the above hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) is trending toward becoming larger. Accordingly, a separate cooling line, etc., must be provided to effectively cool the heat generated in the above hydrogen fuel cell stack (10). As previously explained, it is important to minimize the volume and maximize efficiency while minimizing the generation of bubbles and the phenomenon of thermal equilibrium imbalance in the cooling water of the separate cooling line (which is provided in an open loop form rather than a closed loop form for ease of maintenance and operation due to the characteristics of a mobile unit) (this is a major feature of the present invention). The detailed components for this purpose are the above cooling water line (30), heat dissipation line (50), etc., which will be explained in detail below.
[0032] The above cooling water line (30) is configured to include a cooling water tank (310) that is connected to the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) and supplies and recovers separate cooling water for cooling the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10). That is, it is a cooling configuration (structure) that is provided (connected) to the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) in an open loop form by including a separate external cooling water tank (310) for effective cooling of the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10). To this end, the cooling water line (30) may more specifically include a first supply line (320) that supplies low-temperature cooling water flowing out from the cooling water tank (310) to the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10), and a first recovery line (330) that recovers high-temperature cooling water flowing out from the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) to the cooling water tank (310).
[0033] The first supply line (320) is a cooling water line that supplies low-temperature cooling water flowing out of the cooling water tank (310) to the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10), that is, a cooling water transfer line that supplies low-temperature cooling water (typically around 0 to 30°C) required to cool the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) from the cooling water tank (310) to the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10). In particular, in the present invention, due to the characteristics of the mobile type, the first supply line (320) etc. is configured in an open loop form rather than a closed loop form for the convenience of maintenance and operation, and thus there is a possibility that bubbles, etc. may be generated. Also, due to the characteristics of the mobile type, the diameter of the first supply line (320), etc. cannot be made too large in order to minimize the overall volume (size) of the generator, and consequently, the flow velocity of the cooling water within the pipe is bound to increase, and thus there is also a possibility that bubbles, etc. may be generated. Therefore, the bubbles generated in this way can be overcome through structural improvements of the cooling water tank (310) described later.(Hereafter, the first recovery line, the second supply line (520), the second recovery line (530), the third supply line (720), and the third recovery line (730) can all be said to be the same.) Meanwhile, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, in the case of the first supply line (320) connected to the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) and the first recovery line (330) to be described later, or the first inlet (311) connected to the first recovery line (330) from the cooling water tank (310) and the first outlet (312) connected to the first supply line (320) as described later, when connected to the cooling water tank (310), they are connected at a downward slope of about 5 to 10 degrees, thereby allowing for the recovery of cooling water from the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) or the cooling water for the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) (which is typically located below the cooling water tank (310)). Not only can the pipe connection for supply be easily made, but even if the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) is in operation or its operation is stopped, bubbles present in the pipe or the pipe-cooling water tank connection section can be easily removed (despite physical single-layer structures or bottleneck structures).
[0034] The first recovery line (330) is a cooling water line that recovers high-temperature cooling water flowing out from the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) to the cooling water tank (310), that is, a cooling water transfer line that sends high-temperature cooling water (typically around 40 to 80°C) back to the cooling water tank (310) after cooling the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10). In particular, the cooling water recovered to the cooling water tank (310) through the first recovery line (330) may contain more bubbles, etc., due to the characteristic that the cooling water is recovered through various lines within the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10). A separate pump or similar configuration may be included on the first recovery line (330) or within the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10) to facilitate the smooth movement of cooling water through the cooling water line (30).
[0035] The above-mentioned cooling water tank (310) is configured to store and manage cooling water supplied and recovered through the first supply line (320) and the first recovery line (330), and the second supply line (520) and the second recovery line (530) (including the third supply line (720) and the third recovery line (730) to be described later). In particular, this is a configuration unique to the present invention that allows for the rapid removal of bubbles generated during the supply and recovery process of the cooling water (within the cooling water tank (310)), minimizes phenomena such as thermal equilibrium imbalance of the cooling water, minimizes the volume of the cooling water tank (310) and furthermore the entire mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator, and maximizes efficiency. This will be explained in detail later.
[0036] The above heat dissipation line (50) is connected to the above cooling water tank (310) and is configured to supply and recover cooling water between the cooling water tank (310) and the radiator (510) to dissipate heat from the cooling water for cooling the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10). That is, in order to effectively dissipate heat from the cooling water utilized in the cooling water line (30), which includes the above cooling water tank (310) operated separately for the effective cooling of the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10), it is connected to the above cooling water tank (310) to dissipate heat from the cooling water stored and operated in the cooling water tank (310) and then supplied back to the cooling water tank (310). To this end, the above heat dissipation line (50) more specifically comprises a second supply line (520) that supplies high-temperature cooling water flowing out from the above cooling water tank (310) to the radiator (510), and low-temperature cooling water cooled through the above radiator (510). It may include a second recovery line (530) that recovers to a cooling water tank (310).
[0037] The second supply line (520) is a cooling water heat dissipation line that supplies high-temperature cooling water flowing out of the cooling water tank (310) to the radiator (510). That is, it is a cooling water heat dissipation line that supplies high-temperature cooling water from the cooling water tank (310) to the radiator (510) in order to dissipate the high heat of the cooling water recovered to the cooling water tank (310) after being used to cool the hydrogen fuel cell stack (10). The second supply line (520) may include a separate configuration such as a pump for the smooth movement of cooling water through the heat dissipation line (50).
[0038] The above second recovery line (530) is a cooling water heat dissipation line that recovers the low-temperature cooling water cooled through the radiator (510) to the cooling water tank (310). That is, it is a cooling water heat dissipation line that recovers the low-temperature cooling water, which is supplied to the radiator (510) to dissipate heat from the cooling water and has its temperature lowered while passing through the radiator (510), back to the cooling water tank (310).
[0039] The above-mentioned heat dissipator (510) is a configuration commonly referred to as a radiator, and is configured to perform a heat dissipation function by utilizing numerous fins to dissipate heat contained in the coolant to the outside. In particular, for efficient heat dissipation, more heat dissipation fins are generally used, and as the coolant passes through these heat dissipation fins, the possibility of bubbles or the like being generated in the coolant may increase.
[0040] Hereinafter, the structural features of the cooling water tank (310) unique to the present invention will be described in detail, so as to enable rapid removal of bubbles generated in the cooling water supplied and recovered in the present invention (within the cooling water tank (310)), and also to minimize cooling water thermal equilibrium imbalance phenomena, while minimizing the volume (of the cooling water tank (310) and furthermore the entire mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator) and maximizing efficiency.
[0041] More specifically, the above cooling water tank (310) may be formed with a structure in which a first inlet (311) connected to the first recovery line (330) is located on the upper side of one side, a first outlet (312) connected to the first supply line (320) is located on the lower side of one side, a second inlet (313) connected to the second recovery line (530) is located at a lower height than the first inlet (311) on the upper side of one side, a second outlet (314) connected to the second supply line (520) is located on the lower side of the other side opposite to the one side, and a venting port (315) for discharging bubbles contained in the cooling water is located on the upper surface.
[0042] That is, based on the side (or front) of the cooling water tank (310), a first inlet (311) and a first outlet (312) are located on one side (e.g., left side) so that the first recovery line (330) and the first supply line (320) related to the cooling water line (30) can each be connected to the cooling water tank (310), and a second inlet (313) and a second outlet (314) are located oppositely on one side (e.g., left side) and the other side (e.g., right side) of the cooling water tank (310) so that the second recovery line (530) and the second supply line (520) related to the heat dissipation line (50) can each be connected to the cooling water tank (310), respectively. Additionally, the lines through which cooling water flows into the cooling water tank (310) are connected are characterized by a structure in which the above The first inlet (311) and the second inlet (313) are each located on the upper side relative to the height direction of the side (cross-section) of the cooling water tank (310), and conversely, the first outlet (312) and the second outlet (314), to which lines for cooling water to flow out from the cooling water tank (310) are connected, are each located on the lower side relative to the height direction of the side (cross-section) of the cooling water tank (310), and are characterized by being formed in such a structure. In addition, a venting port (315) for discharging bubbles contained in the cooling water within the cooling water tank (310) is formed on the upper surface of the cooling water tank (310) to enable smooth discharge of bubbles rising above the cooling water.
[0043] Meanwhile, the above-mentioned cooling water tank (310) may additionally include a side inlet pipe (316) that is positioned offset to the side (one side of the cooling water tank (310) when viewed from a plane) above the side where the first inlet (311) is located and is connected to the first inlet (311), thereby forming a passage through which high-temperature cooling water recovered from the first inlet (311) flows in.
[0044] That is, the above-mentioned side inlet pipe (316) is configured to form a passage through which high-temperature cooling water recovered from the first inlet (311) flows into the cooling water tank (310). In particular, it is configured to minimize the generation of bubbles and allow for easier discharge during the process of recovering the cooling water from the first recovery line (330), which may contain relatively large amounts of bubbles, through the first inlet (311), as well as to prevent thermal equilibrium imbalance within the cooling water tank (310) by rapidly and uniformly mixing the high-temperature cooling water recovered through the first inlet (311) and the low-temperature cooling water recovered through the second inlet (313) described later.
[0045] To this end, the side inlet pipe (316) is formed such that the overall size of the side inlet pipe (316) gradually widens in the longitudinal direction from the part where the first inlet (311) is connected to the end thereof, and at the (widened) end of the side inlet pipe (316), an inclined guide section (3161) is formed so as to be inclined toward the internal space of the cooling water tank (310) to guide the flow of cooling water flowing into the end of the side inlet pipe (316) toward the inside of the cooling water tank (310), and at the surface where the side inlet pipe (316) and the inside of the cooling water tank (310) meet, a first guide plate (3162) is formed with first through holes (31621) formed at regular intervals so that cooling water flowing in through the side inlet pipe (316) flows sequentially into the inside of the cooling water tank (310).
[0046] First, the side inlet pipe (316) is formed in a structure that gradually widens in the longitudinal direction from the part where the first inlet (311) is connected to the end thereof. This allows the cooling water recovered from the first recovery line (330) and flowing into the cooling water tank (310) to flow into the interior while gradually decreasing the flow velocity along the widened cross-sectional area of the side inlet pipe (316). (Since the cooling water is circulated using a separate pump or other driving force in the cooling water line (30) and the heat dissipation line (50), etc., and because the diameter of the lines cannot be made large due to the movable nature, the flow velocity becomes relatively faster, and this reason may cause the generation of bubbles in the cooling water.) This enables the generation of bubbles within the side inlet pipe (316) to be minimized more effectively compared to the case where the water simply flows in (without passing through the side inlet pipe).
[0047] Additionally, the inclined guide (3161) is configured to be formed at the (enlarged) end portion of the side inlet pipe (316). At the (enlarged) end portion of the side inlet pipe (316), the inclined guide (3161) forms a surface that is inclined toward the internal space of the cooling water tank (310), thereby performing the function of guiding the flow of cooling water that has flowed in through the first inlet (311) to the end portion of the side inlet pipe (316) to flow along the inclined guide (3161) toward the interior of the cooling water tank (310). That is, the end portion of the side inlet pipe (316) is expanded to reduce bubble generation, thereby having a relatively wider cross-sectional area. Accordingly, the inclined guide portion (3161) guides the flow so that the cooling water does not stagnate or lose its directionality at the end portion of the side inlet pipe (316) and flows directly into the cooling water tank (310).
[0048] Meanwhile, the first guide plate (3162) is configured to be formed across the surface where the side inlet pipe (316) and the inside of the cooling water tank (310) meet, and first through holes (31621) (configured to form a passage that allows cooling water to flow from the side inlet pipe (316) into the inside of the cooling water tank (310)) are formed at regular intervals over the entire surface of the first guide plate (3162). In particular, the plurality of first through holes (31621) formed in the first guide plate (3162) can be formed in a structure in which the size of the first through holes (31621) gradually increases as they follow the longitudinal direction of the side inlet pipe (316) from a position close to the first inlet (311) to the (opposite) end when viewed over the entire surface of the first guide plate (3162). That is, the first through holes (31621) in the part close to the first inlet (311) have a relatively small diameter, whereas the first through holes (31621) in the part close to the inclined guide (3161) have a relatively large diameter, so that the amount of cooling water flowing into the cooling water tank (310) at the beginning of the side inlet pipe (316) is minimal, and as it gradually moves toward the part where the inclined guide (3161) is located, the amount of cooling water flowing into the cooling water tank (310) gradually increases, and ultimately the largest amount of cooling water flows into the cooling water tank (310) at the part where the inclined guide (3161) is located, thereby allowing the cooling water to flow into the cooling water tank (310) sequentially.Through this, as can be referenced in FIG. 3, a large flow of incoming cooling water circulation is created at the upper surface, i.e., the upper part, of the cooling water tank (310), allowing the cooling water to be mixed evenly. In particular, the low-temperature cooling water recovered through the second inlet (313) via the radiator (510), i.e., the heat dissipation line (50), also has a flow similar to the high-temperature cooling water flowing into the cooling water tank (310) through the inclined guide (3161) described above, even though the speed slows down after flowing into the inside of the cooling water tank (310) rather than at the initial inlet. Through this, the high-temperature cooling water flowing in through the first inlet (311) and the low-temperature cooling water flowing in through the second inlet (313) are mixed with similar flows, so that both are mixed within the large flow of cooling water circulation overall, and local vortices are formed partially, thereby rapidly improving the mixing efficiency, i.e., the thermal equilibrium imbalance between the cooling waters. It has the characteristic of being able to be resolved.
[0049] Meanwhile, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the first inlet (311) is located at the top side based on the height direction of the cross-section of the cooling water tank (310), and the second inlet (313) is located at a height lower than the first inlet (311). A second guide plate (317) is formed with second through holes (3171) formed at regular intervals, which divides the internal space of the cooling water tank (310) vertically at a position lower than the first inlet (311) and higher than the second inlet (313), so that the high-temperature cooling water flowing in through the first inlet (311) and the low-temperature cooling water flowing in through the second inlet (313) are sequentially and uniformly mixed, and the bubbles contained in the cooling water can move smoothly upward and be efficiently discharged through the venting port (315).
[0050] That is, the above-mentioned cooling water tank (310) is characterized by allowing high-temperature cooling water flowing in through the first inlet (311) from the upper side and low-temperature cooling water flowing in through the second inlet (313) to mix smoothly with each other while minimizing the generation of bubbles. To achieve this, a height difference is created between the first inlet (311) and the second inlet (313) from the upper side, so that the high-temperature cooling water and low-temperature cooling water do not come into direct contact, but rather the overall flow of cooling water circulation is maintained, and most of the mixing between the two can take place in the upper part of the cooling water tank (310). To explain more specifically, the high-temperature cooling water flowing into the cooling water tank (310) through the first inlet (311) and the side inlet pipe (316) creates a large flow of cooling water circulation as described above at the top in the height direction of the cooling water tank (310), and at this time, the high-temperature cooling water can come down to a lower direction of the cooling water tank (310) through the second through hole (3171) of the second guide plate (317).(At this time, the second through holes (3171) formed in the second guide plate (317) are also formed with the same principle and effect as the first through holes (31621) described above. The second through holes (3171) in the part close to the first inlet (311) have a relatively small diameter, whereas the second through holes (3171) in the part close to the inclined guide (3161) have a relatively large diameter. As a result, the amount of (high-temperature) cooling water flowing along the side inlet pipe (316) into the lower side of the cooling water tank (310) is minimal at the beginning, but as it gradually moves toward the part where the inclined guide (3161) is located, the amount of cooling water flowing into the lower side of the cooling water tank (310) gradually increases, and ultimately, the largest amount of cooling water flows into the lower side of the cooling water tank (310) at the part where the inclined guide (3161) is located, and so on. (It can be made so that the high-temperature cooling water flowing in from the uppermost part of the cooling water tank (310) can be sequentially moved to the lower part of the cooling water tank (310) (through the second through holes (3171)) as a large cooling water circulation flow process rotating horizontally on the upper surface, and can be mixed evenly with the low-temperature cooling water flowing in through the second inlet (313). In particular, the location of the second inlet (313) where the low-temperature cooling water recovered through the second inlet (313) via the radiator (510), i.e., the heat line (50), is located at a height one step lower than the first inlet (311), that is, at the part separated through the second guide plate (317), thereby allowing for buffered mixing compared to direct contact between the two.In particular, the low-temperature cooling water recovered through the second inlet (313) also slows down after flowing into the inside of the cooling water tank (310) rather than at the initial inlet, and accordingly, the mixing efficiency is increased. As the high-temperature cooling water flowing in through the first inlet (311) and the low-temperature cooling water flowing in through the second inlet (313) are mixed with similar flow, the two are mixed within the overall large flow of the cooling water circulation, and local vortices are formed partially, thereby having the characteristic of quickly resolving the mixing efficiency, that is, the thermal equilibrium imbalance between the cooling waters. Bubbles generated during this mixing process or already contained in the cooling waters rise to the top of the cooling water tank (310) through the second through hole (3171) and are discharged through the venting port (315).
[0051] In particular, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the venting port (315) is positioned so as to be offset from the side opposite to the side where the side inlet pipe (316) is located relative to the plane of the cooling water tank (310), thereby enabling efficient discharge of bubbles contained in the cooling water. That is, referring to the large flow of cooling water circulation in the horizontal direction within the cooling water tank (310) described above (see FIG. 3) and the large flow of cooling water circulation in the vertical direction within the cooling water tank (310) (see FIG. 5), the bubbles contained in the cooling water within the cooling water tank (310) move along the large flow of cooling water circulation and rise to the top according to physical characteristics at the point where the cooling water speed slows down somewhat. At this time, the part where the venting port (315) is located is specified as the part where the bubbles in the cooling water rise and accumulate the most in this way, so that the bubbles in the cooling water can be efficiently removed through the venting port (315).
[0052] Meanwhile, the ion removal line (70) is connected to the cooling water tank (310) and is configured to supply and recover cooling water between the cooling water tank (310) and the ion filter (710) in order to remove ions contained in the cooling water supplied to or recovered from the cooling water tank (310). Referring to FIG. 1, the ion removal line (70) may include a third supply line (720) that discharges cooling water from the cooling water tank (310) and supplies it to the ion filter (710) to remove ions contained in the cooling water within the cooling water tank (310), and a third recovery line (730) that recovers the cooling water from which ions have been removed while passing through the ion filter (710) back to the cooling water tank (310). (A separate pump configuration for smooth cooling water circulation may also be included in such an ion removal line (70).)
[0053]
[0054] Meanwhile, referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator with an improved cooling function according to another embodiment of the present invention may be formed such that the first inlet (311) and the second inlet (313) described above are formed at the same height above the cooling water tank (310), and in particular, high-temperature cooling water and low-temperature cooling water can be mixed by flowing in together through the same path via the side inlet pipe (316). The structure and the resulting effects of such another embodiment will be described in detail.
[0055] First, the above-described side inlet pipe (316) is positioned on one side above the cooling water tank (310) in the same manner, and at this time, the first inlet (311) through which high-temperature cooling water is recovered via the first recovery line and the second inlet (313) through which low-temperature cooling water is recovered via the second recovery line are located at the same height as each other, and the structure can be formed such that the first inlet (311) and the second inlet (313) are connected to the same position in the above-described side inlet pipe (316).
[0056] That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the first inlet (311) and the second inlet (313) are connected together to one side of the side inlet pipe (316), so that the high-temperature cooling water recovered from the first inlet (311) and the low-temperature cooling water recovered from the second inlet (313) are introduced together through the side inlet pipe (316).
[0057] By arranging and connecting the first inlet (311), the second inlet (313), and the side inlet pipe (316) in such a structure, the effect of preventing thermal equilibrium imbalance within the cooling water tank (310) can be doubled by maximizing rapid and uniform mixing between the high-temperature cooling water recovered through the first inlet (311) and the low-temperature cooling water recovered through the second inlet (313) described later.
[0058] To explain in more detail, as previously described, the overall size of the side inlet pipe (316) is formed to gradually widen in the longitudinal direction from the part where the first inlet (311) and the second inlet (313) are connected to the end thereof. Additionally, at the (widened) end of the side inlet pipe (316), an inclined guide section (3161) is formed to be inclined toward the internal space of the cooling water tank (310) to guide the flow of the cooling water flowing into the side inlet pipe (316) to the end of the side inlet pipe (316) toward the inside of the cooling water tank (310). Furthermore, a first guide plate (3162) with first through holes (31621) formed at regular intervals is formed on the surface where the side inlet pipe (316) and the inside of the cooling water tank (310) meet, so that the cooling water flowing in through the side inlet pipe (316) flows sequentially into the inside of the cooling water tank (310). The action is the same.
[0059] Under such a structure, when high-temperature cooling water from the first inlet (311) and low-temperature cooling water from the second inlet (313) are introduced together through the side inlet pipe (316), the high-temperature cooling water and low-temperature cooling water are introduced along the length of the side inlet pipe (316) by the flow velocity moving through the first inlet (311) and the second inlet (313) at the initial inlet. Then, due to the structure in which the side inlet pipe (316) gradually expands along its length, the flow velocity of the introduced cooling water gradually decreases along the expanding cross-sectional area of the side inlet pipe (316), thereby enabling the effect of primarily mixing the high-temperature cooling water and low-temperature cooling water within it.
[0060] Additionally, the inclined guide (3161) is configured to be formed at the (enlarged) end portion of the side inlet pipe (316). At the (enlarged) end portion of the side inlet pipe (316), the inclined guide (3161) forms a surface that is inclined toward the internal space of the cooling water tank (310), thereby performing the function of guiding the flow of cooling water that has flowed into the end portion of the side inlet pipe (316) through the first inlet (311) and the second inlet (313) to flow along the inclined guide (3161) toward the interior of the cooling water tank (310). That is, the end portion of the side inlet pipe (316) is expanded to reduce bubble generation, thereby having a relatively wider cross-sectional area. Accordingly, the inclined guide (3161) guides the flow so that the high-temperature cooling water and low-temperature cooling water, which are primarily mixed at the end portion of the side inlet pipe (316), do not stagnate or lose their directionality and flow directly toward the inside of the cooling water tank (310). In particular, the high-temperature cooling water and low-temperature cooling water, which are primarily mixed at the end portion of the side inlet pipe (316), are guided to flow toward the inside of the cooling water tank (310) in the same direction through the inclined guide (3161), thereby increasing the ratio of secondary mixing between the cooling waters.
[0061] Meanwhile, as previously explained, the first guide plate (3162) is formed such that the size of the first through holes (31621) formed in the first guide plate (3162) gradually increases along the length of the side inlet pipe (316) from a position close to the first inlet (311) and the second inlet (313) to the opposite end when viewed over the entire surface of the first guide plate (3162). Consequently, the amount of cooling water flowing into the cooling water tank (310) along the side inlet pipe (316) is minimal at the beginning, but gradually increases as it moves toward the part where the inclined guide (3161) is located, and ultimately the largest amount of cooling water (i.e., a certain amount of high-temperature cooling water and) Cooling water (in a state where low-temperature cooling water is mixed) can be allowed to flow more into the cooling water tank (310). Through this, as can be referenced in FIG. 7, a large flow of circulation between the high-temperature cooling water and the low-temperature cooling water is created on the upper surface, i.e., the upper part, of the cooling water tank (310), so that the cooling water can be mixed evenly. In particular, after a certain amount of mixing is achieved between the two from the stage before they flow into the cooling water tank (310), they flow into the cooling water tank (310) in the same flow. Through this, the two are mixed with similar flows within the cooling water tank (310), so that the two are mixed within the large flow of cooling water circulation overall, and local vortices are formed partially, thereby having the characteristic of quickly resolving the mixing efficiency, that is, the thermal equilibrium imbalance between the cooling waters.
[0062]
[0063] Although the applicant has described various embodiments of the present invention above, such embodiments are merely examples of implementing the technical concept of the present invention, and any modification or alteration that implements the technical concept of the present invention should be interpreted as falling within the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. Hydrogen fuel cell stack; A cooling water line including a cooling water tank connected to the above hydrogen fuel cell stack for supplying and recovering separate cooling water for cooling the hydrogen fuel cell stack; and It includes a heat dissipation line connected to the above-mentioned cooling water tank to supply and recover cooling water between the cooling water tank and the heat dissipation tank for cooling the hydrogen fuel cell stack, and The above cooling water line includes a first supply line that supplies low-temperature cooling water flowing out of the cooling water tank to the hydrogen fuel cell stack, and a first recovery line that recovers high-temperature cooling water flowing out of the hydrogen fuel cell stack to the cooling water tank. A mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator with improved cooling function, characterized in that the above-mentioned heat dissipation line includes a second supply line that supplies high-temperature cooling water flowing out of the cooling water tank to the radiator, and a second recovery line that recovers low-temperature cooling water cooled through the radiator to the cooling water tank.
2. In Paragraph 1, A mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator with improved cooling function, wherein the cooling water tank is characterized by having a first inlet connected to the first recovery line located on the upper side of one side, a first outlet connected to the first supply line located on the lower side of one side, a second inlet connected to the second recovery line located at a height lower than the first inlet located on the upper side of one side, a second outlet connected to the second supply line located on the lower side of the other side opposite to the one side, and a venting port for discharging bubbles contained in the cooling water located on the upper surface.
3. In Paragraph 2, The above cooling water tank further includes a side inlet pipe that is positioned offset to the side above the side where the first inlet is located and connected to the first inlet, thereby forming a passage for high-temperature cooling water recovered from the first inlet to flow in. A mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator with improved cooling function, characterized in that the above-mentioned side inlet pipe is formed such that the size of the pipe gradually increases in the longitudinal direction from the part where the first inlet is connected to the end thereof, and at the end of the side inlet pipe, an inclined guide portion is formed so as to be inclined toward the internal space of the cooling water tank to guide the flow of cooling water flowing into the end of the side inlet pipe toward the interior of the cooling water tank, and on the surface where the side inlet pipe and the interior of the cooling water tank meet, a first guide plate is formed with first through holes formed at regular intervals so that cooling water flowing in through the side inlet pipe flows sequentially into the interior of the cooling water tank, and the first through holes of the first guide plate gradually increase in the longitudinal direction of the side inlet pipe from the part where the first inlet is connected to the end thereof.
4. In Paragraph 3, The above cooling water tank has the first inlet located at the uppermost position based on the height direction of the cross-section, the second inlet located at a height lower than the first inlet, and a second guide plate formed with second through holes formed at regular intervals is formed at a position lower than the first inlet and higher than the second inlet within the cooling water tank, dividing the internal space of the cooling water tank vertically, thereby allowing the high-temperature cooling water flowing in through the first inlet and the low-temperature cooling water flowing in through the second inlet to be sequentially and uniformly mixed, while allowing air bubbles contained in the cooling water to move smoothly upward and be efficiently discharged through the venting port. A mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator with improved cooling function, characterized in that the above-described venting port is positioned offset from the side opposite to the side where the side inlet pipe is located relative to the plane of the cooling water tank, so as to efficiently discharge bubbles contained in the cooling water.
5. In Paragraph 1, The above cooling water tank has a first inlet connected to the first recovery line located on the upper side of one side, a first outlet connected to the first supply line located on the lower side of one side, a second inlet connected to the second recovery line located at the same height as the first inlet on the upper side of one side, a second outlet connected to the second supply line located on the lower side of the other side opposite to the one side, and a venting port for discharging bubbles contained in the cooling water located on the upper surface. The above cooling water tank further includes a side inlet pipe that is positioned offset to the side from the upper side of one side where the first inlet and the second inlet are located, and is connected to the first inlet and the second inlet, thereby forming a passage through which high-temperature cooling water recovered from the first inlet and low-temperature cooling water recovered from the second inlet flow together. A mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator with improved cooling function, characterized in that the above-mentioned side inlet pipe is formed such that the size of the pipe gradually widens in the longitudinal direction from the part where the first inlet and the second inlet are connected to the end thereof, so that the mixing ratio of high-temperature cooling water and low-temperature cooling water introduced together increases towards the end thereof, and at the end of the side inlet pipe, an inclined guide portion is formed so as to be inclined toward the internal space of the cooling water tank to guide the flow of cooling water introduced to the end of the side inlet pipe toward the interior of the cooling water tank, and a first guide plate having first through holes formed at regular intervals is formed on the surface where the side inlet pipe and the interior of the cooling water tank meet to allow cooling water introduced through the side inlet pipe to sequentially flow into the interior of the cooling water tank, and the first through holes of the first guide plate gradually widen in the longitudinal direction of the side inlet pipe from the part where the first inlet is connected to the end thereof.