BEV Cab Heater Architecture Using Hydrogen and Phase Change Heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
In temperate climates, vehicles require larger batteries to account for energy loss due to colder temperatures, leading to increased production costs and weight, as existing heating systems for electric vehicles often necessitate additional energy for cab heat, which is not efficiently managed by standard battery sizes.
Innovation Solution
The use of a hydrogen combustor system that combusts hydrogen to produce heat, integrated with a heat exchanger and blower, and a phase change material-based system that converts electricity into latent heat energy for efficient cab heating, allowing for responsive temperature control without the need for oversized batteries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a larger battery is used to provide cab heat in colder climates, then the heating capacity is improved, but the vehicle weight and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heating function from the battery system by introducing a dedicated hydrogen combustor. The combustor separates the thermal energy generation from the electrical energy storage function, allowing the battery to be sized only for propulsion needs while the combustor handles heating requirements independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrogen combustor serves multiple functions: it generates heat for cabin heating, provides thermal management for battery temperature control, and can operate independently of the battery state of charge. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the heating system independent of battery size.
2Temperature
If a larger battery is used to provide cab heat in colder climates, then the heating capacity is improved, but the production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is extracted from the battery system and assigned to a dedicated hydrogen combustor. This allows the battery to be optimized for its primary function of providing electrical energy for propulsion, while the combustor handles thermal management and heating, thereby reducing the required battery capacity and associated costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrogen combustor uses hydrogen as a consumable fuel source that can be refilled or replaced independently of the battery system. This approach is more cost-effective than purchasing and installing a larger, more expensive battery system solely for heating purposes.
3Ease of manufacture
If standard battery sizes are used, then the production costs are reduced, but the energy management for cab heat becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrogen combustor acts as an intermediary energy conversion device between hydrogen fuel and thermal energy needed for cabin heating and battery thermal management. This intermediary system enables efficient energy utilization by converting chemical energy to thermal energy directly where needed, rather than relying on electrical conversion from the battery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the energy parameter from electrical energy (battery) to chemical energy (hydrogen combustion) for heating applications. This parameter change enables more efficient energy management by matching the energy type to the application requirement - thermal energy for heating rather than electrical energy conversion.
4Weight of moving object
If a hydrogen combustor system is used for cab heat, then the need for larger batteries is reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cabin heating function and battery thermal management function into a single hydrogen combustor system. The combustor simultaneously provides heat for both purposes, reducing the need for separate heating systems and large-capacity batteries, thereby offsetting the added complexity with functional integration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The hydrogen combustor system reduces the need for larger batteries by providing efficient cab heat with minimal emissions, while the phase change material system offers a lightweight and emission-free solution for heating, lowering production costs and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
combusting hydrogen to produce heat
Implementation Method 2
the heat produced by combusting hydrogen is transferred to a quantity of air via the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
phase change material-based system that converts electricity into latent heat energy
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides cab heater systems for electric vehicles. The first system includes a combustion chamber having a combustor inlet, a combustor outlet, and a hydrogen storage fluidly coupled to the combustor inlet configured to supply hydrogen to the combustor for combustion. The second system includes a fluid circulation pump, one or more cabin heat exchangers, a heat transfer tube fluidly connected to the fluid circulation pump and to the one or more cabin heat exchangers, and an insulated tank. The insulated tank includes a tank heat exchanger fluidly connected to the heat transfer tube, a resistance heater, and a phase change material. In the charging mode, the resistance heater provides heat to the phase change material and to the tank heat exchanger, while in the heating mode, the fluid circulation pump provides heat to the tank heat exchanger and to the one or more cabin heat exchangers.