Distributed Fuel Cell Cooling System for Aircraft Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fuel cell systems for aircraft require heavy and complex cooling systems that are inefficient and not optimized for weight reduction, especially in emergency power and fire suppression scenarios, where a lighter and simpler cooling solution is needed.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell system with an integrated cooling loop that includes a fuel cell heat exchanger, a thermal dissipation unit, and an additional heat exchanger, utilizing bleed air and a coolant loop to efficiently manage heat, reducing the need for separate cooling systems and minimizing weight by optimizing heat transfer and coolant flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a traditional centralized heat sink cooling system is used, then cooling reliability is maintained, but system weight increases and complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple distributed thermal dissipation units positioned throughout the aircraft fuselage, each independently dissipating heat from local fuel cell modules. This segmentation eliminates the need for a single heavy centralized heat sink while maintaining cooling reliability through distributed heat rejection points.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-point (centralized) heat dissipation approach to a multi-point (distributed) approach by positioning thermal dissipation units at various locations along the fuselage. This dimensional change in heat rejection architecture reduces system weight while preserving cooling effectiveness.
2Reliability
If separate emergency power and fire suppression systems are installed, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel cell system performs multiple functions: it generates electrical power for emergency situations, produces thermal energy for heating, and generates oxygen-depleted air for fire suppression. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate emergency power and fire suppression systems, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges previously separate systems (emergency power supply, heating system, and fire suppression system) into a single integrated fuel cell system. The fuel cell simultaneously provides electrical power, thermal energy, and oxygen-depleted air, consolidating multiple safety functions into one system.
3Productivity
If air cooling is used for fuel cell thermal management, then system simplicity is maintained, but cooling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs liquid coolant circulation through fuel cell modules, utilizing hydraulic principles to efficiently transfer heat. The coolant absorbs thermal energy from the fuel cells and transports it to thermal dissipation units, achieving superior cooling efficiency compared to air cooling while maintaining system compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
A liquid coolant acts as an intermediary medium between the fuel cells and the thermal dissipation units. This intermediary enables efficient heat transfer from the fuel cells to the dissipation units positioned elsewhere in the fuselage, achieving high cooling efficiency while allowing flexible system configuration.
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 solution provides reliable and efficient cooling for fuel cell systems, reducing weight and complexity while ensuring sufficient cooling power for emergency operations and fire suppression, enhancing system reliability and reducing the need for additional cooling components.
Implementation Method 1
at least one fuel cell heat exchanger arranged in or at the at least one fuel cell for receiving heat of the at least one fuel cell
Implementation Method 2
cooling loop having a plurality of fluid line segments for conveying a coolant
Implementation Method 3
an additional heat exchanger arranged in the cooling loop and adapted for receiving heat from an external source and for raising the temperature of a coolant flowing in the cooling loop
Implementation Method 4
at least one thermal dissipation unit
Implementation Method 5
EP 2 712 013 A1 shows a fuel cell system inter alia comprising a cooling system with a coolant circuit and a heat dissipation device
Implementation Method 6
a cathode reactant gas heat exchanger arranged upstream of an air inlet of a cathode section of the at least one fuel cell and downstream of a coolant outlet of the fuel cell
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A fuel cell system (2) for a vehicle comprises at least one fuel cell (4), at least one fuel cell heat exchanger (10) arranged in or at the at least one fuel cell (4) for receiving heat of the at least one fuel cell (4), at least one thermal dissipation unit (26), at least one additional heat exchanger (18, 28) and a cooling loop (12) having a plurality of fluid line segments for conveying a coolant. The at least one fuel cell heat exchanger (10) is coupled with the at least one thermal dissipation unit (26) through the cooling loop (12), and the additional heat exchanger (18, 28) is arranged in the cooling loop (12) and is adapted for receiving heat from an external source and for raising the temperature of a coolant flowing in the cooling loop (12).