Energy conversion assembly for converting chemical energy into electrical energy and method for operating an energy conversion assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy conversion arrangements for fuel cells in vehicles inefficiently utilize waste heat, often releasing it into the environment without harnessing its potential for heating or cooling, leading to reduced overall efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Integrating a thermally driven refrigeration machine, such as an adsorption refrigeration machine, within the cooling circuit to utilize waste heat from the fuel cell, and employing a device based on reversible thermochemical gas-solid reactions to increase the temperature of the cooling fluid, which is then used to enhance the efficiency of the refrigeration process, thereby utilizing pressure energy from the hydrogen storage device to reduce energy carrier consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If waste heat from the fuel cell arrangement is dissipated via an external cooling circuit, then the fuel cell arrangement can be cooled effectively, but the waste heat cannot be utilized and is released into the environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful waste heat that would otherwise be released into the environment into a useful resource by integrating a thermally driven refrigeration machine into the cooling circuit. The waste heat from the fuel cell arrangement serves as the heat source for the refrigeration machine, enabling it to produce cooling effect for the vehicle cabin or other cooling requirements, thus transforming energy loss into beneficial cooling output
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling circuit is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it cools the fuel cell arrangement to maintain optimal operating temperature, and at the same time provides thermal energy to the thermally driven refrigeration machine which generates cooling for the vehicle cabin. This multi-functionality allows the same cooling circuit to fulfill both cooling and refrigeration purposes without requiring separate independent systems
2Temperature
If the temperature of the cooling fluid is increased to improve refrigeration efficiency, then additional energy is required to heat the cooling fluid, but overall energy efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the waste heat from the fuel cell arrangement itself to provide the thermal energy needed to increase the temperature of the cooling fluid for the refrigeration machine. The fuel cell arrangement's own waste heat serves the dual purpose of maintaining fuel cell cooling and providing thermal input to the refrigeration cycle, making the system self-sufficient and avoiding additional external energy input
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling fluid acts as an intermediary that transfers thermal energy from the fuel cell arrangement to the thermally driven refrigeration machine. By increasing the temperature of this intermediate cooling fluid using waste heat, the system enables efficient thermal coupling between the fuel cell cooling system and the refrigeration system without requiring direct thermal contact or additional energy sources
3Loss of energy
If a thermally driven refrigeration machine is integrated into the cooling circuit, then waste heat can be utilized for cooling, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the refrigeration function with the existing cooling circuit by integrating the thermally driven refrigeration machine directly into the cooling loop. The cooling fluid that circulates through the fuel cell arrangement also serves as the heat transfer medium for the refrigeration machine, combining two previously separate functions (fuel cell cooling and cabin refrigeration) into a single integrated system without requiring completely separate circuits
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
This approach significantly increases the efficiency of waste heat utilization, allowing the waste heat to be used for both heating and cooling, reducing energy consumption, and optimizing the operation of the fuel cell system by effectively using pressure energy that would otherwise be released.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally driven refrigeration machine, in particular an adsorption refrigeration machine
Implementation Method 2
a device for increasing the temperature of the cooling fluid is arranged within the cooling circuit between the fuel cell arrangement and the thermally driven refrigeration machine
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to an energy conversion arrangement (1) for converting chemical energy into electrical energy, comprising a fuel cell arrangement (3) for generating electrical energy from a gaseous energy carrier, in particular hydrogen, a storage device (2) for storing the energy carrier under high pressure, with a pressure difference to the operating pressure of the fuel cell arrangement (3), an energy carrier circuit (10) for conveying the energy carrier from the storage device (2) to the fuel cell arrangement (3), a cooling circuit (20) for conveying cooling fluid over the fuel cell arrangement (3) for cooling the same, comprising a cooling device (22), and a thermally driven chiller (5). An efficient energy conversion arrangement (1) is provided by arranging the thermally driven chiller (5) within the cooling circuit (20) to utilize the cooling fluid for supplying a driving heat flow (Fig.1).