Fuel Cell Air Supply Cooling With Heat Exchange Air Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air supply systems for fuel cells struggle to maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels in the air supplied to fuel cells, which affects the efficiency of electric energy generation.
Innovation Solution
An air supply system that includes an air supply device with an air compressor, air cooler, heat exchanger, air filter, and humidifier, along with an indoor temperature adjustment device and a controller that determines the operation of these components based on temperature and humidity conditions to provide air within a specific temperature and humidity range required by the fuel cell stack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If external air is compressed to supply oxygen to the fuel cell, then the power generation capability is improved, but the temperature of the air increases and may exceed the optimal range for fuel cell operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces heat exchange air as an intermediary substance to transfer heat from the compressed air. The heat exchange air absorbs excess heat from the compressed air through a heat exchanger, thereby reducing the temperature of the compressed air to within the optimal range for fuel cell operation while maintaining the power generation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the compressed air by controlling the heat exchange process. The controller adjusts the operation of the indoor temperature adjustment device to modify the temperature of the heat exchange air, thereby precisely controlling the final temperature of the compressed air supplied to the fuel cell stack.
2Temperature
If the air temperature is reduced using heat exchange air from the indoor temperature adjustment device, then the air temperature is maintained within the optimal range, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the indoor temperature adjustment device perform multiple functions: it serves both as an air conditioner for the vehicle interior and as a heat exchange air supplier for the fuel cell air supply system. By controlling the operation mode of this single device, the system achieves both interior temperature control and fuel cell air temperature control without adding separate dedicated equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the fuel cell air supply system with the vehicle air conditioning system by combining the compressed air cooling function with the heat exchange air supply function of the indoor temperature adjustment device. This integration reduces the number of independent components and simplifies the overall system structure.
3Temperature
If heat exchange air is cooled using the vehicle air conditioner, then the cooling effect is improved, but the power consumption of the air supply system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the vehicle air conditioning system serve the dual purpose of cooling the vehicle interior and providing cooled heat exchange air for the fuel cell. The air conditioner uses its own cooling capacity to cool the heat exchange air, thereby reducing the need for separate cooling equipment and reducing overall power consumption compared to using dedicated cooling systems for both purposes.
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 system effectively reduces the temperature of compressed air using heat exchange air, ensuring that the air supplied to the fuel cell stack meets the required temperature and humidity levels, thereby improving the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger configured to cool the air cooled by the air cooler using the heat exchange air
Implementation Method 2
an air compressor configured to compress the external air
Implementation Method 3
an air cooler configured to cool the air compressed by the air compressor using cooling water
Implementation Method 4
an evaporator, and a compressor of which operations are determined based on the operation control information
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an air supply system and method for a fuel cell, the air supply system includes an air supply device configured to reduce a temperature of compressed air using heat exchange air and to provide the cooled air as power generation air to a fuel cell stack, and an indoor temperature adjustment device configured to provide external air as the heat exchange air to the air supply device or to cool the external air to provide the cooled external air as the heat exchange air to the air supply device, based on operation control information.