Fuel Cell Bus Bar Cooling Structure for Uniform Heat Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
In fuel cell vehicles, the heat generated by high current density in the bus bar is not uniformly distributed due to a long distance between the coolant and the bus bar end, leading to design challenges for the bus bar's cross-sectional area to manage temperature effectively. Additionally, increasing the cross-sectional area to manage heat results in increased size, manufacturing cost, and weight, limiting the output and compactness of the fuel cell vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell vehicle design that includes a bus bar with a small cross-sectional area, surrounded by an insulation protection unit with a flow path for coolant to flow through, which helps in uniformly distributing the heat generated by the bus bar. This design ensures effective heat management without increasing the size, weight, or manufacturing cost of the bus bar.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the cross-sectional area of the bus bar is increased to manage heat generated by high current density, then the temperature distribution becomes more uniform, but the size, weight, and manufacturing cost of the bus bar increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a coolant as an intermediary substance that flows through channels in the bus bar structure. This coolant mediates the heat transfer process by absorbing heat from the bus bar through conduction and convection, allowing the bus bar to maintain smaller cross-sectional area while achieving uniform temperature distribution through active cooling rather than passive size increase
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies hydraulic cooling by circulating coolant through channels formed within the bus bar structure. This hydraulic system enables efficient heat removal from the bus bar, allowing the use of smaller cross-sectional area conductors while maintaining acceptable temperature distribution through continuous coolant flow and heat exchange
2Loss of energy
If the cross-sectional area of the bus bar is increased to manage heat, then the heat dissipation capacity improves, but the device complexity and packaging space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electrical conduction function and the cooling function into a single integrated bus bar structure. The coolant channels are formed within the bus bar itself, combining the conductor and heat exchanger into one component, thereby improving heat dissipation capacity without increasing overall device complexity or requiring separate cooling systems
Solution Approach 2:
The bus bar structure is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: electrical conduction, structural support, and heat dissipation. The integrated coolant channels enable the bus bar to serve as both an electrical conductor and a heat exchanger, improving heat dissipation capacity while avoiding the need for additional separate components that would increase device complexity
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 proposed design effectively manages heat distribution in the bus bar, reducing the risk of overheating and improving electrical stability. It allows for a compact and lightweight fuel cell vehicle with increased output, while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
an insulation protection unit, which is disposed so as to surround at least a portion of the bus bar to electrically insulate the bus bar from the fuel cell and which has a flow path to allow the coolant supplied from the cover to flow therethrough
Implementation Method 2
a flow path to allow the coolant supplied from the cover to flow therethrough
Implementation Method 3
When the high voltage generated in the fuel cell is transmitted through the bus bar at a high current density, the bus bar generates heat
Data Source
AI summary
In an embodiment a system includes a fuel cell, a bus bar having one end portion configured to be electrically connected to the fuel cell, the bus bar being electrically conductive, a terminal block configured to be electrically connected to an opposite end portion of the bus bar, a junction box including a chamber storing a coolant and a tube forming a path to allow the coolant to flow from the chamber to a cover of the terminal block and an insulation protection unit disposed to surround at least a portion of the bus bar to electrically insulate the bus bar from the fuel cell, the insulation protection unit having a flow path to allow the coolant supplied from the cover to flow therethrough.