Fuel Cell Vehicle Cabin Heating Using Coolant Waste Heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell vehicles face reduced driving distance and inefficient fuel use due to high power consumption from relying solely on high-capacity PTC heaters for heating, which also have insufficient heating performance and introduce cold air when used in low ambient temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A heating control system that utilizes a heater core to harness waste heat from the fuel cell stack's coolant, complementing a typical electric heater to reduce power consumption and enhance fuel efficiency, by strategically controlling the coolant flow and electric heater operation based on battery state and coolant temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If only a high-capacity PTC heater is used for heating the interior of the vehicle, then the heating performance is improved, but the power consumption increases and fuel efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is segmented into two independent heating sources: a PTC heater for rapid heating and a heater core utilizing waste heat from the fuel cell coolant. This segmentation allows the system to distribute heating tasks between two components, reducing the burden on the PTC heater and thereby lowering power consumption while maintaining effective interior heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The waste heat from the fuel cell coolant, which would otherwise be discarded, is converted into a useful heating resource through the heater core. This transforms a harmful waste product into a beneficial heating source, reducing the reliance on the PTC heater and lowering overall power consumption while maintaining effective interior heating.
2Temperature
If only a high-capacity PTC heater is used for heating the interior of the vehicle, then the heating performance is improved, but the fuel efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The waste heat from the fuel cell coolant is converted into a useful heating resource through the heater core. This transformation reduces energy loss by utilizing what would otherwise be wasted thermal energy, thereby improving fuel efficiency while maintaining effective interior heating.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the waste heat from the fuel cell coolant, the system recovers this thermal energy through the heater core and utilizes it for interior heating. This recovery process reduces overall energy loss and improves fuel efficiency by making use of previously wasted energy resources.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a PTC heater is operated in low ambient temperatures with a blower fan turned off, then the power consumption is reduced, but cold air is introduced into the vehicle interior
Solution Approach 1:
The heater core acts as an intermediary heating device that utilizes waste heat from the coolant to warm the air before it enters the vehicle interior. This intermediary approach allows the system to reduce PTC heater operation and blower fan usage in cold conditions, lowering power consumption while preventing cold air introduction through alternative heating pathways.
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 reduces power consumption and improves fuel efficiency by leveraging waste heat from the fuel cell stack, maintaining interior temperature effectively while minimizing the need for high-capacity electric heaters, thus extending driving distance and enhancing heating performance.
Implementation Method 1
an electric heater provided in a coolant line for cooling a fuel cell stack, and configured to heat the air supplied to the interior of the vehicle by heat exchange with the coolant discharged from the fuel cell stack
Implementation Method 2
One example of an electric heater that is widely used is a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a heating control method for a fuel cell vehicle, in which an additional heating source is used together with a typical electric heater to reduce power consumption and increase fuel efficiency as compared to the sole use of the electric heater. For this purpose, the present invention provides a heating control method for a fuel cell vehicle which comprises an electric heater for heating air supplied to the interior of the vehicle, and a heater core provided in a coolant line for cooling a fuel cell stack and heating the air supplied to the interior of the vehicle by heat exchange with the coolant discharged from the fuel cell stack. The method comprises: detecting a state of charge (SOC) of a battery when the interior temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature set by a driver and, if the SOC of the battery is above a predetermined lower limit, heating the interior of the vehicle by operating the electric heater by the power of a battery; heating the interior of the vehicle by operating the electric heater by the power generated by the fuel cell stack, if the SOC of the battery is below the lower limit; heating the interior of the vehicle using both the heater core and the electric heater, if the temperature of the coolant is above a predetermined temperature at which the fuel cell stack does not reach a normal operating temperature; and heating the interior of the vehicle using only the heater core while turning off the electric heater, if the temperature of the coolant is increased above a normal operating temperature of the fuel cell stack.