Fuel Cell Cleaning Solution Supply Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell vehicles face issues with residual water freezing in low temperatures, which can damage the fuel cell stack and create hazardous road conditions when discharged, and existing solutions do not efficiently utilize or manage this water.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning solution supply device that collects water from the fuel cell vehicle's exhaust system, mixes it with a cleaning agent, and supplies the resulting cleaning solution to external locations for efficient use, preventing freezing and reducing water discharge-related hazards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If residual water is discharged to the outside of the vehicle, then the fuel cell stack is protected from freezing damage, but the discharged water may freeze on the road or parking lot creating hazardous conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful discharged water that could cause road icing into a beneficial cleaning solution. The water discharge device is modified to mix discharged water with cleaning agents, transforming the hazard into a useful resource for cleaning vehicle exteriors, sensors, and windows while eliminating the road icing problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The water discharge device is enhanced to perform multiple functions: it continues to protect the fuel cell stack from freezing while simultaneously providing vehicle cleaning capabilities. The mixing chamber and supply lines enable the system to deliver cleaning solution to various vehicle surfaces, making the device universally functional for both protection and cleaning purposes.
2Loss of substance
If cleaning agents are mixed with residual water, then the need for separate cleaning fluid storage is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding the residual water as waste, the system recovers it and repurposes it as a base for cleaning solution. The mixing chamber captures discharged water and combines it with cleaning agents, transforming waste water into a valuable cleaning resource and reducing the need for separate cleaning fluid storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the water discharge function with the cleaning solution supply function into a single integrated system. The mixing chamber and supply lines combine previously separate operations (water discharge and cleaning fluid delivery) into one unified device, reducing overall system complexity despite the added mixing capability.
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 device effectively utilizes residual water, prevents freezing within the vehicle, and reduces the risk of icy road accidents by converting water into a cleaning solution for various vehicle cleaning needs, thereby enhancing maintenance efficiency and reducing the need for additional cleaning fluids.
Implementation Method 1
a mixing pump which is mounted on the housing and configured to receive water generated during power generation of a fuel cell stack and to mix the water with a cleaning agent stored in the housing
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a cleaning solution supply device, and more particularly, a cleaning solution supply device for a fuel cell vehicle. The cleaning solution supply device includes a housing, a mixing pump mounted on the housing and configured to receive water generated during power generation by a fuel cell stack and to mix the received water with a cleaning agent stored in the housing, and a supply line configured to discharge a cleaning solution obtained by mixing the received water with the cleaning agent to an outside of the housing.