Fuel Cell Cold Start Control Using Battery-Powered Heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cold start control systems for fuel cells reduce fuel efficiency and durability by consuming unnecessary hydrogen during low-efficiency operations to thaw iced moisture, leading to potential damage to the fuel cell stack.
Innovation Solution
A cold start control system that utilizes a high-voltage battery to heat cooling water in the fuel cell stack, with a controller determining the required thawing energy and state of charge, ensuring efficient thawing only when necessary, thereby preventing unnecessary power consumption and maintaining fuel cell durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If low efficiency operation is used to maximize heat generation amount for thawing iced moisture, then thawing effectiveness is improved, but fuel efficiency deteriorates due to unnecessary hydrogen consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heater as an intermediary device that uses electricity from the high-voltage battery to heat the cooling water, thereby thawing the iced moisture without requiring low-efficiency fuel cell operation. This mediator transfers the thawing function from the fuel cell to a dedicated heating device, resolving the contradiction between thawing effectiveness and fuel efficiency.
2Reliability
If low efficiency operation is used to maximize heat generation amount for thawing iced moisture, then thawing effectiveness is improved, but durability deteriorates due to operation in iced moisture state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using the heater to thaw the iced moisture in the cooling water before the fuel cell starts operating. This ensures that the fuel cell never operates in an iced moisture state, preventing durability damage while maintaining thawing effectiveness. The thawing action is performed in advance, before the harmful operation condition can occur.
3Use of energy by moving object
If heater is used to heat cooling water by receiving power from high-voltage battery, then fuel efficiency is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the cooling water line to serve multiple functions: it cools the fuel cell during normal operation and is heated by the heater during cold start conditions. This multi-functional design allows the same cooling water circulation system to handle both cooling and heating tasks, adding the heater function without requiring a completely separate system, thereby limiting the increase in 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
This approach allows for effective thawing of iced moisture in the fuel cell stack without reducing fuel efficiency or durability, minimizing unnecessary thawing operations and ensuring efficient power generation after thawing is complete.
Implementation Method 1
a heater disposed on the cooling water line, and for heating the cooling water by receiving the power of a high-voltage battery
Implementation Method 2
heating the cooling water of a fuel cell by operating a heater using power of a high-voltage battery
Data Source
AI summary
A cold start control method for a fuel cell is provided. The method includes determining whether a cold start condition upon start on is satisfied and estimating thawing energy required to thaw frozen moisture inside a fuel cell stack when the cold start condition has been satisfied. A thawing control SOC of a high-voltage battery is calculated based on the estimated thawing energy. The cooling water inside a cooling water line for cooling the fuel cell stack is heated by using a heater having received power from the high-voltage battery when the current SOC of the high-voltage battery is equal to or less than a thawing control SOC.