Fuel Cell Coolant Composition for Low Conductivity and Rustproofing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coolant compositions for fuel cells produce ionic substances during operation, leading to increased conductivity and potential corrosion issues, with ion-exchange resins being consumed quickly, affecting their longevity and insulation properties.
Innovation Solution
A coolant composition containing ethylene oxide adducts of alkylamine and alkyldiamine, along with water-soluble polymeric dyes, thiodiglycols, antioxidants, and defoaming agents, which maintains low conductivity and provides rustproofing properties by not adsorbing to ion-exchange resins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional coolant compositions containing glycols and alcohols are used, then nonfreezing property is achieved, but ionic substances are produced through oxidation leading to increased conductivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the coolant by using ethylene oxide adducts of alkylamines and alkyldiamines instead of conventional glycols and alcohols. These alternative compounds do not undergo oxidation to produce ionic substances, thereby maintaining low conductivity and high electrical insulation property while preserving the nonfreezing property through appropriate formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces long-term stable but oxidation-prone conventional coolants (glycols and alcohols) with ethylene oxide adducts that are chemically more stable and resistant to oxidation. This substitution eliminates the progressive degradation issue where ionic substances accumulate over time, ensuring consistent electrical insulation performance throughout the coolant's service life.
2Reliability
If ion-exchange resin is placed in the cooling system to remove ionic substances, then conductivity is reduced, but the resin is consumed quickly reducing its exchange life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the problematic oxidation-prone components (conventional glycols and alcohols) from the coolant formulation and replaces them with ethylene oxide adducts of alkylamines and alkyldiamines. This extraction eliminates the source of ionic substance generation, making ion-exchange resin regeneration unnecessary and dramatically extending resin exchange life while maintaining low conductivity.
3Reliability
If pure water is used as coolant, then electrical insulation property is maintained, but the coolant freezes at sub-zero temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite coolant formulation using ethylene oxide adducts of alkylamines and alkyldiamines combined with appropriate bases. This composite approach achieves both low electrical conductivity (comparable to pure water) and sub-zero freezing resistance (unlike pure water), resolving the contradiction between insulation property and freezing resistance.
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 coolant composition demonstrates excellent insulation and rustproofing properties, maintaining low conductivity and preventing corrosion of metal components over extended use without depleting ion-exchange resin capacity.
Implementation Method 1
not adsorbed to ion-exchange resins
Implementation Method 2
produce marginal amounts of ionic substances while the fuel cells are operating, as a result of an oxidation of the glycols and alcohols used in the coolants as their base
Data Source
AI summary
An object is to obtain a coolant composition for fuel cell offering insulation property as well as rustproofing effects in, for example, circuits where coolants are circulated, in order to cool, as a coolant composition for fuel cell, not only cells but also motors, inverters, and other heat-generating devices. As a solution, a coolant composition for fuel cell containing an ethylene oxide adduct of alkylamine and/or ethylene oxide adduct of alkyldiamine is provided.