Fuel Cell Cooling Loop Control With Hydrogen Storage Heat Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cells face degradation due to heat generation during electrical energy production, necessitating effective temperature control to maintain efficiency and stability.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell temperature management device with a temperature control valve and controller that adjusts the circulation path of cooling water based on temperature, incorporating a solid hydrogen storage device to manage exothermic and endothermic reactions, and a bypass valve to direct cooling water through a heater or radiator for temperature regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling water circulation is increased to remove heat from fuel cell, then temperature control improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the fuel cell cooling system with the hydrogen storage system by integrating the solid hydrogen storage device into the cooling water circulation path. The cooling water serves dual purposes: it cools the fuel cell stack and simultaneously provides cooling for the hydrogen storage device, which undergoes endothermic reactions. This merging eliminates the need for separate cooling systems for each component, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective temperature control for both the fuel cell and hydrogen storage device.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling water circulation system is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously. It cools the fuel cell stack during power generation, cools the solid hydrogen storage device during hydrogen supply operations, and can be redirected through bypass valves to prioritize one function over another based on operational needs. The temperature control valve and bypass valves enable the same cooling water loop to adaptively serve different thermal management requirements, enhancing system versatility without requiring separate dedicated cooling circuits.
2Quantity of substance
If cooling water is directed through solid hydrogen storage device, then hydrogen supply is enabled, but fuel cell temperature control may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic valve control to adaptively redirect cooling water flow based on operational conditions. When hydrogen supply is prioritized, the bypass valve directs cooling water through the solid hydrogen storage device, accepting that fuel cell temperature control may be temporarily compromised. When temperature control becomes critical, the system can redirect flow back to prioritize fuel cell cooling. This dynamic switching capability allows the system to flexibly balance between hydrogen supply needs and temperature control requirements depending on the operational phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated cooling circulation system ensures continuous thermal management across both fuel cell and hydrogen storage operations. Rather than interrupting cooling flow during hydrogen supply operations, the system maintains continuous circulation through the combined path, ensuring that both the fuel cell and hydrogen storage device receive sustained cooling attention. The endothermic reactions in the hydrogen storage device actually contribute to cooling the overall system, maintaining continuous useful thermal action without interruption.
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 system efficiently maintains the fuel cell stack temperature within a management range, preventing degradation and enhancing thermal and power generation efficiency by utilizing endothermic reactions and heat transfer mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
cooling water passing through a fuel cell stack
Implementation Method 2
in the solid hydrogen storage device, an endothermic reaction may occur when the hydrogen is supplied to the fuel cell stack
Implementation Method 3
Fuel cells are devices that generate electrical energy by an electrochemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen
Implementation Method 4
a bypass valve that directs the cooling water to a heater in the circulation path and blocks the cooling water from passing through the fuel cell stack when the temperature of the cooling water is lower than a lower limit of a management temperature range
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a fuel cell temperature management device and a fuel cell system using the same, the device including a temperature control valve that sets, to a first path or a second path, a circulation path of a cooling water passing through a fuel cell stack, and a controller that controls the temperature control valve based on a temperature of the cooling water.