Fuel Cell Cooling Pump Control for Membrane Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cells activated in cold temperatures face issues with water freezing, leading to decreased heat transfer and potential electrolyte membrane deterioration due to insufficient cooling water circulation.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell system with a control mechanism for the cooling water pump that adjusts its operation based on the temperature rise speed, ensuring adequate cooling water circulation to prevent membrane deterioration by calculating a target temperature rise speed and controlling the pump's drive accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the cooling water pump is stopped during low temperature activation, then the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell increases and product water freezing is prevented, but the heat transference from the heat generated portion decreases and power generation concentrated portions are formed which deteriorate the electrolyte membrane
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling water pump operates in a dynamic manner during low temperature activation, alternating between stopped and running states based on real-time temperature monitoring. When the fuel cell temperature is below the freezing point, the pump is stopped to allow rapid temperature rise. When the temperature approaches the freezing point, the pump is activated to prevent water freezing while maintaining controlled temperature increase. This dynamic control resolves the contradiction between needing high temperature rise speed and preventing power generation concentrated portions.
2Reliability
If the cooling water circulation is increased to prevent power generation concentrated portions, then the electrolyte membrane is protected from deterioration, but the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell decreases and product water may freeze
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling water pump is controlled to operate periodically during low temperature activation rather than continuously. The control unit monitors the fuel cell temperature and activates the pump only when the temperature approaches the freezing point or when power generation concentrated portions are detected. This periodic operation allows the fuel cell to maintain rapid temperature rise while receiving intermittent cooling to prevent membrane deterioration, resolving the contradiction between temperature rise speed and membrane protection.
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 effectively suppresses electrolyte membrane deterioration by optimizing cooling water circulation, preventing power generation concentrated areas and ensuring efficient operation even at low temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
a fuel cell that is supplied with a reactant gas and generates electric power through an electrochemical reaction of the reactant gas
Implementation Method 2
the heat transference from the heat generated portion in the fuel cell decreases
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell system suppresses the deterioration of an electrolyte membrane of a fuel cell. The fuel cell system comprises: a temperature rise speed calculation unit for calculating a target temperature rise speed of the fuel cell using a temperature of the fuel cell and a water content of the fuel cell; and a drive control unit for controlling a drive of the cooling water pump using the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell and the target temperature rise speed calculated by the temperature rise speed calculation unit. The drive control unit controls the drive of the cooling water pump such that a circulation amount of the cooling water is decreased when the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell is below the target temperature rise speed and controls the drive of the cooling water pump such that the circulation amount of the cooling water is increased when the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell is equal to or greater than the target temperature rise speed.