Fuel Cell Powered Vehicle Device Placement and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cell powered vehicles face inefficiencies in cooling and wiring complexity due to scattered electric part placement, leading to increased weight and reduced output efficiency, while also posing safety risks from hydrogen leakage.
Innovation Solution
An air-cooled fuel cell system with a box-like fuel cell design, strategically positioned to optimize cooling and safety, featuring an intake surface oriented towards the front, an exhaust duct at the rear, and fuel leakage detectors, with a partitioned device placement area to minimize wiring length and enhance safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electric parts are disposed in scattered positions to protect the fuel tank and consider driver's maneuverability, then safety and maneuverability are improved, but wire routing becomes complicated and vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates electric parts (fuel cell, battery, control units) into a single device placement area located above the rear axle, rather than scattering them throughout the vehicle. This merging approach reduces wiring complexity and vehicle weight while maintaining safety through proper spatial separation from the fuel tank, which is positioned in the front portion of the vehicle.
2Reliability
If electric parts are disposed in scattered positions, then safety and maneuverability are improved, but wiring length increases resulting in inefficient use of fuel cell output
Solution Approach 1:
By consolidating electric parts into a unified device placement area, the patent significantly reduces the total length of wiring required to connect these components. This reduces electrical energy losses and improves the overall efficiency of fuel cell output utilization, while safety is maintained through the strategic positioning of this consolidated area away from the fuel tank.
3Temperature
If coolant flow path is complicated due to scattered electric parts, then cooling coverage is improved, but cooling efficiency decreases and control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the fuel cell and battery in close proximity within the device placement area, which simplifies the coolant flow path. This consolidated arrangement allows for more efficient thermal management with reduced coolant circulation complexity, improving cooling efficiency while still providing adequate cooling coverage for all electric parts.
4Device complexity
If air-cooled fuel cell system is used to simplify cooling system, then system complexity and auxiliary component weight are reduced, but cooling efficiency for high power generation is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a rechargeable battery as an intermediary energy storage device between the fuel cell and the motor. This allows the fuel cell to operate at optimal power levels for efficient electricity generation, while the battery handles peak power demands and transient loads, enabling the simplified air-cooled fuel cell system to support high power generation requirements without requiring the fuel cell itself to be oversized.
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 solution provides effective cooling and safety for the fuel cell and electric parts, reduces vehicle weight, and enhances safety by minimizing hydrogen leakage risks, while maintaining efficient power generation and distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a fuel cell stack (hereinafter simply referred to as a fuel cell) that generates electricity in a chemical reaction between fuel and air, more specifically, oxygen in air
Implementation Method 2
heat produced in association with electricity generation can be cooled by air used as a reaction gas
Data Source
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AI summary
There are provided a vehicle body, a seat disposed above the vehicle body, a rechargeable battery disposed below the seat, an electric power management device disposed below the seat and behind the rechargeable battery, and a fuel cell disposed below the seat and behind the electric power management device.