Fuel Cell Heater with Periodic Cross-Section for Cold Start
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal management systems for fuel cell vehicles face challenges in improving cold startability, including bubble formation on heaters, inefficient heat transfer, and increased manufacturing costs due to separate heater and cathode oxygen depletion (COD) components, which complicate maintenance and layout.
Innovation Solution
A heating device with integrated COD function featuring a housing with periodically changing cross-sections and alternating projections and concave grooves, arranged perpendicular to coolant flow, to prevent bubble formation and enhance heat transfer by creating flow disturbances and reducing pressure drops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate heaters and COD devices are provided in conventional thermal management systems, then heating function and COD function are achieved, but manufacturing cost increases and device layout becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heater and COD device into a single integrated unit. The housing contains both the heater element and COD components, allowing both heating and COD functions to be performed by one device rather than requiring separate components. This reduces manufacturing cost and simplifies layout while maintaining both functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated heating device performs multiple functions: it provides heating to improve cold startability, performs COD during shutdown to remove hydrogen, and acts as a thermal management component. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
2Reliability
If conventional COD is attached to front coolant line, then COD function is achieved, but maintenance and repair require lift and are difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated heating device changes the spatial arrangement by incorporating the COD function within the heater housing rather than attaching it to the coolant line. This dimensional reorganization places the COD components in a more accessible location that does not require vehicle lift for maintenance.
3Ease of manufacture
If heater cross-section is uniform, then manufacturing is simple, but bubble formation occurs and heat transfer performance is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The heater incorporates periodic cross-sectional variations along its length, creating different local geometries (expansion and contraction sections). These local variations disrupt bubble formation and enhance heat transfer performance in critical areas without requiring complete redesign of the entire heater structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater features periodic cross-sectional changes with alternating expansion and contraction sections. This periodic geometric variation creates flow disturbances that prevent bubble accumulation and improve heat transfer efficiency while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process.
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 effectively prevents bubble formation, improves heat transfer performance, and reduces manufacturing costs by integrating the heater and COD functions, ensuring efficient cold startability and durability of the fuel cell stack while minimizing flow-induced vibrations and heat loss.
Implementation Method 1
a start-up heater and a shut-down heater provided in parallel on one side of the housing in a direction perpendicular to a coolant flow direction, and a plurality of heaters for heating coolant provided in parallel on the other side
Implementation Method 2
cross sections in the coolant flow direction of each of the respective heaters change periodically along the longitudinal direction of the heater so as to cause a flow disturbance
Implementation Method 3
the electric energy generated by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is consumed to generate heat energy
Implementation Method 4
a plurality of heaters for heating coolant provided in parallel on the other side of the housing
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a heating device with cathode oxygen depletion (COD) function for a fuel cell vehicle, in which an existing COD and a heating device for improving cold startability of the fuel cell vehicle are integrated. For this purpose, the present invention provides a heating device with COD function for a fuel cell vehicle, the heating device including: a housing having an inlet and an outlet formed on both ends thereof; a start-up heater and a shut-down heater provided in parallel on one side of the housing in a direction perpendicular to a coolant flow direction; and a plurality of heaters for heating coolant provided in parallel on the other side of the housing in a direction perpendicular to the coolant flow direction, wherein cross sections in the coolant flow direction of each of the respective heaters change periodically along the longitudinal direction of the heater so as to cause a flow disturbance.