Fuel Cell Radiator Water Spray Cooling for Heat Rejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
PEM fuel cell vehicles face challenges in heat rejection due to reduced maximum allowable coolant temperature and insufficient space for large radiators and fans, limiting vehicle performance.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management system that includes a condenser, a liquid-gas separator, a storage reservoir, and spray nozzles to circulate and spray liquid water onto a radiator for enhanced cooling of the fuel cell stack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional cooling system with radiator and fan is used in a fuel cell vehicle, then the system can reject heat, but the maximum allowable coolant temperature is reduced and vehicle performance is limited due to insufficient space for large enough radiators and fans
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes evaporative cooling by spraying liquid water onto the radiator fins, where the water undergoes phase transition from liquid to vapor. This phase change absorbs latent heat from the coolant, significantly enhancing cooling efficiency without requiring larger radiator or fan components, thus maintaining vehicle performance while managing heat rejection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces liquid water as an intermediary cooling medium that is sprayed onto the radiator. This water acts as a heat transfer intermediary, absorbing excess heat from the coolant through evaporation and thereby enabling effective heat rejection within the constrained space available in fuel cell vehicles
2Productivity
If the coolant temperature is reduced to improve fuel cell performance, then the fuel cell stack operates more efficiently, but the heat rejection capability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs evaporative phase transition of sprayed water on the radiator fins to enhance heat rejection. This phase change process efficiently removes heat from the coolant, allowing the system to maintain lower coolant temperatures for improved fuel cell performance while simultaneously achieving adequate heat rejection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal parameters of the cooling system by introducing evaporative cooling, which fundamentally alters the heat transfer mechanism. This parameter change enables the system to achieve both lower operating temperatures for improved fuel cell performance and sufficient heat rejection capability within the same thermal management system
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 effectively increases cooling efficiency and improves fuel cell stack performance by utilizing the water/air exhaust from the fuel cell stack, thereby addressing the limitations of existing cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
The one or more spray nozzles are configured to selectively spray the liquid water onto the radiator to increase cooling of the coolant
Implementation Method 2
a coolant circuit is configured to circulate a coolant to the fuel cell stack for cooling thereof, the coolant circuit including a radiator configured to cool the coolant
Implementation Method 3
a condenser fluidly coupled to the fuel cell stack to receive a flow of water/air exhaust therefrom, and a liquid-gas separator fluidly coupled to the condenser to receive the flow of water/air exhaust therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal management system for a vehicle having a fuel cell stack includes a condenser fluidly coupled to the fuel cell stack to receive a flow of water/air exhaust therefrom, and a liquid-gas separator fluidly coupled to the condenser to receive the flow of water/air exhaust therefrom. A storage reservoir includes an inlet to receive separated liquid water from the liquid-gas separator. One or more spray nozzles are fluidly coupled to the storage reservoir supply outlet to receive a flow of liquid water therefrom, and a coolant circuit is configured to circulate a coolant to the fuel cell stack for cooling thereof, the coolant circuit including a radiator configured to cool the coolant. The one or more spray nozzles are configured to selectively spray the liquid water onto the radiator to increase cooling of the coolant and improve performance of the fuel cell stack.