Fuel Cell Power Control for Route-Aware Heavy Vehicles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cells in vehicles have a reduced lifetime due to maximum power use and temperature dynamics, leading to inefficient power management, especially in high-load situations, and result in noise pollution when charging batteries, which is undesirable in urban areas.
Innovation Solution
A power control system utilizing an electronic control unit that acquires data from navigation, energy, and power sensors to optimize power distribution between fuel cell and battery systems, precharging batteries before slopes and limiting fuel cell power to avoid stress, while using batteries to supplement power during high-demand situations, and avoiding fuel cell operation in urban areas when SOC is low.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If fuel cells are used at maximum power to meet high power demand, then vehicle performance is maintained, but fuel cell lifetime is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary charging of the electrical battery using the fuel cell before entering urban areas or high-load situations. The control unit anticipates future power needs or noise-sensitive zones and stores energy in advance, allowing the fuel cell to operate at optimal levels rather than reacting to immediate demands that would require maximum power output.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical battery acts as an intermediary energy storage device between the fuel cell and the vehicle's power consumption. It buffers the power fluctuations, absorbing excess energy when available and supplying power when needed, thereby preventing the fuel cell from operating at maximum power continuously and extending its lifetime.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If electrical batteries are used to compensate for power needs, then fuel cell wear is reduced, but vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the electrical battery with partial capacity rather than sizing it for complete power compensation. The battery is designed to handle only the specific task of buffering power during transitional periods and urban operation, not the entire power demand. This partial action approach reduces battery size and weight while still achieving the goal of protecting the fuel cell from excessive wear.
3Productivity
If fuel cells charge electrical batteries in urban areas, then power management is optimized, but noise pollution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit charges the electrical battery in advance before the vehicle enters urban areas using navigation data to anticipate upcoming zones. By performing the charging action beforehand in non-urban environments, the system maintains power management optimization while avoiding noise pollution in sensitive urban zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the potential harm of noise pollution into a benefit by using navigation data to predict urban areas and adjust charging behavior accordingly. What would normally be a harmful noise-generating activity (fuel cell charging in urban areas) is transformed into a beneficial predictive control strategy that prevents the harm while maintaining overall system efficiency.
4Power
If bigger capacity electrical batteries are used, then power compensation is improved, but vehicle weight becomes unsustainable
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical battery is sized for partial power compensation rather than complete independence from the fuel cell. It handles only the specific subset of power needs related to transient demands and urban operation, not the entire power spectrum. This partial capability approach provides sufficient power compensation while keeping the battery size and weight sustainable for the vehicle application.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Vehicle (1) comprising a fuel cell engine configured to provide power for allowing travel of the vehicle (1) on a road (R) and operation of its utilities, the fuel cell engine comprising a fuel cell module, at least an electric machine and battery means, the vehicle (1) comprising electrical level sensor means configured to detect state of charge, SOC, of the battery means and power sensor means configured to detect the power transferred between the fuel cell module and the at least an electric machine, the vehicle (1) further comprising navigation means configured to communicate with satellite means to provide details related to the route (R) with respect to a destination set by the vehicle driver, the vehicle (1) comprise a power control system comprising an electronic control unit comprising elaboration means configured to acquire data from navigation means, power sensor means and energy level sensor means, elaborate such data and control consequently the power transfer among the fuel cell engine elements.