Fuel Cell Coolant Control with Dual Loops and Shared Fan Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell systems face challenges in efficiently managing the temperature of both the fuel cell stack and power electronic components, leading to suboptimal cooling performance and potential safety and durability issues, especially when external driving wind is not available.
Innovation Solution
A temperature control apparatus and method that utilize a controller to determine the RPM of pumps and cooling fans based on coolant temperature, exterior air temperature, and power consumption of electronic parts, ensuring target cooling performance is met by adjusting pump and fan speeds, and incorporating a heat exchanger to exchange heat between coolants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single cooling system is used for both fuel cell stack and power electronic parts, then device complexity is reduced, but cooling performance for each component deteriorates due to conflicting temperature requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into two independent loops: a first cooling line for the fuel cell stack and a second cooling line for the power electronic parts. Each loop has its own pump and radiator, allowing independent temperature control optimized for each component's specific thermal requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
A single cooling fan is designed to serve both radiators simultaneously. The fan can operate in different modes to provide cooling to either the fuel cell stack, the power electronic parts, or both at the same time, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining component-specific cooling performance.
2Temperature
If cooling fan speed is increased to improve cooling performance, then temperature control improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fan operates with variable RPM that is dynamically adjusted based on real-time temperature conditions. The controller determines the required fan speed based on coolant temperature, exterior air temperature, and power consumption levels, allowing the system to use minimal energy while maintaining adequate cooling performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (fan RPM, pump flow rate) based on varying thermal loads and environmental conditions. By adjusting these parameters dynamically rather than operating at fixed speeds, the system achieves effective cooling while minimizing energy consumption.
3Reliability
If separate cooling lines are used for fuel cell stack and power electronic parts, then cooling performance for each component is optimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single cooling fan is designed to serve both radiators simultaneously. The fan can operate in different modes to provide cooling to either the fuel cell stack, the power electronic parts, or both at the same time, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining component-specific cooling performance.
4Temperature
If pump speed is increased to improve coolant circulation, then cooling performance improves, but energy consumption and system noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pumps operate with variable speeds controlled dynamically based on thermal conditions. The controller adjusts pump RPM to provide adequate coolant circulation only when and where needed, rather than running at constant high speed, thereby reducing energy consumption and noise while maintaining effective cooling.
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 solution ensures efficient and optimized cooling performance, maintaining the safety and durability of fuel cell systems and power electronic components, even when external driving wind is not present, by dynamically adjusting the cooling system's parameters.
Implementation Method 1
a first radiator disposed on the first cooling line and configured to cool the first coolant, a second radiator disposed on the second cooling line and configured to cool the second coolant
Implementation Method 2
a first radiator disposed on the first cooling line and configured to cool the first coolant, a second radiator disposed on the second cooling line and configured to cool the second coolant
Implementation Method 3
a cooling fan configured to blow exterior air to any one or any combination of the first radiator and the second radiator
Implementation Method 4
incorporating a heat exchanger to exchange heat between coolants
Data Source
AI summary
A temperature control apparatus and method for fuel cell system, where the apparatus includes a fuel cell stack, a first pump disposed on a first cooling line, a first radiator disposed on the first cooling line, power electronic parts, a second pump disposed on a second cooling line, a second radiator disposed on the second cooling line, a cooling fan configured to blow exterior air to any one of the first radiator and the second radiator, and a controller configured to determine an RPM of the cooling fan based on a coolant temperature at an inlet of the fuel cell stack and a first exterior air temperature, to determine a target cooling performance of the plurality of power electronic parts based on power consumptions of the plurality of power electronic parts, and to determine an RPM of the second pump based on the target cooling performance of the plurality of power electronic parts, the RPM of the cooling fan, and a second exterior air temperature.