Fuel Cell High-Pressure Tank Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell systems equipped with high-pressure gas isolation valves degrade at low temperatures due to rapid gas consumption during heavy loads, causing the gas temperature in the tank to drop below the guaranteed range, which affects the sealing properties of the valve.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell system with a fuel consumption control mechanism that senses the temperature of the fuel discharged from the high-pressure tank and ambient temperature, limiting fuel consumption to prevent temperature drops and protect the isolation valve, including a process that determines the minimum fuel limit based on the performance assurance temperature of the supply device and ambient conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the fuel cell system operates at heavy load at low temperatures, then the power output is high, but the gas temperature in the high-pressure tank drops below the guaranteed temperature range causing degradation of the isolation valve sealing property
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the high-pressure gas using a heater before the gas reaches the isolation valve. This preliminary action ensures that even when heavy load operation causes rapid gas consumption and isoentropic expansion cooling, the gas temperature remains above the degradation threshold of the isolation valve sealing, thus preventing reliability issues before they occur
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the high-pressure gas by introducing a heater that actively heats the gas. By controlling the heating temperature, the system maintains the gas temperature within a safe range that prevents isolation valve degradation while still allowing sufficient power output during heavy load operation
2Productivity
If the system consumes high pressure gas rapidly during heavy load operation, then the power demand is met, but the temperature drop causes degradation of the supply device components
Solution Approach 1:
The heater performs preliminary heating of the gas stream before it enters downstream components. This preliminary thermal compensation ensures that rapid gas consumption for high productivity does not result in temperature drops that would degrade the supply device, maintaining both productivity and reliability simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful effect of rapid gas expansion (which causes cooling) into a controllable parameter by using the heater to actively manage the temperature. The rapid consumption that would normally cause harmful cooling is instead accompanied by active heating, turning a potentially harmful process into a controlled operation that maintains component reliability
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 prevents the degradation of the isolation valve by controlling fuel consumption, ensuring the valve's sealing properties are maintained, thereby preventing the supply device from deteriorating and ensuring the fuel cell system operates reliably at low temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
the temperature of the gas in the high pressure tank may drop below the lower limit of the guaranteed temperature range, because the isoentropic expansion occurs in the tank
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a fuel cell system which includes a fuel cell, a high-pressure tank for containing a fuel, a supply device for delivering the fuel of the high-pressure tank to the fuel cell, a fuel consumption control mechanism for controlling an amount of the fuel consumed in the fuel cell, and a fuel temperature sensing device for sensing a temperature of the fuel discharged from the high-pressure tank. In this system, the amount of the consumed fuel is controlled based on the temperature sensed by the fuel temperature sensing device.