Fuel Cell Residual Water Drain System for Hydrogen Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Residual water in fuel cell vehicles freezes in low-temperature environments, causing performance issues and safety concerns during hydrogen charging, as it complicates the draining process and leads to increased standby times and potential safety hazards due to ground freezing at charging stations.
Innovation Solution
A residual water drain system for fuel cell vehicles that includes a drain device, such as an air compressor, and a controller to proactively drain residual water before hydrogen charging, converting the vehicle to electric vehicle mode to prevent delays and ground freezing by determining the necessity for hydrogen charging and operating the drain device in normal or emergency conditions based on navigation information and battery state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If residual water is drained by supplying a large amount of air to the load-free fuel cell for a predetermined time, then residual water is removed from inside the fuel cell, but a time delay occurs before hydrogen charging can begin
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs residual water draining as a preliminary action before the fuel cell is completely turned off for hydrogen charging. The controller activates the air supply to the fuel cell in advance, during the shutdown period but before the charging process begins, ensuring water is removed beforehand so that charging can start immediately without waiting for the draining process to complete.
Solution Approach 2:
The draining process is integrated into the shutdown sequence, allowing the air supply to continue removing residual water throughout the transition period. The system maintains continuous water removal action from the moment the fuel cell load is reduced until charging begins, ensuring no interruption in the useful action of water elimination.
2Ease of operation
If the fuel cell is completely turned off to charge with hydrogen, then hydrogen charging can proceed, but residual water inside the fuel cell may be frozen in low-temperature environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs residual water draining as a preliminary action before completely shutting off the fuel cell for hydrogen charging. The controller detects when hydrogen charging is needed and activates the air supply to remove residual water beforehand, ensuring the fuel cell is dry before the shutdown that enables charging, thus preventing freezing issues during the charging state.
3Productivity
If residual water is drained at the hydrogen charging station, then the fuel cell can be charged, but the ground may be frozen by repeatedly discharged residual water
Solution Approach 1:
The system moves the residual water draining action to occur before the vehicle arrives at the hydrogen charging station, during the shutdown period preceding charging. By completing the water removal process in advance rather than at the charging station, the discharged water is expelled at a different location and time, preventing accumulation and freezing at the charging station ground.
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 prevents delays in hydrogen charging, reduces the risk of ground freezing, and enhances the stability of fuel cell vehicle performance by ensuring residual water is drained before reaching the charging station, thereby improving safety and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
drain residual water from inside the fuel cell by supplying air to the fuel cell
Implementation Method 2
supplying a large amount of air to the load-free fuel cell for a predetermined time
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment residual water drain system of a fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell, a drain device configured to drain residual water from the fuel cell, and a controller configured to drain the residual water from the fuel cell through the drain device, to turn off the fuel cell, and to convert a vehicle into an EV mode, when charging the vehicle with hydrogen is determined to be necessary.