Fuel Cell Water Path Heater Control During Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
In fuel cell systems, when water leaks from the cooling water path, remaining water can freeze, leading to potential power generation failures during startup, as existing systems either stop circulating water or heating, failing to prevent freezing effectively.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell system with a water circulator and heater that continue to operate even after detection of water leakage abnormalities, inhibiting water circulation while maintaining heating to prevent freezing in the affected water path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the water circulator stops circulating water after detecting leakage, then water leakage damage is suppressed and circulator failure is prevented, but remaining water in the path freezes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the control of water circulation and heating functions. When leakage is detected, the water circulator is stopped to prevent damage from circulating without water, but the heater continues operating to prevent freezing of remaining water in the path. This extraction of functions resolves the contradiction by allowing independent control of each function's response to leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different quality responses to different components based on their specific needs. The water circulator is inhibited to protect itself from damage, while the heater is maintained to protect the water path from freezing. This localized differential response resolves the contradiction by tailoring each component's operation to its specific requirements during leakage conditions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the heater continues heating after detecting leakage, then freezing is suppressed, but energy is wasted heating leaking water
Solution Approach 1:
The heater continues operating at full capacity even when water is leaking, which appears excessive. However, this ensures complete freezing protection as a priority, accepting the energy cost as necessary to prevent the more severe consequence of freezing damage to the water path and system components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent accepts that heating leaking water wastes energy, but converts this apparent waste into a benefit by ensuring absolute freezing protection. The energy expenditure is reframed as an insurance measure that prevents catastrophic freezing damage, transforming the harmful energy waste into a protective function.
3Reliability
If both water circulator and heater are inhibited after leakage, then component damage is prevented, but freezing suppression fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heating function from the water circulation control logic. While the water circulator is inhibited to prevent component damage, the heater operates independently to maintain freezing protection. This functional extraction resolves the contradiction by decoupling the two protection mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control where the response to leakage differs between components. The water circulator dynamically switches to inhibited state to prevent damage, while the heater dynamically maintains operation to prevent freezing. This dynamic differential control resolves the contradiction by adapting each component's state to its specific operational requirements during leakage.
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 configuration prevents water leakage damage from spreading and reduces the risk of water circulator failure, while effectively suppressing freezing in the leaking water path, ensuring system readiness upon restart.
Implementation Method 1
a heater for heating the water circulating path
Data Source
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AI summary
0A fuel cell system (301) of the present invention comprises a fuel cell (1); a water circulating path (9) through which water associated with an operation of the fuel cell (1) circulates; a water circulator (10) for circulating water in the water circulating path (9); a heater (14) for heating the water circulating path (9); a first abnormality detector (29, 30) for detecting a first abnormality which is an abnormality relating to leakage of water from the water circulating path (9); and a controller (16); the fuel cell system being configured to cause the water circulator (10) to perform a water circulating operation for circulating the water in the water circulating path (9) and cause the heater (14) to perform a heating operation for heating the water circulating path (9), to suppress freezing in the water circulating path, wherein the controller (16) is configured to inhibit the water circulating operation for suppressing freezing and not to inhibit the heating operation for suppressing freezing, in a case where the fuel cell system (301) is shut down in response to detection of the first abnormality by the first abnormality detector (29, 30).