Fuel Tank Spray Cooling for Fuel Cell Waste Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional turbine engines in commercial aviation face high maintenance and fuel costs, contribute to particulate pollution, and generate excessive noise, while zero-emission aircraft using electric motors powered by hydrogen fuel cells struggle with low-grade waste heat rejection causing excessive drag.
Innovation Solution
An integrated hydrogen-electric engine system with a fuel cell stack, air compressor, and motor assembly, utilizing a fuel tank as a heat exchanger to dissipate low-grade waste heat without increasing drag, and employing phase change materials to manage thermal energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If existing heat exchangers are used to reject low-grade waste heat from fuel cells, then heat dissipation is achieved, but excessive drag is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel tank is designed to serve dual functions: storing fuel and acting as a heat exchanger for waste heat rejection. The tank walls are equipped with cooling channels that allow coolant to flow through, absorbing heat from the fuel cell system. This eliminates the need for separate heat exchanger components that would increase drag, while effectively dissipating low-grade waste heat through the tank surface area.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the fuel storage function with the thermal management function by integrating the heat exchanger capability directly into the fuel tank structure. The cooling channels are embedded within the tank walls, combining two previously separate systems (fuel storage and heat rejection) into a single integrated component, thereby reducing overall system drag while maintaining effective heat dissipation.
2Loss of energy
If phase change materials are used to manage thermal energy, then thermal energy management efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes phase change materials that undergo physical state transitions (phase changes) at specific temperature thresholds. When the coolant reaches the phase change temperature, the material automatically absorbs or releases latent heat, dynamically adjusting thermal parameters without requiring complex control mechanisms. This passive thermal management approach improves energy efficiency while minimizing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The phase change materials provide self-regulating thermal management by automatically absorbing excess heat when temperatures rise and releasing heat when temperatures drop. This self-service capability eliminates the need for active control systems, pumps, or valves to manage thermal energy, thereby improving thermal efficiency without significantly increasing device complexity.
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
Reduces operating costs, minimizes environmental impact, and enhances mission capabilities by efficiently managing thermal energy without adding drag or noise, while repurposing fuel tanks for heat dissipation.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a fuel tank as a heat exchanger to dissipate low-grade waste heat
Implementation Method 2
employing phase change materials to manage thermal energy
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel tank heat dissipation system for fuel cell (FC) cooling is disclosed. In one example, at least one FC is in thermal communication with an intermediary heat exchanger. A fuel tank is also in fluid communication with the intermediary heat exchanger. A fluid is used to receive heat from the intermediary heat exchanger and flow along a first fluid path to the fuel tank. A nozzle is used to spray the fluid about an interior surface of the fuel tank, where the spray of the fluid about the interior of the fuel tank allows the fluid to dissipate the heat. A second fluid path from the fuel tank to the intermediary heat exchanger, the second fluid path to return the fluid that has dissipated the heat to the intermediary heat exchanger.