Fluidically Separated Cooling Circuits for Fuel Cell Brake Thermal Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electrically driven motor vehicles, especially those with fuel cells, integrating a secondary braking system into the same cooling circuit as the fuel cell poses challenges due to the need for a pure, temperature-sensitive coolant, leading to contamination risks and reduced cooling capacity, while a separate cooling system requires additional space and increases airside resistance.
Innovation Solution
Implementing separate fluid circuits for the fuel cell module and secondary braking system, allowing them to be coupled for heat transfer while maintaining fluidic separation, thereby avoiding coolant contamination and enabling individual temperature control for each system, reducing the volume of deionized coolant needed, and simplifying maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the secondary braking system is integrated into the same cooling circuit as the fuel cell, then the cooling system structure is simplified, but the coolant contamination risk increases and the cooling capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into two separate cooling circuits: a first cooling circuit for the fuel cell and a second cooling circuit for the secondary braking system. This segmentation prevents coolant contamination while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat exchanger is introduced as an intermediary component between the two cooling circuits, enabling thermal coupling without fluid mixing. This allows heat transfer between circuits while maintaining complete fluid separation, thus preventing contamination.
2Reliability
If a separate cooling circuit is used for the secondary braking system, then the coolant contamination is avoided, but the installation space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger serves dual purposes: it cools the secondary braking system while also serving as part of the fuel cell cooling system. This merging of functions reduces the total number of separate cooling components and optimizes space utilization in the vehicle.
Solution Approach 2:
The first cooling circuit and its associated heat exchanger serve multiple functions: cooling the fuel cell and simultaneously providing thermal management for the secondary braking system through the second cooling circuit. This multi-functionality reduces the overall space requirement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If an additional radiator plane is integrated into the fuel cell cooling module, then the secondary braking system cooling is achieved, but the airside resistance increases and cooling capacity is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of integrating both cooling functions into a single radiator plane, the system segments the cooling functions into two separate circuits with independent heat exchangers. This allows each circuit to be optimized for its specific thermal requirements without compromising the other's cooling capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger acts as an intermediary that enables thermal coupling between the two cooling circuits without requiring direct integration of radiator planes. This approach maintains optimal airflow characteristics in each circuit while achieving the desired cooling for both systems.
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 enhances the robustness and efficiency of the cooling system by allowing different coolant temperatures for each component, reducing the risk of contamination, and increasing the cooling capacity of the secondary braking system while minimizing the volume of deionized coolant required, thus improving overall system performance and reducing maintenance complexity.
Implementation Method 1
the first and second cooling circuit are fluidically separated from one another and are coupled to one another so as to transfer heat via a second heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
An electrically driven motor vehicle may include a first cooling circuit, a first component, a first heat exchanger, at least one pump configured to convey a coolant, a second cooling circuit, and a second component. The first component may be arranged in the first cooling circuit and may have a temperature which is to be controlled. The second component may be arranged in the second cooling circuit and may have a temperature which is to be controlled. The first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit may be fluidically separated from one another and may be coupled to one another to transfer heat via a second heat exchanger. One of (i) the first component and (ii) the second component may be configured as at least one of an electrical energy storage and a fuel cell module, and the other may be configured as a secondary braking system.