Cooling system for fuel cell stacks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11217799-B2
Application number	US-202016917404-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2020
Priority date	Aug 29, 2018
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling system (10) for fuel cell stacks (22, 26), comprising a first cooling module (14) and a second cooling module (18). The first cooling module (14) comprises a fuel cell stack (22, 26), a supply line connection (30, 34) for connecting a supply line (38, 42) for supplying coolant to the fuel cell stack (22, 26), a discharge line connection (46, 50) for connecting a discharge line (54, 58) for discharging coolant from the fuel cell stack (22, 26), and a venting line connection (94, 98) for connecting a venting line (102, 106).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling system for fuel cell stacks, comprising:
a first cooling module, comprising:
a fuel cell stack having at least one fuel cell;
a supply line having a coolant pump, by means of which coolant can be pumped to the fuel cell stack;
a supply line connection for connecting the supply line for feeding a coolant to the fuel cell stack;
a drain line connection connected to a drain line for discharging the coolant from the fuel cell stack;
an intercooler arranged between the supply line and the drain line, so that a portion of the coolant can be conducted from the supply line into the drain line; and
a venting line connection for connecting a venting line;

a second cooling module, comprising:
a collection line, wherein the collection line is connected via the supply line to the supply line connection of the at least one first cooling module;
a cooler line connection for connection to a cooler line of a cooler, via which a cooled coolant of the fuel cell stack can be fed to the collection line;
a bypass line connection for connection to a bypass line, by means of which a cooling of the coolant can be bypassed;

a startup heater, which is connected to the collection line via a startup heater infeed line and a startup heater discharge line, wherein the startup heater infeed line and the startup heater discharge line are arranged downstream, in the direction of flow of the collection line, of the coolant fed to the collection line via the bypass line connection; and
a heat exchanger supply connection and at least one heat exchanger discharge connection for connecting a heat exchanger.

2. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a passenger compartment heating heat exchanger.

3. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the second cooling module has at least one coolant pump, by means of which the coolant can be pumped to the first cooling module.

4. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein in the startup heater infeed line a startup heater pump is arranged, with which coolant of the collection line can be fed to the startup heater.

5. The cooling system of claim 4 , wherein the heat exchanger supply line connection and the heat exchanger discharge connection are arranged for a parallel or serial operation of the heat exchanger in relation to the startup heater.

6. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the coolant of the at least one bypass line connection can be fed to the collection line downstream of the cooler line connection in the direction of flow of the collection line.

7. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the coolant of the at least one bypass line connection can be fed to the collection line upstream of the cooler line connection in the direction of flow of the collection line.

8. The cooling system of claim 7 , wherein the startup heater infeed line is arranged upstream, in the direction of flow of the collection line, of the coolant fed to the collection line via the cooler line connection.

9. The cooling system of claim 6 , wherein the startup heater infeed line is arranged downstream, in the direction of flow of the collection line, of the coolant fed to the collection line via the cooler line connection.

10. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein between the startup heater infeed line and the startup heater discharge line, a throttle is arranged in the collection line.

11. The cooling system of claim 10 , wherein the throttle is arranged upstream, in the direction of flow, of the coolant fed via the cooler line connection to the collection line.

12. The cooling system of claim 10 , wherein the throttle is arranged downstream, in the direction of flow, of the coolant fed via the cooler line connection to the collection line.

13. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the startup heater discharge line has at least one of an ion exchanger connection for connecting an ion exchanger or an expansion tank connection for connecting an expansion tank.

Assignees

• Nikola Corp
• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Lynk Kevin
• Schneider Jesse
• Belschner Werner
• Heyse Jorg
• Remlinger Markus

Classifications

• Y02T90/40

  Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04302

  applied during start-up · CPC title

• H01M8/249

  comprising two or more groupings of fuel cells, e.g. modular assemblies · CPC title

• H01M8/04225

  during start-up · CPC title

• H01M8/04074

  Heat exchange unit structures specially adapted for fuel cell · CPC title