Fuel cell apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12586991-B2
Application number	US-202318141713-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2023
Priority date	Aug 22, 2022
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

A fuel cell apparatus of the disclosure includes a fuel cell and a power distribution unit configured to distribute power generated in the fuel cell. The power distribution unit includes a power part and a cooling unit, which is disposed so as to be in contact with the power part to cool the power part and includes an inlet port configured to allow cooling fluid to be introduced thereinto from the outside and an outlet port configured to discharge the cooling fluid to the outside. The inlet port and the outlet port are disposed so as to be oriented from the power distribution unit in the same direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel cell apparatus, comprising:
a fuel cell; and a power distribution unit configured to distribute power generated in the fuel cell, the power distribution unit comprising:
a power part; and
a cooling unit disposed in contact with the power part to cool the power part, the cooling unit comprising:
an inlet port configured to allow cooling fluid to be introduced thereinto from an outside; and
an outlet port configured to discharge the cooling fluid to the outside,

wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are oriented from the power distribution unit in a same direction, and wherein the cooling unit further comprises a main partition wall disposed so as to separate the cooling fluid introduced through the inlet port and the cooling fluid to be discharged through the outlet port from each other.

2 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a high-voltage connector terminal connected to the power distribution unit, wherein the outlet port and the inlet port are located opposite the high-voltage connector terminal.

3 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the high-voltage connector terminal is disposed so as to be oriented from the power distribution unit in a direction opposite to a direction in which the outlet port and the inlet port are oriented.

4 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the power part comprises:
an electronic element comprising a diode; a switching unit selectively connecting the fuel cell to the power distribution unit through a terminal block; a bus bar connecting the fuel cell to the terminal block; and a wiring interconnecting at least two of the electronic element, the switching unit, or the bus bar.

5 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the cooling unit overlaps the power part in a vertical direction.

6 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid is coolant or cooling air.

7 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit comprises:
a first space allowing the cooling fluid introduced into the inlet port to flow therethrough; a second space allowing the cooling fluid to flow therethrough and to be discharged through the outlet port, the second space being separated from the first space by the main partition wall; and a third space forming a path allowing the cooling fluid to move from the first space to the second space.

8 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the power part overlaps the first space and the second space in a vertical direction such that a region thereof overlapping the first space is larger than a region thereof overlapping the second space.

9 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the first space is larger than the second space.

10 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the main partition wall extends in a first direction, the first direction being parallel to an inflow direction of the cooling fluid into the inlet port.

11 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the cooling unit further comprises sub-partition walls alternately disposed in a second direction to form a cooling fluid path in a serpentine shape together with the main partition wall, the second direction being a direction intersecting the first direction.

12 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the sub-partition walls are disposed in at least one of the first space or the second space.

13 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the cooling unit further comprises a propeller disposed in at least one of the first space, the second space, or the third space to rotate the cooling fluid introduced thereinto through the inlet port.

14 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the cooling unit further comprises a plurality of cooling fins disposed in a cooling fluid path in at least one of the first space, the second space, or the third space.

15 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the cooling unit further comprises a propeller disposed in at least one of the first space, the second space, or the third space to rotate the cooling fluid introduced thereinto through the inlet port.

16 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the cooling unit further comprises a plurality of cooling fins disposed in a cooling fluid path in at least one of the first space, the second space, or the third space.

17 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the power distribution unit further comprises a main body accommodating the power part, and
wherein the cooling unit is disposed on a lower end of the main body.

18 . The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are disposed adjacent to each other.

19 . A vehicle comprising the fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Kim Myung Jin
• Ohm Ki Wook

Classifications

• Y02T90/40

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

• H02B1/56

  Cooling; Ventilation · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/0267 Primary

  having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels · CPC title