System for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for fuel cell, and thermostat valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9680167-B2
Application number	US-201214129168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2012
Priority date	Jun 30, 2011
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid comprises: a radiator; a cooling-liquid circulation flow-channel; a radiator bypass flow-channel; a thermostat valve; and a valve bypass flow-channel through which the cooling-liquid of the radiator bypass flow-channel is allowed to flow in a predetermined amount even if the thermostat valve is completely closed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell, comprising:
a fuel cell;
a radiator configured to radiate heat of the cooling-liquid;
a cooling-liquid circulation flow-channel configured to connect the fuel cell and the radiator in a manner that the cooling-liquid flows in circulation;
a radiator bypass flow-channel configured to connect an upstream and a downstream of the radiator in a manner that the cooling-liquid bypasses the radiator;
a thermostat valve which is disposed in the radiator bypass flow-channel and is configured to adjust a flow-rate for flowing through the radiator bypass flow-channel; and
a valve bypass flow-channel through which the cooling-liquid of the radiator bypass flow-channel flows at a predetermined amount even if the thermostat valve is fully opened.

2. The system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the valve bypass flow-channel is formed in a housing of the thermostat valve.

3. The system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
a pressure loss in the valve bypass flow-channel is set in a manner that a maximum target flow-rate for the radiator is attainable.

4. The system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein,
a flow-rate ratio between a flow-rate for flowing through the radiator bypass flow-channel and flowing into the thermostat valve and a flow-rate for flowing through the valve bypass flow-channel is determined in a manner that an upper limit temperature of the cooling-liquid is attainable.

5. The system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a temperature setup unit configured to set up a higher target temperature of the cooling-liquid as a requested output is larger;
a temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the cooling-liquid; and
a cooling-liquid pump which is disposed in the cooling-liquid circulation flow-channel and is configured to control the flow-rate to be smaller as the temperature detected with the temperature sensor is lower relative to the target temperature.

6. The system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a humidity estimation unit configured to estimate a humidity of a cathode gas supplied to the fuel cell, wherein,
the temperature setup unit sets up a higher target temperature of the cooling-liquid as the humidity of the cathode gas is higher.

7. The system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a correction unit configured to make a larger correction for the flow-rate of the cooling-liquid pump as the requested output is larger.

8. The system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a lower limit flow-rate computing unit configured to acquire a lower limit flow-rate of the cooling-liquid pump at the time when the temperature of the cooling-liquid flowing out of the fuel cell reaches an upper limit temperature; and
a flow-rate limiting unit configured to limit the flow-rate of the cooling-liquid pump to the lower limit flow-rate at the time when the flow-rate of the cooling-liquid pump is below the lower limit flow-rate.

9. The system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a wetting setup unit configured to set up a target wet condition of the fuel cell based on a requested output;
a wetting detect unit configured to detect a wet condition of a fuel cell; and
a cooling-liquid pump which is disposed in the cooling-liquid circulation flow-channel and is configured to make the flow-rate smaller as the wet condition detected with the wetting detect unit is lower to dryness relative to the target wet condition.

10. The system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the bypass flow-channel is formed by opening through-holes in the thermostat valve or by cutting out the thermostat valve.

11. The system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the thermostat valve comprises:
a housing, comprising:
a low temperature zone in which a low temperature liquid flows,
a high temperature zone in which a high temperature liquid flows, and
an intermediate temperature zone which communicates with the low temperature zone through a low-temperature-side open mouth and communicates with the high temperature zone through a high-temperature-side open mouth;
a valve on the low temperature side configured to open and close the low-temperature-side open mouth;
a valve on the high temperature side configured to open and close the high-temperature-side open mouth;
an expansion and contraction element which is connected to the valve on the low temperature side and the valve on the high temperature side, and is configured to control the temperature of a liquid inside of the intermediate temperature zone at a predetermined temperature, by adjusting a flow-rate of a liquid flowing into the intermediate temperature zone from the low temperature zone and a flow rate of a liquid flowing into the intermediate temperature zone from the high temperature zone by moving the valve on the low temperature side and the valve on the high temperature side by way of expansion and contraction in accordance with temperature; and
the valve bypass flow-channel which is formed in the housing and is configured to allow an outflow-channel continuing to the intermediate temperature zone and the high temperature zone to be connected with each other.

12. The system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the thermostat valve comprises:
a housing, comprising
a low temperature zone in which a low temperature liquid flows,
a high temperature zone in which a high temperature liquid flows, and
an intermediate temperature zone which communicates with the low temperature zone through a low-temperature-side open mouth and communicates with the high temperature zone through a high-temperature-side open mouth;
an expansion and contraction element which is disposed inside of the intermediate temperature zone and is configured to expand and contract in accordance with temperature;
a valve configured to adjust a flow-rate of a liquid flowing into the intermediate temperature zone from the low temperature zone and a flow-rate of a liquid flowing into the intermediate temperature zone from the high temperature zone, in accordance with expansion and contraction of the expansion and contraction element; and
a communication channel serving as the valve bypass flow-channel configured to allow the high temperature zone and the intermediate temperature zone to be communicated with each other.

13. The system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell according to claim 12 , wherein
the valve comprises a valve on the high temperature side opening and closing the high-temperature-side open mouth, and
the communication channel is a hole penetrating through the valve on the high temperature side.

14. The system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid for a fuel cell according to claim 12 , wherein
the valve comprises a valve on the high temperature side opening and closing the high-temperature-side open mouth, and
the communication channel is formed between a cutout formed in the valve on the

Assignees

• Chikugo Hayato
• Matsumoto Michihiko
• Aoki Tetsuya
• Odashima Masato
• Takemoto Shinichiro
• Nissan Motor

Inventors

• Chikugo Hayato
• Matsumoto Michihiko
• Aoki Tetsuya
• Odashima Masato
• Takemoto Shinichiro

Classifications

• G05D23/1333

  measuring the temperature of incoming fluid · CPC title

• H01M8/04029 Primary

  Heat exchange using liquids · CPC title

• G05D23/022

  the sensing element being placed within a regulating fluid flow · CPC title

• H01M8/04067 Primary

  Heat exchange or temperature measuring elements, thermal insulation, e.g. heat pipes, heat pumps, fins · CPC title

• H01M8/04723

  of the coolant · CPC title