Thermal management system and method for fuel cell vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9793557-B2
Application number	US-201414550929-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2014
Priority date	Dec 30, 2013
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A thermal management system and method for a fuel cell vehicle is provided. In particular, a radiator, a 3-way valve, a pump, a heater, and a stack are all connected in that order. The system is capable of selectively de-mineralizing and providing an increase in flow rate by connecting a de-mineralizer line to a port at a bypass line side of a 3-way valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle, comprising:
a radiator configured to dissipate heat generated from a fuel cell stack through cooling water;
a de-mineralizer disposed in a branch line branched from a cooling water circulating line connecting between the fuel cell stack and the radiator allowing the cooling water to pass therethrough; and
a 3-way valve configured to selectively introduce the cooling water passing through the radiator or the cooling water passing through a bypass line formed in front of an inlet of the radiator within the cooling water circulating line from the fuel cell stack and includes a first port, a second port, and a third port,
wherein the first port is connected to a radiator line along which the cooling water passing through the radiator flows, the second port is connected to the bypass line along which the cooling water passing from the fuel cell stack and the de-mineralizer flows, and the third port is configured to be connected to a fuel cell stack side of the cooling water circulating line, and
the de-mineralizer line along which the cooling water passing through the de-mineralizer flows is branched from a line between a pump and the fuel cell stack and connected to the bypass line in front of the second port such that a flow rate of the de-mineralizer line is cut off when the second port is closed.

2. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein the 3-way valve is configured to open both of the first port and the second port or selectively open only one of the first port and the second port.

3. The thermal management system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a controller configured to control an open value of the 3-way valve.

4. The thermal management system of claim 3 , wherein the controller divides a section into a low output section, a normal output section, and a high output section depending on an output state of the vehicle and variably controls the open value of the 3-way valve in each section.

5. The thermal management system of claim 4 , wherein the controller performs a control to close the first port connected to the radiator line side and completely open the second port connected to the bypass line in the low output section, completely open the first port and close the second port in the high output section, and partially open both of the first port and the second port in the normal output section.

6. The thermal management system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to increase and reduce the flow rate passing through the de-mineralizer line depending on the open value of the second port in proportion to the bypass flow rate passing through the second port in the normal output section and to prevent a flow rate from passing through the de-mineralizer line by closing the second port during the high output section.

7. The thermal management system of claim 3 , wherein the controller divides a section into a low temperature section, a reference temperature section, and a high temperature section depending on the temperature of cooling water of the vehicle and variably controls the open value of the 3-way valve in each section.

8. The thermal management system of claim 7 , wherein the controller closes the first port connected to the radiator line side and completely opens the second port connected to the bypass line in the low temperature section, completely opens the first port and close the second port in the high temperature section, and partially opens both of the first port and the second port in the reference temperature section.

9. The thermal management system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to increase and reduce the flow rate passing through the de-mineralizer line depending on the open value of the second port in proportion to the bypass flow rate passing through the second port in the reference temperature section and prevents generation of a flow rate passing through the de-mineralizer line by closing the second port during operation in the high temperature section.

10. The thermal management system of claim 8 , wherein the low temperature section occurs when the temperature of cooling water of the vehicle is less than a preset reference temperature X, the high temperature section occurs when the temperature of cooling water of the vehicle exceeds the reference temperature X, and the reference temperature section is set to be a section in which the temperature of cooling water is the reference temperature X.

11. The thermal management system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a water pump that circulates cooling water and is disposed between the 3-way valve and the fuel cell stack.

12. The thermal management system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a heater that increases the temperature of cooling water which is disposed between the water pump and the fuel cell stack.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Na Sung Wook
• Park Hun Woo

Classifications

• F28F19/01

  by using means for separating solid materials from heat-exchange fluids, e.g. filters · CPC title

• H01M8/04067

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

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04358

  of the coolant · CPC title

• H01M8/04029 Primary

  Heat exchange using liquids · CPC title