US-12623508-B2 - Fuel cell vehicle

US12623508B2US 12623508 B2US12623508 B2US 12623508B2US-12623508-B2

Abstract

A fuel cell vehicle includes a heat source discharging cooling water, a radiator dissipating heat from the cooling water and including areas including different temperatures, a first spray unit spraying a first spray liquid to an area including a high temperature among the areas, a second spray unit spraying a second spray liquid including a lower temperature than the first spray liquid to an area including a low temperature among the areas, a first valve connected to the storage unit and the first spray unit and configured to be opened or closed in response to a first control signal to supply the first spray liquid to the first spray unit, a second valve connected to the storage unit and the second spray unit and configured to be opened or closed in response to a second control signal to supply the second spray liquid to the second spray unit, and a controller configured for generating the first and second control signals to control the spray amount of the spray liquids and spraying operation.

Inventors

Hyung Suk Byun
Dong Keon LEE

Assignees

HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
KIA CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20231128
Priority Date: 20230302

Claims (19)

1 . A fuel cell vehicle, comprising: a heat source configured to discharge a cooling water used for generation of power; a radiator fluidically connected to the heat source and configured to dissipate heat from the cooling water used for cooling of the heat source to an outside thereof, the radiator including areas including different temperatures; a first spray unit configured to spray a first spray liquid to an area having a first temperature of the different temperatures among the areas; a second spray unit configured to spray a second spray liquid to an area having a second temperature of the different temperatures, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature, among the areas, the second spray liquid including a lower temperature than the first spray liquid; a storage unit fluidically connected to the first spray unit and the second spray unit and configured to store the first spray liquid and the second spray liquid therein; a first valve connected to the storage unit and the first spray unit and configured to be opened or closed in response to a first control signal to supply the first spray liquid stored in the storage unit to the first spray unit; a second valve connected to the storage unit and the second spray unit and configured to be opened or closed in response to a second control signal to supply the second spray liquid stored in the storage unit to the second spray unit; and a controller configured to generate the first control signal for control of a spray amount of the first spray liquid and operation of spraying the first spray liquid based on an internal condition or an external condition of the vehicle and to generate the second control signal for control of a spray amount of the second spray liquid and operation of spraying the second spray liquid based on the internal condition or the external condition.
2 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1 , further including: an air conditioner connected to the storage unit and configured to discharge condensed water as the second spray liquid, the condensed water being moisture removed from humid air passing through an evaporator of the air conditioner, wherein product water as a by-product of generation of the power is used as the first spray liquid.
3 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the air conditioner is driven using surplus regenerative power generated when the fuel cell vehicle is braked.
4 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the radiator includes: an inlet configured to receive the cooling water discharged from the heat source; a core configured to dissipate the heat from the cooling water introduced into the inlet to an outside thereof; and an outlet configured to discharge the cooling water from which the heat has been dissipated through the core.
5 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 4 , wherein, among the areas, an area located closer to the inlet than to the outlet includes a higher temperature than an area located closer to the outlet than to the inlet.
6 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the storage unit includes: a first storage chamber configured to store the product water therein; a second storage chamber configured to store the condensed water therein; and a partition wall disposed between the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber to block heat exchange between the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber.
7 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 6 , further including: an air opening/closing unit attached to a front surface of the vehicle, the air opening/closing unit being configured to be opened or closed in response to a third control signal to allow or block introduction of outside air into the vehicle during travel of the vehicle, wherein the first storage chamber is disposed in an introduction passage of the outside air to be adjacent to the air opening/closing unit, and wherein the controller is configured to generate the third control signal for control of allowance/blocking of introduction of the outside air and an introduction amount of the outside air based on the internal condition or the external condition of the vehicle.
8 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the radiator includes: a first radiator including a front surface facing the first spray unit and the second spray unit; and a second radiator including a front surface facing a rear surface of the first radiator, the rear surface being opposite to the front surface of the first radiator.
9 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the radiator further includes: a fan facing a rear surface of the second radiator, the rear surface of the second radiator being opposite to the front surface of the second radiator.
10 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the internal condition or the external condition of the vehicle include at least one of an outside air temperature of the fuel cell vehicle, a traveling speed of the fuel cell vehicle, a rotation speed of the fan, a rotation speed of a water pump for the heat source, a temperature of the cooling water discharged from the heat source, or a load level of the heat source.
11 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the radiator further includes two third radiators disposed between the first spray unit and the second spray unit and the first radiator, the two third radiators being stacked one above another in a vertical direction, and wherein the first spray unit and the second spray unit spray at least one of the first spray liquid or the second spray liquid to the two third radiators.
12 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the first radiator, the second radiator, and the two third radiators are disposed to be aligned with each other while being spaced from each other in a heading direction of the fuel cell vehicle.
13 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured for: checking the internal condition or the external condition of the vehicle; and generating the first control signal for spraying the first spray liquid to the area having the first temperature of the different temperatures among the areas when the controller concludes that an outside air temperature of the vehicle and a temperature of the cooling water satisfy a first condition based on a result of checking the internal condition or the external condition of the vehicle, wherein the first condition is as follows: TO ≥ T ⁢ 1 ⁢ and ⁢ TC ≥ T ⁢ 2 where T 0 represents the outside air temperature, T 1 represents a first predetermined outside air temperature, TC represents the temperature of the cooling water, and T 2 represents a first predetermined cooling temperature.
14 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured for: checking the internal condition or the external condition of the vehicle; and spraying the second spray liquid including a lower temperature than the first spray liquid to the area including the second temperature, which is lower than the first temperature, among the areas when the controller concludes that an outside air temperature of the vehicle and a temperature of the cooling water satisfy a second condition based on a result of checking the internal condition or the external condition of the vehicle, and wherein the second condition is as follows: T ⁢ 4 ≤ T ⁢ O ≤ T ⁢ 3 ⁢ and ⁢ T ⁢ 6 ≤ T ⁢ C ≤ T ⁢ 5 where T 3 represents a second predetermined outside air temperature, T 4 represents a third predetermined outside air temperature, T 5 represents a second predetermined cooling temperature, and T 6 represents a third predetermined cooling temperature.
15 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured for spraying at least one of the first spray liquid or the second spray liquid, when an outside air temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature.
16 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the internal condition or the external condition includes at least one of an outside air temperature of the vehicle, a traveling speed of the vehicle, a temperature of the cooling water discharged from the heat source, or a load level of the heat source.
17 . A method of cooling a fuel cell vehicle including a heat source configured to discharge a cooling water used for generation of power and a radiator fluidically connected to the heat source and configured to dissipate heat from the cooling water used for cooling of the heat source to an outside thereof, the radiator including areas including different temperatures, the method comprising: checking, by a controller, an internal condition or an external condition of the vehicle; spraying, by the controller, a first spray liquid to a first area having a first temperature of the different temperatures among the areas when the controller concludes that an outside air temperature of the vehicle and a temperature of the cooling water satisfy a first condition based on a result of checking the internal condition or the external condition of the vehicle, wherein the first condition is as follows: TO ≥ T ⁢ 1 ⁢ and ⁢ TC ≥ T ⁢ 2 where T 0 represents the outside air temperature, T 1 represents a first predetermined outside air temperature, TC represents the temperature of the cooling water, and T 2 represents a first predetermined cooling temperature; and spraying, by the controller, a second spray liquid including a lower temperature than the first spray liquid to a second area including a second temperature, which is lower than the first temperature, among the areas when the controller concludes that the outside air temperature of the vehicle and the temperature of the cooling water satisfy a second condition based on a result of checking the internal condition or the external condition of the vehicle, and wherein the second condition is as follows: T ⁢ 4 ≤ T ⁢ O ≤ T ⁢ 3 ⁢ and ⁢ T ⁢ 6 ≤ T ⁢ C ≤ T ⁢ 5 where T 3 represents a second predetermined outside air temperature, T 4 represents a third predetermined outside air temperature, T 5 represents a second predetermined cooling temperature, and T 6 represents a third predetermined cooling temperature.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the internal condition or the external condition includes at least one of the outside air temperature of the vehicle, a traveling speed of the vehicle, a temperature of the cooling water discharged from the heat source, or a load level of the heat source.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the controller includes: a processor configured for executing a program for performing the method of claim 17 ; and a non-transitory storage medium configured for recording the program of performing the method of claim 17 .

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0027769, filed on Mar. 2, 2023, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE Field of the Present Disclosure The present disclosure relates to a fuel cell vehicle. Description of Related Art To cope with climate change, eco-friendly vehicles for reduction of carbon emissions have been actively developed around the world. Because most large trucks travel a long distance and require high output, diesel engines are generally mounted in large trucks. Such a diesel engine generates emissions, such as NOx, PM, and carbon dioxide, during fuel combustion, which accelerates global warming. To reduce carbon emissions caused by these driving characteristics of trucks, research on eco-friendly vehicles using hydrogen is being actively conducted around the world. A fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) (hereinafter referred to as a “fuel cell vehicle”) is a vehicle that uses electrical energy generated through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen as an energy source. In the case of a fuel cell vehicle, no carbon emissions are produced, and the fuel may be easily stored and moved. In addition, a fuel cell vehicle has a shorter charging time and a longer range than other types of eco-friendly vehicles. For these reasons, hydrogen is suitable as a fuel for large trucks. However, a fuel cell vehicle having the above advantages has problems to be solved. FIG. 1A is a graph showing comparison between management temperatures required by an internal combustion engine C1 and a fuel cell C2, and FIG. 1B is a graph showing comparison between cooling requirements of the internal combustion engine C1 and the fuel cell C2. Referring to FIG. 1A, the temperature of the internal combustion engine C1 needs to be managed to fall within a range of 110° C. to 120° C., and the temperature of the fuel cell C2 needs to be managed to fall within a range of 70° C. to 80° C. A difference between the management temperature of the fuel cell C2 and an outside temperature of a vehicle is smaller than a difference between the management temperature of the internal combustion engine C1 and an outside temperature of a vehicle. Therefore, if a cooling module for use in the internal combustion engine C1 is applied to the fuel cell C2, cooling performance may be degraded. Furthermore, unlike the internal combustion engine C1, the fuel cell C2 has no exhaust system. Therefore, in the case of the fuel cell C2, about 50% of input energy is discharged as cooling heat, and accordingly, a cooling requirement is high, as shown in FIG. 1B. In consideration thereof, in the case of a fuel cell vehicle provided with the fuel cell C2, the size and the number of cooling modules for cooling a cell stack of the fuel cell are increased. Furthermore, as a fuel cell vehicle is motorized, it is necessary to cool not only a fuel cell but also a motor, a power electric (PE) module, an automatic transmission (ATM), and a high-voltage battery. Numerically, the number of parts to be cooled in a vehicle provided with the fuel cell C2 (e.g., twenty to thirty) is about five times as large as that in a vehicle provided with the internal combustion engine C1 (e.g., four to six). In the case of a fuel cell vehicle, in which the number of parts to be cooled is relatively large, there is a limitation on the extent to which the size of a cooling module is increased due to the limited size of the fuel cell vehicle. Furthermore, considering a passenger compartment, a storage space, and a payload, the size of the space occupied by a cooling system in a fuel cell vehicle is at least three or four times as large as that in a vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine, e.g., a diesel engine. Therefore, research with the goal of maximizing cooling performance in a limited space in a fuel cell vehicle is underway. The information included in this Background of the present disclosure is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the present disclosure and may not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. BRIEF SUMMARY Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to providing a fuel cell vehicle that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. Embodiments provide a fuel cell vehicle including excellent cooling performance and a method of cooling the same. However, the objects to be accomplished by the exemplary embodiments are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. A fuel cell vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may include a h