Patent EP0842548B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0842548B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Temperature regulating system for a fuel cell powered vehicle
Assignee: DBB Fuel Cell Engines GmbH
•
Filing: 1996-05-29
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Granted: 1999-08-04
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Expires: 2016-05-29
Abstract
Abstract A temperature regulating system for a fluel cell powered electric motor vehicle assists in maintaining the temperature of the fuel cell stack within a temperature range that provides satisfactory fuel cell performance.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward W. Mufford
- 👤 Douglas G. Strasky
- 👤 Brian N. Gorbell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 11:41
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M8/00; H01M8/04; H01M8/04298; H01M8/04694; H01M8/04701; H01M8/04731; B; B60; B60K; B60K1/00; B60K1/04; B60L; B60L58/00; B60L58/30; B60L58/32; B60L58/33; B60L58/34; H01M8/04007; H01M8/04029; H01M8/04037; H01M8/04313; H01M8/0432; H01M8/04358; H01M8/0438; H01M8/04417; H01M8/04537; H01M8/04574; H01M8/04589; H01M8/04746; H01M8/04768; B60K2001/003; B60K2001/005; H01M2250/00; H01M2250/20; H01M2300/00; H01M2300/0017; H01M2300/0065; H01M2300/0082; H01M8/04082; H01M8/04089; H01M8/04119; H01M8/04156; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/50; Y02T; Y02T90/00; Y02T90/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A temperature regulating system (10) for an
electric motor vehicle, the system comprising: (a) an electric motor (15) for propelling the
vehicle; (b) a fuel cell stack (30) for supplying electrical
power to the electric motor (15), the fuel cell
stack (30) having at least one coolant inlet
port (45) and at least one coolant outlet port (50); (c) at least one conduit external to the fuel
cell stack (30) defining a coolant path (55) for
carrying a cooling medium from the at
least one coolant outlet port (50) to the at
least one coolant inlet port (45) of the fuel
cell stack (30) ; (d) a resistor (70) in thermal communication with
the cooling medium for heating the cooling
medium, the resistor (70) connected to at least
one source of electrical power, wherein the alt least one source of electrical
power comprises regenerative electrical power
derived from braking of the vehicle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
30 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
1 further comprising a resistor housing (75) having a
coolant inlet and coolant outlet, the resistor (75)
being disposed in the resistor housing (75).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
1 wherein the system further comprises means for
supplying a controlled amount of regenerative
electrical power to the resistor (70).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
1 wherein the at least on source of electrical
power further comprises shore electrical power.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
1 wherein the at least one source of electrical
power further comprises electrical power generated
by the fuel cell stack (30).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
1 wherein the al least one source of electrical
power further comprises shore electrical power, and
electrical power generated by the fuel cell stack (30).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
1 further comprising a cooling pump (130) disposed in the
coolant path (55).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
7 further comprising a radiator (105) disposed in the
coolant path (55).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
7 further comprising a radiator (105) disposed in the
coolant path (55), the resistor (75) being disposed in the
coolant path (55) between the coolant outlet port (50) of the
fuel cell stack (30) and the radiator (105).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
8 further comprising: (e) at least one conduit defining a
radiator bypass path (110) for the coolant
medium; (f) a bypass valve (100) disposed in the
coolant path (55) to control flow of the
cooling medium to the radiator (105) and the
radiator bypass path (110).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
8 further comprising air flow means for providing a
cooling airflow over the radiator (105) to cool the
cooling medium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
11 wherein the air flow means comprises: (a) a fan (115) disposes proximate the radiator (105)
to generate an air flow over the radiator (105);
and (b) speed control means for varying the speed
of the fan (115).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
11 wherein the air flow means comprises: (a) a damper (120) disposed proximate the radiator
(105) to regulate air flow over the radiator (105);
and (b) position control means for controlling
positioning of the damper (120).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
8 wherein the cooling pump (130) is disposed in the
coolant path (55) between the radiator (105) and the coolant
inlet port (45) of the fuel cell stack (30).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
80 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
1 further comprising: (e) a hydrogen supply system (145)
connected to the fuel cell stack (30); (f) an air supply system (160) connected
to the fuel cell stack (30), the hydrogen and
air supply systems (145, 160) providing reactants for
fuel cell reactions to generate the
electric power to the electric motor (15), the
fuel cell reactions resulting in product
water in at least one of the hydrogen and
air supply systems (145, 160).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
15 wherein the cooling medium comprises product
water collected from at least one of the hydrogen
and air supply systems (145, 160).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
76 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
8 further comprising: (e) a hydrogen supply system (145) connected to
the fuel cell stack (30); (f) an air supply system (160) connected to the
fuel cell stack (30), the hydrogen and air
supply systems (145, 160) providing reactants for
fuel cell reactions to generate the
electric power to the electric motor (15), the
fuel cell reactions resulting in product
water in the hydrogen and air supply
systems (145, 160).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
17 further comprising a product water collection
system for collecting at least a portion of the
product water from at least one of the hydrogen and
air supply systems (145, 160).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
18 wherein the water collection system comprises: (a) a water tank (175) connected to receive product
water from the hydrogen and air supply
systems (145, 160); (b) a water pump (210) for pumping water from the
water tank (175) into the coolant path (55).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
65 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
18 wherein the product water collection system
comprises: (a) a water tank (175) connected to receive product
water from the hydrogen and air supply
systems (145, 160); (b) a water filtering system (205) for filtering
water from the water tank (175); (c) water pump (210) for pumping filtered water from
the water tank (175) into the coolant path (55).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
7 further comprising a temperature sensor (255) positioned
to detect coolant temperature proximate to the fuel
cell stack (30).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
21 further comprising a current sensor (305) disposed to
measure electrical current flowing from the fuel
cell stack (30).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
22 further comprising a radiator (105) disposed in the
coolant path (55).
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
23 further comprising air flow means for providing a
cooling airflow over the radiator (105) to cool the
cooling medium.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
46 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
24 wherein the air flow means comprises: (a) an electric fan (115) disposed proximate the
radiator (105) to generate an air flow over the
radiator (105); and (b) speed control means for varying the speed
of the electric fan (115).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
24 wherein the air flow means comprises: (a) a damper (120) disposed proximate the radiator (105)
to regulate air flow over the radiator (105);
and (b) position control means for controlling
positioning of the damper (120).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
65 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
22 further comprising control means including at
least one device disposed in the coolant path (55) for
increasing or decreasing heat transfer between the
cooling medium and the fuel cell stack (30), the control
means being responsive to at least one of the
temperature sensor (255, 265) and the current sensor (305) for
increasing or decreasing the heat transfer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
27 wherein the at least one device comprises speed
control means for varying the speed of the cooling
pump (130) disposed in the coolant path (55).
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
43 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
27 wherein the at least one device comprises: (a) a radiator (105) disposed in the coolant path (55);
and (b) air flow means for providing a cooling
airflow over the radiator (105) to cool the
cooling medium.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
46 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
29 wherein the air flow means comprises: (a) an electric fan (115) disposed proximate the
radiator (105) to generate an air flow over the
radiator (105); and (b) speed control means for varying the speed
of the electric fan (115).
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
43 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
29 wherein the air flow means further comprises: (a) a damper (120) disposed proximate the radiator (105)
to regulate air flow over the radiator (105);
and (b) position control means for controlling
positioning of the damper (120).
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
80 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
27 wherein the at least one device comprises: (a) a radiator (105) disposed in the coolant path (55);
and (b) at least one conduit defining a radiator
bypass path (110) for the coolant medium; (c) a bypass valve (100) disposed in the coolant
path (55) to control flow of the cooling medium
from the coolant outlet port (50) to the fuel
cell stack (30) to the radiator (105) and the
radiator bypass path (110).
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
1 wherein the fuel cell stack (30) is a solid polymer
fuel cell stack.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The temperature regulating system of claim
5 wherein the resistor (70) receives electric power
generated by the fuel cell stack (30) immediately prior
to cessation of fuel cell stack operation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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