Vehicle with a fuel cell system and method for operating the same
US6588522B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 7, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jul 8, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 7, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T90/40
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A vehicle includes a traction unit for delivering mechanical power from a combustion engine to a vehicle drive shaft and driving wheels, electric loads and a vehicle cooling loop for cooling vehicle components and/or said combustion engine. A fuel cell system, which supplies the electric loads with electric power, includes a fuel cell stack, an anode fuel input, a anode exhaust, a cathode fuel input, a cathode exhaust, and a fuel cell cooling loop for cooling the fuel cell stack via an input line which delivers a cooling medium into the fuel cell stack and an output line which removes the heated cooling medium from the fuel cell stack. A compression/expansion unit is provided between the output line of the fuel cell stack and the vehicle cooling loop. The expansion side of the compression/expansion unit in thermal contact with the heated cooling medium, which is at a first temperature level, so that heat is transferred from the heated cooling medium to the expansion side of the compression/expansion unit. The vehicle cooling loop is in thermal contact with the compression side of the compression/expansion unit for transferring the heat thus delivered into the vehicle cooling loop a…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.