KR102335981B1 - Radiator and thermal management system for fuel cell vehicle having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a radiator, comprising: a first tank having an inlet through which coolant is introduced; a second tank having a first outlet through which the cooling water is discharged, the second tank being spaced apart from the first tank by a predetermined interval; a third tank having a second outlet through which the coolant is discharged and disposed between the first tank and the second tank; a first heat exchange unit including a plurality of first tubes connecting the first tank and the third tank to transmit the coolant contained in the first tank to the third tank; a second heat exchange unit including a plurality of second tubes connecting the third tank and the second tank to transmit the coolant contained in the third tank to the second tank; and a heat absorbing unit including a case in which the second tubes are accommodated in the inner space, and a phase change material filled in the inner space to surround at least a portion of the second tubes.

Description

Radiator and thermal management system for fuel cell vehicle including same

The present invention relates to a radiator and a thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle including the same.

A fuel cell is a kind of power generation device that converts chemical energy of fuel into electrical energy by electrochemically reacting it within a fuel cell stack (hereinafter referred to as 'stack') without converting it into heat by combustion. It can be applied not only to supply power for driving, but also to power supply of small electric/electronic products, especially portable devices.

As an example of a fuel cell, a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC: Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell, Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell), which is being researched the most as a power supply source for driving a vehicle, is based on an electrolyte membrane in which hydrogen ions move Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) with a catalyst electrode layer attached to the electrochemical reaction, the gas diffusion layer (GDL: Gas Diffusion Layer), which evenly distributes reactive gases and transfers the generated electrical energy, reaction Gaskets and fasteners for maintaining airtightness and proper clamping pressure of gases and cooling water, and a bipolar plate for moving reactive gases and cooling water are included.

In the above-described fuel cell, hydrogen as a fuel and oxygen (air) as an oxidizing agent are respectively supplied to the anode and cathode of the membrane electrode assembly through the flow path of the separator, and hydrogen is Oxygen (air) is supplied to the cathode (also referred to as 'air electrode' or 'oxygen electrode' or 'reduction electrode'), and oxygen (air) is supplied to the cathode.

Hydrogen supplied to the anode is decomposed into hydrogen ions (proton, H+) and electrons (electron, e-) by the catalysts of the electrode layers on both sides of the electrolyte membrane, and only hydrogen ions of these selectively pass through the electrolyte membrane, which is a cation exchange membrane, The electrons are transferred to the cathode, and at the same time, electrons are transferred to the cathode through the gas diffusion layer and the separator, which are conductors.

In the cathode, hydrogen ions supplied through the electrolyte membrane and electrons transferred through the separator meet with oxygen in the air supplied to the cathode by an air supply device to generate water. At this time, due to the movement of hydrogen ions, the flow of electrons through the external conductor occurs, and a current is generated by the flow of these electrons.

On the other hand, a fuel cell system mounted on a vehicle largely includes a stack that generates electrical energy, a fuel supply device that supplies fuel (hydrogen) to the stack, an air supply device that supplies oxygen in the air, which is an oxidizer required for electrochemical reaction, to the stack, It consists of a Thermal Management System (TMS) that removes the reaction heat of the stack to the outside of the system and controls the operating temperature of the stack.

As is well known, the thermal management system may include a TMS line through which the cooling water capable of cooling the stack circulates, and a radiator installed on the TMS line to discharge the heat of the cooling water to the outside. However, since the heat of reaction of the fuel cell system is relatively large compared to the calorific value of the internal combustion engine system, the radiator of the fuel cell system requires relatively large heat dissipation performance compared to the radiator of the internal combustion engine system.

In general, the heat dissipation performance of a radiator is proportional to the heat dissipation area. However, the conventional fuel cell system has a problem in that it is difficult to sufficiently secure a heat dissipation area of the radiator due to restrictions on installation space and other installation environments, and thus the heat dissipation performance of the radiator is deteriorated.

An object of the present invention is to provide a radiator having an improved structure to improve heat dissipation performance and a thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle including the same in order to solve the problems of the prior art.

A radiator according to an aspect of the present invention for solving the above-described problems, a first tank having an inlet through which coolant is introduced; a second tank having a first outlet through which the cooling water is discharged, the second tank being spaced apart from the first tank by a predetermined interval; a third tank having a second outlet through which the coolant is discharged and disposed between the first tank and the second tank; a first heat exchange unit including a plurality of first tubes connecting the first tank and the third tank to transmit the coolant contained in the first tank to the third tank; a second heat exchange unit including a plurality of second tubes connecting the third tank and the second tank to transmit the coolant contained in the third tank to the second tank; and a heat absorbing unit including a case in which the second tubes are accommodated in the inner space, and a phase change material filled in the inner space to surround at least a portion of the second tubes.

Preferably, the first heat exchange unit further includes a plurality of first heat dissipation fins respectively extending from the first tubes.

Preferably, the second heat exchange unit further includes a plurality of second heat dissipation fins each extending from the second tubes so that at least a portion thereof is surrounded by the phase change material.

Preferably, the phase change material is composed of at least one material having a melting point higher than the melting point of the cooling water and lower than the boiling point of the cooling water.

Preferably, the phase change material is composed of at least one material having a high heat storage amount per unit weight compared to the specific heat of the cooling water.

Preferably, the first heat exchange unit is disposed on an air flow path through which air passes, and the second heat exchange unit is disposed spaced apart from the air flow path.

Preferably, the first heat exchange unit is disposed in an opening formed to allow the air to pass through the front end module of the vehicle body, and the second heat exchange unit is disposed in a periphery of the opening to be spaced apart from the opening.

Preferably, the case is secured to the periphery.

Preferably, it further includes at least one on-off valve capable of selectively opening and closing the first outlet and the second outlet, respectively.

Preferably, the first tubes and the second tubes are alternately arranged.

A thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention for solving the above-described problems is a heat management system for a fuel cell vehicle for cooling coolant that has passed through a fuel cell stack using the radiator according to the above-described aspect of the present invention. A management system, comprising: a main line in which the stack is disposed so that the coolant passes through, one end connected to the inlet and the other end connected to the first outlet; a first bypass line having one end connected to the second outlet and the other end connected to a first point of the main line positioned between the first outlet and the stack; and an opening/closing unit capable of selectively opening and closing the first outlet and the second outlet, respectively.

Preferably, the opening/closing unit includes a first opening/closing valve installed at the first point and capable of selectively opening and closing the first outlet and the second outlet, respectively.

Preferably, the first opening/closing valve includes a first port connected to the main line so that the coolant discharged from the first outlet selectively flows in, and the first port connected to the main line so that the coolant discharged from the second outlet selectively flows in. a second port connected to a bypass line; and a third port connected to the main line so that the coolant introduced through the first port and the second port is discharged.

Preferably, one end is connected to a second point of the main line positioned between the stack and the inlet, and the other end is connected to a third point of the main line positioned between the first point and the stack. The device further includes a bypass line, wherein the opening/closing unit further includes a second opening/closing valve capable of selectively opening and closing the second bypass line.

Preferably, the second opening/closing valve includes a first port connected to the main line so that the coolant discharged from the radiator flows in, and a second bypass line connected to the second bypass line so that the coolant bypassing the radiator itself flows in. and a second port and a third port connected to the main line so that the coolant introduced through at least one of the first port and the second port is discharged.

Preferably, the opening/closing unit includes a third opening/closing valve installed in the main line to be positioned between the first outlet and the first point and selectively opening and closing the first outlet, the second outlet and the first and a fourth opening/closing valve installed on the first bypass line to be located between the points and capable of selectively opening and closing the second outlet.

Preferably, the opening/closing unit selectively adjusts the opening degree of the first outlet and the opening degree of the second outlet so as to supply cooling water of a predetermined temperature to the stack.

Preferably, it is installed on the main line so as to be located between the first point and the stack, and further comprises a temperature sensor capable of measuring a temperature of the cooling water, wherein the opening/closing unit is based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. to selectively adjust the opening degree of the first outlet and the opening degree of the second outlet.

The radiator and the thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle including the same according to the present invention can utilize the dead space of the vehicle body as a space for secondary cooling of the coolant by using a phase change material as a heat absorbing material, thereby reducing the dead space of the vehicle body It can improve the heat dissipation performance of the radiator.

1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of a thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the radiator shown in Fig. 1;
3 is a view illustrating a state in which the radiator shown in FIG. 2 is mounted on a front end module of a vehicle body;
Fig. 4 is a front view of the front end module shown in Fig. 3;
5 is a front view of a radiator of a thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
6 is a view showing a schematic configuration of a thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. In adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are given the same reference numerals as much as possible even though they are indicated on different drawings. In addition, in describing the embodiment of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function interferes with the understanding of the embodiment of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In describing the components of the embodiment of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are only for distinguishing the elements from other elements, and the essence, order, or order of the elements are not limited by the terms. In addition, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in a commonly used dictionary should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related art, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal meaning unless explicitly defined in the present application. does not

1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of a thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , in a fuel cell system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, a coolant line 10 through which coolant C is circulated, and coolant C circulated along the coolant line 10 . It may include an opening/closing unit 20 for switching the flow path of , and a control unit 30 for controlling the overall operation of the thermal management system 1 for a fuel cell vehicle.

First, the coolant line 10 includes a main line 12 through which the coolant C is circulated, and a first bypass line ( 14) and a second bypass line 16 provided so that the coolant C can bypass the radiator 60 itself.

The main line 12 is provided to constitute a closed loop in which the cooling water C is circulated. The main line 12 includes a coolant pump 40 for pumping coolant C, a fuel cell stack that generates power using a redox reaction of hydrogen and oxygen (hereinafter referred to as a 'stack 50') and , a radiator 60 for cooling the coolant (C), etc. may be disposed.

The cooling water pump 40 is provided to pump the cooling water C circulating in the main line 12 toward the stack 50 . The stack 50 is provided to be cooled by the coolant C pumped by the coolant pump 40 , and the coolant C is heated by the heat emitted from the stack 50 .

The radiator 60 is provided to cool the coolant C through heat exchange between the air A and the coolant C supplied from the outside of the vehicle by the cooling fan 70 . To this end, one end of the main line 12 is connected to the inlet 61a of the radiator 60 to be described later, and the other end of the main line 12 is connected to the first outlet 62a of the radiator 60 to be described later. have. Then, the cooling water (C) discharged from the stack (50) flows along the main line (12) and can be introduced into the radiator (60) through the inlet (61a), and the cooling water (C) cooled in the radiator (60) may be discharged from the radiator 60 through the first outlet 62a and then delivered to the coolant pump 40 by the main line 12 .

The first bypass line 14 is provided so that the coolant C introduced into the radiator 60 can be discharged through a second outlet 63a to be described later instead of the first outlet 62a. To this end, one end of the first bypass line 14 may be connected to the second outlet 63a , and the other end of the first bypass line 14 is located between the first outlet 62a and the stack 50 . may be connected to the first point 12a of the main line 12 . Then, the cooling water C introduced into the radiator 60 passes only the section between the inlet 61a and the second outlet 63a among the entire section of the radiator 60 and is cooled limitedly and then the second outlet 63a It may be discharged from the radiator 60 through. The coolant C discharged from the radiator 60 through the second outlet 63a may be merged with the coolant C circulating in the main line 12 while flowing along the first bypass line 14 . . Meanwhile, a temperature sensor 80 for measuring the temperature of the coolant C passing through the main line 12 may be disposed between the first point 12a of the main line 12 and the stack 50 . The temperature sensor 80 may measure the temperature of the coolant C supplied to the stack 50 and transmit it to the control unit 30 .

The second bypass line 16 is provided so that the coolant C circulating along the main line 12 can bypass the radiator 60 itself. To this end, one end of the second bypass line 16 may be connected to a second point 12b of the main line 12 positioned between the stack 50 and the inlet 61a, and the second bypass line ( The other end of 16 ) may be connected to a third point 12c of the main line 12 positioned between the first point 12a and the coolant pump 40 . Then, the coolant C discharged from the stack 50 may be delivered to the coolant pump 40 after bypassing the radiator 60 itself through the second bypass line 16 .

Next, the opening/closing unit 20 includes a first opening/closing valve 22 capable of selectively opening and closing the first outlet 62a and the second outlet 63a of the radiator 60 , and a second bypass line 16 . A second opening/closing valve 24 capable of selectively opening and closing may be provided.

The first opening/closing valve 22 may be installed at the first point 12a of the main line 12 . The first on-off valve 22 may be configured as a three-way valve having three ports. For example, the first opening/closing valve 22 includes a first port 22a connected to the main line 12 so that the coolant C discharged from the first outlet 62a is selectively introduced, and a second outlet port At least one of the second port 22b connected to the first bypass line 14 and the first port 22a and the second port 22b so that the coolant C discharged from the 63a is selectively introduced. A third port 22c connected to the main line 12 may be provided to discharge the coolant C introduced through the .

The first opening/closing valve 22 is preferably composed of an electromagnetic three-way valve capable of selectively adjusting the opening degree of the first port 22a to the third port 22c. Then, the control unit 30 opens and closes the first port 22a to the third port 22c or by adjusting the opening degree of the first port 22a to the third port 22c, the first outlet 62a ) and the flow rate of the cooling water (C) discharged from the second outlet (63a) can be selectively adjusted. In other words, the control unit 30 controls the ratio of the coolant C discharged through the first outlet 62a among the coolant C introduced into the radiator 60 and the coolant discharged through the second outlet 63a. The ratio of (C) can be selectively adjusted. Accordingly, the control unit 30 controls whether the first outlet 62a and the second outlet 63a are opened or closed based on the temperature of the coolant C measured by the temperature sensor 80 or the degree of opening of the stack ( 50), it is possible to adjust the temperature of the cooling water (C) supplied. A more detailed description of the temperature control of the cooling water C will be described later.

On the other hand, although it has been described that the first on-off valve 22 is configured as an electromagnetic three-way valve, it is not limited thereto. That is, the first opening/closing valve 22 may be configured as a thermostat-type three-way valve in which the first port 22a to the third port 22c are opened and closed only at a predetermined specific temperature according to the temperature of the coolant C.

The second on-off valve 24 may be installed to be located at the third point 12c of the main line 12 . The second on-off valve 24 may be configured as a three-way valve having three ports. For example, the second on-off valve 24 is discharged through at least one of the outlets 62a and 63a of the radiator 60 and then the coolant C that has passed through the first on-off valve 22 is introduced. A first port 24a connected to the main line 12 and a second port 24b connected to the second bypass line 16 so that the coolant C bypassing the radiator 60 itself flows in; A third port 24c connected to the main line 12 may be provided so that the coolant C introduced into at least one of the first port 24a and the second port 24b is discharged.

The second opening/closing valve 24 is preferably composed of an electromagnetic three-way valve capable of selectively adjusting the opening degree of the first port 24a to the third port 24c. Then, the control unit 30 opens and closes the first port 24a to the third port 24c or adjusts the opening degree of the first port 24a to the third port 24c in the stack 50 . Among the discharged coolant (C), the ratio of the coolant (C) passing through the radiator (60) and the ratio of the coolant (C) bypassing the radiator (60) can be selectively adjusted.

On the other hand, although it has been described that the second on-off valve 24 is configured as an electromagnetic three-way valve, it is not limited thereto. That is, the second opening/closing valve 24 may be configured as a thermostat-type three-way valve in which the first port 24a to the third port 24c are opened and closed only at a predetermined specific temperature according to the temperature of the cooling water C. .

Fig. 2 is a front view of the radiator shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a view showing a state in which the radiator shown in Fig. 2 is mounted on the front end module of the vehicle body, and Fig. 4 is a front view of the front end module shown in Fig. 3 am.

The above-described radiator 60 is provided to selectively adjust the heat dissipation performance according to environmental conditions such as the temperature of the cooling water (C). To this end, the radiator 60, as shown in FIG. 2, a first tank 61, a second tank 62, a third tank 63, a first heat exchange unit 64, A second heat exchange unit 65 and a heat absorbing unit 66 may be provided.

The first tank 61 may include an inlet 61a connected to the main line 12 so that the coolant C discharged from the stack 50 flows. The cooling water C introduced through the inlet 61a may be accommodated in the inner space of the first tank 61 .

As shown in FIG. 2 , the second tank 62 is disposed to be spaced apart from the first tank 61 by a predetermined interval. The coolant C delivered from the third tank 63 through second tubes 65a to be described later may be accommodated in the inner space of the second tank 62 . The second tank 62 may include a first outlet 62a connected to the main line 12 so that the coolant C accommodated in the internal space is discharged.

The third tank 63 is disposed between the first tank 61 and the second tank 62 , as shown in FIG. 2 . The third tank 63 is preferably disposed to be closer to the second tank 62 than the first tank 61, but is not limited thereto. The coolant C delivered from the first tank 61 through first tubes 64a to be described later may be accommodated in the inner space of the third tank 63 . The third tank 63 may include a second discharge port 63a connected to the first bypass line 14 so that the cooling water C accommodated in the internal space is discharged.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the first heat exchange unit 64 includes a first tank ( 61 ) and a plurality of first tubes 64a connecting the third tank 63 , and a plurality of first heat dissipation fins 64b respectively extending from the first tubes 64a may be provided.

The first tubes 64a are preferably disposed at predetermined intervals, but are not limited thereto. The first heat dissipation fins 64b are formed to extend from the outer circumferential surface of each of the first tubes 64a. The structures of the first tubes 64a and the first heat dissipation fins 64b are the same as those of a tube and a heat dissipation fin provided in a conventional radiator, and thus a more detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the second heat exchange unit 65 is a third tank ( 63 ) and a plurality of second tubes 65a connecting the second tank 62 , and a plurality of second heat dissipation fins 65b respectively extending from the second tubes 65a may be provided.

The second tubes 65a are preferably disposed at predetermined intervals, but are not limited thereto. The number of installations of the second tubes 65a is preferably the same as the number of installations of the first tubes 64a or more than the number of installations of the first tubes 64a, but is not limited thereto. As shown in FIG. 2 , when the third tank 63 is disposed to be closer to the second tank 62 than the first tank 61 , the second tubes 65a are connected to the first tubes. It may have a shorter length compared to (64a). The second heat dissipation fins 65b are formed to extend from the outer circumferential surface of each of the second tubes 65a. The structures of the second tubes 65a and the second heat dissipation fins 65b are the same as those of a tube and a heat dissipation fin provided in a conventional radiator, and thus a more detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the heat absorbing unit 66 includes a case 66a in which the second tubes 65a and the second heat dissipation fins 65b are accommodated in the inner space, and the second tubes 65a. ) and a phase change material (PCM) filled in the inner space of the case 66a to surround at least a portion of the second heat dissipation fins 65b may be provided.

The case 66a may have a predetermined volume so that the second tubes 65a, the second heat dissipation fins 65b, and the phase change material 66b can be accommodated in the internal space. It is preferable that the upper part of the case 66a is coupled to the third tank 63 and the lower part is coupled to the second tank 62 so that the inner space is isolated from the outside.

A material usable as the phase change material 66b is not particularly limited. For example, the phase change material 66b has a melting point (°C) higher than the melting point (°C) of the cooling water (C) and lower than the boiling point (°C) of the cooling water (C) at the same time as the phase change. It is preferable that the amount of heat storage per unit weight (kJ/kg) is made of at least one material having a higher specific heat (about 4.2 kJ/kg) of the coolant (C). Examples of specific materials that can be used as the phase change material 66b are shown in Table 1 below.

Phase change material (66b) line per unit weight
Heat storage (kJ/kg) Melting point (℃) Octadecanol Alcohol 277.5 59.2 docosanol Alcohol 281.7 71.5 RT-80 paraffin 237.1 80.4 RT-82 fatty acid 207.5 83.7 carnauba wax waxes 225.5 82.5

The radiator 60 may be installed such that the first heat exchange unit 64 is disposed on the flow path of the air A, and the second heat exchange unit 65 is spaced apart from the flow path of the air A. . For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , the radiator 60 may be installed in the front end module 90 positioned at the most distal end of the vehicle body so that the driving wind can be easily supplied while the vehicle is driving. Here, the front end module 90 is a front side of the vehicle body to install a head lamp (not shown), a hood latch (not shown), a bumper back beam (not shown), a horn (not shown), a radiator 60, and the like. Refers to a support member coupled to a member (not shown). The radiator 60 is preferably fixed to the front end module 90 by a bolt or other fixing member (not shown).

The front end module 90, as shown in FIG. 4, may include an opening 92 formed through the air (A) supplied from the outside of the vehicle to pass therethrough. In consideration of this, as shown in FIG. 3 , the first heat exchange unit 64 is installed in the opening 92 so that air A supplied from the outside of the vehicle can pass through the space between the first tubes 64a. may be disposed, and the second heat exchange unit 65 and the heat absorbing unit 66 may be disposed at the peripheral portion 94 of the opening 92 to be spaced apart from the opening 92 . Then, the first heat exchange unit 64 is positioned on the flow path of the air A formed in the opening 92 , and the second heat exchange unit 65 and the heat absorbing unit 66 are connected to the air formed in the opening 92 . (A) is spaced apart from the flow path.

As the radiator 60 is provided as described above, the air A supplied from the outside of the vehicle by the fan 70 passes through the space between the first tubes 64a and the first tubes 64a and the first By heat-exchanging with the coolant C passing through the first tubes 64a through the heat dissipation fins 64b, the coolant C passing through the first tubes 64a may be cooled. As such, the cooling water C cooled by the air A is introduced into the inner space of the third tanks 63 and accommodated.

However, the flow path of the coolant C accommodated in the inner space of the third tank 63 may be switched depending on whether the first outlet 62a and the second outlet 63a are opened or closed or opened.

For example, when the second outlet 63a is opened and the first outlet 62a is closed by the first on/off valve 22, the coolant C accommodated in the internal space of the third tanks 63 is , the entire amount is discharged through the second outlet (63a) in a state primarily cooled by the air (A), and is not transferred to the second tank (62).

For example, when at least a portion of the first outlet 62a is opened by the first on/off valve 22 , at least a portion of the coolant C accommodated in the internal space of the third tank 63 is transferred to the second tube The remaining part of the coolant C is transferred to the inner space of the second tank 62 through the 65a, and the remaining portion of the coolant C accommodated in the inner space of the third tank 63 is primarily cooled only by the air A The furnace is discharged through the second outlet (63a).

However, as described above, the phase change material 66b is disposed in the inner space of the case 66a to surround at least a portion of the second tubes 65a and the second heat dissipation fins 65b. Accordingly, the phase change material 66b exchanges heat with the coolant C passing through the second tubes 65a through the second tubes 65a and the second heat dissipation fins 65b, so that the second tubes 65a ), the cooling water (C) passing through can be cooled secondary. That is, the cooling water C passing through the second tubes 65a is cooled by using the phase change material 66b having a relatively high amount of heat storage per unit weight during phase change as a heat absorbing material. As such, the cooling water C secondarily cooled by the phase change material 66b may be discharged through the first outlet 62a.

In the conventional radiator, the tubes and heat dissipation fins are limitedly disposed only in the opening of the front end module, so that the coolant passing through the tubes is primarily cooled by air only. According to such a conventional radiator, a dead space that does not contribute to cooling of the coolant is formed in the periphery of the opening of the front end module.

By the way, the radiator 60 includes a second heat exchange unit 65 and a heat absorbing unit 66, etc., which are provided to enable secondary cooling of the coolant C using the phase change material 66b instead of the air A , the second heat exchange unit 65 and the heat absorbing unit 66 are installed to be disposed in the peripheral portion 94 of the opening 92 . According to this radiator 60, the peripheral portion 94 of the opening 92 can be utilized as a space for secondary cooling of the coolant C using the phase change material 66b, It is possible to reduce the dead space and improve the heat dissipation performance of the radiator 60 .

Hereinafter, a method of controlling the temperature of the coolant C supplied to the stack 50 using the thermal management system 1 for a fuel cell vehicle will be described with reference to FIG. 1 .

The control unit 30 determines whether the temperature of the cooling water C measured by the temperature sensor 80 is equal to or greater than a predetermined heat dissipation temperature. The heat radiation temperature refers to a reference temperature for determining whether cooling of the cooling water C is necessary.

Further, the control unit 30 closes the first port 24a of the second on-off valve and opens the second port 24b when the temperature of the cooling water C is less than the heat dissipation temperature. Then, the coolant C discharged from the stack 50 flows into the second bypass line 16 to bypass the radiator 60 itself. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the control unit 30 controls the second opening/closing valve 24 so that some of the cooling water C can be supplied to the radiator 60 when the temperature of the cooling water C is less than the heat dissipation temperature. The opening degree of the first port 24a and the second port 24b may be adjusted.

In addition, when the temperature of the cooling water C is equal to or higher than the heat dissipation temperature, the control unit 30 opens the first port 24a of the second on-off valve and closes the second port 24b, and the cooling water ( The opening degree of the first port 22a and the second port 22b of the first on-off valve 22 may be adjusted according to the temperature of C). For example, the control unit 30 may increase the opening degree of the first port 22a and decrease the opening degree of the second port 22b as the temperature of the cooling water C increases. That is, the control unit 30 increases the ratio of the cooling water C that is secondarily cooled by the phase change material 66b as the temperature of the cooling water C increases, and as the temperature of the cooling water C decreases, It is to increase the proportion of the cooling water (C) that is primarily cooled by the air (A). Through this, the control unit 30 can easily adjust the temperature of the cooling water C supplied to the stack 50 to a temperature suitable for the current state of the stack 50 .

5 is a front view of a radiator of a thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

The thermal management system 2 for a fuel cell vehicle according to the second embodiment of the present invention is different from the aforementioned thermal management system 1 for a fuel cell vehicle in that the structure of the radiator 60' is partially changed. For components in which the thermal management systems 1 and 2 for a fuel cell vehicle are identically included, reference numerals used to describe the thermal management system 1 for a fuel cell vehicle will be used as they are.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the radiator 60 ′ indicates that the second tubes 65a ′ of the second heat exchange unit 65 ′ and the first tubes 64a of the first heat exchange unit 64 are interlaced with each other. It differs from the radiator 60 described above in that the second tubes 65a and the first tubes 64a are arranged on a straight line. According to such a radiator 60', since the time for the cooling water C to stay in the radiator 60' can be increased, the heat dissipation performance of the radiator 60' can be further improved.

6 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

The thermal management system 3 for a fuel cell vehicle according to the third embodiment of the present invention is different from the aforementioned thermal management system 1 for a fuel cell vehicle in that the structure of the opening/closing unit 20' is partially changed. For components in which the thermal management systems 1 and 3 for a fuel cell vehicle are identically included, reference numerals used to describe the thermal management system 1 for a fuel cell vehicle will be used as they are.

Referring to FIG. 6 , the opening/closing unit 20 ′ is installed on the main line 12 to be positioned between the first outlet 62a and the first point 12a, and the first outlet 62a can be selectively opened and closed. The third on-off valve 26 and a fourth installed in the first bypass line 14 to be located between the second outlet 63a and the first point 12a and capable of selectively opening and closing the second outlet 63a An on/off valve 28 may be provided. The third on-off valve 26 and the fourth on-off valve 28 are preferably configured as flap valves, but are not limited thereto. The opening/closing unit 20 ′ can adjust the opening degrees of the first outlet 62a and the second outlet 63a using the third on-off valve 26 and the fourth on-off valve 28, respectively, in that the second It has a difference from the above-described opening/closing unit 20 in which the opening degree of the first outlet 62a and the second outlet 63a can be adjusted using only one opening/closing valve 22 .

Meanwhile, although it has been described that the third on-off valve 26 is installed on the main line 12 and the fourth on-off valve 28 is installed on the first bypass line, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the third on-off valve 26 may be directly installed on the first outlet 62a so as to be integrated with the radiator 60 , and the fourth on-off valve 28 may be integrated with the radiator 60 so as to be integrated with the second outlet. It may also be installed directly in (63a).

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical spirit of the present invention, and various modifications and variations will be possible without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.

Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical spirit of the present invention, but to explain, and the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The protection scope of the present invention should be construed by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

1, 2, 3: Thermal management system for fuel cell vehicles
10: coolant line
12: main line
14: first bypass line
16: second bypass line
20, 20' : opening/closing unit
22: first on-off valve
24: second on-off valve
26: third on-off valve
28: fourth on-off valve
30: control unit
40: coolant pump
50: fuel cell stack
60, 60' : Radiator
61: first tank
61a: inlet
62: second tank
62a: first outlet
63: third tank
63a: second outlet
64: first heat exchange unit
64a: first tube
64b: first heat dissipation fin
65, 65': second heat exchange unit
65a, 65a': second tube
65b: second heat dissipation fin
66: heat absorbing unit
66a: case
66b: phase change material
70: fan
80: temperature sensor
90: front-end module
92: opening
94: periphery
C: coolant
A: Air

Claims (18)

a first tank having an inlet through which coolant is introduced;
a second tank having a first outlet through which the cooling water is discharged, the second tank being spaced apart from the first tank by a predetermined interval;
a third tank having a second outlet through which the coolant is discharged and disposed between the first tank and the second tank;
a first heat exchange unit including a plurality of first tubes connecting the first tank and the third tank to transmit the coolant contained in the first tank to the third tank;
a second heat exchange unit including a plurality of second tubes connecting the third tank and the second tank to transmit the coolant contained in the third tank to the second tank; and
A case provided so that the second tubes are accommodated in the inner space, and a heat absorbing unit including a phase change material filled in the inner space to surround at least a portion of the second tubes,
The first heat exchange unit is disposed on an air flow path through which air passes,
The second heat exchange unit is a radiator, characterized in that disposed spaced apart from the air flow path. According to claim 1,
The first heat exchange unit may further include a plurality of first heat dissipation fins respectively extending from the first tubes. According to claim 1,
The second heat exchange unit may further include a plurality of second heat dissipation fins each extending from the second tubes so that at least a part thereof is surrounded by the phase change material. According to claim 1,
The phase change material comprises at least one material having a melting point higher than the melting point of the coolant and lower than the boiling point of the coolant. 5. The method of claim 4,
The phase change material comprises at least one material having a higher amount of heat storage per unit weight than the specific heat of the cooling water at the time of phase change.
delete According to claim 1,
The first heat exchange unit is disposed in an opening formed to allow the air to pass through the front end module of the vehicle body;
The second heat exchange unit is a radiator, characterized in that it is disposed on the periphery of the opening so as to be spaced apart from the opening. 8. The method of claim 7,
The radiator, characterized in that the case is fixed to the periphery. According to claim 1,
The radiator further comprising at least one on-off valve capable of selectively opening and closing the first outlet and the second outlet, respectively. According to claim 1,
The first tube and the second tube, the radiator, characterized in that arranged to be alternated with each other. In the thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle for cooling the coolant that has passed through the fuel cell stack using the radiator of claim 1,
a main line in which the stack is disposed to allow the coolant to pass therethrough, one end connected to the inlet and the other end connected to the first outlet;
a first bypass line having one end connected to the second outlet and the other end connected to a first point of the main line positioned between the first outlet and the stack; and
and an opening/closing unit capable of selectively opening and closing the first outlet and the second outlet, respectively. 12. The method of claim 11,
wherein the opening/closing unit includes a first opening/closing valve installed at the first point and capable of selectively opening and closing the first outlet and the second outlet, respectively. 13. The method of claim 12,
The first opening/closing valve includes a first port connected to the main line so that the coolant discharged from the first outlet selectively flows in, and the first bypass line so that the coolant discharged from the second outlet selectively flows in. A thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a second port connected to and a third port connected to the main line so that the coolant introduced through the first port and the second port is discharged. 12. The method of claim 11,
A second bypass line having one end connected to a second point of the main line positioned between the stack and the inlet, and the other end being connected to a third point of the main line positioned between the first point and the stack. further comprising,
The opening/closing unit may further include a second opening/closing valve capable of selectively opening and closing the second bypass line. 15. The method of claim 14,
The second opening/closing valve includes a first port connected to the main line so that the coolant discharged from the radiator flows in, and a second port connected to the second bypass line so that the coolant bypassing the radiator itself flows in; and a third port connected to the main line so that the coolant introduced through at least one of the first port and the second port is discharged. 12. The method of claim 11,
The opening/closing unit includes a third opening/closing valve installed on the main line so as to be positioned between the first outlet and the first point and capable of selectively opening and closing the first outlet, and between the second outlet and the first point. The thermal management system for a fuel cell vehicle, characterized in that it further comprises a fourth on-off valve installed on the first bypass line so as to be positioned and capable of selectively opening and closing the second outlet. 12. The method of claim 11,
The opening/closing unit selectively adjusts an opening degree of the first outlet and an opening degree of the second outlet so as to supply cooling water of a predetermined temperature to the stack. 18. The method of claim 17,
and a temperature sensor installed on the main line to be positioned between the first point and the stack, and capable of measuring the temperature of the cooling water;
wherein the opening/closing unit selectively adjusts the opening degree of the first outlet and the opening degree of the second outlet based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, respectively.

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