Analytic study on thermal management operating conditions of balance of 100kW fuel cell power plant for a fuel cell electric vehicle

100kW급 연료전지 열관리 시스템 실도로 운전조건 해석적 연구

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate performance characteristics of thermal management system(TMS) in a fuel cell electric vehicle with 100kW Fuel Cell(FC) system. In order to build up analytic modelling for TMS, each component was installed and tested under various operating conditions, such as water pump, radiator, 3-Way valve, COD heater, and FC stack etc. and as the results of them, correlations reflecting component's characteristics with flow rate, air velocity were developed. Developed analytic modelling was carried out under various operating conditions on the road. To verify modelling's accuracy, after prediction for optimum coolant flow rate was fulfilled under certain operating conditions, such as FC system, water pump speed, opening of 3-way valve, and pipe resistance, analytic and experimental values were compared and good agreement was shown. In order to predict cold-start operating performance for analytic modelling, coolant temperature variation was analyzed with $-20^{\circ}C$ ambient temperature and duration was predicted to rise in optimum temperature for FC. Because there is appropriate temperature difference between inlet and outlet of FC stack to operate FC system properly, related analysis was performed with respect to power consumption for TMS and heat rejection rate and performance map was depicted along with FC operating conditions.

본 연구의 목적은 100kW급 연료전지 시스템의 열관리 성능을 실도로 운전조건에서 분석하여, 성능 해석 모델링을 개발하는 것이다. 개발된 모델을 적용하여, 열관리 시스템의 운전조건 변화에 따른 성능 변화를 고찰하고자 한다. 해석 모델링은 핵심부품들에 대한 성능 평가 데이터를 바탕으로, 성능에 영향을 주는 변수들로 개발하였다. 개발된 연료전지 열관리 시스템 해석 모델링으로 다양한 실차 운전조건에서의 최적 열관리 시스템에 대한 전력소비량을 분석하였다. 주요하게, 연료전지 열관리시스템 핵심부품(워터펌프, 냉각 팬, 3 Way Valve, 라디에이터)에 대한 성능 특성 분석 후 모델링을 진행하였다. 개발된 모델링으로 운전조건에 따른 유량 예측을 하였고, 실험값과 예측값과의 비교분석을 통하여서, 해석 모델링에 대한 검증을 진행하였다. 과도해석을 통하여서, 냉시동시 냉각수 온도가 특정온도까지의 소요시간을 예측하였다. 스택 운전조건에서 스택 입출구 온도가 적정 수준에서 움직이기 위한 열관리 시스템 운전조건에 대한 예측을 진행하였다. 그 결과를 바탕으로, 소모전력과 열방출량과의 비교분석을 하였다. 개발된 해석 모델링은 핵심부품들의 성능 변화시 연료전지 시스템 운전에 대한 영향도를 분석할 수 있도록 활용할 예정이다.

Fig. 1. Thermal management system for 100kW fuel cell power plant of a fuel cell electric vehicle

Fig. 2. Electric water pump performance database and data reduction for non-dimensional correlation between flow rate and head. (a) Experimental data for electric water pump, (b) Non-dimensional correlation between flow rate and head

Fig. 3. Radiator performance database, (a) coolant-side pressure drop, (b) Heat rejection rate

Fig. 4. Pressure drop characteristics for stack and COD heater, (a) Fuel cell stack, (b) COD heater

Fig. 5. Volume flow rate characteristics along with 3 way valve angle

Fig. 6. Volume flow rate comparison between prediction and experimental data

Fig. 7. Coolant temperature characteristics at stack outlet with COD heater under cold start condition

Fig. 8. Optimal operating conditions for water pump and cooling fan along with heat capacity under coolant temperature difference through stack